← One Broke Actress
One Broke Actress
Actors with Side Hustles: professional organizer adrianna licitra on freelancing, simplicity, and decluttering your life
00:42:02
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- [00:00]
A
People are overwhelmed by seeing all these things around them because it reminds them of things that they have to do. Unfinished projects, unfinished tasks, and then they're not able to relax. And if you can't relax, then you're bringing this crazy energy into everything that you do. And you're thinking, oh, there's that polo. I haven't had a commercial audition in however long. And like, you're bringing that into, like, every day with you.
- [00:24]
B
Fast Forward Productions. The women are speaking. What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the One Broke Actress podcast. An honest account of actor life, plus a few lessons I learned in the process. I am your host, Sam Valentine, and today we are continuing on our series of talking to actors who run side businesses outside of their acting career. And if you guys listened to last week's episode we had on Giselle, and she talked really intricately about her very involved business and, and how she has multiple LLCs and DBAs and how she runs all of these things with multiple employees. And I thought we need to counteract that with someone who has a very different style of business. So you can see that there are tons of possibilities for you as an actor. By the way, this is in conjunction with our side Hustle Academy that launches on October 21st. I'm getting so excited. Cause it's getting so close. If you guys are not yet on the wait list, check out that link in the bio. But I will tell you more about side Hustle Academy later on in today's episode. So let's get to our guest. Today's podcast guest is Adriana Licitra, and she is an actress based in the Southwest Market in Phoenix, Arizona. She and I actually met at the Southwest Actors Conference. She raised her hand at one point and said, I run a professional organizing business. And I was like, you podcast me, let's go. And she kindly came on the podcast today to talk about how she runs her full home organizing business alongside her newly blossoming acting career. Because although she is later in her career, she actually just started three years ago. And alongside all of that, she has a family with three stepchildren. So she's got a lot of things going on. The way she runs her business is very, very simple, very, very clean. She talks really openly with us about the differences between working as a freelancer versus owning your own business. What you actually need comes down to brass tacks to have a business and how she manages it all while really still getting going in her actor career and working to achieve the goals she wants to work towards. I think this is a great episode. If you are very intimidated by the idea of having a business as an actor, especially if you're new the stage where you're told to go for it and take every class and do everything and we talk about every aspect of that also. I highly recommend you stick around to the end because if I'm going to have a professional organizer and home stylist expert on the podcast, I'm going to ask them how you can make your self tape space nicer, how you can make your tiny apartment better, and what to do with all of the shit. We have to be good actors on camera, filming inside of our own homes, boxes of props, things of clothing, what do we do with it all? How do we combine spaces? She covers all of that and more and she drops us some tips and tricks at the very end. So ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, please enjoy Adriana Licitra. So Adriana, you and I met at the Southwest Actors Conference and you raised your hand because Gabrielle and I did a whole chat about making money as a side business and you were like, yeah, I actually run a professional organizing company. And I was like, first of all, dream role. I would love to organize someone else's stuff. It sounds amazing, but will you just give everyone who's listening a lay of the land of where you are as an actor right now? Yes.
- [03:36]
A
So I'm pretty new to the business. I've been acting since I was about eight years old, but only started doing it professionally about three years ago. That's when I got my agent here in Arizona. I'm still non union, so I do small indie projects here in Arizona, some local commercials. I do have an agent now in Texas and New Mexico that I do a lot of commercial auditions for and have booked something recently. So just still sort of new to the business I feel. Anyway.
- [04:03]
B
No, I. This is what I like about this conversation in particular is that I just recorded a similar episode to this with an actress who's been doing this since she was like a child basically. So we're kind of running the gambit of where people are at and I think it's nice to know that you can actually do this side business work even if you're new. Because we're often told like, throw yourself into the acting world, do all the things and you're actually showing that that's not a have to, that you can actually build. And yes, you're still new and you're not union yet, but like that's what you're working Towards. Right. So you're doing the steps right now to support your career. I just get really excited about this. So will you tell everyone about your business and tell us when you started that? Yeah.
- [04:42]
A
So I started my organizing business about two years ago. It's called Adriana's Organizing and Styling. So I do decluttering of people's houses. I put in organization systems, and then if they want it, I will also just spruce up their space in general with maybe some paint colors, new decorative items, because that was what I did prior to acting. That was like my pre acting career. I was a magazine editor for an interior design magazine. And so I have a lot of that in me still. So I do both decluttering and organizing and also styling for my business.
- [05:13]
B
Cool. So did you know when you started acting that you were going to have to have a secondary form of income? What was the thought process there?
