Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Dabney
Hi Caroline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all started with organizing cubbies in second grade funny enough. Getting ‘hired’ by my 7 year old peers quickly evolved to spending my weekends clearing out friends closets. Fast forward to adulthood (and many birthday parties, 2am room rearranges, acrylic bins, and unrealistic expectations I set for myself later), I realized perhaps not every young lady enjoyed the art of organizing and planning as much as I did. To no ones surprise, I was clinically diagnosed with OCD at the age of 7 and have since began a journey towards managing it. After coming to terms with the way my brain worked, I had two choices- wallow or work at it. Medicine, therapy, workbooks, and the most supportive system around have allowed me to not only turn my obsessive compulsive behavior into something that is manageable, but has helped me to create an idea whose platform acronym was far too perfect to not execute. OCD- Organized by Caroline Dabney- is all about embracing how your brain works while also not letting your intrusive thoughts win. While OCD does lots of things, from helping to plan your upscale parties, to fixing the feng shui of your bedroom, to making you custom embroidered cocktail napkins, at its core, my company is here to bring light to OCD and lend an ear to all woman who have set high standards for their lives.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As with any business, there are going to be bumps. For me, the largest obstacle remains balancing a full time job with this! I feel incredibly lucky to get to leave work and shift my focus immediately to my passion project, but some days are far harder than others. When I started, I would routinely leave my in person job and go straight to peoples homes to organize their closets. I quickly realized that this was not sustainable for my life style. As I’ve grown my offerings and slowly ventured away from the hands on organizing, I have found it much easier to give this brand the attention it deserves. Cash flow also was a bit of a concern in the beginning, but I make a priority to invest in myself so that aspect is not as scary anymore.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outside of creating and running OCD, I actually get to work for my dream company. Sales has always come somewhat naturally to me, so when the opportunity to help The Scout Guide with existing sales presented itself, I ran with it. To date, I am most proud of myself for putting my name out there for this role. The Scout Guide is a female founded, exceptionally curated, annual publication in over 95 markets throughout the US whose goal remains to highlight small businesses (I mean, how easy is it to get on board with that?!). With its national recognition, I found myself scared to even apply because of massive imposters syndrome. I am so proud of myself for taking the leap!
What sets me apart is my mix of analytical and emotional approach to problems. I am all head when it comes to work. Math was always my strongest subject (shockingly) and numbers speak far louder than words to me. However, even with my type A (and OCD) brain wiring,I pride myself in having a high EQ. I believe this is what has allowed me to advance my career in the exact way I wanted so quickly.
What does success mean to you?
I think time equals success. Successful people don’t buy things, they buy time. When I look at my goals for the next few years, all of them center around having an abundance of time to do the things I care about with the people I love most. From the beginning I have always said that I want to be rich so I can buy my loved ones time. I grew up with incredible parents who showed me that the mark of success does not come from a dollar amount, but rather from the experiences you get to create with the people that mean the most to you!
Pricing:
- My custom embroidered napkins start at $40 (perfect for the holidays)!
- My closet organization starts are $250!
- My party planning and itinerary help starts at $50!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.organizedbycarolinedabney.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/organizedbycarolinedabney
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@organizedbycaro
