Session Descriptions
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Pre-Conference Workshops
8:00 am – 5:00 pm PO-201 - Residential Needs Assessment (PC1)
Mindy Godding, CPO®
Designed for organizers working at a beginning to intermediate level, this class is structured to give organizers solid methods and techniques to build successful client relationships from the first point of contact. This course examines best practices for developing and conducting client self-assessment surveys, intake interviews, on-site assessments, and action plans. Class participants will learn phone interview skills, diagnostic strategies for the on-site assessment, and communication techniques for client interaction.
Note: Lunch is included in the registration fee for PO-201.
8:00 am – Noon Your Organizing Business Vision – the Neglected Critical Element (PC2)
Krista Green
A thriving business in the organizing field, or any other, is the result of successful vision, strategy and execution. And yet it’s that first critical element—the one that drives the other two—that usually receives the least amount of attention, if it is addressed at all. An authentic, clearly articulated vision is the most powerful contributor to your success, and it cannot be created by watching what others do. This session will show you how to uncover the vision for your business, and your life, that is yours and yours alone.
8:00 am – Noon Compass: Your Roadmap to Business Reinvention (PC3)
Karyn Greenstreet
If you’ve been in business more than five years you know that feeling that something needs to change in your business model.
Perhaps your current business doesn’t excite you any more, and you’re in danger of losing your original passion. Or maybe economic, competitive, or life changes are forcing you to transform your business model significantly. Maybe your marketing model isn’t bringing in customers the way it once did.
Whatever the reason, let’s face it: you need to reinvent your business model.
In this presentation, you’ll learn the step-by-step process to reinvent your business model, discover new and unique ways to uncover the gold in your business, create a business reinvention action plan, and explore ways to implement that action plan while still running your current business.
Transform your business model and leap forward into a bright future.
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm The Missing Link - Getting from “To Do” to “Done!” (PC4)
Linette George, CPO®
Are you frustrated because you don’t follow through on your good intentions—no matter how important they are? Are there business goals you want to achieve but never accomplish? Many of us intend to follow up with prospects, send a monthly newsletter, or create a webinar, but few of us ever do. Why do we start off with a bang and fizzle out long before the job is done?
The bad news is the human mind is not designed to follow through on tasks—no matter how important they may be. The good news is you can do something about it!
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Advanced Social Media Marketing: Beyond a Facebook Fan Page (PC5)
Rich Brooks
You’ve set up your Facebook fan page. You’re on Twitter. You’ve even posted a few blogs. Now what?
While it’s easy to get started in social media, it’s more difficult to create a sustained campaign that will increase your online visibility, drive more qualified leads to your site, and convert those leads into business.
In this fast-paced session you’ll move beyond the basics of social media and learn advanced tips and tricks for using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You’ll learn how to turn your blog into a lead generation machine, and how to maximize the effectiveness of your videos.
We’ll also look at how (and what) to measure when it comes to social media. Learn in (nearly) real time what’s working and what’s floundering in your social media campaigns.
In short, you’ll learn how to effectively manage an advanced social media campaign so you can focus on what you do best: professional organization.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
8:00 am – 9:00 am First Timers’ Orientation
Facilitators: 
Paris Love and Diane Sullivan
Meet NAPO’s leaders and learn how to tailor the conference to maximize your learning and networking opportunities. Conference buddies are available to welcome and mentor first-time attendees.
9:15 am – 10:15 am Ask the Organizers Panel – Part I - Featuring Golden Circle Members Answering Questions Submitted by Golden Circle Organizing Veterans
Moderator: Lisa Montanaro, JD, CPO®
Panelists: Birdie Brennan, CPO®, Barbara Hemphill, CPO®, Karen Koedding, CPO®, Geralin Thomas, CPO®, Emily Wilska, CPO®
10:30 am – 11:30 am Ask the Organizers Panel - Part II
Moderator: Monica Ricci, CPO®
Panelists: Diane Albright, CPO®, Stacey Anderson, Kathi Burns, CPO®, Wendy J. Davie, CPO®, Margarita Ibbott, Teine R. Kenney, CPO®
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm Welcome and Opening Keynote (GS1)
THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY-WHERE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZING IS HEADED
Julie Morgenstern
The 25th Anniversary of NAPO is a great milestone—and it is a watershed moment for the industry. No longer in our infancy, we have evolved, matured and grown in size and substance to be a formidable force in the world. At the same time, our industry has been challenged, like all other fields, by the Economic Crisis of recent years. The New Economy is forcing people around the globe to rethink how they are managing their time and resources, including the services they invest in to help them achieve their goals. As Professional Organizers, we are in a position to either back down and resist change or seize this opportunity to adapt and rise to the occasion.
