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NASMM Conference Opens New Doors for Professional Organizers

Janet — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:32:14 +0000

As a blogger, I’m committed to sharing all types of information that might benefit you in Your Organizing Business, so when I heard about the recent National Association of Senior Move Managers conference, I was eager to invite an attendee to tell us about it in a guest blog post. Robin Blinder was happy to oblige, and I’m pleased to welcome her here today. The annual conference of the National Association of Senior Move Managers was in Austin, Texas this month – January 12^th through the 15^th. As a professional organizer who is also a senior move manager, this conference is one of the ways I continue to educate myself, recharge my business batteries, and network with those throughout the country whose professional life has taken the same fork in the road. This was my second NASMM Conference, and once again, NASMM did not disappoint. First, the venue – the Hyatt Regency in Austin, Texas – was a wonderful place to attend a conference. Great halls for the nearly 400 attendees to gather for keynote sessions, meals, and events like the 10^th Birthday Party of NASMM, excellent rooms for breakout sessions, and a myriad of open meeting areas for networking and small group meetings. Austin showed up with weather that was warm enough for walks along the river or across the bridge. And there were plenty of restaurants and nightspots to visit with new friends or old friends reunited. Fun times! This year’s educational sessions were superb. I started out my conference time with Thursday’s pre-conference sessions – “Speak Up! And Present Your Way to Success” and “Winning Sales Strategies for Senior Move Managers.” Both sessions, taught by renown experts in our field, gave me tons of ah-ha moments & things I could implement to grow my business. There were four keynote general sessions – one more than last year, and each of them touched a different area of my business. Friday’s opening keynote, “Differentiate and Dominate” by John Jantsch of “Duct Tape Marketing” fame, helped us to think of our business and our marketing strategy in a whole new way. Saturday’s keynote, “My Client Has Dementia: Now What?” by Teepa Snow, was phenomenal. Teepa delivered some tough information in a very entertaining way. Sunday’s keynotes, Jeremy Solomon’s keynote on dealing with diversity in the aging market and Tim Richardson’s “Rich Service” presentation, both gave me a number of take-away points to apply. But that wasn’t all! The 24 breakout sessions during the conference were so rich that I bought the CDs in order to catch the sessions that I wasn’t able to attend. The topics hit on business topics like marketing, sales, human resource & finance, tactical topics for SMMs like estimating, space planning, and disbursing client belongings, and client-centered topics such as family communication, client “potholes,” and decision-making. There was definitely something for everyone, and many of the sessions also applied to my organizing business. If you’re a Senior Move Manager and have not attended NASMM’s Annual Conference, join us in St. Petersburg next January 20^th-23^rd and experience for yourself the tremendous value it brings to you and your business. If you’re a NAPO or ICD member and have thought about adding senior move management to your services, come to St. Petersburg and see what this growing field can add to your business. Hope to see you next January in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida! Robin Blinder is a Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager serving the Tampa Bay, Florida area. You can find more information at http://www.consideritorganized.com.

Speak Up and Succeed with Twitter

Janet — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:41:29 +0000

Giving presentations is an important skill for professional organizers, whether you're sharing ideas with your local chapter, offering tips to a group or the general public as a way of marketing your organizing business, or getting paid to speak about your area of expertise. It's no secret that more and more people have mobile devices that allow them to be connected to their online networks nearly all the time. What does this have to do with giving presentations? Maybe a lot! One of these days, you may be speaking at a conference or other event and discover that the audience is tweeting about your presentation. Participants enjoy tweeting about what they're listening to for a number of reasons. For one thing, it allows them to share the highlights of what they're learning with followers who aren't at the event. It also lets them share comments with other people attending who may not be sitting close by. They can even converse with people who are close by without worrying about distracting others by speaking out loud. It might be a bit unnerving to see people typing on their laptops, iPads, or smart phones while you speak, but it doesn't mean they aren't paying attention! Consider that some people actually use Twitter to record information they might have written on paper in the past. This gives them notes to refer back to afterwards, and share those notes with others at the same time. To my knowledge, there hasn't been live tweeting during any of my presentations so far, but I realize that it will likely happen someday so I need to be prepared – and so do you. Fortunately, I discovered a free e-book by Olivia Mitchell that's full of great advice on surviving the experience, responding to the audience's needs, and getting involved in the conversation. If you give presentations, or plan to in the future, please feel free to download your own copy of How to Present with Twitter. I've been at both live and online events where it was taking place, and it's quite an interesting phenomena! Please tell us about your experiences with live tweeting, either as a speaker or a member of the audience. Do you think it enhances or detracts from the experience?

