Angela Kantarellis: Small Spaces, Big Lives

Angela Kantarellis is the founder of AK Organizing, the self-proclaimed office organizing experts. Additionally, she has recently launched The Manhattan Millionaires Group, a forum for business owners and entrepreneurs. Angela, a professional organizer and consultant, and an active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), told us how she started her business by identifying a need in the marketplace:

I was in grad school, PhD bound, getting my masters in psychology. I had started a business to support myself while in grad school, which came very naturally to me. I got my masters, but then decided I didn’t want my PhD. At the time, the professional organizing industry was booming. There was and is an incredible need for this kind of service because our lives are so fast paced. This is especially true in New York City: small spaces, big lives. So I said, you know what? I’m going to run with this.

I grew up in a small business environment, with my entrepreneurial parents, especially my father, as role models. They owned a restaurant, and I didn’t have exposure to any other paradigm.

I always had a passion for having my own business. I think all entrepreneurs have a passion for whatever they are creating. It starts with an idea. It’s about resourcefulness. You can always tell right away when someone is an entrepreneur. People want to follow them.

My advice to future entrepreneurs is: Do it! Go for it! Practically speaking, you should have at least six months of personal expenses in the bank before you take the leap. It usually takes about a year to see any profit.