- [05:21]
A
Yeah, well, not necessarily. I actually am very lucky. I'm married to an amazing man who has a wonderful career. And so there's not as much pressure on on me to have my own career that fully supports me. So I have a little bit of flexibility and privilege there. And so I wasn't necessarily going into it thinking I needed this other job, but when I started to see all the things that added up to have an acting career, all the little things here and there, the classes that I wanted to do, which I want to do, all the classes, I realized, like, I need to have something that's my own so I can be self sufficient and to supplement the, you know, little bit of income that I have coming in from acting and modeling.
- [06:00]
B
Talk to me about the realities of realizing the pricing of this business. What was your expectation versus how it actually felt?
- [06:06]
A
Oh, my gosh, I don't know. I guess I just. Initially I was just like, okay, it's yourself. You're your business. You just come and you show up. But there's so much that goes into it behind the scenes to be prepared. I had taken such a big break from acting because I started acting when I was young and then had a whole different career. So I felt so rusty. So I wanted to take all these classes to get up to speed. Then I needed to have good headshots. Initially, I took headshots with someone who wasn't that great. And I realized, okay, you have to actually do your homework and invest in a really good headshot photographer. So it really just started to add up and I was like, whoa, this, this is not as simple as just showing up as yourself. You have to put a lot into it behind the scenes to make it happen. And yeah, it. It definitely just started adding up.
- [06:51]
B
It happens really quick. I really appreciate your honesty about the privilege point of it because I need some more of that. It's very easy to compare ourselves in this business to someone else and say, like, how can they afford this life? How can they do this or that? We never know what's going on behind someone else's scenes. We don't want to count anyone else's money. But you just don't know. And to know that you're coming from a place of. I have help. And also I needed income. I'm going to take a shot in the dark here that you also needed something that you had a little more control over. Because the acting career is so out of our control.
- [07:21]
A
For sure. Coming from the magazine industry, where I came from, where everything is, like, very regimented and everyone is very tight, a. That's kind of how I am. So I needed something. And I also think it's important to have some sort of identity outside of acting. Like, to only define yourself as an actor is tough because then when it's not going well, you feel even worse. So when you have other things that you are attached to outside of acting, I think it takes away, like I hear you talk about a lot on this podcast, the desperation piece of it. When you're not only defined by your acting career, you're able to be who you are a little bit more and put your energy and effort, efforts and creativity into other areas of your life, then acting is not so desperate for you. Yeah.
- [08:07]
B
Yeah. It's a different vibe you bring to it.
- [08:09]
A
Yeah.
- [08:09]
B
You worked in the magazine world. There was a styling aspect to that. How did you know what you wanted to start a business with to complement your acting career?
- [08:17]
A
So I think, I mean, I loved my job in the magazine industry for a lot of reasons, and then I hated it for a lot of reasons. I mean, you know, it was really cutthroat, which I didn't love. It was really fast paced, which was fun sometimes, but sometimes was just totally draining. So when I started to think about what am I going to do for my own business, I looked at that career. I looked at the skills that I had, and I just picked out the pieces that I liked. I liked the organizing. I liked the styling. I didn't love all the craziness of, like, hitting these deadlines and having these meetings and having to make all these emails and phone calls. I dropped all the stuff. I didn't like, I picked out the pieces that I liked, and I found a way to make a business from those pieces.
- [09:00]
B
I love that you just took what you wanted.
- [09:03]
A
Yeah. Take what works for you, drop what doesn't, and find a way to, like, merge that into its own thing.
- [09:09]
B
Speaking of taking what works for you, when we started this conversation, I asked you like, oh, do you have a business website? Can we link it below? And you said, actually, I just use a Facebook page. And the simplicity of that sentence really got me. Can you talk about the back end of your business and how you've been able to keep it simple? Because you also have a full. Also, tell us about your family life because you have a full life outside of this.
- [09:28]
A
Definitely. I definitely have a full life outside of acting, outside of organizing. I'm married. I have three stepchildren. They're 10, 8, and 5 years old. And we have them half the time. So we have a 50, 50 schedule. So we do get, like, a little bit of a break when they go to their mom's house, but when they're here, it's like, full on. And even when they're not here, you're thinking about them, you're worrying about them, like, it's full on, mom life. So I have that going on. I did need a career or a side hustle, a business that complemented not only my acting career, but the craziness of life with three kids and a husband. So, yeah, I kept my business really, really, really simple. Initially, when I was starting it, I was like, oh, I gotta make an Instagram. Maybe I should make a TikTok. Maybe I should have a website. Maybe I should do Facebook ads. And then I was like, no, that sounds like all this shit that I hated from the magazine world that I don't wanna bring into this new life that I'm trying to craft for myself. So I was like, nope. I joined all these mom groups on Facebook. Scottsdale Moms, North Phoenix Moms, whatever. And I just post in those Facebook groups. They have certain days where you're allowed to post. I'll share some of my before and after photos. And I have a business page on Facebook, which was super simple to set up. And that's where people find me. That's where, you know, my word of mouth happens, and I don't have to deal with all the other stressful things. That didn't sound good to me. I was like, no, not doing it.