MARCPO 2010: The Making of a Great Conference

Janet — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:46:18 +0000

Every year for over a decade, the Metro Washington, DC Area Chapter of NAPO has hosted the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers (MARCPO). For the benefit of others who might be interested in holding a similar event, I asked Deb Lee, Marketing Chair of MARCPO 2010, what goes on behind the scenes, and here's what she told me. If you’re like me, you like attending conferences. If you’re like me, you expect the ones you attend will have great food, amazing speakers, and be in a comfortable location. Not only will the content be fabulous, but you’ll also get to see old friends and connect with new ones. If you’re like me, when the conference you’re attending is one that you’re also helping to organize, you absolutely want it to be great. And, if you’re really are like me, then you know what it’s like to work with an amazingly tireless group of people to put on an equally amazing conference. Working behind the scenes on NAPO-WDC’s 12th Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers (MARCPO 2010 – Purpose, Passion, Profit) was fun, exhausting, exhilarating, and any other word you can think of when you’ve been immersed in it for twelve months! Though it was the third year in a row that I’ve worked behind the scenes, I still learned a thing or two about what it’s like to coordinate the many arms of a conference. If your association or group is thinking about putting on a great conference, you’ll need to do a lot, and you must have the “3 P’s.” People Before you have a plan, you need people. Sound counterintuitive? It isn’t really. You can plan till the cows come home, but if there’s no one around to execute said plan, well, you don’t have much, do you? Besides, when you have people, they can help you create a plan so fabulous that everyone will look like rock stars. Sometimes, your people get clever and get their own people (think sub-committees). When everyone steps up to the plate and takes care of the things they’re tasked with, you’re almost guaranteed that you’ll put on a 5-star event.

"Say what you'll do - then follow through." –Judy Parkins, MARCPO 2010 Chair

Care to guess how many people worked on MARCPO 2010? There was the Conference Chairperson, Judy Parkins, who pulled everyone together. She had four committee chairs (Speakers, Expo, Marketing, & Program), and each of them had their own committee members. There were also volunteers who manned the registration desk, handled the AV, fixed speaker slides, and made sure we had banners and signs. Did I mention that we had a Community Partner liaison who handled the donations we received? How about the folks who eye-balled our docs and website content to make sure there were no typos? …hmmm…think I might be forgetting a few people… All in all, there were 30+ people involved behind the scenes. So, you see, people really come first.

“Another important element of creating a successful conference is a shared vision. All of the people involved knew that we could produce a high-quality, classy, professional event with a very strong educational component. We were all working hard to reach that same goal.” –Julie Gray, MARCPO 2010 Expo Chair

Purpose You probably thought that the second “P” would be plan. No, not yet. You need a reason or purpose for pulling all these fabulous people together. So, what’s the point? Is there a vision for the conference? What do you hope attendees will learn and experience? Solidifying the purpose will drive the direction and feel of your event. When carefully crafted – and if your people are all on the same page – the memory of your conference will be forever imprinted in the minds of everyone in attendance. Yes, they will remember the content, but they will also remember how they felt, the connections they made, and they will remember to come back next year. The MARCPO 2010 team wanted to create a conference that was positive, energizing, and filled with diverse programming that would appeal to both new and experienced organizers. We wanted attendees to walk away with an excitement level so high that when coupled with relevant information, they would be better equipped to serve their clients.

“Planning early allowed us lots of time to work a little at a time.” –Cris Sgrott-Wheedleton, Program Chair

Plan This is where the people, purpose, and plan all come together. It’s time to get into the nooks and crannies and figure out who’s going to do what and when. This means creating a timeline with specific dates of completion. Did you remember the Save the Date cards? What about the conference logo? Who will contact the graphic designer? Did the Tweet Up stickers get printed? What time will the Pre-Conference session start? At the risk of making your head explode, here are other things to consider (not a comprehensive list, nor in any particular order, but a good starting point):

Budget, Contract
Social Media, Press Releases, Website Updates, Media Coverage
Venue (rooms, food, parking, point person)
Audio/Visual, Photographer
Sponsors, Vendors, Exhibitors, Door Prizes
Signs, Banners, Easels, Stickers, Ribbons, Buttons
Speakers (gifts, accommodations)
Registration, Name Tags, Conference Bags, Binders
Length of Event & Logistics
Thank You Notes/Cards
Conference Debrief (lessons learned)
Next Conference

