22 4th Annual Organizing Expo, 5:30-8:30pm

November

 

As your President, I keep ranting and raving about how well our chapter membership works together, networks, builds our individual businesses, and contributes to the burgeoning professional organizing industry. The message is the same now as it has always been: The NAPO-LA Chapter is the place to be if you are an organizing professional in the Los Angeles area. Our membership is at its highest ever (20% higher in fact); chapter meeting visitors are up almost 200%, and total meeting attendance is up 23% over last year. However, with all this growth comes opportunity and need. To meet the demand, our skilled Board of Directors has introduced programs such as the neighborhood groups, added new training classes, developed an expanded Organizing Expo with a new "Ask the Organizer" Panel, beefed up marketing efforts with more press releases, and opened up our newsletter subscriptions to the general public.
 
The fact is, the Chapter is doing great. This month marks the beginning of our busiest time of the term, with membership renewals at the helm. Allow me to quickly review all the great programs we're planning for the next few months:

September 22nd - We welcome our new "Ask the Organizer" Panel to the 4th Annual Los Angeles Organizing Expo, which will feature dozens of new products and services, closet systems and accessories, technology and office products, books and authors. The public is invited and this is a fundraiser for our Chapter. Last year, over 150 guests attended and dozens of vendors participated. We also welcomed a first-time corporate sponsorship and received a special commendation from California State Senator Tom McClintock's Office.

September 30th - Marks the final day of our annual membership renewal drive.  If you want to continue to enhance your business and grow the organizing industry, you have found the right organization.

November 8th - Industry-veteran Michelle Quintana returns for her second successful Education Development Workshop. In "Double Your Appointment Making and Closing Rate," Quintana will teach professional organizers exactly what to say and how to say it as they turn prospects into clients and clients into repeat business.

January 19th, 2009 - Our Immediate Past President Chris McKenry will welcome you to the 3rd Annual NAPO-LA Leadership Forum, designed to show you how to be a better leader not only in NAPO-LA but in your communities and businesses as well. The Nominations Committee will begin taking applications that evening for the 2009-10 term Board of Directors.

On January 30th, 2009 - The World descends into Tinseltown to help the organizing industry celebrate The 4th Annual Los Angeles Organizing Awards. We are in negotiations with a secret celebrity host and also in the process of securing sponsorships and finalizing an elegant location.
 
So with all this activity, I ask you:  Are all these groundbreaking events and opportunities enough to encourage you to renew your NAPO-LA membership this month? I certainly hope so. Join your colleagues and me as we embark on a Blockbuster Fall. Please renew your Chapter membership before September 30th, and let's conquer these new challenges together.
 


P.S. -
On August 9th, during a visit to Wilmington, Delaware, NAPO-LA President John Trosko visited Rhonda Erickson Sinor, President of the NAPO-Greater Philadelphia Chapter.

 

 

 

August 2008:

Heidi Chianta

What is your business name?
Your Project Manager, Inc.

Where do you do business?
Based in Redondo Beach, our primary service area is the South Bay.

How did you get into organizing as a profession?
I launched Your Project Manager in 2005 after spending over 15 years in project management for advertising and promotion agencies and CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies. From pulling together regional events to launching national brands, organization has always been the cornerstone of my success. Transferring my skills to residential and small-business owners was a natural. I had already developed the other three core service areas of my business plan - 1) errands and household projects 2) event planning and 3) pet services - before stumbling on the profession of organizing. I immediately added the fourth service area, which represents almost 40% of Your Project Manager billings today.
 
When did you start your business?
In 2005 - I had no work/life balance myself and was determined to help others get out from under.  It's no surprise that "Getting it Started. Getting it Done." is the unwavering mantra of my company!

How did you come to join NAPO and/or NAPO-LA?
An online search helped me locate NAPO. I waited another year before joining NAPO-LA. Now, I can't imagine NOT being a part of the local scene!

What has been your experience volunteering in NAPO-LA and what do you see as the benefits of volunteering?
After joining NAPO-LA, I attended meetings to increase my personal knowledge. I laid low and did not get involved right away. Last year, Dolores Kaytes encouraged me to help with the Special Events Task Force and later Susan Culligan convinced me to help with the website. The benefits have been tremendous! Volunteering gives you the opportunity to share, learn and grow with the amazing individuals who make up our NAPO-LA chapter.

What are your main organizing interests or specialties?
I love collaborating. Bringing in a team to transform a garage over a weekend or involving multiple vendors to organize an entire home top to bottom over time - it's extremely rewarding to help clients gain momentum and finish projects!
 
There is nothing more satisfying to me than being part of the transformation. Sure, physical space changes without clutter, but watching a client open up and shift the rest of his or her life is truly magical!

Anything else we should know about you?
Life is too short to just plod along...don't be afraid to make a change. "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." -Gandhi