Member Spotlight

March-May Member Spotlight: Samantha Pointer of Get It Together!

Name:  Samantha Pointer

Business Name:  Get It Together!

Website: www.organizingguru.com and www.help-organize-life.com

Contact information: 615-397-1003

Years in Business: 15 years

Tell us about your background – what led you into becoming a Professional Organizer? I started out in the corporate world doing accounts payable, accounts receivable and finance and administrative work. I started very young with my business. I was 20. I had been surfing around the Internet and stumbled across a Texas organizer called HandyGirl. I didn’t even know people did that for a living. I got some information about the Industry from her and from her site went to the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) site and had them send me information. That was in 1996. I was two years out of highschool. I remember seeing in the Nashville Scene BackPage  a woman advertising organizing services and decided to give her a call. She invited me to a informal meeting of local organizers called TOP. And the rest they say is history. I went in to business in 1997 and full-time in 2000.

What does your company specialize in? We mostly do residential organizing helping with hoarders, chronically disorganized and people with ADD/ADHD or chronic illness issues.

What are your favorite things about being a Professional Organizer? I love helping others get their lives in order. It gives me a rush to see the smile on their faces when it all comes together. It is also motivating to me when I get done with an organizing job.

What should we know about you, professionally and personally? Well personally I am a history buff, foodie and I am a huge Beatles fan. I have two daughters that are 8 months and 6 years old and they were born on the same day. Professionally I own a web design and development company and can help you with your computer needs.

What is one thing many people don’t know about you that helps make you a great organizer?  I have a photographic memory that helps me to help my clients even long after we have worked together to remember where certain things were placed. I am great at seeing the end result. No matter what I walk into I can see the finished product. I am also a great listener and help to really organize according to how a person thinks and lives.

Where is someplace we would most likely find you, other than working? Why at my computer of course or sleeping LOL!

 

 

December Member Spotlight: Candice Sone of Sone Design

Name:

Candice Sone

Website:

www.sonedesign.com

Contact Information:

cand...@sonedesign.com

312.480.9039

1000 Percy Warner Boulevard

Nashville, TN 37205

 

Backround:

I graduated with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Interior Design, was accepted to grad school for Architecture but passed up my option to travel through Europe and live in Sweden.  I worked for two well known interior design firms in Chicago before opening up my own practice in 1990.

Specialize in:

Residential Interior Design and Architecture

Professional and Personal Information:

I am a licensed interior designer; NCIDQ certified (National Council For Interior Design Qualification) and a member of NAPO and NAWBO.  I have a second office in Chicago and work on projects throughout the United States.

I have been married for fourteen years to Joe Gutt who is a cinematographer.  We have an eleven year old daughter, Taylor, who is the light of my life.  We have lived in West Meade for fifteen years where I also have my office and studio.

One thing that many people don’t know about me that makes me a great designer is…

I’m a little bit OCD which helps me to take care of every little detail and except only the best quality work.

If I am not working, you would most likely find me hanging with my family, cooking, training in Taekwondo, or Scuba diving-but not all at the same time!

 

October Member Spotlight: Cindy Sullivan of cbSullivan Consulting & Organizing

Website:                                                     www.cbSullivanConsulting.com

Contact information:                      615-406-5436 or cin...@cbSullivanConsulting.com

Years in Business:                             6 years

Tell us about your background – what led you into becoming a Professional Organizer? 

My former career was in Quality & Training for a 401(k) provider.  I helped develop and deliver training courses and curriculum for new hires through management.  One of the training certifications I received was the Franklin Covey Time Management Course “What Matters Most”.

When I left, I took time off to determine what I wanted to pursue professionally.  I continued work in the area of Time Management as an independent consultant and began to learn more about the Professional Organizing industry.  It was a perfect complement to the skill set in time management – by applied to processes, systems, and “things”.  I joined NAPO in 2004 and began working with clients soon afterward.  My business has grown to include clients from both residential and business settings, doing work in time management, training & coaching, and hands-on organizing.

What does your company specialize in?  Time Management continues to be a specialty area for me.  I also find a lot of enjoyment in client work that is “below the surface” – helping clients understand and address root causes of disorganization, addressing work styles and learning preferences to establish effective systems, and working with clients to address issues with Chronic Disorganization, Hoarding, etc.