As you can see, there are a myriad of things to think about and do. Map out the plan, assign the people, and give them deadlines. And, don’t forget to check in on a regular basis. The MARCPO 2010 crew had a standing call once a month from March to July which increased to once every three weeks and then once a week as the conference drew near. Having frequent calls kept everyone accountable, allowed for reassignments, and gave everyone a chance to ask questions. Was it easy to carve out time for the high frequency of calls? No…but, ultimately, it was well worth it. The Ancillary “P” Once you’ve taken care of the 3 P’s, you’ll be well prepared for the big day. But, wait! There is one more thing to think about. You need a back-up plan. What happens if things don’t go as planned, like say a speaker doesn’t show up? Two MARCPO speakers arrived later than we anticipated, and in the moments before they actually got there, we decided that if they were not present within five minutes, we’d assemble an expert panel. The good news is that both speakers arrived on time and we didn’t need our back up plan. But, it was great knowing we had a “Plan B” to fall back on. The Final Word Planning well in advance with a committed team focused on the same goals is essential. Just remember that it’s your conference, too. Attend sessions, connect with friends, meet new ones, and eat. If you’re like me, you’ll remember to have fun!

“This year's conference was filled with ideas that challenged me to move my business ahead. I most enjoyed meeting new people and seeing friends.” –Janet Schiesl, Speaker Chair

About Deb Deb Lee is a Certified Professional Organizer® and the founder of D. Allison Lee LLC, a professional organizing company that helps residential and business clients realize their goals of getting organized, increasing productivity, and reducing stress. For more information, visit www.dallisonlee.com or follow Deb on Twitter.

Meet Me in Montreal

Janet — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:51:16 +0000

Time sure is funny sometimes. It seems like POC just announced their 10th Annual Conference was being held in Montreal from November 5 to 7, 2010, but in reality, it was several months ago, and the Conference is now only six weeks away! This year's theme is Communication, and there will be two inspiring keynote speakers as well as a wide selection of breakout sessions for professional organizers at all levels. At 3:30 PM on Friday, November 5, I'll be conducting a workshop on Social Media Strategies for Professional Organizers, which I'm very excited about. It's a huge topic to cover in only 75 minutes, so I've prepared some great worksheets you'll be able to take away and work on after the Conference. If you go to Montreal early, you can also take the Professional Organizers.com Comprehensive Training Program, attend some POC Trained Professional Organizer Credit Courses, and write your POC Trained Professional Organizer or NSGCD Exams - not to mention a chance to explore one of Canada's most exciting cities! I'm really looking forward to the Gala Dinner on Saturday night for networking, a great meal, comedian Franco Taddeo, and finding out who will receive this year's Harold Taylor Award. If you haven't already, be sure to check out all the details on the POC website, where you can also download a complete Conference Program. Members of NAPO and NSGCD get to pay the same reduced rate as POC members, and early bird registration rates are in effect until October 3. That's just around the corner, so don't wait too long! I can't wait to meet some of my readers for the first time, and to reconnect with people I haven't seen since I last attended a POC Conference in 2006. If you're going, please leave me a comment below or contact me personally so we don't miss each other in the crowd!

Earthquake Delays AAPO Conference – and what you can do to help

Janet — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:18:17 +0000

The major earthquake which struck Christchurch, New Zealand, early Saturday morning has been one of the biggest news stories of the past week. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but because of the extensive damage, the AAPO Conference scheduled to take place in Christchurch has been postponed until February 2011. On a more positive note, this gives you another chance to go if you weren't able to make it this month. If you're wondering what you can do to help those who have been affected by this disaster, consider purchasing a copy of The Accidental Organiser by Wendy Davie. Wendy has generously offered to donate $10.00 from the proceeds of each book sold to the Christchurch City Mission Fund. The cost is only $29.99 NZD (approximately $21 USD) and includes shipping, so this is really a great deal and a great opportunity to make a contribution. If you're undecided, read Angela's Esnouf review of The Accidental Organiser before placing your order. Photo: Schwede66

A First Timer’s Perspective on The Annual NAPO Conference

Janet — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:59:50 +0000

Last week, we heard about NAPO 2010 through the Eyes of a Seasoned Conference-Goer. After asking Julie Bestry to cover the conference for my blog, I thought it would also be interesting to hear from someone who has never been before. I posted a request on LinkedIn, and Randi Hutton rose to the challenge.

