We recently connected with Tonia Tomlin and have shared our conversation below.

Tonia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Along with taking care of clients, taking care of our team is one of the most important things we can do as leaders. Looking back on your journey, did you have a boss that was really great? Maybe you can tell us about that boss and what made them a wonderful person to work for?

The best boss I had was in college, at Denim Works. He was a great boss because at a lot of jobs they will only tell you what to do, but he SHOWED me how to do the job. That’s where my love for organization really began. He taught me how to fold, how to sell, how to have a customer relationship. Instead of just telling me what to do, he led by example. He would say “watch me”, proceed to show me how to do something, then watch me do it & give me feedback. From a learning perspective, it taught me how to lead a team by example. Show them the right way to do something, allow them to do it & then provide feedback on what they did right/wrong & answer questions to make them better the next time.

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 am the owner & founder of a Professional Organizing company called Sorted Out, that started in 2004. We work in homes & businesses, developing & establishing organizational processes to improve functionality & maintainability, increase productivity & improve on time management. We hold multiple certificates through the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD), including ADHD, and are a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO).

Specializing in ADHD is something that really sets us apart & is something that makes even more of difference, because those who have ADHD lack the executive functioning ability to develop & maintain processes. It was important to me for myself & my team to have the education & understanding of the ADHD mind, to be able to truly help those affected by it & create something that works specifically for them. Not just creating a space that is beautiful, but one that is maintainable & functional for them.

The most exciting part is being able to see people so happy after you’re in their home or business, & how much of a difference you’ve made. Releasing the stress & bringing calm back into their lives after being so overwhelmed & stressed out. Knowing that you’re helping people with the gift that I have, being able to help hundreds of people & having a team of people who can do the same, is truly so rewarding & something I am proud to be able to do. Seeing the before & after images of projects, the true transformation of our work, how visually things have changed in even a short amount of time & how we can really make such a difference is so amazing.

In 2024 I have big plans to launch in the Houston/Woodlands area. It is also my 20th year anniversary which makes for a great time to kick off a new territory, after having expanded to the Raleigh, NC area this past year.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Really what helped was HGTV. Once I was casted on the HGTV show “Mission: Organization”, that’s when my presence was highlighted & people were more curious about what I do professionally. The awareness in the media helped me stand out in a market that was still very new to the Organizing profession & what it was about. With my reputation of being someone who was on HGTV, people had more interest in hiring me & trusted me more because I had been on national television. From there I’ve been on countless news channels, magazines, etc. that has continued to help further build my reputation within the Professional Organizing world.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source for new clients for me would be referrals. The best compliment you can receive is a referral from a client. Someone who has worked with me & has first-hand experience with my process & how I was able to truly help them personally, in their own homes or business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sortedout.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sortedoutorganizing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SortedOutOrganizing
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sorted-out-llc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sortedoutllc6946