Today we’d like to introduce you to Julianna Strickland.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I became a professional organizer by accident. After graduating from film school at USC, I carved out a little hosting and producing career for myself in the newly emerging digital content world and created cooking, crafting, and beauty videos for a handful of companies. I have always been an organized person, so when I wasn’t shooting I took on small organizing and personal assistant jobs to make extra money.
For years I would organize spaces here and there in between video jobs, and slowly that client base grew. Then, about six years ago, I was in a general meeting with a new production company and they said, “We want to make an organizing show.” I pitched myself as the host and they hired me on the spot. After that show wrapped, I had a portfolio of work and the clients started calling more regularly. I started bringing assistants to help me on jobs and we realized that working in teams was more is efficient and fun. I came up with the name Space Camp Organizing, had the best time creating a site and developing the brand, and since then we’ve just continued to grow organically. Now we have a team of seven organizers, a Director of Operations, and the cutest office. I feel very lucky to get to do what I love everyday!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Haha, is it ever a smooth road?! Overall yes, I would say generally things have gone smoothly because I don’t ever force anything. I’ve allowed Space Camp to grow naturally and I try to take my time with things. But building a small business is never simple or straightforward, and when you’re the owner, you are always the bottleneck. If things go wrong on a job, it’s on me. If we’re behind on a deadline, it’s ultimately up to me to solve the problem. Exhaustion and burnout have a way of sneaking up on you, and it’s hard to bounce back when you’re tired and have an extremely full schedule. My new motto is “the only way out is through,” so I just keep focusing on what’s next and delegating as much as I can. And when I’m really stressed, I just go spend a few hours with my team and organize a pantry or a closet. It’s amazing how working with your hands and getting off of a screen can clear your brain and help you solve problems.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At Space Camp, we help people streamline and organize their homes. We work with our clients to help them get rid of things they don’t need or want anymore, and then we dream up creative solutions to maximize space and efficiency for their specific, unique lives. We specialize in creating solutions that are easy to maintain and incredibly personalized. Our style of organization is both functional and aesthetically minded, so we tend to work with a lot of artists and creatives to create spaces that look as good as they feel.
For me, the most incredible thing is when I see our systems working for clients and creating positive change in their lives. We’ve been with a lot of our clients for years, and I’ve seen them really grow and flourish in their homes. They’ve built businesses, had babies, created strong friendships and creative practices and relationships. I think that feeling organized and calm is a big part of success in a busy life, and I feel grateful that Space Camp gets to play a part in that for so many people.
How do you think about luck?
I actually don’t believe in good or bad luck. Or, rather, I think they’re the same thing. Some of my worst luck (losing out on a job, getting kicked out of an apartment, being dumped) ended up propelling me towards situations that made me happier and better than before. And some of my best luck comes when things feel easy and effortless. I used to play violin and I took a performance anxiety class in college to help me battle my stage fright. In that class, we learned techniques that professional athletes use to get in the zone and stay focused, and I think about those exercises to this day. I think you create your own luck by being in the moment and being focused. When you’re in the zone, you know it, and good things happen.
That being said, I do think a lot about the privilege I was born into and the role that has played in my success. I was lucky to have a loving family, a great education, and the opportunities to explore and create the life I want. Not that I’m wealthy or anyone gave me a big chunk of seed money, but the societal privilege that a lot of people take for granted. That’s something I keep in mind often as I think about how I can give back to my community and create opportunities for people who don’t have the same advantages I did.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://spacecamporganizing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makebetterspace/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makebetterspace/
Image Credits:
Juliana Slemenda https://www.anothercupcontent.com