- [10:57]
B
Yes. Yes. Okay. So has this been effective for you in keeping things streamlined and also being able to get Enough clients to keep your business working for you?
- [11:07]
A
Yeah, it actually really has. It's been a great way to keep it simple, which is what I wanted. But people still really use Facebook, especially for things in their personal lives. Like when they need recommendations, they take to these Facebook groups and they ask for recommendations. And especially these mom groups. People are very active in these mom groups. It's wild. And so I do get a steady stream of clients from there. But I also can back off when I want to, when I have to prioritize other things in my life and then on top of my own business. Since I have this skill of organizing, I do freelance for another organizing company in Arizona. So when she needs help with her jobs and she'll post, you know, I have a job this such and such date. I need two organizers if I'm available, and if I want to do it, I'll organize for her. And I don't make as much money doing jobs for her. But it's much less responsibility because. Because they aren't my own clients. So I kind of have both of those things that I can play around with.
- [12:04]
B
Talk to me about the difference between having your own business and freelancing, because I know freelancing is a great place for a lot of people to start, and then we eventually want them to get to move to a place where, like you said, they can keep the money.
- [12:15]
A
It's just so much less responsibility when you're freelancing. At least for organizing, she communicates with the clients. She is the one responsible for reaching the goals that they have. I show up, I organize, I leave. I never think about that client again. It's a beautiful thing. With my own clients, it's a little more stressful because I have to find them, I have to communicate with them, I have to convince them to hire me. Then I am the one responsible for delivering on the promises I make, the goals I have, dealing with the finances and getting payment from them and stuff like that. So it's a little bit more that goes into it, but I am able to keep all of the money that I make from it. Kind of trade off, but. But every once in a while, when things just get too hectic in my home life or I do have more things that I'm working on with acting, I will just not schedule my own clients for a while and put it on pause and focus on the things that I need to focus on and then come back to it when. When I have the mental capacity to do that.
- [13:10]
B
That is such a strategic play in Building a business, though, is thinking ahead of. There will be times when I will not be able to be very active in this. How did you build that into your client base and your systems?
- [13:23]
A
So whenever I am going to take on new clients, I make sure it's at a time when I have time for them. I don't want to ever take on a client. And then they're waiting for me and they're wondering where I am or I'm not able to answer their emails. So I strategically pick up clients. Or if someone says, you know, I want to organize with you, I want your help organizing, I might say, okay, I'm booked until October 15th, when really I'm not necessarily booked with organizing jobs, but I just need that time. So I'll tell them that. I also am very upfront with people, that I am an actor. This is sort of my side thing, acting as a priority. Sometimes things come up, bookings come up, and it can be last minute. Unfortunately, I'll give you as much notice as I possibly can, but acting is my priority. I make sure that I'm really transparent with people about that.
- [14:07]
B
That is very easy for me to do. As someone who lives in LA and saying, I'm an actor and acting comes first, I do multiple businesses on the side. As someone who lives in a smaller market, how have you dealt with that or have you gotten any pushback on it? Has anyone questioned it at all?
- [14:22]
A
Usually not. Usually people are so excited and they're like, wait, what? Tell me all about this acting career. What do you do? Where do you do it? So people, I think when you're open with them, tend to be really receptive to it and respond really well to the transparency and candor behind it.
- [14:38]
B
I have a feeling too, you have a lightness to you. We often hear the word, like, oh, you're an actor, what have you been in? And things like that. And it's very easy to get defensive and to say like, that's so rude. I can't believe they would ask that. Like, what do you mean? You have to prove myself to you. Da, da, da. But if you go at it as, oh, they're actually just genuinely curious and you bring that lightness to it, it makes it not an attack and it makes it easier for you to continue functioning in the world as someone who can say out loud, I'm an actor and deal with the question.
- [15:07]
A
Yeah, you have to assume that people mean well. Like, when they ask you, what have you been in? I always assume, like, okay, they want to give me A pat on the back. They want to know where they've seen me and what they've seen me in because they want to congratulate me or they're excited about this. And so, you know, when I tell them, oh, you know, smaller projects, you've never seen anything, it's fine as long as I'm positive about it. Usually they're positive about it, too, a hundred percent.
