Meet Julie Hibbs | Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Hibbs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Anytime I am faced with a situation that presents some level of risk – the first question I always ask myself is “what is the worse thing that could happen?” In 2o+ years of running my own business and having asked myself that question hundreds of times – I found that in the majority of cases there was no real risk associated with the situation. The perception that risks existed were merely my underlying fear of failure. Once I realized it was only my ego that would be bruised should things not go well – it made it a whole lot easier to see risky situations for what they really are – opportunities. Opportunities to grow, to learn, to expand.

What should our readers know about your business?
Last year Squared Away celebrated 20 years in business! In that time we have had the great pleasure of helping thousands of Houstonians get organized. The systems we put in place are simple to understand and easy to maintain. We want you to be able to find things when you want them, find putting things away a breeze, and to create spaces in your home that function without thought. Our goals is to make your life simpler and more enjoyable! By implementing systems and structures that increase your efficiency – we can elevate your productivity and give you back some of the time often wasted on the pitfalls of disorganization. The biggest lesson I have learned over the years is that I don’t know what I don’t know. I learn something new about myself and this business everyday. I have learned not to take any situation for granted, and strive to gather wisdom and grace from all that I experience.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Movie @ the River Oaks Theater Dinner & Drinks @ Dolores Metropolitan – Sitting at the bar. Afternoon checking out some of the city’s coolest murals. Stroll through River Oaks District for a little shopping and lunch.

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?
When first starting my business I was super hesitant to tell my parents. Despite being an adult – their support and belief in me was important. At the time I was already employed with a well established company making a good salary and enjoying great benefits. My first thought was that they would consider it foolish to abandon a position I had held with this company for close to a decade to take a gamble on starting my own business. I could not have been more wrong. They embraced the idea whole heartedly, and worked feverishly to give me the guidance and support needed. Their support and enthusiasm is still going strong today! On the business side of things – I have one person who has motivated, challenged, and pushed me to greater heights. Karon van Vuuren of Kapela Solutions has been my strategic partner for close to 15 years, and it is only through her guidance, wisdom and support that I have been able to achieve such levels of success. Karon’s strengths aligned with my weaknesses, and my strengths aligned with her weaknesses. We each benefited by hearing each other’s ideas, seeing perspective other than our own, and gaining insight through each other’s experiences. I would encourage anyone with their own business to seek out a strategic partner; one that is right for them. Someone in the same, or complimentary type of business; someone with a similar goal for the alliance; someone trustworthy.

Website: squaredaway.com
Instagram: squared.a.w.a.y
Facebook: Squared Away @ SqAway

Image Credits
Karen Sachar Photography