Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Vega.
Mary, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a Professional Organizer, as well as a wife and mother. Organizing has been a passion of mine since I was a young child. My closet was sorted by colors and types of clothing. I loved reorganizing the pantry, and as odd as it may sound, cleaning and organizing the fridge. My Dad went to Catholic military prep school and was later an officer in the Air Force, so he thrived in an orderly environment. I’m the youngest of eight children so to avoid complete and utter chaos, things needed to be orderly and organized. Ben Franklin’s proverb, “A place for everything, everything in its place” was popular in our home. If it was on the floor or under the bed, it ended up in the trash. We quickly learned to put away our belongings.
My story as to how I got to where I am is not typical though and not something I often share. After high school, I went to community college with the intent to transfer to UCSD to get a degree in Child Psychology. I got engaged at 19 and unfortunately found myself trapped in an abusive relationship. Things didn’t pan out the way I had envisioned. While in school, I was working at night for a large fitness chain at the corporate office. I decided to start working full time while furthering my education and I was fortunate to work for them for 20 years. I was also fortunate to meet my loving, supportive, husband while working there. In 2013, I was working remotely under the Business Development department doing B2B sales. Organizational transition prompted a shift from working remotely to solely in the office. So, I made the difficult decision to quit my corporate job to start a business. This allowed me to create my own hours and have a flexible schedule that would work with my two young children’s schedules.
I wanted to find something I was passionate about while maintaining the work/life balance. During my search, I stumbled upon the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO). I also discovered they had a San Diego Chapter. I attended a meeting and immediately realized that I had found my people. I have always found organizing very rewarding and therapeutic and here I found an amazing group of mostly women that had the same passion. Since I had a professional (Records, Move & Facilities/Operations Management) and event planning experience, I thought that I should start my own business as a Professional Organizer. So, without hesitation, I joined NAPO National and then joined the San Diego Chapter. I joined in December 2014 and then by June 2015, I was nominated to join the Board. I served on the Board as Secretary for two years, and then as the VP for one year.
Has it been a smooth road?
Once I decided that I wanted to become a Professional Organizer, everything seemed to fall into place. I got my business license, opened my business account, found my “tribe” with NAPO, and with the help of the talented Nikki Mihalik of Akula Kreative we created my “brand” (logo, website and business card). I was on the Board of NAPO San Diego and my colleagues were extremely supportive, this group of women were helping me navigate through the challenges of owning my own business, and I was learning about their stories, triumphs and struggles. However, my husband had also changed careers and I was still a full-time Mom so staying organized and trying to manage everything was a challenge. It was an adjustment, but we’ve made it work. With referrals from friends and family, as well as leads from NAPO, I had a couple of regular clients immediately. My line of business isn’t steady though. There are periods where there is an influx of clients and others where it’s just a couple. I tell clients that you don’t get organized once and you’re done it’s maintaining it. That’s what business is like. You get what you put into it.
For women just starting out in their journey – I’d tell them to find something they love and are passionate about. Know that it won’t always be easy but to persist and not to be afraid to ask for help and advice. A support system or team is key.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Organized Design – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I have a full-service organizing business that offers residential and business organizing as well as event planning. Many organizers have a niche and specialize in one area. This is what sets me apart from others. I’m more of a Generalist and do it all. I also don’t follow all the organizing trends with my clients. I follow the basic rules, but every client is different. I like to connect organically with my clients to create plans and systems that are tailored to them. For one client I may “body double”, which is holding space so they can physically do the work themselves and to keep them on track, for another I may be their therapist (I’m not licensed but I am a good listener), or act like a personal trainer to encourage them and create a full plan of attack. I pride myself on customer service and if my client has special requests that are not typical, I do what I can to meet their needs. I’ve assisted with meal prepping, running errands, scheduling, holiday shopping, staging/editing for home sales, and even prep/care before and after surgery. Although a large portion of my business has been residential, I also work with businesses with event planning (small and large) and move management. This usually falls under Human Resources or Facilities/Operations but if the company is not able to handle it, they outsource and that’s where I come in.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well-positioned for?
Although the media coverage may be focused on the challenges women face today I’ve always been more optimistic. My Mom is truly the strongest woman I know. She has endured so much within her lifetime and is a pillar of strength. She taught me to never give up. I believe women are suited for any position. We create our own opportunities and we shouldn’t limit ourselves. I feel like there is an abundance of opportunities out there regardless of what stage of life we are in. It’s up to the individual to make it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://organizeddesignsd.com
- Phone: (619) 227 -1077
- Email: mvega@organizeddesignsd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/organizeddesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/organizeddesignsd
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/organizedd
Image Credit:
Amy Dawnelle, Art Vega
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