What are your favorite things about being a Professional Organizer?  I most enjoy helping clients be more efficient so that they spend less time on the “have to”s and more time on their “want to”s.  Helping clients feel more freedom in their homes, workplace, and with their time is very rewarding.

What should we know about you, professionally and personally?  Professionally, I am very committed to developing myself and my knowledge in the industry.  Continuing my education to provide my clients with the best resources is very important to me.  I also feel strongly that organizers should present our industry as a “profession”, not just a job.

Personally, I am a wife and mother to two active boys (ages 1 & 12).   I am an avid reader, a musician, and enjoy cooking & trying new recipes.  I enjoy many interests & activities and feel it’s a natural extension of both my professional AND personal self to model a level of life balance for my sons, family, and clients.

What is one thing many people don’t know about you that helps make you a great organizer?  My experiences in the training world teamed with my most recent education to become an “Organizer Coach” have equipped me with skills to more fully include a “transfer of knowledge” to my clients.  Experience in the corporate world and as a “working Mom”  has also allowed me to relate better with clients and understand the challenges they face.

Where is someplace we would most likely find you, other than working?  I really enjoy being at home with my family, cooking for & entertaining friends, and when time allows, enjoying a really good book.  Our family enjoys travel and I’ve been blessed with opportunities to travel internationally for both mission trips and “just for fun”.

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September Member Spotlight: Betty Ann Mills of Closets & More

Years in Business:  4+ as Closets &  More , over 10 years as an interior designer

Contact Information:  (o) 615-312-7103 (c)615-482-1956

Tell us about your background – what led you into your profession?

Well, first of all, I am not a PO.  I am an interior designer.  My original degree is a BS in Accounting from Clemson University, 1978.I went back to school (Watkins) at 40 to earn my associates degree in design.   I worked at Davishire for a brief time for my internship.  I left Davishire to work with b.wilker& co. for just over 2 years before going out on my own.  Meanwhile my husband decided to leave the corporate world and had always wanted to start his own business. We began to examine our alternatives.  At that time, I had already been involved with a small closet dealership to help some of my clients who were moving into The Heritage (a retirement community) in Brentwood.  So, after examining our list of requirements, we decided to enter the world of “closet design” as a full time business.   Closets & More was born!

What does your company specialize in?

Our company designs and installs custom organization solutions for homes and offices.  Those installations can be for any room in your home or office.  Examples would include:  closets- clothes, linens, utility, etc.; pantries; media centers; garages; home offices as well as light commercial offices; laundry rooms; craft spaces;  bedrooms/wall beds; break rooms; mail rooms; just about any space you can think of

What are your favorite things about being a Designer?

I love that the timeline for our designs tends to be shorter than it is for interior design work.  It’s nice to see a design go from completion to installation in a matter of a couple of weeks.  …a little instant gratification!

I love meeting all kinds of new and interesting people – the good, the bad and the ugly – so to speak.  The bad ones just make me appreciate to good ones more!!!

I love that I can incorporate my interior design skills with our designs.  Sometimes there is a really great synergy between both worlds that can really make a difference in the end product for my clients.

Most of all, I love it when clients are excited and happy about the work that we, as a company, have done and the service we provide for them.

What should we know about you, professionally and personally?

PERSONALLY:  I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and moved to Brentwood in 1992.  My husband Tom and I have been married for 31 years.  We have 2 children – Caroline (25) and Michael (22).  When the kids were young, I spent most of my “free” time sewing, gardening, and cooking.  Since entering the world of interior design, my work has become my passion as well as my creative outlet.

PROFESSIONALLY:  I have spent years developing a professional network so that I may help my clients, co-workers and friends in whatever way I can.  I work hard to maintain my professionalism at all times. I am well trained and experienced in my field.  …and when I am involved in an area outside my area of expertise, I will call in someone who is.   I am well regarded within the ASID design community and the clients whom I serve.

What is one thing many people don’t know about you that helps make you a great organizer/designer?

