Jennifer Oliver

I attribute my success to my natural organizational skills that came from working 20 years in the operating room, combined with my lifelong dream of being a business owner. During COVID in 2020, when I lost my job for the first time, I decided it was the perfect time to go back to school. Even though I had two teenagers at home and was working two jobs, I pursued my personal goal of becoming a first-generation college graduate and earned my bachelor's degree in applied science with a minor in healthcare management. I didn't do it for a promotion, I did it because it was important to me personally. Right after that, I opened my business. What makes this work so rewarding is that I'm not just assisting anymore like I did as a surgical tech. I'm actually doing the work and making a direct impact. I treat every client like a family member or friend, and we build incredible trust relationships. Our three core values are confidential, judgment-free, and compassion. I can't teach compassion, so I'm very particular about who I hire. When clients call me, they're embarrassed, overwhelmed, and stressed out. By the time they've reached out, they're done and ready for help. I come in and tell them to give themselves grace, that we're here to help them and help them maintain it moving forward. This sets us apart because we truly have their interest in mind. Being a business owner gives me the freedom to create my schedule around my family. My son plays club soccer that travels around the United States, and I wouldn't be able to go to those things if I still had a job in a surgery center or hospital. That freedom is literally life-changing.

I was blessed with a "Difference Maker Dad" as I like to call him. He taught me to treat everyone with respect and kindness, despite of our differences. I've really brought this into my business. We never know what someone is going through in their personal lives, what they may be working to overcome and why they respond the way they do. So naturally, one of my favorite quotes by the one and only Dolly Parton, really resonates with me. " If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours". Another influential person in my life happened to be my favorite employer who was a plastic surgeon. He really helped shape my career path by teaching me not to limit myself but also taught me something that really stuck with me, especially in the cosmetic industry. He says that it's more important how you make someone feel than their results, and I see this in my industry today as well. When I come into people's homes, they're embarrassed, overwhelmed, and stressed out. By the time they've called me, they're over it, they're done, and they're ready for help. It's taken them a long time to get to that point. I walk in and our three core values are confidential, judgment-free, and compassion. I tell clients during the complimentary assessment not to touch a thing, that I need to see it as it is. Many want to clean before I come over, but I say no, please don't. I need to see it. Give yourself grace, you have a lot going on, it's okay, and we're gonna help you with this. When they build that trust with us in the beginning and know we're not here to pick them apart and tell them what they've done wrong, but we're actually here to help them and help them maintain it moving forward, that's something that sets us apart. We truly have their interest in mind. I've refused jobs before because it's not about making money. If I feel like I can't help them and they can't maintain this, or it's outside of our scope, it's not something we take on just because I need the money. It needs to be real, with integrity.

The most impactful thing that was said to me when I bought the franchise was, it's a risk, it's scary, it's the unknown. One of the co-founders asked me, are you ready to ride the waves? That's what being a business owner is, and I can visually see that. Waves can be big and scary, but also beautiful. There are so many different ways to look at that. It is overwhelming at times, it is scary, and it is new, but it's also transformed my whole life. There's a big price to pay for it. I tell my husband it's a little different, I don't get to clock out ever. But it is so rewarding. I'm so much more passionate about this, even though I can humbly say I was good at what I did as a surgical tech in the OR. I was comfortable and confident, and doctors wanted me in their room. But I didn't feel like I was doing the work. I was always just helping, just assisting. I prepared the room, scrubbed in, assisted the surgeon, broke down the room, and did it again for the next surgery. Now I'm actually doing the work and making the impact. I want young women to know you can do it at any age. I'm 50 years old and I'm just basically starting a whole different career path. I hope that inspires others to do the same. It's okay to do that. As women, we're sometimes expected to just do one thing, or do the minimum, and not dream big and go for it. I'm surrounded by very inspiring, influential women, and I love to show people you can still do it. It's not gonna be easy, but it can be done, and it's so rewarding. It's worth it in the end.

The biggest challenges in my field are learning the business side of entrepreneurship and navigating the emotional labor involved in helping clients let go of personal possessions, while the opportunities include leveraging a national franchise network for consistent training and service, expanding public awareness of professional organizing, and building donation and charity partnerships to deepen community impact.

The most important values in my work and personal life come from what my dad and one of the plastic surgeons I worked for taught me. The surgeon, who was very much a father figure, taught me that it's more important how you make someone feel than even their results at times, especially in the cosmetic industry. My dad taught me to always treat everyone the same, that they're important regardless of job status or where they are in their life. Even a homeless person on the street, we always treat people the same. I've brought this into my business in a powerful way. When people call me, they're embarrassed, overwhelmed, and stressed out. By the time they've called, they're over it, they're done, and ready for help. It's taken them a long time to get to that point. Our three core values are confidential, judgment-free, and compassion. I can't teach compassion, so I'm very particular about who I hire because that is an absolute must in my day-to-day and what I provide people in my business. We come in and I do a complimentary assessment. I tell them don't touch a thing, I need to see it. Many want to clean before I come over, but I say no, please don't. Give yourself grace, you have a lot going on, it's okay, and we're gonna help you with this. When they build that trust with us in the beginning and know we're not here to pick them apart and tell them what they've done wrong, but we're actually here to help them and help them maintain it moving forward, that's something that sets us apart. We truly have their interest in mind. I've refused jobs before because it's not about making money. If I feel like I can't help them and they can't maintain this, or it's outside of our scope, it's not something we take on just because I need the money. It needs to be real, with integrity.