- [15:30]
B
I think that's true. That's true in any market. You guys, if you live in LA or New York or Atlanta and you're like, get the same question and you hate it so much, that's actually a you thing. We need to, like, really look at digging a little. Exactly, Exactly. Actors, I'm going to interrupt you for a second and I'm going to hold your hand while I say this. The acting career is never, ever, ever going to give you consistent income. If you have been listening to these episodes, you know that for a fact. And maybe you still think you're the exception to that rule. And listen, prove me wrong, please. But because I know for the majority of people, that is not something that's going to happen. You guys asked for it. We have taken hours and hours and months and months to create it. Side Hustle Academy, the ultimate course to teach actors how to build their own side businesses and side incomes without giving up their acting career, comes out on October 21st. I just want to give you a little, little peek into what is inside of this course, because it's a lot. Listen, you guys are all smart actors. You know that an acting career is built over years and years and years of work. But you also know that it is expensive. Between rent and food and living in your city, let alone the casting websites. Don't get us started on the casting websites, okay? We've all been in and out of that mess for a while, getting updated headshots, staying in class, whatever else is headed our way. We know something is coming up next. We've all seen this business change and we want to be able to change with it. So what is truly inside of this course? We asked so many questions of all of the actors who follow us, and you guys told us exactly what you wanted. You wanted to be guided on how to pick a side hustle. You wanted to be told all of the ins and outs of running a business, how you can do it while having an acting career. How do you showcase it on social media? Do you showcase it on social media? How do you market? How do you, you brand? How do you grow and scale or how do you keep it small and simple? We cover all of this in the class and so much more. In fact, we got so overwhelmed with all of the stuff we were making for you guys, we actually made you your own website homepage that has access to tons of extra content, including how to make your own branding guides, how to price your businesses, how to calculate how much money you're making now versus how much you want to make in the future, including taxes and write offs. We made you a content calendar, we made you a posting schedule for social media. We tell you about emails, we describe how to grow. Also, Gabrielle has recorded meditations that go alongside it. Oh my God, you guys, I literally cannot fit it all inside of this ad. Like I said, we've been working on this for months and I cannot wait for it to finally come out. But just so you know, do not skip this part. Don't click the fast forward button. October 21st and 22nd are the first two days it's ever going on sale. And that is when it will be the cheapest it is ever going to be. Because as we run this first session, we are including Friday calls every single week with me and Gab, along with your own community homepage. So you will be able to talk to other actors, talk about the course, talk about your businesses, talk about your acting careers and making them all coincide. This is the first time we're ever doing it like this, and I am not entirely sure if we will run every section of the course like this. Plus everything we learned from this first section of the course will tell us what we need to add to it to make it better, which is why the pricing is as low as it's ever going to be. And anybody who buys at this price is going to get it in indefinitely. So you get all the extra stuff that we're going to make over the next course of the next few years as we grow and scale our own businesses. After those two days, the pricing goes up to $750 and it will be that way for the next three days. And then we're closing the doors. And we're not going to continuously sell this because I think you know right now whether or not you want to be inside of this course. So if that is something that interests you, click the link below, get on the wait list, because the wait list gets updated emails. So you get on the dot. Notice the day that we opened this first sale. And like I said, doors will close October 25th and we'll see you after that. I cannot wait to finally show you everything we have been working on in the most intensive course I have ever made. I will see you guys on the other side of that. And until then, please enjoy the rest of this episode. Tell me about. Are there any like systems software since you've made it so simple and you have the multiple versions of it that's working for someone else versus working for yourself? I like that you've kept it really clean and simple for yourself. I'm a bit of a software junkie and I'm like, oh, what can I get that attaches notion to slack, to the tally forms to the. And I'm. I'm all up in that stuff. But I also have been doing this for a minute now. So for you to keep it simple. What do you utilize?
- [20:01]
A
Okay, I am so opposite to you. If I could just never use technology, that would be me. So I don't use almost any technology for this. I have a Gmail email address for my business. I talk to my clients a lot through Facebook messenger because that's where they find me. I use my phone to call them. Other than that, I use my paper calendar, which I use for everything. I don't even use like a Google Calendar or anything like that. It's like beyond simple.
- [20:28]
B
It's like blown away. Okay, how do you take payments from clients?
- [20:30]
A
Mostly through Venmo or Zelle or cash.
- [20:33]
B
Okay, and then do you file as a business at the end of the year? Do you have an llc? Where are you at in that legal process?
- [20:39]
A
Yeah, I have an llc and then I have like insurance for my business. Just because when you're going into people's homes, you have to have a little bit of security through that. And then I last year filed as I think a business. I don't know, I kind of just like gave the paperwork to my husband and we filed jointly and his accountant took care of it. But I have an LLC for it. And yeah, I just keep it really simple.
- [20:59]
B
Great. And how do you track your finances?
- [21:02]
A
I don't have a separate business this account for it. I do everything mostly just like by hand on paper. Like I keep it in its own little notebook that I have for it and I write things down and just kind of track it that way.