In this insightful talk, veteran organizer Julie Morgenstern will share her perspective on the opportunities that are emerging for the industry—generated by external demands in the global marketplace, and internal innovations from within field. As a global expert, working with individuals and companies worldwide, Morgenstern will share her observation that the possibilities are endless and exciting, and that this is indeed our moment as organizers. Come hear this thoughtful and practical approach for reinventing your business in the new economy, and discover that you have everything you need to make your business succeed and adapt to changing times.
2:45 pm – 4:15 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions
E-commerce Demystified: Seven Steps to Selling Online (1-1)
Karyn Greenstreet
Increase your income and have greater success by selling your products, services and classes online. In this presentation you will learn the seven steps for setting up e-commerce for your business, including choosing a shopping cart, accepting credit card payments online, defining your online store policies, and handling post-sales support.
Intuition, Shifting Energy & the Woo-Woo Factor—The Unspoken Organizing Talent (1-2)
Susan Lannis
A series of conversations took place after the last conference that revealed a previously unspoken use of what I like to think of as woo-woo talents—reading energy, seeing auras, strong intuition and “bolts from the blue” ideas. It made me curious. Let’s see just how common these skills are within our industry. Join me for an informative and interactive session on these soft skills/talents. Just how prevalent are they? How are they used? Can they be built/strengthened? I’ll bring my crystal ball and we’ll see what exploring this topic together reveals.
20 Best Practices for Organizing the Creative Mind (1-3)
Scott K. Belsky
For years, the Behance team has interviewed hundreds of the most productive creative professionals in the world—always asking the same question: “How do you stay organized and make ideas happen?” Based on this research, Behance founder Scott Belsky has published a bestselling book and traveled the world talking about organization for creative minds—notably, the unique challenges and opportunities that creative people face in staying organized. In this session, Scott Belsky will share more than 20 best practices that his team has observed.
Closet Design for Organizers (1-4)
Kay Wade, CGP
This workshop will provide the attendee with all the basic specifications required to design closets. It will teach the attendee how to take an inventory and develop a design using both the inventory and client requirements. It will explain the advantages and disadvantages of various types of closet organizers and how to help the client select the right one for their needs. It will provide the attendee with documents that will guide them through the questions required for creating a good closet design. All types of closet accessories will be discussed and described. The attendee will have the opportunity to create their own design using the information they have learned. A workbook will be provided that will provide all of the specification information they will need to design any type of closet, along with sample designs and photos for reference.
The Emotional Facet of the Client Relationship (1-5)
Louise Kurzeka
At the center of every organizing consultation is a person—a person whose emotions are often entwined with their organizing challenges. Learn how the organizer can identify and respond to a variety of emotional reactions typical in organizing clients. We will look at these emotions and responding behaviors from the stages of a consulting relationship and also discuss some of the boundary issues that may arise.
Friday, April 8, 2011
7:15 am - 8:15 am Moving Forward: Certification and Recertification for Professional Organizers Presented by BCPO®
As BCPO® certification evolves, take this opportunity to get clarification on what it takes to become a Certified Professional Organizer. Session will include:
• A brief overview of the development of the BCPO program
• Overview of eligibility requirements for certification and re-certification
• Tips on how to prepare for the examination
• How to determine just what makes a CEU eligible
• and other frequently asked questions
This session will first and foremost give attendees an opportunity to have questions
9:00 am – 10:30 am Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Bridge the Digital Divide: How to Organize and Be Productive in the Information Age (2-1)
Moderator: Geralin Thomas, CPO-CD®
Panelists: Lauren Halagarda, Brandie Kajino, Joshua Zerkel, CPO®
Technology is always changing and there are an overwhelming number of software programs and services available offering the organizing promise. As organizing and productivity professionals, you and your clients have questions about the best software and services to use and don’t know where to start. What’s the best way to manage contacts? What program should I use to sync calendars with my assistant/colleague/spouse, etc.? How do I distribute a newsletter? Where do I store information I want to keep? How do I organize my digital information?