What most people and don’t know is that I really just love what I do and if I didn’t have to make a living, I would probably work for free!!  Hope my clients never find out…

Where is someplace we would most likely find you, other than working?

More often than not, you will find me in my design studio playing with my fabrics putting together my never ending list of design ideas for my own home, reading design magazines to get new ideas or reading novels.

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August Member Spotlight: Paige McClain-Ramsey of McClain Organizational Services/Ramsey Productivity Services.

Website: www.RamseyProductivityServices.com

Contact information: (615) 573-1184 (no text)

Years in Business: Since June 1998

Tell us about your background – what led you into becoming a Professional Organizer?

I found myself constantly organizing in my old position with a Non-Profit – so I started doing it for money!

What does your company specialize in?

I specialize in Corporate, Small Business and Home Office.

What are your favorite things about being a Professional Organizer?

The variety of the people, places and situations, and knowing that I made a visible and concrete difference at the end of the session.

What should we know about you, professionally and personally?

My educational background is a Masters degree in Human Development Counseling. Personally, I really like working with people but my heart belongs to the animals. We have three dogs that are all rescues, Cissy the Lab mix from the ditch in Crieve Hall, Maggie the Beagle/Foxhound mix found on the Interstate at the Alabama/TN state line, and Jack the Terrier mix that found us after being abandoned on our road.

What is one thing many people don’t know about you that helps make you a great organizer?

My father owns a lumber company in Columbia, and I grew up in the construction industry. That background really comes in handy, as well as a degree in Counseling! I’m also not afraid to change something several times until it feels right!

Where is someplace we would most likely find you, other than working?

I love gardening, growing zinnias, and going to Seagrove Beach!

 

July Member Spotlight:Hayden Cross of College Hunks Who Haul Junk!

Tell us about your background – what led you into your current business?

My husband, Sam, and I left our corporate jobs in 2008 and wanted to spend some time traveling across the country in our RV.  We managed an RV park, visited family and friends in most of the states east of the Mississippi, and hiked about 600 miles on the Appalachian Trail.  We always knew that when we went back to work, it would be for ourselves.  Then we found College Hunks, and knew that this was the team we wanted to be a part of.  We love what we do and enjoy working with our crews and our clients every day.

What does your company specialize in?

We are Nashville’s professional junk removal specialists.  We are licensed, bonded, and insured to remove any non-hazardous items from your home or office in Middle TN.  Our uniformed teams will do all the labor, loading, and sorting of your items for you, and all you have to do is point out what you want us to take away.  We will donate back to the community all that we can, recycle or reuse what we can, and only as a last resort are the rest of the items disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.  If your items can be donated, we will get a tax-deductible receipt in your name and mail it back to you.  We even sweep up when we are finished helping you!

What are your favorite things about being a business owner that helps Organizers & the public?

I love helping our clients declutter their lives.  Clutter can add stress, fatigue, lack of ability to concentrate to our lives, and can even complicate health problems.  So by getting rid of unwanted items, our clients are able to focus on what is important to them.  Everyone’s needs are different, and therefore every job is different.  It’s very rewarding to listen to our clients, find out what they need, and help them find solutions.

What should we know about you, professionally and personally?

Professionally, we are committed to mentoring young professionals towards careers of their own in business ownership, management, and many other roles that benefit the community, all while having a blast at “work”!

Personally, I’m a mom and a business owner, and I love finding balance between the two.  I enjoy cooking out with my family and friends, spending time outdoors hiking, camping, Jeeping.

What is one thing many people don’t know about you that helps make you a great at what you do?

I’m kind of an open book, so most people do know this about me ~ I think the secret to success is doing the right thing even when no one’s looking.

Where is someplace we would most likely find you, other than working?

You’d find me playing with my 9 month old son and our Boston Terrier at our home in the country   We are also preparing to welcome a daughter to our family in November!

You can contact Hayden through the College Hunks website or call their local office at: 615-776-1994!

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The NAPO Nashville Member Spotlight highlights a member or an associate member each month. The goal is to let you get to know our members better and to give each of our organizers and business members a chance to shine.

If you want to be highlighted – email Liz Jenkins, CPO, at liz [at] afreshspace [dot] com!