Geralin Thomas was the inaugural guest on the new NAPO podcast Stand Out: Growing Your Organizing and Productivity Business and she came ready to offer hard-earned wisdom on how to create a successful business as a professional organizer.

Geralin Thomas founded her business, Metropolitan Organizing LLC, in 2002. In addition to residential organizing, she is a career coach for professional organizers specializing in creating and growing successful, profitable businesses.

She is a speaker and author of From Hoarding to Hope, Understanding People Who Hoard and How To Help Them as well as Declutter Your Home: Tips, Techniques and Trade Secrets. She has been seen on A&E’s TV show Hoarders, the Nate Berkus Show, NBC’s the Today Show, Fine Living Network, just to name a few.

She was voted Best Chronic Disorganization Expert and has been a NAPO instructor since 2006, past president of NAPO North Carolina, NAPO North Carolina ambassador and on NAPO’s education committee.

Geralin tells the story of how her company was born almost by accident and a client who insisted on paying her, which taught her one of her first business lessons: Get paid handsomely for what you’re good at doing that provides genuine value for your customers.

Interestingly her second lesson was how valuable it can be to find seasoned professionals who are willing to share their experiences that will, as she said, “spare them all the embarrassing hokey things that everyone does unintentionally early in their career.”

She went on to say that you have to start by building credibility and professionalism. It’s not just unique to productivity and organizing professionals. It is what every small business owner should do but “especially in the organizing industry because we are really in people’s personal spaces.” Thomas added.

The entire interview is packed with examples of how a business and a career are built through relationships, focusing on your customers first and surrounding yourself with a team of trusted subcontractors, peers and mentors – all who offer guidance and support as you work together.

As you listen, you will learn:

• What’s the best way to start out if you’re new to the industry
• Why building your credibility and your professionalism is essential to building your business
• What you can do to build your credibility
• How to use social media to your advantage
• How to build a relationship with a brand
• Using NAPO to build relationships nationwide
• Why steady marketing is a must to grow your business
• How to craft an “elevator” speech
• The one marketing tool Geralin can’t live without
• How to do what you’re good at and hire out the rest
• Employees vs. Independent Contractors

You’ll enjoy every minute of this conversation packed with takeaways.  To learn more about Geralin, visit her website: http://www.metropolitanorganizing.com/.

To check out the podcast and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode, visit: https://napopodcast.com/