Learn about the latest and greatest online and desktop-based solutions, the advantages and disadvantages, and which solutions are right for you and your clients from the “techies” who live it.
Being Organized Isn’t Enough: Conducting a Comprehensive Productivity Assessment of the Office Client (2-2)
Casey Moore, CPO®
In the workplace, productivity is all that matters. While being organized helps achieve productivity, it is not enough. Our clients need concrete skills in a variety of areas to achieve consistent optimal productivity. Our needs assessments must reflect this fact.
During this session, you will learn the 12 factors that determine an individual’s personal productivity, how these factors interrelate, and the value of applying such a comprehensive framework with your clients. You will be better able to assess your clients’ productivity strengths and weaknesses and identify which skills they need the most. Best of all, you will broaden your clients’ perspective of what being productive requires. You can help them embark on lifelong journeys of growing more effective and creating the lives they want.
While Casey’s 2007 “Assessing the Office Client” talk focused on the assessment process, this session plumbs the depths of the productivity-related assessment content. Whether you are new to the field or have spent years helping clients in the work setting, you can benefit from exploring this innovative and thorough approach to assessing the office client’s productivity.
Navigating the Slippery Slope of Ethical Dilemmas (2-3)
Lisa Montanaro, JD, CPO®
Are you aware of the types of ethical dilemmas experienced by peer organizers in the operation of their organizing businesses? Are you interested in hearing how they handled such issues, and what they learned from their experiences? Based on case studies conducted within the organizing industry, and led by an attorney-organizer, this session will identify some of the most common ethical dilemmas affecting organizers, including those that may rear their ugly head with clients, with peer professional organizers, or with the general public. Understand the differences between ethical issues and legal ones, become more familiar with what to do when faced with an ethical issue, know where to report ethical issues, and what to do when the issue rises to a legal concern. Hearing information about colleagues’ mistakes, triumphs, and experiences regarding ethical dilemmas will provide a unique opportunity for participants to learn from each other and implement best practices. Participants will engage in discussion designed to determine ways to avoid facing similar issues, as well as alternative methods for resolving such issues if they should arise.
Photo Organizing - Tapping into this New Niche (2-4)
Catherine G. Nelson
Today, people are taking photos at a record pace and sharing them on Facebook, Twitter and photo sharing sites. Yet people are finding they don’t have the time to print their photos or manage them digitally, so people are becoming increasingly frustrated that they are losing their important memories. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of photos that were printed languish in shoeboxes and home movies are being lost on obsolete media formats. Photos are important and are part of our most cherished possessions because they tell a story. Though we live in an increasingly complex technical world, as human beings we still have the desire to tell a story. One of the important ways we tell our stories is through photos. People need the help a professional organizer can provide and meaningful client relationships are established when you work with someone and their photos.
Organizing Beyond Your Own Personality Style (2-5)
Jennifer R. Sedlock
Communicate beyond your own style! We all have strengths, abilities, interests and unique personalities. What might be surprising is that there are equal and opposite gifts to yours. These differences can cause a lot of tension and misunderstandings, and as an organizer they might cause you to organize out of your own style rather than considering the style of your client. Utilizing this information will help improve the success and lasting results of your clients since you will be helping them organize based on how they prefer to receive information and operate in their “space.” Once you understand their retrieval process and strategic thinking, you will know how to organize them to fit their style rather than yours! Style flexing is easy once you understand the basics. Handouts will provide all the detailed references you’ll need for all your future clients! Join us for some fun active learning.
2:30 pm – 3:45 pm General Session (GS2)
THE TRUTH ABOUT SALES: SINCERE SELLING LEADS TO OUTRAGEOUS RESULTS!
Colette Carlson
No matter how much things change, some things remain the same. People still buy people. The percentage of clients you bring on board is in direct proportion to the degree of trust you gain. Only when you’re transparent do clients feel comfortable answering your powerful questions to identify their true needs, pains, wants and desires. Without the ability to open that dialogue, you’ll never close the sale. Learn powerful strategies to promote you and your products and services assertively and authentically to attract the business required to survive and thrive. Join Colette to understand how sincere selling leads to remarkable results!
