Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

If there is one thing I was genetically encoded to do, is organize my life and everyone`s around me. I did a little research and most of the prof organizers do it as a side-job with scant online presence, providing basic home & office organizing and/or concierge services. So is this a profitable business? I currently work off Wall St and would need to replace a pretty decent 6 figure salary, so fear to take the leap (as with most stuck in rubix cube) has me stranded in this oasis between Wall St. dollars and my lifelong dream of calling something my own.

So what would help me stand out. My background is in IT where I`ve spent the last 4 or 5 years doing project management where organization is a must. So on the B2B side of the house, I`m sure I have a leg up on business process mgmt than most in the industry and could help establish/clean up processes for businesses. My house looks like the inside of a Japanese auto factory (pristine, in case that analogy failed to connect for you), so I know what it takes to make my B2C customers happy, so I think.

I`m also a fitness freak. Been a gym/sports/workout rat since I was a teenager.

So between my hardcoded organizational DNA, my IT/PM career backgroun and my obsession with keeping the mind/body free of clutter through exercise and healthy living, I`m thinking I could offer a nice package.

Any suggestion on how to focus or narrow in? Should I just start w/ the general prof organizer services that everyone does and add on once I get accustomed to what the market wants? Maybe I should target men, since we`re known to be the sloppier of the human gender?

Thanks for any help!!

I suspect that if you open up your own business, you`re not going to "replace a six-figure salary" any time soon. To open up your own business, I think requires a change in mind-set. It requires a commitment and dedication to the concept of self-employment first, and a desire for salary and income last.

From what I`m seeing, my best thought would be to first restructure your life and lifestyle to match a future low five-figure salary. That`ll take a lot of pressure off the new business, and offer you the time to build it into something that "might" grow to be larger in the future.

I know a gentleman who stepped down from his six figure job years ago.  He still struggles every week to stay in the five figure income range.  But, he loves being his own boss.  He also gets to spend more time with his family since they can participate in his company.  These are the main rewards for him.

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The older we get, the more excuses we make for not chasing after our dreams. But truth is, goals are attainable at any age.

Hey JayMelone.

Maybe this website will help. http://www.homeorganizeit.com/becomeaprofessionalorganizer.html

I`m sure success in the niche is attainable, but if you`re just starting out, I think the best advice would be to give it 6 months - 1year of hard work to build the momentum. I see it comparable to starting up your own website company... working from your home, having clients visit you there, building up momentum, etc. If you can submerge yourself in insight in this industry and gain experience, then you will have a quality product (your skills)... then all you have to do is focus on marketing that product in an effective way. But I think being in NYC is a big help too, because there`s more of a market for what you`re trying to do. Let me know how it goes!

Craig, Nevada, Chris... great advice and points well-taken!

I`m definitely not expecting to jump into something and be making 6 figures overnight. It will take dedication and hard work for months/years to probably get to that level, but if I love doing it, well, then the rest is gravy, right?

Chris, thanks for the reference site!

Off the top of my head, I cannot really think how best to narrow organizational services for readiest marketing. After all, organization is crucial to control in a deadlocked out of control world! So my own inclination therefore, is to brainstorm and broaden the concept, before suggesting any selections.

 

First of all, I am myself desperately disorganized! I have far too many crucial needs desperately underserved, with no clue where to turn, much less what steps to follow. Although one might conceive of a few standard issues that most people struggle with, and conceive of some sort of service package. But closest to home, the correct organization, connection and guidance, would make every difference to the aspiring entrepreneur, bewildered and left to our own devices.

 

I am very much interested in working with you to help develop your concept from conception to completion. 

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Aaron Agassi -=- FoolQuest.com

Asking for a simple critique for my website.

It is mostly finished with a few minor things that need to be put into place, including privacy policy, Terms of Service and copyright information.

Also, while critiquing the site, keep these questions in mind as I am very interested in these thoughts. 

Is the text clear and concise?

Is the site easy to navigate?

Is the layout clear and colors not too overpowering but at the same time not to subtle.

The site will continue to be refined as time goes and I know it is a lot of text, but the site`s main purpose is to inform people about what we do.  Not sell an easily definable merchandise but a relatively abstract concept that can only be thoroughly defined on a case by case basis.



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The ever so jovial site admin of ThePendex.com, a web development firm catering to the needs of the small business owner.

The only confusion I had was that the site map isn`t labeled.  Otherwise it was easy to find my way through it.


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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

Thanks, I`ll keep that in mind as I make changes


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The ever so jovial site admin of ThePendex.com, a web development firm catering to the needs of the small business owner.

Hi there :-)

The text is physically clear, but I think it could use some paragraph breaks, at least on the main page. Also, some consistency in regard to capitalization. The word "Web" generally is capitalized, where most of the other words you`re putting into caps shouldn`t be.

The main problem is a typical one, though. There`s a lot of generic jargon that doesn`t say anything. For example:
Consider that if a small business owner doesn`t know why they should have a presence online, what makes you think they know what`s a business model? But aside from that, you`re basically saying that you specialize in helping someone match their online presence with their brick-and-mortar business.

Why not say that?
I`m only brainstorming, but the point is that you`re not really selling anything as it stands right now.

Any small business owner who doesn`t have a Web site, likely is also not doing a lot of searching for Web developers. If they are, they`re not familiar with the process. So they need to get "hooked" right away. You have to speak explicitly to the issues they`re having, so they get a sort of "ah hah!" of recognition.

The site itself is nice, easy to work with, and so forth. It`s the underlying sales pitch that, to me, seems a little weak at the moment. Another example:
What you`re selling is a national presence. Some separation and white space would help:

The problem mostly is perspective. Too many business owners tell someone who they are, not what they offer. They "see" in their mind`s eye someone just sitting there staring at them, saying nothing, having no questions, doing nothing.

But in reality, the online business is in the middle of a 30-second job interview! The viewer/visitor who`s clicked on the page doesn`t even know the specific questions to ask. But they`re asking them regardless, in their mind.

Mostly, the questions are:

• Who are these people?
• What do I care?
• What do they sell?
• How much would it cost if I was even interested?
• Is this what I was searching for on Google (or Bing, Yahoo, etc.)?
• Why am I looking at this page?

At the moment, how many of those questions are you answering?