Very Inspiring Blogger Award
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I was recently selected to receive a Very Inspiring Blogger Award, which recognizes bloggers “who work hard to keep the blogosphere a beautiful place.”
I have my friend Moreen Torpy to thank for this honor. If you’re a long-time reader of Your Organizing Business, you probably know Moreen as a guest blogger and frequent contributor to the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival, as well as the author of Going Forward: Downsizing, Moving and Settling In.
Moreen, thank you very much for this recognition. It means a lot to me!
Why I design websites and write a blog for professional organizers
I had my first taste of web design back in the 1990s. One of my husband’s colleagues in the IT department had a side business creating websites, and taught me the basics so he could subcontract some of the work to me. I designed a site for my sister and a few years later I created one for my organizing business. I began offering website design as a service a year or so after that, and since then I’ve become quite passionate about creating websites that capture the unique essence of each client and her business.
As that side of my business grew, I no longer had the time and flexibility to take on organizing jobs, but I maintained a close connection to the organizing industry and the relationships I formed during that time. For that reason, when I decided to start a new blog for a course I was taking, it made sense to tap into my existing knowledge base and audience.
A few lesser known things about me
I’m an introvert, and my personality type is ISTJ. This means that I prefer email to phone calls, one-on-one get-togethers to large gatherings, and am quite content to sit and work on my computer or read for hours on end.
I’ve been self-employed full-time longer than I’ve worked anywhere else.
I’ve also lived in my current home longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my entire life.
I was born and grew up in Toronto (Etobicoke, to be specific) and lived in Caledon East and Orangeville before settling in Hamilton, Ontario 25 years ago. You could probably drive the full circle in under 3 hours.
I recently became a grandmother to twin boys.
Pay it forward
I read a lot of blogs for entertainment, for education, and to stay in touch with my online community. Since you’re here, I’m assuming you do too, so here are a few that I recommend.
I’m pleased to pass on the Very Inspiring Blogger Award to:
Julie Bestry – Paper Doll
If you’re looking for a quick inspirational thought to begin your day, don’t go to Julie’s blog. But if you want well-researched coverage of a particular organizing topic, complete with images, videos and links, Julie’s your girl.
Elizabeth Hagen
Elizabeth Hagen is a motivational speaker and business coach, and I’ve been following her since I read about her 30 Ideas for Business Success session at NAPO2013. What I like about her blog is the way she injects stories from her own life to illustrate lessons. She also proves that you don’t have to write a full article each and every time you blog.
Linda Samuels – The Other Side of Organized
Whenever I’m talking to someone about reader engagement, Linda’s name always comes up. She really puts forth the effort to initiate conversations with her readers and encourage ongoing discussion, both on her blog and on social media. Her posts are always insightful and accompanied by beautiful photos which Linda has taken herself.
Please note that many of my clients are excellent bloggers, but I didn’t think it would be fair to single out any particular client or mention blogs that I may have had a hand in.
Action
If you have a blog, you know how important it is to receive reader feedback, so please check out Julie’s, Elizabeth’s and Linda’s blogs. If you like what you see, leave a comment, share some posts on social media, and maybe even become a subscriber!
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Thanks for the shout-out, Janet. It was my pleasure to nominate you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award, and I see you’ve paid it forward to some equally deserving bloggers. I’m familiar with all the names and actually read some of their blogs as well.
Best wishes for many more years of business success and blogging enjoyment.
Thanks again, Moreen! I enjoyed participating.
Thank you, Janet! You are amazing!
As are you, Elizabeth! I’m very happy you’ve come into my world.
Janet- I am deeply honored to receive the Very Inspiring Blogger Award, especially from you. In these past five years, I’ve looked to you and learned so much. You inspire me! As you are a master community builder, connector and promoter, I continue to learn from you as you experiment and morph what you do.
Thank you my friend and colleague for this beautiful honor and for your many contributions to making the “blogosphere a beautiful place.”
Linda, you are very kind! I’m sure I’ve learned as much from you as you’ve learned from me. Here’s to many more years of blogging success!
Great picks, Janet! And congratulations! You would have been on my list had we not both been on Moreen’s list!
Congratulations to you too, Hazel! I love how blogging keeps us all connected.
Oh, Janet, thank you so much for this honor, and for putting me in such good company with Linda and Elizabeth. Thanks for appreciating the complexity of my posts — length can seem like clutter, so it’s a struggle to be complete without adding anything unnecessary. You’ve made me feel great about the blogging process, and I want to thank you for all you do to support the professional organizing industry.
You can be sure I will thing hard about how to pass this honor along.
It would be boring if everyone blogged the same way! Some people need a quick read they can mull over, whereas others want meat they can digest. I love your posts and I wish I had your knack for researching and compiling all that valuable information!
Congratulations Janet! What a great post! I love Julie and Linda’s blog but have not read Elizabeth’s so I will put that on my list! I love your personal story and I appreciate that we talked on the phone today since you prefer e mail! 😉 I also loved that you paid it forward!
In general, I do prefer email, but I’ve also learned that it often requires multiple emails back and forth to accomplish what you can in one phone call. I also recognize the value of making that personal connection (thanks in part to Elizabeth). 🙂
Congratulations Janet! I love learning new things from your site and am looking forward to check out the bloggers you mentioned. Thanks for sharing. I always enjoy your posts.
Thanks, Sabrina, that’s so nice to hear. I know you’ll enjoy the other blogs as well!
Congratulations on this honor, Janet. You are VERY deserving, and do so much to support all the bloggers out here. I love being a part of Linda’s “circle,” but will be checking out Julie and Elizabeth’s pages. Enjoy those two little babies – what fun!
Seana, you’re so active online I’m surprised you don’t know Julie or Elizabeth! I’m happy to have the opportunity to introduce them to you, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading their blogs as well.
I am super excited about the babies! I always wanted to be a grandmother, but I didn’t realize I would fall in love instantly!
Congratulations on the award. Well deserved!
Thank you, Kathy!