4:15 pm – 5:45 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions
The Truth About Negotiation: Seven Strategies for Success - Golden Circle Member Only Session (3-1)
Colette Carlson
As you reshape your future to become more effective, you must stop selling yourself short and leaving business on the table! Negotiation is a necessary skill throughout your business and personal life, but few of us have ever had any formal training on how to succeed. In this content-rich program, Colette discloses innovative ways that will forever change the way you ask for the business, buy supplies, discuss your fees, or even get your clients to purge their piles!
Attracting and Converting Customers With Your Website - A Guide for a Focused, Web Marketing Strategy and Online Presence (3-2)
Rich Brooks
Whether through a search engine, by following a link on a social networking site, or by word of mouth, your prospects are going to visit your website before deciding whether they want to work with you. Does your site convert enough of these prospects into customers, and do you even know how to measure its success?
You can make your website more visible, more engaging, and more likely to turn prospects into customers. Discover what makes your site more likely to appear at the top of the search engine rankings, how to engage your site visitors, and how to get them to pick up the phone or fill out your contact form. You'll learn about a number of web based tools that will allow you to measure and improve your online conversion rate and create a steady stream of new customers.
Lean Office — You Too Can Lean (3-3)
Terrie E. Domoe
If you are like most people, the concept of Lean draws a blank expression or a ping of terror. It isn’t a foreign language. Lean actually can save a company much time, energy and, last but not least, money.
In this workshop you will learn about tools such as charting, Value stream mapping, document tagging, assessing the need for change, identifying goals and metrics for achieving those goals, and problem solving. You will learn how to identify waste (anything that the customer is not willing to pay for) and eliminate it. We will talk about Pull, FIFO and the external and internal customer. It is the people who are doing the job that know the process. The employees have everything a business needs to make it more efficient. Sometimes, due to “but that’s the way we have always done it,” change can be difficult. When employees have a part in the solutions, the implementation is always easier. There are frustrations in most workplaces, but giving the employees the power to come up with solutions creates increased communication and participation, leading to a culture of continuous improvement.
Working with the Media (3-4)
Jodie Watson
Don’t let nerves or inexperience hold you back from getting the media attention that can help you build your business and recognition factor as an expert in your field.
Working with the media can be fun, exciting...and challenging! Know ahead of time what to expect and what is expected so you can make the most of your media experience. Be equipped and ready to tackle the media head-on with confidence and insider knowledge.
In this workshop, you will learn how to prepare for any media opportunity that comes your way, as well as how to create your own media opportunities! From newspaper, Internet and magazine articles, to radio interviews, to fast-paced live or pre-taped television segments. You will learn how to present yourself and the information you want to get across in the best possible light.
Managing Clients’ Expectations (3-5)
Standolyn Robertson, CPO®
The client, upset with himself, stops his professional organizer on her way out the door. Because he’d spent so much time talking in this session, the work on the spare bedroom didn’t get finished. It turns out he needed to get it done in time for weekend visitors. Though he’s already paid for the session, he asks for on-the-spot consulting on finishing the job himself. How do we manage clients’ expectations to avoid scenarios like these? I aim to answer that question in a presentation geared to beginner, novice and intermediate organizers. I intend to discuss setting expectations up front, resetting expectations when necessary, and performing reality checks. One specific area of focus is how to bring preconceived notions out into the open. This is especially important with the recent increase in televised “before and after” organizing makeovers, often showing instant results. I will use specific examples like the one above, as well as participants’ own examples, to explain techniques that successfully manage expectations while remaining sensitive to clients’ emotions and feelings.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
8:30 am – 10:00 am Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Welcome to the Wide, Wide World of Aging Services (4-1)
Mary Kay Buysse and Jennifer Pickett
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.” When Robert Browning wrote those words in 1864, general life expectancy was approximately 40 years old. Since that time, health care advances and technological innovations have dramatically increased life expectancy around the world. What does it mean for you, as a professional organizer?