- [21:15]
B
No, listen. So simple. No, dude, I love this and I think people need to hear this that you can be. Because listen, inside of side Hustle Academy, we give them a ton of options. That's like, here's how I like to time manage. Here's how I like to use software. Here's free versions of things that you can use. But also at the end of the day, the thing that matters most is the thing that gives you the information you need to continually run your doing. And if that's a pen and paper, then it's a fricking pen and paper. Yes. You have an accountant which is like, people want to hire assistants first. And I'm like, who does your numbers? Because actually, I think an accountant is probably one of the most important things that businesses miss out on, especially actors. Because if we combine our stuff, it gets a little complicated with like write offs and things like that, depending on where you're at with business. But I love that it's very, you're making it very accessible.
- [22:01]
A
It's totally stripped back back. It's like no bells and whistles. I meet people, I show up at their house, I organize their stuff, I leave. We venmo each other, we call it a day. Like, it's very simple and it couldn't work for me in any other way because I don't like all the complicated stuff. Like, I almost stopped doing my business initially because I was trying to make a website and I was trying to make elaborate TikTok videos and I was like, no, this is, I'm gonna get burnt out and it's gonna stop working for me. So I have to keep it as simple as I can for it to still work for my life. And this is as simple as it gets, really. A pen and paper and a Facebook page and I show up and that's it.
- [22:41]
B
It seems like you're in a really good place with knowing you don't want to scale. You want to continue doing what you're doing. Your acting career is getting focused, your family's getting focused and your business is running and you can dip in and out as you need to. How do you see this functioning into your future? Do you see it as being a consistent part of your life life or what's your thought on this?
- [23:00]
A
You know, as it's going right now, it's working how it is. There are ways to scale an organizing business and I, I see it being done with that freelancing company that I work for and others. Like I could get to the point where I have tons of clients and I have organizers who work for me and I'm the one scheduling them out right now. That's not something I want to do. But that is always an option down the road if I want to scale it. But, but my main goal is to make this acting career successful. So the More successful that this gets, that acting gets, the more I will start dropping away the extra things that just support the acting career because really they're all just the foundation for the acting.
- [23:41]
B
A lot of actors are afraid to start a side business because they're afraid that they will lose out on their acting career. They're afraid that giving the energy to something else will take away from it. Can you kind of speak to that level as you kind of talk about that?
- [23:54]
A
Yeah, a hundred percent. This was a major fear of mine as well, because I knew from 8 years old that I wanted to be an actor. And I let people tell me, go to school and get a backup career, get a real job and then do your acting. And I let myself get convinced and I let myself put what I really wanted to do on the back burner for too many years. More years than I could even like. It makes me sick to even think about how long I just stopped acting. So. So once I finally was like, I'm done with that. I'm going for it. I'm putting that other career behind me and I'm doing it, I was so laser focused, it was the only thing I wanted to do. Then when I realized, okay, it can't be the only thing I do because by itself, it's on shaky ground. There needs to be some sort of foundation behind it, some other income that helps it. And I was so hesitant to put my energy anywhere besides acting, especially because I was already susceptible to the feelings of security from, you know, the income from my other job and having health insurance. It was hard for me to leave that other career because I was so. I was so in it. And I had put a lot of time and energy into it. And the trajectory of that career was so clear. And it was like, that's tempting.
- [25:09]
B
That's the golden handcuffs I think a lot of people are afraid of.
- [25:12]
A
I was definitely hesitant to start another career. And I think that is why I have kept it so small and I haven't scaled it, and I haven't put too much energy into making a website for it or anything like that. Because when I see it growing too much, even when I have too many clients, I'm like, oh, I've done more organizing this week than acting. And it gives me this, like, weird feeling in my stomach to know that acting is my main goal and that I'm always working toward that goal and everything else is just in furtherance of that goal and that I'm in control and I can stop these other things whenever I want. And Whenever I need to. Like, it's more mindset than anything. It's not like that I'm actually tied to this other career or this other side hustle that I've started. It's like the mindset that I could drop it and go toward acting totally. But right now it helps the acting and it gives me other life experiences, and it gives me a little more money in my pocket to get those headshots that I want or to take that class that I want, or to work as a local hire in Texas for a commercial. Like, it helps, helps. And without that, the acting career wouldn't be where it was. So they need to go hand in hand.
- [26:20]
B
I love that portion that they can go hand in hand. Because one of the questions I was going to ask you is how has this financial burden being on a different portion of your life affected your acting career? And it sounds like it's freed you up to get reps in other areas, to travel, to get better headshots, to, you know, do a lot of things that you might not have had access to. Will you talk a little bit more about the life experience?
- [26:44]
A
Yeah. I think going into an acting career and you get these roles and sometimes you feel so detached from the role, you're like, oh, I don't know anything about that. I don't know how to relate to that. I think the more experiences you have just in life, working with people, doing different things, starting a business, failing at a business, all these different things, it just gives you perspective and helps you to just be a better actor in general.