I was probably the only NAPO member who was actually excited about the annual conference being held in Columbus, Ohio -- where I grew up! And my High School Reunion was being held at the same time… does it get any better than that????? So, off I went with great glee to enjoy my hat trick – Annual Conference, Reunion and Family. I had put a lot of time into organizing for the trip. My daily itinerary typed up, each session’s descriptions put into a folder for that day and much thought was given to choosing sessions to attend. Would it be worth it? I arrived in Columbus on Sunday to visit with family and friends prior to the opening of the Conference on Wednesday. I stayed locally at a friend’s condo and I went over to the hotel on Wednesday afternoon to pick up my materials and case the joint. As a first timer attendee (yet an experienced professional organizer), I had no idea what to expect, starting with the box of different ribbons one could wear proudly upon their jackets. Of course, mine said "First Time Attendee" but I was assured by an experienced conference attendee that that meant everyone would say ‘hi’ and welcome me. Note: she was pinning on multi ribbons as she spoke. The local Ohio Contingency had arranged a kick-off entitled "The Amazing Race" which turned out to be different groups of attendees holding onto a rope and running around the exhibition hall looking to find the items on their scavenger lists. They all seemed to be having a fun time, laughing with glee at their finds, at their new camaraderie in the shared experience and the prizes won. This is not my type of activity and I had found my favorite organizer from NYC and we talked and then investigated the Exhibitors booths. That was kick-off enough for me. Ah, the exhibitors booths – what an array of interesting and mostly useful products! From bagged storage items to storage boxes to calendars of all sorts (books, desk, wall, computerized) and books written by attending organizers, all sorts of technology driven organizational tools to closet companies and organizing related organizations, there was much to see, learn and some perhaps with whom one could partner. Great Exhibitors! The Conference Sessions opened on Thursday with an enthusiastic Keynote Speaker who revved my engine and on we all went to our first session. All of the Special Guest Speakers were interesting and motivational in one way or another. The Sessions: There were always at least five or more sessions to choose from and oftentimes I found myself having a difficult time choosing. Fortunately, they tape all of the sessions so my back-up plan was to buy the tapes to the unattended sessions of interest. Unfortunately, after all of my angst over choice, I was 50/50 and I think some improvement could be made. It would have been helpful to have a notation by each session re: entry, intermediate or experienced level of content. I never mind going to a session that might be advanced, however, to have wasted time in a couple beginning level sessions was a bit bothersome. Yes, you can walk out and I did so at one session but I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it. I was lucky to have someone tell me about some of the speakers but that is a very subjective analysis. I enjoyed many of the sessions and took something away from each of them. I have always felt that if you actually take something away that you implement (still on my ‘to do’ list) then it is worthwhile. There was this wonderful Information Board where people would list get-togethers, invites to dinner, etc. There was a posting for all business organizers to informally meet at a certain time. This turned out to be one of the highlights of my conference experience. Around one table sat a group with the same interest, all of whom had something to offer to the conversation… all of whom I hope to get to know better over time. We decided to have a Google group so that we could have continued discussions year round. I am sure there were other opportunities that I might have missed due to my outside night-time commitments, yet I am very happy with this experience. Prior to my trip, I had contacted a few organizers from different parts of the country and very much enjoyed meeting them and hope to build on those relationships. Some were less experienced than me, others moreso. Either way, we all have something to share with one another and this conference brought us together – so another win/win. As I write this, I realize I took away even more than I originally thought. Yes, I gained inspiration. Yes, I gained ideas and information. Yes, I met some nice and interesting people and yes, I believe some of them will become long distance friends and associates. I am thankful that the stars aligned so that I was able to go to the conference, go to my reunion and spend time with my family. I don’t know if I would have gone had not it all fallen in the same week. So, I might not be your typical first time attendee, but I am a happy first time attendee and now that I know some of the ropes, I hope future first time attendees will lean on me. Randi Hutton, Professional Organizer, is the founder and owner of the RZ connection. After years as a Realtor, during which she has helped hundreds of people organize their homes, downsize and relocate nationally and internationally, Randi created the RZ connection to help her clients simplify their lives, reduce their stress, and increase efficiency. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) as well as the National Association of Realtors, Connecticut Association of Realtors, Mid Fairfield Board of Realtors, Consolidated Multiple Listing Service, Real Estate Board of New York, and New York Women In Film & Television. She has her B.A. from Lake Forest College, earned her ABR and GRI accreditations, and is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, an Exceptional Properties Specialist and a Relocation Specialist.