Maybe you’ve always demonstrated a special interest in older people. You treasured your grandparents or you enjoyed the wit and wisdom of an older client in the past. Perhaps you also know the senior market is the fastest growing consumer demographic for the next half-century. For whatever reason, you are considering expanding your organizing career to actively pursue senior clients. This session, presented by the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), is your first stop.
Older adults have more housing choices available to them than ever before, but do you know what they are? How do they differ from each other? How much do they cost? Do you know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid? What constitutes “abnormal” aging versus “normal” aging? What happens next when you suspect your organizing client has early stage dementia? How do you market your services at a senior fair? What is “the Aging Network?”
This lively, interactive session will explore many aspects of the wide spectrum of senior services. We will journey through some of the most frequently asked questions about working specifically with senior clients. Part live listserv/part glossary/part “crash course” in aging services, this session will help participants:
• Discover aging services as an opportunity to increase their PO business.
• Learn some of the key “lingo” used by senior living professionals and potential referral sources.
• Connect with referral sources successfully.
• Understand the scope of the Aging Network, and why you need to be “in it to win it.”
• Find answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about working in aging services.
Welcome to Our World: Organizing Students and Loving It! (4-2)
Moderator: Donna S. Goldberg
Panelists: Michelle Grey, CPO®, Katherine Jenkins, Deborah Kawashima, CPO®, Angela Cody-Rouget, CPO®
Life is painful for students who don’t meet the expectations of their parents, teachers, schools and peers. Some kids suffer from learning issues and others from disorganization. Whatever the obstacle, its effects are devastating to a child’s self-esteem. In many instances, the root of the problem has nothing to do with the students’ intelligence or motivation to do well in school, but is a result of their never having learned basic organizational skills.
Today’s students are faced with new challenges in an ever-changing educational climate and the need for organizational skills has become even more urgent. Over the past year the Student Special Interest Group (SIG) has explored methods, tools, techniques, and resources. A panel of veteran student organizers representing the Student SIG will share their insights and best practices. We aim to provide organizers with an understanding of why so many students are struggling with disorganization, what effect this struggle has on their ability to succeed in school and beyond, and how professional organizers can help.
Space Planning for Professional Organizers (4-3)
Janet Schiesl
Take space to the next level! This workshop is recommended for organizers of all experience levels who want to add the service of space planning to their business model for little or no money. Participants will learn how to read a floor plan and interpret architectural symbols to better facilitate a client’s move, and identify what is not working in a space and know how to fix it. We will study and practice the skill of measuring a space and study guidelines for furniture placement to better suite your client’s needs. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of space planning programs on the market.
Creating Organizing Sustainability and Lasting Change With Our Clients (4-4)
Denslow Brown, CPO-CD®, CPO®, MCC
In spite of the fresh-start optimism our organizing and productivity work generates, all too often neither we nor our clients feel confident that the streamlining is going to “hold”—or that the client is truly prepared to change the behaviors that contributed to the disorganization in the first place. Coherent instruction and memorable acronyms are inadequate to the task of insuring long-term order and productivity. “Best practices” require a frank and effective partnership in which we can gently and persistently address willingness, challenges and the actions that create change. Learn to enroll a client from the start in an understanding of organizing sustainability. During the organizing project you can engage the client in a parallel plan to explore behavioral shifts. Techniques will be presented to: 1) identify and clarify the client’s strengths and incentives for change, 2) address the undermining impact of “negative self-talk” and 3) engage curiosity and self-awareness by designing easy and specific fieldwork so, eventually, clients are able to leverage relevant and conscious choice. A model of client accountability will also be introduced.
Whole Brain Tools To Build Your Business and Your Life: For The Professional Organizer Looking To Take Their Business To The Next Level
Golden Circle Member Only Session (4-5)
Lee Silber
We all know running a successful organizing business requires us to wear many hats. This means we use our whole brain to get ahead. There will be times when we need our left brain (money matters, dealing with details, planning, and getting things done right--and on time.) We must rely on our right brain, too (marketing and promotion, generating new ideas, working with people, and dealing with change.) Sometimes, we may even take a no-brain approach to things, and just do them without thinking. To truly build and maintain a thriving organizing operation, we must develop and have all sides of our brains working at full capacity. In this advanced program we will take a long look at whole-brain tools and techniques to take advantage of our strengths and natural tendencies. The result will be new and improved ways to run every aspect of our business. (Think: More money, improved promotion, greater satisfaction--all with less stress and fewer headaches.)