- [27:09]
B
I bet going into people's homes also gives you some perspective.
- [27:13]
A
So crazy. That's one of my favorite things about my organizing job is seeing the different ways that people live. It's incredible. It's so cool.
- [27:21]
B
Do you think that a course like the one we're creating with side Hustle Academy would have been helpful to you in this process? Or would you someone who have shied away from more information, would it have changed any of this process for you?
- [27:33]
A
Yeah, definitely. So actually, I love courses. That's the other thing I need to have an organizing career so that I can buy all these places that I like to do.
- [27:41]
B
The world of Internet courses is actually exceptional. I wish that it was like this 10 years ago.
- [27:45]
A
I know. So I actually bought a course from a professional organizer. When I first started, I invested. I think it was like $600 in that course. And she laid out her whole plan for everything she does, and not all of it worked for me. Like I said, I picked and choose the things that worked for me, but it gave me sort of like groundwork. So, yeah, I definitely think a side hustle course would be good, and it would have definite helped me to. To come up with the idea for my side hustle or additional side hustles. I have plenty of other ideas rolling around in my head besides organizing that I'm sure one day maybe organizing will get boring for me. And I'm like, okay, here I go. I'm going to be like a cookie decorator or whatever. Yeah, that's my other thing I love to do.
- [28:26]
B
That sounds really fun. I want to do that.
- [28:28]
A
Having some sort of course to help you kind of like sift through these ideas that you have and find out what's going to be monetizable, but also give you the flexibility that you need. I think that's great.
- [28:41]
B
Yeah. Thank you. I'm really. We're pretty pumped about it. Listen, that's. The entire first module is like, what do you want? Do you want it to be like, what do you want this business to be? And we talk about, like, finding a niche, and you utilize a lot of the skills. We talk about, like, looking at the things you've enjoyed about your past jobs, looking at what you liked as a kid, looking at, like, what you do in your free time. That's all a part of it. So those of you listening, there you go. There's a piece of the first module. You're welcome. And then we talk about, like, the kind of business you want. And do you want to be. Be a freelancer? Do you want to be just a 1099 person? Do you want to open an LLC? And depending on where you're at, it's different pricing. I don't know how much is your LLC in Arizona? It's like probably it was like 200 something.
- [29:19]
A
Yeah. Something pretty negligible.
- [29:20]
B
Great. Fabulous. 800 in California. So.
- [29:23]
A
Oh, my gosh. I think it was like 170 something. I can't. I can't ever.
- [29:29]
B
I will never get over this price. I know. Every year. Every year. But I think the idea of having people with you to cut through it is also really nice. And I love you sharing this.
- [29:38]
A
For me, it felt very natural because that was something that I also loved to do. Like, I loved organizing. I loved decorating people's houses. I love giving people a little bit more peace of mind because your outside environment affects you so much. So I get a lot of joy from doing it. And so it was sort of not easy for me. To find. But once I heard professional organizing was a thing, I was like, oh, there we go, that's my thing. I'm going for it. But there are plenty of other things that I have that I like that I could maybe make a little business out of. But I'm not sure exactly how I would do it. So some sort of course would be awesome.
- [30:12]
B
It'll be ready when you're ready. So can we get into the weeds a little bit of some decorating tips for actors? Since you are a professional organizer and you work in decorating. A lot of us have a space that is for self taping. That is where we throw a bunch of equipment. And if you live in a tiny, tiny apartment, it's like shoved into a corner and you kind of loathe taking it out. Do you have any tips on like decorating space with self tape stuff in it? Can we make it nice?
- [30:37]
A
So mine is right in the middle of my bedroom and luckily my husband is like fine with this being here. This is where I do my self tapes. I just have like one of those pop up blue things. I used to like take it down after every audition but I just pop it up again a few days later. So I just leave it here most of the time. Right now it's off to the side. But as far as like decorating it, you want to just keep it simple. I think that's sort of my. I didn't even realize this but it's like my motto in life. It's just like keep it simple and decluttered. Like any excess you don't just like wherever you can cut, cut.
- [31:15]
B
Oh but okay, so. So a lot of us have a bunch of wardrobe stuff that we keep on hand because although I don't go to clubs anymore, I get auditioned for a girl who would be at a club occasionally I have have shoes that I would never wear anymore. I have, you know like there a couple of these like white boxes behind me are full of props that I occasionally use. How do you keep your stuff decluttered?