NAPO 2010 through the Eyes of a Seasoned Conference-Goer

Janet — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:33:19 +0000

After losing an argument with myself about whether or not I would attend this year's NAPO Conference, I needed to recruit a guest blogger to share the highlights with my readers, and the first person I thought of was Julie Bestry, who is a great writer and a constant source of support and inspiration to me. I think you'll agree that reading Julie's post is the next best thing to being there.

Innovate, Connect, Inspire...and Eat Amazing Ice Cream For me, the National Association of Professional Organizers' Annual Conference and Expo is a combination of the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards, with a dash of summer camp and a dollop of class reunion. One might imagine that after attending eight consecutive conferences, I'd be jaded going into the ninth, but even if that were remotely true, this year's conference decluttered every bit of cynicism right out of me. For those of you who were unable to attend, Janet has kindly offered me the opportunity to share the details of what you missed. Connecting Extemporaneously The theme of this year's conference was "Innovate, Connect, Inspire", but I have to say I hold a special place in my heart for the "connect" element. The excitement began when two of my NAPO-GA colleagues, the Michelles (Grey and Cooper, of whom I was tempted to say "Hi, I'm Julie. This is my organizer, Michelle, and my other organizer, Michelle") picked me up in Chattanooga for our rain-soaked road trip to Columbus, Ohio. Upon arrival at the Hyatt Regency, I was eager to get up to my room to watch Lost. Although my room immediately struck me as oddly shaped, I was so captivated by the Smoke Monster that I failed to notice that Room #1111 lacked a desk! The narrow corner room, shaped quite like an arrowhead, with two full walls of windows and a rest room that required advanced yoga experience, was apparently one of four on each floor of the Hyatt that offered "special architecture", as the front desk later pitched it. I'm of a belief that anything that doesn't kill you makes for great anecdotes, and found a flight-load of colleagues in the lobby on Wednesday morning to regale. While I warned those in need of desk space to avoid rooms ending in 11, 22, 33 or 44, friend and beloved host of NAPO's famed Ask the Organizer Panel, Monica Ricci, noted that I have strange NAPO hotel room karma. It's true. I endured a wee-hours fire drill the night prior to taking the CPO® exam in Minneapolis, and my hotel ceiling collapsed in Boston the year I opted for a "boutique" hotel. While connecting with Randi Hutton, whom Janet has picked to share a first-time attendee's tale, I sat in a prime position to see my colleagues as they arrived. Randi and I were repeatedly (but politely) interrupted by the joyous hoots of recognition and affection of colleagues, to the point that Randi must have wondered if we were more like sorority girls on the first day back at school than seasoned professionals. Unbeknownst to me, word had spread quickly of my hotel room adventures, and I ended up giving tours to the curious. I even played Pied Piper to one party of VIPs, including Clutter Diet's Lorie Marrero, Hoarders celeb Geralin Thomas, the lovely Stephanie Shalofsky and incoming NAPO-NYC president, Sharon Lowenheim. During another tour, I stated that the bed's positioning made me feel as though I were about to be shot out of a cannon. Fellow Tennessee organizer Melissa Gratias noted that the narrow point at which the two walled windows connected seemed more like the bow of a ship, and promptly acted out the "I'm the King of the World" scene from Titanic. Innovating Connections, NAPO EXPO-Style Impromptu connections notwithstanding, NAPO had something bold and innovative designed to help prompt connections, not only with our fellow professional organizers, but also with our esteemed vendors. On Wednesday night, the NAPO-Ohio chapter sponsored an Amazing Race-themed game wherein teams of ten organizers were shackled to looped ropes, a la kindergarten art museum field trips. Armed with a list of 40+ trivia questions about vendors and their wares, the Race had each team running – connected (by rope) – hither and yon, across and around the Expo floor. While the CBS version of Amazing Race might be more high profile, I'd wager that the speed (and competitive nature) of teammates and rivals made the game at least as compelling, and I'm certain that NAPO-Ohio's Andrea Sharb gave Phil Keoghan a run for his money as host. A good time was had by all, though probably not as good a time as the Scott Roewer-led team to which I was assigned...because, through Scott's tenacity and leadership, and a stroke of genius on the part of NAPO-Philadelphia's Annette Reyman, we landed in first place and won ClosetMaid canvas bins full of prizes donated by Expo vendors. Rest assured, not one prize item any of the teams received could be remotely considered clutter! (For a recap of the merchandise displayed at the Expo, I invite you to my blog.) An Army of Professional Organizers Marches (and Connects) On Its Stomach NAPOites also connected, refreshed and dined in ever-changing do-si-do configurations throughout the week. Our official lunches ranged from ad hoc, standing-room-only in the Expo for Thursday's boxed lunch to regional tables (not quite regionally-arranged, such that Pacific Northwesterners lunched a fork's throw from Mid-Atlantic organizers) at Friday's annual NAPO business meeting. For Saturday's award luncheon, we chose special interest tables so that members could chat about business organizing, or working with ADHD clients, and so on. (I lunched with one of three tables of NAPO Twitter colleagues). Dinners were decided off-campus, and ranged from formal chapter meals to spontaneous gatherings at niftily-named Columbus eateries like the Surly Girl Saloon and Sushi Rock. The long-awaited, expertly-planned (by NAPO-DC's Kim Oser) Tweetup at Bucca di Beppo was such a hot ticket that numerous late-deciders, including one former NAPO president, had to be turned away. One unofficial dining experience seems to have been partaken by many... multiple times. (Indeed, only Saturday night's downpour kept me from a third night in attendance at this local gem.) Each night, confection aficionados were found connecting and obviously inspired by the innovative ice cream at Columbus' Jeni's Ice Cream, where tantalizing flavors like Salty Caramel and Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Cherries captivated the NAPOites whom we saw