10:15 am – 11:45 am Concurrent Workshop Sessions
Still Someone: Working with People Who Have Memory Loss (5-1)
Margit Novack, MCP
Whether helping seniors downsize, relocate, pay bills, age in place or simply better organize their homes, professional organizers will increasingly interact with clients who have some degree of memory impairment. This program provides specific tools and communication strategies that will increase the organizer’s effectiveness with this population. Organizers will learn how communication techniques can reduce client anxiety and frustration, and maximize client dignity and independence. By increasing their competency with older adults, professional organizers can position themselves to benefit from demographic trends by incorporating new services or enhancing their ability to offer current services to this special population.
Hiring and Training Successful Employees (5-2)
Erin Elizabeth Wells, CPO®
Are you ready to grow? Do you want to massively multiply the billable hours your company has to offer? Are you ready to move from “arm’s length” contractor relationships into a fulfilling and collaborative team/employee model? This session is for you!
For the first time ever at the NAPO Conference, this session will walk you through all your how-to questions for transforming your company into a powerful employee-based organizing firm, extending your reach and redefining your work forever. During this session we will outline what it takes to: (1) prepare for growth, (2) quantify your roles/positions, (3) hire the right people, (4) train them in your approach, (5) review their performance (and know when to fire them).
Presented by the CEO and Founder of Living Peace LLC, who is also a veteran Golden Circle member, past president of NAPO-New England Chapter, leader of the NAPO Multi-Person Business SIG, and owner/operator of the largest organizing company in the New England area, this session will provide you with the essential information to transform your company into the team powerhouse that you always dream about.
Get Your Clients Financial and Legal Clutter Together—Today (5-3)
Hallie Hawkins, JD, CCRR, and Shay Prosser, CDFA, CCRR
Becoming the go-to person for your clients involves knowing more than they do about everything about organizing. As you work to build your client base you are also working to build the loyalty of the clients you have. It is vital that you differentiate yourself. Be different and be better by providing better, unique resources and information to your clients. Shay and Hallie will provide insight into the world of financial and legal organization. They will teach you how to be your clients’ best financial resource—by helping them get it together. Shay and Hallie will teach you what you need to know to give sound organizing advice around financial and legal documents, and provide resources to help you work with clients. Financial stress is often caused by not knowing where to start. Be your clients’ best resource and show them where to start.
3 Classic Time Management Systems and How They Can Work for You and Your Clients – Part I (5-4)
Emily A. Wilska, CPO®
As Professional Organizers, we’re often asked to help our clients take control of their time and tasks. By familiarizing ourselves with various productivity systems and the techniques, philosophies, and practices behind them, we’ll be better able to come up with time- and task-management solutions that will work well for a range of clients in both business and residential settings.
In this interactive workshop, we’ll take a look at three classic time management systems—Franklin Covey, Getting Things Done, and the Now Habit. After reviewing the basics of each system, we’ll explore how they overlap, what makes each unique, and how to determine the best systems for various learning styles, work habits, and personalities. Finally, we’ll do some hands-on exercises designed to help you test-drive each system—and give yourself a productivity boost in the process.
Mobile & Web Productivity Tools (5-5)
Allen Clary
There are so many great productivity tools for individuals, solopreneurs and small business. From the basics such as calendars, e-mail, contacts, tasks, and notes to more advanced tools such as web-based accounting, invoicing, document sharing, CRM, online word processing, online spreadsheets, project management and more. And everything needs to be mobile—accessible from simple phones, Blackberries, iPhones, and Androids. What are the best options out there? What are the differences, pros and cons of each? Which are free and which cost money? Which is right for me? Which are right for my clients? This presentation will show and discuss the leading products in each category—light, informative and interactive with your questions.
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions
New Takes on Productivity: 3 More Time Management Systems and How They Can Work for You - Part II (6-1)
Emily A. Wilska, CPO®
Do new time management systems simply reinvent the wheel, or do they offer unique, creative ways of approaching productivity? In this session, we’ll consider three newer time management systems—the Action Method, Mark Forster’s approach, and the Pomodoro Method—taking a look at the essentials of each and how they differ from classic productivity systems (and from each other).
