Today we all begin a new year, full of hope and resolutions. This year, 2008, is a universal #1 year in numerology (2 + 8 = 10 = 1) and signifies not only a new year but the beginning of a new nine year cycle. Wow, I know I want to get it started with positive energy! I’ve just re-read a book on creating prosperity in our lives and it recommends making three lists: 1) what we want to eliminate; 2) what we want to bring in to our lives; and 3) what we are grateful for. This has been a truly meaningful exercise for me because I realize that I only have a couple of things I want to eliminate while having pages of things that I am grateful for.
Now focusing on my business plan for the new year, I have reviewed the highs and lows of last year and again feel so fortunate. As Certified Professional Stagers we have the opportunity to do work we truly love and at the same time achieve significant benefits for our clients and real estate colleagues. Last year I had the additional pleasure of getting to train new CSPs. I have been so impressed with the dynamic and talented stagers I have met in my classes and at the amazing Climb Every Mountain Convention last September.
Of course we are all striving to build our staging businesses and make this year a great one. Christine Rae is one of the most inspirational (and hardest working!) women I have ever met and I am really thankful that I am a part of the CSP organization. Christine has set the bar higher than any other staging training organization in terms of delivering the most comprehensive staging training program; testing and certification of new CSPs; establishing a code of ethics; and providing incomparable training and professional support resources. Furthermore she is the pioneer of eco-staging and through the choice of Habitat for Humanity as CSP’s designated charity, has taken a leadership role in the industry’s social responsibility. Certified Staging Professionals has the highest standards for staging expertise, professionalism and social responsibility and as CSPs, we should all feel proud to be a part of this exemplary organization.
My business, Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc., grew significantly last year and for that I am truly grateful. I am proud to be able to say that I have collaborated with brokers and homeowners on the staging and marketing of over $350 million in sold real estate. My diverse experience now ranges from funky Greenwich Village walk-ups to Greenwich, Connecticut mansions; from vacant new development to cluttered estate-sale condition; from studio apartments to SOHO lofts; and from contemporary suburban family homes to Park Ave. Pre-War classics. This business is never boring and I learn something new on each job. I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise with many new CSPs in 2008 - a year of new beginnings.
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