- [31:36]
A
I do have some bins and then I do have like a clothing rack where I do put things that are just like strictly in case something comes up. It's just like a little small rack. I think I got it from ikea. It's collapsible. So I pop it up and I keep that in my garage which not everybody has but maybe a closet, maybe maybe a little space under a bed. I think furniture that opens like I'm looking at a bench right now. My bench that opens and you can store stuff in. You have to get creative for storing things. But my ultimate tip is to keep it away. Don't have this visual clutter out and about because the clutter is just such an energy suck on you. And especially, I mean this would be a tip if you had the space for it, but to keep yourself taped, not in your bedroom. Like I have. So that when I open my eyes and I turn to the side and I see my self tape setup, I'm like, oh, I don't have a self tape this morning. Or I do. And then I'm like immediately in work mode the second I wake up. So I would try to keep it somewhere where it's not in your peaceful space. I don't have that. Mine is right here in my bedroom. But that and then just keeping your things tucked away as much as possible and keeping it to the bare minimum. You don't need as much as you think you need.
- [32:47]
B
Oh, it's so hard to decide because the second I got rid of my cheerleading outfit, I got a cheerleader audition. But listen, I am a big fan of and like, I hope nobody from a major department store ever hears this because I'm a big fan of buying and returning. I'm sure you do it a lot too. But you know, it's funny, I have a rack of clothes in my closet, like a section of it that's mostly just self tapes. And it's like the blue and red polo and some period piece clothes. And as you said this, I was like, I don't know why I have haven't folded them neatly into one of my space bags and put them in the corner. Because they are so specific. Why are they hanging with the hoodies I wear every day?
- [33:24]
A
Yeah, I teach my clients this all the time. Like keep your prime real estate for the things that you need all the time. The things that you're grabbing and putting back and grabbing and putting back the things that you don't need. Find somewhere else to put them away. And then they're out of your space. You have more space for the things that you need and they're out of your mind a little bit. And that's what I find with organizing is sort of the biggest thing, is that people are overwhelmed by seeing all these things around them. Because it reminds them of things that they have to do. Unfinished projects, unfinished tasks, and then they're not able to relax. And if you can't relax, then you're bringing this crazy energy into everything that you do and you're thinking, oh, there's that Polo. I haven't had a commercial audition in however long. And like, that you're bringing that into, like, every day with you. You need to protect your space and protect your energy. And a lot of the times that means decluttering and putting things away. So space bags are amazing.
- [34:18]
B
So how do I keep in my head or in some sort of place what is inside of that space bag? Because I don't have, like, Polaroids.
- [34:25]
A
Yeah, good question. I mean, you could, as you put something in the space bag, you could put a post it on the outside or like a piece of painter's tape where you just do like bullet points of everything that's in it. You could, before you put things in the space bag, lay it all out, take a photo, put it in, and in your phone, have like a album that's like space bags and Space Bag 1, and you open the photo. That's where Space Bag 1 is. So you and your technology use your technology.
- [34:50]
B
I did look at one of these. Gabrielle's gonna make so much fun of me when she hears this. But I looked at one of those apps that you organize your closet with. You take pictures of your clothes, and it like files it away in an app for you. You're like, you know, I do paper. Thank you so much.
- [35:06]
A
I would never use an app like that, but if it works for you, I probably would.
- [35:09]
B
Or it'd be like a hyper fixation thing for, like. And then I'd be like, get outta here.
- [35:13]
A
Yeah, exactly. I do that a lot too.
- [35:16]
B
This is so great. Okay, my last question in terms of organizing is a lot of people are functioning in these really small spaces. Even with keeping things minimal, sometimes they can feel very not homey because you just kind of have what's getting by. We moved into a house at the end of last year, and I'm loving living in a home. But for the majority of my life in Los Angeles, for the first 12 years, I lived in apartments, and they never really felt home. How would you tell someone who is living in a smaller space, who is trying to keep things decluttered, who is an actor in a city to create a homey space inside of their small, maybe one of three bedrooms that they share with a bunch of roommates?
- [35:55]
A
Yeah, I think it's important to find what feels homey to you. So that's not the same for everyone. For some people, that might be photos that remind them of, you know, awesome times or plant or the right candle might be just what you need to make the space feel homey. So I think it's really important to know and try to figure out what feels homey to you and then lean into that and pull back on everything else. So curtains, like, for me, I never had curtains growing up. In my house, we didn't have a lot of money, so we didn't do a lot of those, like, extra things. Now the other day we put curtains up and I was like, this house is a home. We live, like, you know, fancy with our curtains. So for me, like, something as small as putting up curtains or having a throw pillow on my couch, it felt like a big change. And so it doesn't have to be big. It doesn't have to be major. It can be changing out the lighting. Like, if you have, like, weird fluorescent apartment lighting, changing it to something more warm, or adding, you know, a rug that brings some color in, it's just really different for every person. But you have to find what makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
- [37:05]
B
And where do you get good light? Your best pricing on things.
- [37:09]
A
Oh, I love, like, TJ Maxx home goods, and I'm huge into thrift shopping. I absolutely love going to, like, Goodwill Savers, like, all these different thrift stores. I think you can find such amazing gems in these things. Doesn't have to be expensive. Does not have to be expensive.
