We recently connected with Shauna Dolan and have shared our conversation below.

Shauna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

So, the growth of this business was very slow and steady. This is not get rich quick or everything is rainbows and butterflies all the time type of business. Starting out, I did full home organization and had so much fun on that journey. I slowly but surely realized that closet organization and custom built closets is what set a fire inside me aka: passion! Once I started focusing on closet organization and custom built closets, the new leads and booked out schedule became more and more frequent.

My goal is to be one of the top closet organizers in the industry and be able to teach my skills to other organizers at some point. The more niched my business became, the better my skills became and my schedule became full of the projects I’m most passionate and happy doing.

Being consistent on social media and building genuine networking relationships is also to be credited!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I work with clients to build their dream boutique-like closets. Whether that is doing a full tear down and we design and install a brand new closet system or I come in and organize a current closet system, clients are left with a functional and beautiful closet! During our consultation, I audit your current closet and the merchandise inside of it, take measurements and review the client’s goals, wish list and pick out our materials and hardware. We will also pick out the organization products that will be installed on the project day. With over 15 years in high end retail merchandising, I specialize in creating that WOW factor in a closet. The way you get your pajamas on will feel lux, the way you pick out your outfit for date night will feel lux, everything in your closet will feel PERFECT.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The amount of times I’ve heard “you are so successful, your business is so busy and you’re everywhere” but I actually wanted to cry because I didn’t have a client for 2 weeks straight BUILDS resilience. Starting a business is one thing, but sticking with it through the mud is another. I’ve been slow, discouraged, scrutinized, offered ways out but I won’t do it. The joy and happiness I feel when I’m organizing a closet is not going to be matched by any other job. Now that my business is consistently busy (thanks to niching down by ALOT and building genuine networking relationships and consistent social media) I look back at all of those times I almost ended it all. I’m so glad I didn’t.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

It was my first custom build. I WAS SO NERVOUS yet so so excited at the possibility of that deposit being sent in and the custom portion of my business finally taking off. I went to that design appointment and did everything I learned, researched and controlled that design appointment like it was my 50th, not my first. I put my heart and soul in to that design and I showed my clients confidence through every step of the way. Well, that deposit rolled in and I was ECSTATIC!! The entire project was amazing and rewarding for me professionally and for the clients who now refer me to anyone and everyone. Moral of the story, do your research, be prepared, be confident and you have my permission to “fake it till you make it!”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/organizedthat
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/organizedthatxoxo?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084644995770&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Nikki from @nmv_clicks