1-2: Yikes! I'm 60(ish). Diversify and Continue Doing Work You Love!

Susan Kousek, CPO, Hazel Thornton, Janet Schiesl, CPO, and Ellen Faye, CPO

Business Operations

GENERAL

We love what we do, but as we mature (and for other reasons too) some of us are ready to change how we work. This session provides an overview of services less physically demanding and currently offered by four long-time productivity and organizing professionals who are older or thinking ahead for when they will be—ideas for getting started, training opportunities, and marketing.

Attendees will have an opportunity to form virtual mastermind groups with others interested in offering the same service.

Session Objectives
After attending this session, participants should be able to:
1. Know many options for less physically demanding services they can offer,
2. Build on ideas they’ll get for starting and marketing these services, and
3. Have the opportunity to start a virtual mastermind group with like-minded colleagues.

We'll engage the audience with: 
- A presentation from each speaker
- Polling questions throughout the session
- Small group or paired discussions
- An opportunity to form virtual mastermind groups

Susan Kousek, CPO

Certified Professional Organizer, Susan Kousek, a productivity consultant and speaker, is the owner of Balanced Spaces®, LLC in Reston, Virginia. She’s been helping clients improve their productivity and organize their papers and possessions since 1990. As she eases into semi-retirement, she’s cutting back on hands-on work. She still gets excited when a prospective client calls and wants to do a major downsizing but is being more selective (and realistic) about what she takes on.

Over the past few years, she's added services to her offerings that are less physically demanding and can often be done virtually. Susan is a member of the Washington, DC Metro Chapter and the Virtual Chapter. She volunteered at her second DC chapter meeting in 1999 and started volunteering at the national level in 2003,  serving on many committees and NAPO's national board (2012-2015).

She holds NAPO’s Specialist Certificate in Life Transitions and was honored with the 2016 Service to NAPO Award and the Washington DC chapter’s first Volunteer of the Year award in 2004. Susan is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), and has presented multiple times at NAPO conferences and for her chapter.

PANELISTS

Ellen Faye, CPO

Ellen Faye is a Professional Certified Coach, Certified Productivity Leadership Coach, Certified Professional Organizer®, and entrepreneur who has had her own successful organizing and productivity company since 2001. With a background in coaching, business management, organizing, and leadership, Ellen uses her experience and expertise to help clients create a professional and personal life that matches their strengths, goals, and values. 

          

Janet Schiesl, CPO

Janet Schiesl, CPO is the owner of Basic Organization, a leading professional organizing company in Northern Virginia. Early in business, Janet decided that she liked working with a team, but found the independent contractor model did not work well for her. She took a leap of faith and began hiring employees. In the ten years since, she has grown from a solo practitioner to a team of six people who specialize in big jobs with a tight time frame. So along with working one-on-one with clients, they can pack or unpack a home in one day, organize a garage or basement in record time or help you deal with piles of paper or an overstuffed closet or pantry.  Growing her business with a team has allowed Janet to step away from hands-on organizing and focus on running the business, making it easier for her to continue helping clients far into the future. Janet is a past president of the Washington DC Metro Chapter of NAPO.  She is a NAPO Board Member and has been honored by her chapter colleagues in receiving the Professional Organizer of the Year award (2009, 2016, 2020) and the Volunteer of the Year award (2008, 2019).  

Hazel Thornton