We’ll then explore how to assess which systems will be most effective for you and your clients, and will do a few exercises that’ll let you sample the techniques and methodologies of these newer approaches to time management.
Sparkle When You Speak!™ (6-2)
Sheryl Roush
Time to refresh your communication skills? Want to authentically connect with others? Need to give better presentations? Get more clients? Whether you want to enhance your communication effectiveness, boost sales, or improve your speaking skills discover ways to catapult your confidence, credibility and connection factor.
This program is interactive, enlightening and engaging. Using proven research in adult learning theory, you will discover seven multiple modalities in any group, how to utilize tactics to sincerely connect with others, easy tips to gain instant rapport, ways to engage others authentically, skills you can use right away in business and in life.
Peace of Mind in the Face of Disaster—Preparing Clients for Any Emergency (6-3)
Margaret R. Lukens, CPO®
Gain new clients and bring past clients back for more by adding emergency preparation to your offerings. In this session you’ll learn how to bring your residential and small business clients the peace of mind that comes from being ready for any emergency. Whether you live in hurricane country, tornado alley, earthquake zones, flood plains, or wildfire areas, you will receive dozens of tips and resources to help clients in your region complete their emergency preparations. Among the topics we will cover, you will learn alternative ways to perform a home or office inventory; how to safeguard electronic information; ways to organize, store and transport vital documents; how to overcome your clients’ resistance to making emergency preparations; where to store emergency supplies; the three actions that everyone needs to be prepared for, and much more.
When It’s About More Than “Stuff” — Addressing Couple Conflict During Residential Organizing Projects (6-4)
Teresa Luetjen-Keeler, MA, CRC, CRTS
For a residential organizing project to be successful over the long-term, all members of a household must buy into and participate in the organizing decisions. This is not possible if the couples are experiencing conflict. Couples often avoid conflict to maintain relationship status quo, preserve long-standing roles and identities, “save face” in front of others, or because of relationship uncertainties. Asking couples to make decisions during the organizing project may raise topics or issues that bring about the conflict they have been trying to avoid. All of a sudden a question about the daily mail or the kitchen pantry goes well beyond the goals of an organizing project. As professionals, we need to recognize the issues that may arise between couples, strategies that we may employ to foster communication, and resources that we may call upon or refer to so the organizing project may get completed.
How to Be Your Own Best Bookkeeper (6-5)
Debbie Gilster, CPO®
Ask most small-business owners what area of their business they dislike and feel most inadequate running and you’ll hear the finances! Ask what area is critical to have a handle on and you’ll hear the finances! Managing your money doesn’t have to be so feared, hated or in chaos. I’m a firm believer most small-business owners can (and should) do most of their own bookkeeping.
I’ll share the simple, easy and effective money management tracking system I use and set up for my clients. In this information-rich session, you’ll not only learn “what to do,” but also “how to do it.” We’ll explore what stops up your Financial FLOW™ and how to make the process run smoothly. You’ll go home with some new techniques to be your own best bookkeeper. Not only will this allow you to save time and money, you’ll sleep better at night knowing your financial house is in order. Plus, you’ll have renewed confidence that you can better manage this critical area of your business!
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Closing Keynote Address (GS3)
UNDERCOVER ORGANIZER: AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZERS OPERATE
Lee Silber
With reality shows being all the rage, we thought it would be both entertaining and educational to go undercover to see what some of the most successful organizers do to stay on top of their game. This program will focus on the best practices being used and will be presented as both a speech and a documentary. We will learn first hand how the best of the best handle everything from sales and marketing to mastering the art of organizing everything and everyone. There will be examples from both residential and commercial specialists, and ideas and insights that will have audience members on the edge of their seats. Times change and we all need to stay on top of trends and take advantage of new opportunities that are popping up all around us. This presentation not only captures what is working now, it also shows organizers how to adapt to what's next--which is exactly why Lee Silber settled on this approach to the topic of professional organizing--it's a new way to learn what we all need to know, but also have some fun in the process as Lee points out dozens of things you can do to take your business to the next level.