coming, going, and standing in line. Innovating and Inspiring...And Learning Of course, the NAPO conference is much more than a big party. We came to learn...and be inspired! If the collective buzz, both at the conference and on Twitter and Facebook in the days since conference are any indication, our three keynote speakers were the most motivating in recent history. Tim Sanders, author of Love Is the Killer App and the new Saving the World at Work, kicked off the conference with his keynote, Innovating How We Connect. Tim shared the lesson of his mentor, that we can "Accomplish more in two months, developing a sincere interest in two people, than in two years trying to develop their interest in you." Sanders talked about turning our customers into friends, but in a genuine and constructive way. First, he reviewed how we should not merely add, but multiply, the value we provide others, by recommending (and giving) books, because giving away knowledge establishes trust, and by sharing our networks, matchmaking to improve others' professional and personal lives. Next, Sanders spoke about empathy and the importance of listening "powerlessly", without judgment or agenda, to help others feel truly heard. He captivated a room of 700+ professional organizers with the theory of "emotional leakage" propagated by Paul Ekman (upon whose research the Fox show Lie to Me is based). Finally, Sanders spoke about elevating the purpose of a task to find the joy inherent within it. His anecdote about Timberland executives literally giving the boots off their feet to Hurricane Katrina recovery workers was awe-inspiring and left quite a few organizers decluttering their tears. And this was just on the first day! Gina Schreck's Friday keynote, Connecting Via Technology, delighted inveterate tweeters and technophobes alike. Schreck humorously brought home the lesson that good social networking is part of a solid professional image, and that even if we haven't changed, our clients have, and it's expected that professionals will connect, collaborate and build communities. As part of that, Schreck highlighted some best practices for using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and talked about the importance of using links to blogs, articles and video, not only to spotlight our expertise, but also to get indexed by Google. I was enthralled by Gina Schreck's entertaining combination of philosophical, practical and technical advice with regard to selecting whom to follow, befriend or link. Her best pointer, however, was one that, while referencing Twitter, should apply to all of us, each time we talk or type: "Be interesting, be helpful, or be quiet!" Quite a few of our colleagues must have been inspired to innovate and connect (see, there's that theme again!), as we veterans have seen a huge influx of NAPO members joining Twitter in the past few days. Our closing keynote speaker, Monica Wofford, sent us home with a lesson on Inspiring Contagious Confidence. She began with the precept that "confidence is a belief that you can do something", and the notion that confidence is not the same as self-esteem ("the belief that you are worth the effort"). Wofford dazzled the room with a high-energy invocation to clearly identify what we want from our businesses and our lives, and learn to articulate those desires with authenticity, through changed thoughts, perceptions, beliefs and actions. And these were only the keynotes! In between, we soaked up knowledge about the skills of organizing, everything from "power offices" to health data, from project management to Six Sigma. Other breakout sessions focused on specific client populations, including seniors, clients with ADD/ADHD, and hoarders. Along with such conference stalwarts, NAPO speakers also presented new topics designed to make us better at running our businesses, from Porter Knight's "Knowing Your Numbers" to Lisa Montanaro's "It Takes a Village to Run a Successful Biz", in addition to sessions on transitioning from hands-on organizing to coaching, working with independent contractors, and writing effective business proposals. Innovating NAPO Session Structure NAPO also innovated this year with mega sessions, including two back-to-back classes from Canadian professional organizer and marketing expert Krista Green. She charmed novices and veterans alike, with her practical advice on running, branding and marketing a successful organizing business. Another mega-session offered in-depth discussion on serving, as well as marketing to, the aging senior market. No matter where you stood on the technology spectrum, from Luddite to webmaster, there was something for everyone at this year's conference. Scott Roewer and Lauren Halagarda, NAPO's own "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" dynamic duo) each went a few steps beyond their 2009 offerings, inspiring attendees to venture into technological productivity solutions for themselves and their clients. In many cases, the Roewer/Halagarda team seemed to have inspired purchases of software and hardware (on an equal opportunity basis) for both PC and Mac platforms...and for all those gadgets. Another session offered a veritable college-level survey course on the various "Organizing Tools on the Web". My own conference highlight was attending a session presented by the two most innovative professional organizers I know, Brandie Kajino and Allison Carter, whose "How to Make Money With Virtual Classes" walked attendees through every step of the teleclass and webinar development experience. The NAPO 2010 Annual Conference and Expo innovated its own practices and taught us how to innovate our businesses, our marketing methods, and our ways of thinking and interacting. We explored new ways of connecting, at the conference and beyond, with one another and with our clients and prospects. And we were inspired, not only by our keynote speakers and presenters, but by our colleagues. I never fail to be amazed that I get to rub shoulders and tweets with so many jaw-droppingly fantastic colleagues. I hope to see many more of you, again or for the first time, at NAPO's next conference, April 6-9, 2011, in San Diego. Julie Bestry is a Certified Professional Organizer, speaker and author, who helps individuals and businesses save time and money, reduce stress and increase productivity through new organizational skills and systems. Although a generalist, Julie specializes in paper organizing, blogging as the Paper Doll, and publishes Best Results for Busy People: Organizing Your Modern World. For more information, visit Best Results Organizing at http://www.juliebestry.com.

