MEET JANET TAYLOR: Janet Taylor has more than 23 years of management, marketing and administration experience. This CEO has displayed an innate tendency for order since childhood and since she started Totally Organized, LLC. As the owner of Totally Organized, Janet has worked with major client including Les Brown, the City of Philadelphia and IKEA. In addition to helping her clients enjoy the monetary and intangible rewards of being more organized, Janet publishes a monthly newsletter. She is also the author of the book 101 Secrets To Living An Organized Life as well as the author of a series of organizing eBooks. This forward thinking entrepreneur, has appeared on the lifestyle TV show “Mission: Organization” which aired on the Home and Garden Network (HGTV). Keep reading to learn more about Janet, including tips she shares that can help you become more organized. You can check Janet out online at http://www.totallyorganized.biz.
WMI: Where did you work, and what were you doing, before you launched Totally Organized LLC?
JT: I worked for the Shared Ride Program which provided transportation to senior citizens as a service monitor. I was responsible for coordinating transportation to a variety of appointments.
WMI: When did you launch Totally Organized LLC and what inspired you to start the company?
JT: The company I was working for lost the transportation contract and I was being downsized. I decided I wanted to be in control of my financial future and saw an article about a woman who was teaching professionals how to be more organized. I thought that was the one thing my co-workers would say about me, that I am organized. Soon after, I started researching the professional organizing industry.
WMI: Where did you get your initial financial investment to launch Totally Organized LLC? Also, what was the initial financial investment you put into Totally Organized LLC?
JT: I am not sure what my initial investment was but I would say less than $500. I was able to use money I had received as compensation (e.g. severance) once I was downsized to invest in my business. Since I decided to continue living with my mother I was allowed to transform an extra bedroom into my office, get a phone line, business license and business cards.
WMI: What was the greatest challenge you faced as you put on the helmet of business owner?
JT: The greatest challenge that I faced was when I decided to not focus on the business to take care of my mother full-time. I knew at that time that I could not do both so I devoted all my time to her care. At that time I was not aware that would be the last 14 months of my mother’s life. Despite the financial impact on me both personally and professionally it was the best decision I could have made.
WMI: How do you keep yourself motivated as an entrepreneur when sales are sluggish?
JT: I stay connected with people that believe in me and no matter how bad things may have gotten these people continued to tell me what I was experiencing was only temporary.
WMI: When it comes to building a profitable business, entrepreneurs often think about marketing and promoting, getting customer sales. In what specific ways does being organized impact or influence a business owner’s ability to generate or increase customer sales? What makes you say this?
JT: In my opinion organization is a key to running a business. As a business owner I have sales goals that must be met so that I can stay in business. Additionally, as a result of achieving those goals I am able to focus my marketing and promoting to maintain and increase customer sales. This will prevent me from wasting time and money on marketing that will not be profitable.
WMI: Tell us about three common organizing challenges you see small business owners facing. Please also share what business owners facing these challenges can do to become more organized without spending lots of money on equipment, etc.
JT: The three common areas that businesses are challenged in are:
1) Organizing Receipts – which results in expenses not being recorded
2) Project Files – Misplaced documents
3) Mail -Misplaced in piles
The challenges are the result of business owners not having administrative support as well as not scheduling time to complete administrative tasks until they are able hire someone. Regarding tips to overcome these challenges:
1) I suggest that clients place all receipts in an envelope or folder and use accounting software to track expenses.
2) Create a place to file project related documents. Once you are finished working on documents, place them in the folder.
3) Identify one place for incoming mail and toss the junk mail.
WMI: Give us a brief overview of some of the topics/working situations you cover in your book 101 Secrets to Living an Organized Life?
JT: 101 Secrets to Living An Organized Life was a book I wrote to give readers a simple way to organize areas of their home, office, time and life. Readers will learn how to conquer paper piles, discover new ways to get out the house on time, how to maximize space and more. I want readers to be able to take one tip at a time to make the changes needed to organize their life.
WMI: Tell us about the services you offer clients through Totally Organized LLC?
JT: Totally Organized, LLC provides administrative support, project management and trainings to a variety of clients. We help managers and executives improve leadership skills. We also help departments and companies to increase productivity.
WMI: What three to four key online and offline marketing strategies do you use to spread the word about Totally Organized LLC?
JT: My current marketing strategies include my monthly online newsletter, daily posting to social media, and networking at events attended by my target market.
WMI: You work with clients like Les Brown, Hewlett Packard and the City of Philadelphia. You also offer seasonal tips on KYW1060 and have appeared on the Home and Garden Network (HGTV). What process did you follow to land these established clients and media appearances?
JT: All of the clients and media appearances you have mentioned are a result of referrals. Les Brown and the City of Philadelphia are results of relationships I have with fellow businesswomen. A childhood friend worked at Hewlett Packard and needed help setting up his office. I met the reporter at KYW1060 at a women’s conference and introduced myself and stayed in contact with her. Lastly, I received the call from HGTV as a result of workshops I was conducting for a community organization. Someone told me that I was wasting time working for such a small organization. I always tell people don’t despise small beginnings.
WMI: Share two success stories with us, illustrating how your services helped clients to save time, streamline work efforts and improve their personal and business lives.
JT: This is a hard question for me to answer because how do you measure success in what I do? To move a client from over 1300 square feet of space to less than 800 square feet and have that client return in two days, smiling and sitting at her desk to begin working . . . that is success. Or another client that successfully passed her yearly audit due to the document management system that we helped to put in place. Or the client that called and asked, “Janet, do you remember what I did with my portfolio?” because she knew I knew her office well. Those are a few of my success stories.
WMI: What’s next for Totally Organized LLC? Where do you see yourself and the company two to three years from now?
JT: My plan for Totally Organized, LLC is to begin training others to service clients which will allow me to focus on the next chapter of my life at http://www.JanetMTaylor.com.
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