Three years ago, Hazel Burton quit her job in the hedge fund industry to pursue a career as a professional home organiser — and it’s the best decision she’s made. Following her passion and becoming her own boss might have seemed scary at the time, but understanding the worth of the service she’s providing has helped her soar.
In 2022, after 17 years of working in the male-dominated hedge fund industry, I realised I needed something to change in my work life. Despite a lot of success and rising to a senior management position, I had no passion in my career, and yet it took up all of my time. Having dinner one evening, my son asked, ‘Mum, can we have dinner one night without your laptop?’ It was an innocent question; he was seven, and I felt heartbroken. All of my time and energy went into my career, and for what? What lesson was I teaching my children? That was the turning point for me.
I needed to focus on a career that I loved and that I was passionate about. I’ve always been organised and loved helping others be organised too. I often packed my pals’ suitcases for trips, reorganised their kitchens and wardrobes. I got such joy from it and could see how it impacted them. This ‘hobby’ that I loved was a weight off for them; it took some of the stress away. I knew this was it, this was the career reset I needed.
So, The Home Reset was born and my entrepreneurial journey that I never in my wildest dreams imagined was about to begin.
Running my own business meant I was in control. I always dreamt of being my own boss and making all of the decisions, and setting the goals and strategies to grow the business in the way I wanted. My biggest goal for The Home Reset is to grow and scale it to become the premier home organisation company in Ireland.
The most important thing to me is the reputation of the business. I want every client to be 100% happy, and the team knows we go over and above to be sure the client has a fantastic experience while we work our magic. The end results are transformational, and our reviews are testament to that.
The logistics
I didn’t need huge capital to get up and running. There is no brick-and-mortar office. As a service business, I just needed a label maker and a good work ethic to get the show on the road.
In terms of training schemes, I utilised every course that my Local Enterprise Office offered. I am a member of LEO South Dublin, and they run courses across every facet of starting a business. I also studied with Dilly Carter in the UK to gain a CPD in Professional Organisation. All of these supports and courses gave me the confidence I needed to take the plunge.
The best business learning for me has been a lesson in understanding the worth of what you’re doing. Do not undercharge. Value your time and price accordingly.
Entrepreneurship
During my time, I don’t believe the Irish education system supported entrepreneurship. I studied a business degree, but it was focused on getting a job in one of the big firms. I am sure it has changed somewhat now. I think the younger generations are more confident about what they can achieve, and rightly so.
Being brave and driven are key qualities that are necessary to be a resilient entrepreneur. Being able to pick yourself up and keep going forward, even when it’s tough or there have been knockbacks, is the key to building resiliency. I still experience fear and doubt about being an entrepreneur on a daily basis, but I have an amazing support system that I lean on; I would be lost without them.
I love working in a team. In my previous job, I ran a large team across multiple locations, so I know the power of having a good team. The business has grown hugely over the past 12 months since I added to my team. It is not easy to let go of some of the control and oversight, but once you have confidence in the ability of the team, it’s the only way to grow my business.
In terms of delegating, I could do better. I’ve always been a control freak, but sure, that’s why I am good at what I do! I wouldn’t call myself a risk-taker. It doesn’t come naturally to me. I set out my plans and goals and work through the steps to get the business to those places, but that said, leaving a well-paid paid stable senior role to go out on my own was a risk in itself, so maybe I am more of a risk-taker than I thought.
Work-life balance
In my downtime, the people who support my wellbeing as a business owner are my kids, my husband, and my circle of very close friends. I don’t do yoga or gym or meditation, I just spend time with these people, and that’s my wellbeing back on track.
I’ve never been good at the whole work-life balance thing, but I think it is achievable, just not in the first years of a new business. It comes with the territory. My favourite thing about running my own business is not having to check with anyone before booking time off! Being your own boss is so rewarding, but the thing I dislike the most is that you never switch off. That said, I work every day and I love it, so I don’t think I’d have it any other way.
If the person reading this has just started, or is considering starting their own business, I urge you to go for it. What’s the worst that can happen? Do your research, know what’s ahead in terms of hours and work that has to be put in. It’s not easy, but the rewards make it worth it!
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