Time to Register for NAPO Conference 2010!

Janet — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:57:54 +0000

Lots of Professional Organizer conferences and other events take place each year, but by far the largest is the NAPO Annual Conference, which will take place in Columbus, Ohio, from April 21 to 24, 2010. As winner of the 2010 Los Angeles Organizing Award for Best Educational Resource, this is an important event for professional organizers from around the globe.

As always, there will be some excellent opportunities to learn from experts, network with your colleagues, and discover new organizing products and services, as well as enjoy delicious food and take in the local sights and sounds. For a quick summary, check out this video message from NAPO President Laura Leist: The theme, INNOVATE, CONNECT, and INSPIRE, will be reinforced by the three keynote speakers:

Tim Sanders - Innovating How We Connect
Gina Schreck - Connecting Via Technology
Monica Wofford - Inspiration: Contagious Leadership™ of You, Your Customers and Your Business

In addition, there are educational sessions covering a wide range of topics to meet the needs of organizing consultants at all levels, including:

Porter Knight – Starting an Organizing Business
Krista Green - 4 Keys to Business Mastery in the Organizing Industry
Allison Carter and Brandie Kajino - How to Make Money with Virtual Classes

Be sure to plan ahead so you can take advantage of the early bird discount, which is available until March 22. If you're on Twitter, watch for the hashtag #napo10 to keep track of who's going to the conference and what they're saying about it. I understand a Tweet-up is in the works, so if you're planning to attend, you'll want to register for that as well, since it's not an official NAPO activity. Visit the NAPO website to download a complete program or register for the conference. It's one of the best investments in your business you can make!

2010 Conference Schedule

Janet — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:19:43 +0000

Teleclasses, webinars, and live workshops take place throughout the year, but nothing can compare with a professional organizers conference. Spending entire days hearing expert speakers in the company of like-minded professionals is something you must experience, if at all possible, so grab your planner and decide which conference(s) you'll attend this year!