- [37:25]
B
Yeah, yeah, no, there. I mean, you could. If you got even Facebook Marketplace. Facebook Marketplace is like, if you can find stuff on Facebook Marketplace and you can get someone to go pick it.
- [37:34]
A
Up with you, if you can get someone to actually answer you and not ghost you. Facebook Marketplace.
- [37:40]
B
I had. Wait, small tangent. I. That. That I have a story for this. Okay. So I. I put up. I think it was an old computer or something. I don't know. On Facebook Marketplace. You know, people just. They're like, is it available? Is it available? Is it available? And I'm like, yes, yes, yes. And then one guy just messaged and said, too expensive. And I was like, on one that day. And so I wrote that man back and I said, out of sheer curiosity, why would you take the time to send me this message about this product that you're clearly not going to buy? And he responded back and he said, lol. Idk. Just bored, I guess. Yeah.
- [38:21]
A
So if you can deal with, like, the people of Facebook Marketplace, those kinds of people, you can sometimes find some good stuff on there.
- [38:28]
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I've actually sold some things on Facebook Marketplace, so I totally get it.
- [38:32]
A
It's possible. Yeah.
- [38:34]
B
I'm into not giving People. Your home address, though. I like to meet them, like, out and about. Oh, I have a feeling that some actors are going to hear this episode and be like, I don't live in Arizona. Would she do an online consult and look at my space?
- [38:47]
A
Oh, yeah, I would for sure. But it's a little tough because the thing about organizing is, at least the way I do it, if I'm organizing a closet, I would completely empty the closet.
- [38:57]
B
Like, empty.
- [38:59]
A
And then only put back in the things that we really need, love, want. But the person would kind of have to be willing to, like, touch and show almost every item. So it might, like, take a lot of time. Or I could just give, like, a general. Yeah, here's my advice. But it would be very general, not as, like, specific to that person. Those items. Every person has, like, unique items to them that you're like, oh, how am I going to organize this straw collection? I organized a lady's straw collection the other day. I was like, do you really need all these straws? And she was like, I do. I love my straws. I use this kind for this kind of drink, and this time for that kind of drink. So I was like, okay, if this brings you joy, like, here we go. We're organizing a straw collection. Like, let's do it.
- [39:40]
B
I would like to say, for the record, I love this woman. I love her.
- [39:45]
A
She was like, these are for my smoothies. These are for my iced coffees. These are for my. This.
- [39:49]
B
I mean, listen, sometimes you use a straw enough in a coffee, it always smells like coffee. You can't put in something else. I kind of get it.
- [39:55]
A
Coffee straw.
- [39:55]
B
I kind of get it. I kind of get it. I'm kind of the same way. But I have very specific feelings about the certain spoons in my house. I understand.
- [40:01]
A
I'm a spoon girl.
- [40:02]
B
You hit a certain age in your life, and you're like, I have specific spoons, and the other ones I won't touch. I'm like, that should be a dog food spoon. I don't want to.
- [40:09]
A
I only use teaspoons for cereal. And my husband, it drives him crazy.
- [40:13]
B
Because if he brings me a measuring spoon.
- [40:15]
A
No, I guess, like, the smaller.
- [40:17]
B
Okay. I was like, hold on. More info.
- [40:20]
A
You know, there's like, bigger and smaller. Yeah, yeah. I will only use the smaller spoons. And if my husband brings me the big spoon, I'm like, babe, don't. You know, like, what do you do?
- [40:28]
B
No, that's for, like, stirring soup on the pot. I don't want to. I don't want to like, it's like a gallon jug on a spoon.
- [40:34]
A
You get me? You get me.
- [40:36]
B
We have digressed. Well, I have a feeling people might reach out to you. So decide how you want to answer, because I think that could be a cool thing actually. To see what. Yeah. So where do you want to guide people to? Your Facebook page will be linked below as well as, like, your Instagram. Is there anywhere else you want to direct people to?
- [40:54]
A
I think Instagram and Facebook are the best way to reach me. My Instagram is adrianalacitra. That's where I post, like, all my acting stuff and modeling things and things about my career. And then my Facebook page I only use for my organizing. It's Adriana's organizing and styling if anyone wants some organizing help.
- [41:11]
B
Yes. Awesome. Adriana, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time here.
- [41:14]
A
Thank you. This was so nice. I've been listening to this podcast for years, so I was like, oh, this is like a pinch me moment being on it with you.
- [41:20]
B
Oh, my God. And here we are talking about spoons.
- [41:25]
A
Straw organization.
- [41:33]
B
I will, I will put my heart on the line Give it all this time I will, I will put my heart on the line Nothing stops it.