We had the good fortune of connecting with Jasmine Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jasmine, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started my business in January 2023 after helping my father to clean and organize this home office. I was visiting my father and my family in Ohio and noticed that his office was in disarray and really straining on him mentally. He had some items to help him stay organized but was overwhelmed with trying to figure out how best to use them. Since it was a short trip and impromptu, I didn’t have time buy any special supplies and I just used what he had on hand and refreshed it to make it work for him. He was so appreciative and told me over and over that my help was life changing for him and he still has kept it organized to this day. At that moment, I realized that I can help others in the same way and Refresh Professional Organizing was born. I’m Jamaican and one thing about my people, is that we are resourceful and so I knew that I could help lots of people by using what they already have on hand to refresh their space and get organized in a better way!
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am coming up on 10 years of experience in the pharmaceutical research industry and despite being completely different arenas, I have gleaned so much from my work in research and applied it to Refresh. The only way to be successful in that industry is to be organized in all areas of your work, so this is how I try to live my life and what I want to share with others. The main takeaway I have learned is that less is more when it comes to organization. If a process or organizational routine is too extensive, it will make it much harder to maintain.Refresh focuses on setting up easily manageable systems for staying organized both digitally and the in the home and office.
One of the reasons I am most proud of Refresh is our specific focus on sustainability and recycling. We encourage our clients to use the organizational items that they already have in a new and better way. For example, we have out clients save their Amazon and Apple product boxes for storage and organizing – simple tools that can save money and keep you organized! No need to spend hundreds of dollars on plastic containers and jars that will end up in a landfill because we work with what our clients already have available to them. If there are other items needed, these are sourced with sustainability, cost effectiveness, and our environment in mind.
A big part of Refresh is bringing awareness to Digital organization as well. We spend so much of our lives on our computers, phones, and tablets and it can be stressful when they’re disorganized. I have worked with small business owners and individuals to help organize their folders, documents, and inboxes so they can focus on their work more efficiently.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to go to the movies and so IPIC in midtown is great because you can get delicious food and a good drink all while enjoying a movie. We’d stop by Fetch Dog Park and spend some time with my dog, Tegan. Dinner would be at Seven Lamps or Apartment 4B in Buckhead, or Rocksteady in Midtown because they all have such good menus and a great vibe. Basically, we would just spend our time trying great food!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shoutout my mother, Darlene, for being the organized woman that she is. She always maintained a clean and organized home by keeping simple routines in place, focusing on decluttering, and holding her children accountable for keeping a clean space. Thanks to her, I am able to serve people in Atlanta and beyond with Refresh.
Website: https://refreshatlanta.info
Instagram: @Refresh_organizingatl
Other: TikTik: @Refresh_organize