APOI, an adventure that goes far

My relationship with the profession goes back a long way, having had the opportunity to live in the United States I was aware of the figure of the professional organizer, but I never imagined that in addition to practicing the profession (I founded TUTTOAPOSTO and am a member of the Board of Organize Italy), I would one day become the spokesperson for APOI in the world, the first Italian Association of Organizing Professionals.

Your story in APOI
It was 2014 when I joined APOI, we were just 4 associates, passionate and enthusiastic about the journey we were about to embark on, aware of how important it was to build the institutional value of the profession, a new project that promised so much,
that's where it all started.
These years in the association have allowed me to grow as a professional, to have constructive discussion with colleagues having the opportunity to attend interesting webinars that stimulate our training, which in my opinion is the basis of the growth of every professional.

What motivated you to take up your current position
From the beginning, I proposed myself in the role of head of external relations with a focus on international relations as I perceived the added value of engaging with the world of the profession abroad, with those who had already traveled the path that we had just taken.
Starting from this certainty in 2014, I went to London to the national conference of the British Association APDO, and it was a thunderbolt. I had the opportunity to meet world-renowned P.O., the foremost expert on Feng shui, Karen Kingston (author of Feng shui and space clearing. The art of making space in the home and in life ) and to attend lectures that revealed to me the magical world of organizing and how much could be accomplished to help people to Seeking physical and mental well-being. I touched on the meaning of "social impact" .

What does such a role entail?
The work is mostly about building a network of relationships that must be nurtured over time and that often turn out to be true friendships. Certain collateral skills help to develop this role and facilitate relationships with P.O.'s who come from cultures other than our own. Speaking languages is certainly a strength but I think empathy and interest in the person is the real key,
The same one we use whenever we meet with a client.

The international relationships we have built over time allow our members to get a close look at the evolution of the profession around the world, to engage firsthand with professionals who have built their businesses with tenacity and vision. It is a powerful emotional and inspirational boost to meet those who have "reached" the market before us.

Every year APOI offers its members 3-4 webinars with leading international P.O.'s. The generosity of our guests and the frank and direct discussion allows us not only to grow as professionals but also opens up horizons sometimes not even imagined, because each culture has its own characteristics and meets different targets.

In my role I am in charge of:
- Taking care of relationships on an ongoing basis, with periodic meetings to also check on the evolution and growth of other associations.
- Choosing the international P.O.'s that we invite to make webinars, collaborating in taking care of the type of presentation that will be presented.
- Carrying on affiliations. To date we are affiliated with the Spanish AOPE -Associazione organizadores profesionales and the Brazilian ANPOP, but we are working on new goals.
- Attend meetings ofIFPOA the international federation of professional organizers associations.

What do you expect or wish for the future of the association?
Thinking about increasing the number of members may seem like an important goal, it would make us weigh the growth of the profession in Italy, but in my opinion it is not only about increasing the number of members but rather assessing the level of professionalism expressed. Understanding to the full the value of this profession means having a very broad view, in recent years we have done a great job of dissemination to increase the "culture of organization" that is linked to multiple aspects of daily life, a concert composed of multiple instruments. My wish is that all APOI associates can increase a wide-ranging look that basically starts with continuous and varied training.
We always keep in mind that each associate represents the stardart of the profession whenever he or she meets a client, we all have the responsibility to represent the profession to the best of our ability.
Also given my role in the Association, I dream of a meeting in Italy where we bring together all the international associations, obviously under the prestigious IFPOA umbrella, which gives a worldwide voice to our professional figure.

Is there anything you would like to communicate to the members of the association?
In my opinion, all members should feel that they are an active part of a great initiative on a daily basis: to popularize the figure of the P.O. in Italy and to increase the culture of the organization.
Every day, each of us can do so much by expressing the utmost professionalism and actively engaging in and out of APOI. Moreover, it is important to never stop training in all areas related to the profession, as the broader our preparation, the more we will be able to accompany and support the client.

What would you like to say instead to those who wish to associate?
APOI's membership life allows the Italian P.O. a to network with other professionals in a constructive and dynamic way while having an up-to-date view of the profession internationally.

The annualnational event and Organization Week (in its eighth year) are two important events that give constructive experiences. In many cases, fruitful collaborations have been formed that have resulted in interesting projects and valuable friendships. But above all , in front of the client, the APOI member P.O. expresses the institutional value of the profession, guaranteeing a high level of professionalism.

After many years of exciting association life in APOI
I can say that unity is strength in expressing the value of
our figure and organizational culture in Italy and around the world!