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Sorority Sister Helps Build Business

Beth Schlater of Westport spent almost a decade trading the presidency of Delta Delta Delta of Fairfield back and forth with Laurie Noel Meek of Greenwich. In 2009, she joined forces with Meek to form Riverside-based LNM Organizing Solutions.

How would you describe LNM Organizing Solutions?

We are a professional organizing firm specializing in home office organization, but have associates able to complete any organizing task. In addition, we place personal assistants and provide technical support for home computers. Our main goal is for people to realize that being organized can save them anxiety, time and money.

What brought you to Westport?

I am originally from Grosse Pointe, Mich. My husband is with UBS and he was transferred from the Chicago office to their new office in Stamford in 1997.

How did you become involved with LNM Organizing Solutions?

A close friend, Laurie Noel Meek, had been working as a personal assistant and home office manager on her own in Riverside for almost 10 years. She took a couple of years off, and when she was ready to re-enter the business, we talked about me coming on board. We thought that expanding the geographical range of the business, as well as opening up the scope to include organizers, personal assistants and tech support would be a great niche.

Before my children were born, I worked at a large financial company where I was a portfolio manager and earned my Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. That job, simply with the amount of paperwork, trains you to be very organized.

Once I became a stay-at-home mom I got involved in various large volunteer projects that have given me even more experience in getting things organized – sometimes not an easy task with kids running around and happily messing everything up!

What is the most challenging part of your business?

The greatest challenge, as well as the greatest reward, has been the learning curve for opening a new business. In the past two years, I have learned about marketing, legal issues, personnel, taxes – too many things to list! It has been worth it all to see the business blossom.

What are your future plans for yourself or the business?

We are currently working on opening up an online retail store for office products, OfficeCandy.net.  We were doing so much running around town looking for the perfect products, we thought that having our own source would be better for our clients.

Where do you volunteer?

I am a perpetual volunteer! Laurie and I met through our sorority alumnae group (Delta Delta Delta of Fairfield County), where she and I traded the presidency of that group back and forth for almost 10 years. I am also constantly volunteering for the Westport PTA, sewing and altering costumes for Coleytown Middle School theater productions, and hold many different positions at my church: Vestry, finance committee for our new building, Strategic Planning Committee and Welcoming Committee. I also recently volunteered to be on the Main Street Connect advisory board for Westport, but I have yet to make a monthly meeting!

What is the role of your business in the community?

We try to always have a “Yes” answer when asked to donate to any local auction, fundraiser or charity function. We have also done some pro-bono work for the Westport PTA, which they really appreciated. Laurie and I would like to continue to try to find different ways for LNM to help out in our local communities.

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