As you read her testimony, many of you will be encouraged. You will see that we build ourselves up over a period of time. This time is providential to be transformed, educated and strengthened.
Scarlène Agnant is of Haitian origin born in Montreal. Thirteen years ago, she decided to give her life to Christ. Being a Christian allows her to stay focused on what matters: the love of God.
“It is a daily challenge to face the world, but through His love and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we can do great things. », she said. God has often shown His love to her by, of course, His infinite grace but also by the fulfillment of her most hidden desires.
God allowed her to get married and start her “La Maison Couronnée” business in the midst of a pandemic (Covid-19).
It is uncommon to want to tidy up, reorganize other people’s homes, let alone make a business out of it. How did this desire to be an entrepreneur in this field come about?
I know it is unusual, but since I was little, I liked to do housework and do manual things. I was always there to help my mom clean up or even do DIYs. Thus a few years ago, I thought, maybe this was a good business idea. Unfortunately, the people around me at the time felt that it was not a good idea and I listened to their feedback. As a result of this, although I had done some research, I was a little discouraged and put it all in a box.
When did you open this box again?
During the first confinement. In fact, I was about to move so I took the opportunity to sort and tidy up. And at the same time on Instagram, I noticed that there was a demand about organizing space and time, so I responded through live video broadcast. One day while I was cleaning, I found that box. I knew it was the answer to an earlier prayer. From there I understood that the time had come and that God was opening the door for me.
But how does one go from an idea to a company? How do you prepare for it?
Personally, I think God allowed me to train myself. First in 2014, I got to work in a friend’s business. It was an opportunity for me to have a vision of entrepreneurship and to understand that “I love it! “. I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do. Then from 2015 to 2019, I started a language services company alongside my secular job. It should be noted that at that time entrepreneurship was not as widespread as it is now, especially in the black community. Also, what I was offering was a really very abstract service for people.
When I look at your background, we realize that everything has been built gradually … What has helped you?
Yes really … what helped me was being structured and disciplined to walk into my destiny. The important thing is to know where you are going.
How would you describe your company?
La Maison Couronnée helps busy people organize their spaces in order to simplify their daily lives. I also help people with time management by showing them how to manage their weekly tasks. The ultimate goal is to simplify their daily lives so that they have the time to invest in themselves at all levels: spiritual, family, professional, personal, and more. My heart is that through this work, people would be happier and more willing to let God work in them. In other words, I offer a way to set the record straight with God and yourself. It is also to bring about a repentance which radically changes the attitude and consequently brings to light what God put in each one of us.
Why is knowing how to organize your home so important?
Organizing your home saves time and money. For example, if I make my shopping list for a disorganized fridge, I risk buying food that I already have or I will lose money because in the back of my fridge, hidden by other food, there is food out of my sight that is rotting.
According to you, why do people lack organization?
There are different reasons but the following are the cases I encounter the most:
- Laziness
- The lack of vision,
- the person does not know his/her identity and destiny
A disorder of the soul Sometimes I am told, “I find my way in my mess” but to these people I ask them “How functional are you in this mess? “. For those who have inner disorder, I advise them to either find a leader in their local church or in some cases to see a psychologist. The question that one has must answer is whether my house reflects the state of my soul. “If my soul is clean the house must be too”. Of course, I can help people organize their home and their time at the same time, but above all I encourage doing the work from the inside out.
Concretely how can we become organizers like Pros?
To start off, I would recommend being honest with yourself. By that I mean knowing how to get rid of things that you do not need. Getting rid of what you do not need is giving way to what you really need. For instance, we often have a tendency to keep jeans in the closet, saying to ourselves “you never know … if I’m losing weight” If we were honest with ourselves, we would know that we are not planning to follow a diet and therefore, we clutter our closet. Then, I would say examine your day in order to properly assess your priorities. I regularly meet people who are constantly overwhelmed because they cannot prioritize, and they cannot say no.
Practically, the following are the questions you must answer for yourself:
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Do I know how to prioritize, am I able to tell what is important from what is less pressing?
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At the end of the day, am I satisfied because I did what I wanted to do and what God wanted me to do, or was I carried away by all kinds of distractions?
Obviously, time management and organization are unique to everyone because we have different lives, but even with that, having an organized life is desirable for everyone. I hope this interview has helped you if you are struggling with organizing your space and time. My hope is that would be inspired to start some new habits.
Indeed, after listening to Scarlène I remember how everyday things must be ordered according to the order of God. This took me back this verse that I knew (1corinthians 14:33) but of which I had forgotten an important part of… “for God is not a God of disorder but of peace”. Order, whether in time management or in the organization of the home, is not just a matter of discipline but a matter of peace! We are often told about keeping our peace, protecting it with hymns, prayer or even reading the Bible … but we are not told much about the relationship between organizing our daily life and peace in our homes.
This revelation made me understand a little about the minimalist movement and the craze around Marie Kondo, who is the queen of tidying up on Netflix. Even though Marie Kondo’s tidying up methods mix with other beliefs, it makes it clear that this verse is true and must be experienced. I strongly advise you to take advice from Scarlène via her social networks mentioned below.
Instagram: @ladysca et @lamaisoncouronnee
Youtube (Available in French Only)
By Grace B