April 21 – 24, 2010 NAPO 2010 Annual Conference & Organizing Exposition Columbus, Ohio September 13 – 14, 2010 2010 Australasian Association of Professional Organisers (AAPO) Conference Christchurch, New Zealand September 23 – 25, 2010 NSGCD Fall 2010 Conference Austin, Texas October 1, 2010 Orvention 2010 Gelderland, The Netherlands Fall 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers If you really like to plan ahead, mark these dates as well: April 6 - 9, 2011 NAPO 2011 Annual Conference San Diego, California March 21 – 24, 2012 NAPO 2012 Annual Conference Baltimore, Maryland List Planit posted some great tips this week about preparing to attend an out-of-town conference. Be sure to read right through to the end of the post, where you can download a free Conference ePlanner. I would love to go to all of these events so I can share the information with readers who aren't able to be there, but unfortunately, neither my schedule nor my budget will allow it. If you're attending a conference this year, and you'd like to be my eyes and ears in the field, please contact me about being a guest blogger. This list is not complete, but is all the information I was able to locate at this time. If you have details for this year's POC or POAA Conferences, or know of other events which should be listed here, please note them in the Comments section.

9th Annual POC Conference in Calgary

Janet — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:36:16 +0000

Over the last couple of months, we've heard about professional organizer conferences in Africa, Australia, Los Angeles and Washington DC, and today we wrap up this year's conference tour with the Professional Organizers in Canada Conference held in Calgary last month. It's only fitting that our guest blogger is Jacki Hollywood Brown, whom I first met at a POC Conference a few years ago.

For me, the annual POC Conference is three things: a place to network with colleagues, a place to learn new things and a vacation. I headed out to Calgary two days early. The hotel was fabulous with a gym, pool and water slide! Of course I took advantage of that as soon as I checked in. After travelling all day it was great to relax. Also, I don't often have the opportunity to take a vacation away from my family so yes, I DID take advantage of having time to myself. The day before conference I participated in POC's Trained Professional Organizer classes. All year long these classes are offered by POC via teleconference but it was nice to actually see the facilitator in person. The first official day of conference, the National Board was presented with white cowboy hats and they became honorary Calgarians. The conference committee pulled out all the stops making us feel welcome as they had the Calgary Stampede mascot running around "branding" people with a red inked stamp! The POC Chapter Executives seemed very enthused about this year's Leadership Forum. I didn't attend that session as I was a "mentor" in the First Timer's Forum. Seasoned conference attendees get introduced to POC's newest members and spend time answering their questions about the industry, the Association and the conference. I met some great people! The Vendor Expo took place all afternoon and there were some good vendors. Of course Taylor in Time products were there and I ended up buying "The Whole Enchilada" — all of the Taylor in Time products on a jump drive! That certainly made it easy to pack in my suitcase for the trip home. And as I said to Mr. Taylor, having that much information to go through will keep me out of trouble until next year! During the weekend I attended some great sessions. In the session on Canada's Privacy Legislation, I realized that I must update my privacy statement, delete a bunch of old client files on my computer, and shred a bunch of documents! The "Ask a Senior Organizer" Panel, chaired by Michelle Nichols. The senior organizers were Kristie Demke and Jane Woolsey. It was interesting hearing their perspectives on corporate organizing. They also described the training they felt was the most valuable for them and the marketing techniques which they felt worked best for their businesses. One of the sessions that I found interesting was a presentation by a CLIENT of an organizer. She shared the perspective of how clients felt when they have an organizer going through their stuff. While both of the keynote speakers were super, the one that stood out for me was Chris Flett who spoke about "What men don't tell women about business". He spoke about how women sabotage themselves in business and how they can re-work their presentation style to better communicate with men. What I loved most about conference was seeing people I hadn't seen in a year and learning about their businesses and what they were working on. It always reminds me that there is no ONE business model but as many different types as there are organizers. The learning portion of conference is great and I always come away with my brain full of new ideas but networking with my colleagues always fills my heart with joy and my soul with inspiration. The secret great part about conference? I got to go to Spruce Meadows, a world class show jumping facility. It has been on my list of places to visit since I was twelve. I took some pictures of the organizational tools they use to keep their operations running smoothly and hopefully I can use those ideas for my own equestrian clients! Jacki Hollywood Brown, the founder of J-organize, specializes in home organizing, office organizing and equestrian organizing.