My new little business "Butterfly Errands" - personal assistant service
joy said:
Whatever you call it, make sure you do two things:
Incorporate yourself as a LLC at the very least.
Get insurance. Maybe even bond yourself.
Last thing you need is to break something by accident and have someone sue you and have your home and personal belongings at risk.
Thoughts on the name: who's your client and how much will they pay for your services?
Personal assistant is pretty general.
Concierge may connote you only want high end clients. Nothing wrong with either, but words have weight. Choose wisely.
GoFer may catch the eye with the spelling closer to the meaning rather than the rodent.
That's my random .02
Thank you Joy ! Very good points. Most of the things you have mentioned is on my "to do list".
I'm working on the prices (which by the way I want to make it affordable for M/SO, I dont want to kill peoples wallet).
I think it sounds great in theory... but then my mind goes to the place of "how much time will I have to spend explaining what I need?" Maybe if you build a relationship with someone over time in becomes easier in that regard.
TarheelsInNj said:
I think it sounds great in theory... but then my mind goes to the place of "how much time will I have to spend explaining what I need?" Maybe if you build a relationship with someone over time in becomes easier in that regard.
good point, I will find a way to make it easy for my clients 
There's definitely a market for it, obviously depending on $$$ cost. Would you price per "task" with different prices per task or make it is easy and simply price per hour with an agreed upon estimated #s of hours per task (e.g. groceries = .75 hours, dry cleaning = .25 etc - just spit ballin'...)?
"Go-Getters" or something with "concierge" is a good name.
For whatever reason, the topic reminds me of a joke:
Towards the end of a night and with few client prospects, a lady of the night approaches the last remaining patron of a bar and says, "Hey handsome, tonight's your lucky night. I'll do whatever you want for $50, if you can say it in 3 words or less." The guy slaps $50 down on the bar and says, "Paint...my...house."
I think this could be a tough sell. The total failure of the concierge at the train station is perhaps instructive. I know this is a different concept, but it's similarly vague and broad. You're making potential clients do too much work to figure out why they need this. If you have a dog-walking service, people know they can hire you to walk their dogs. If you have a concierge service, people know they can hire you to...what? I know it seems like "I'll do anything!" is a customer-friendly approach, but I feel like it's the opposite. It makes me have to come up with uses for you rather than you coming up with a service that helps me. The concept is just too fuzzy and confusing.
imonlysleeping said:
I think this could be a tough sell. The total failure of the concierge at the train station is perhaps instructive. I know this is a different concept, but it's similarly vague and broad. You're making potential clients do too much work to figure out why they need this. If you have a dog-walking service, people know they can hire you to walk their dogs. If you have a concierge service, people know they can hire you to...what? I know it seems like "I'll do anything!" is a customer-friendly approach, but I feel like it's the opposite. It makes me have to come up with uses for you rather than you coming up with a service that helps me. The concept is just too fuzzy and confusing.
Thanks !! to be fair I have not launch the concept yet. I'm just asking for thoughts and feedback.
Once I have my plan organize and running, you will see what I am offering and if its something you would like to use.
give it time 
I could see using a service like this on rare occasion.
The description in your title (go-to-girl) is very off putting to me though as it implies someone underage...
Scully said:
I could see using a service like this on rare occasion.
The description in your title (go-to-girl) is very off putting to me though as it implies someone underage...
I can see that, but when you google it, you would be surprise how other business (with the same concept) uses it. But don't worry I will not use the name for my small business.
lanky said:
There's definitely a market for it, obviously depending on $$$ cost. Would you price per "task" with different prices per task or make it is easy and simply price per hour with an agreed upon estimated #s of hours per task (e.g. groceries = .75 hours, dry cleaning = .25 etc - just spit ballin'...)?
"Go-Getters" or something with "concierge" is a good name.
For whatever reason, the topic reminds me of a joke:
Towards the end of a night and with few client prospects, a lady of the night approaches the last remaining patron of a bar and says, "Hey handsome, tonight's your lucky night. I'll do whatever you want for $50, if you can say it in 3 words or less." The guy slaps $50 down on the bar and says, "Paint...my...house."
How about ..
"Go-Getters Concierge" ??
eliz said:
There's an app for that - Task Rabbit.
thanks, someone mentioned it before.
But look at it this way, Maplewood/South Orange will have there own personal concierge in case they do not wish to go with Task Rabbit.
I think there's a market for something like this, as well as working for people who need their elderly parents/in-laws driven to and from appointments, maybe their kids as well. But you have to make it easy for folks to know about and find you, and stay on top of scheduling and communicating with customers.
Would help to have a simple, clear website that itemizes what you do (and outlines some ideas), what it costs, how it works (how does a client schedule you), probably helps to have some references. Also what geographic area you cover - would you drive someone from M/SO to a doctor in Summit? Would you work with a client in WO or Millburn. And ways to promote your website in social media, an MOL banner ad etc. without using too many free posts, which can annoy folks after a certain point.
apple44 said:
I think there's a market for something like this, as well as working for people who need their elderly parents/in-laws driven to and from appointments, maybe their kids as well. But you have to make it easy for folks to know about and find you, and stay on top of scheduling and communicating with customers.
Would help to have a simple, clear website that itemizes what you do (and outlines some ideas), what it costs, how it works (how does a client schedule you), probably helps to have some references. Also what geographic area you cover - would you drive someone from M/SO to a doctor in Summit? Would you work with a client in WO or Millburn. And ways to promote your website in social media, an MOL banner ad etc. without using too many free posts, which can annoy folks after a certain point.
all good points !! Thank you apple44 - I appreciate them
I had a handyman that I used to go little things around the house I couldn't wait for my husband to get to - hang pictures, install new light fixtures, install window shades. He's since moved to a new area and is not available to me. I also hire a housekeeper.
I would love to have one person to give both household chores and light handywork to. If you ever expand to having a handyman as part of your business, let me know.
I had an after school sitter for my kids when they were in elementary school and as they aged out of needing her as much she would do exactly this kind of stuff for me - run errands, do housekeeping, etc. I could see myself using this type of service if it were available - but, I think for me, having someone I can call on last minute to do something would be very appealing, and that's probably going to be a challenge for you as you begin. Since it's just you, you can't be on-call for every client every time they need you, you know what I mean?
I think apple44's points are very good. Make it clear what you are available for, how much notice you need, etc. Are you willing to do something last minute if you have nothing scheduled? How much of a premium (if any) would you charge for that?
There is a local service that provides rides for kids to/from school, activities, etc. We use them and the owner has a clear model: how much it costs depending on how long the distance is; how much extra if the driver has to wait if you/your child is running late; how far in advance you need to schedule; penalties for canceling your ride last minute, etc. We can call her last minute for a ride but if she's already booked we're out of luck, and we know that up front.
These are all good things to keep in mind as you schedule things for your client. Be very clear what you are charging for - is it the time? Or the task? Are you getting paid in advance or at the end of the task? If someone needs to cancel, how much notice do they need to give you? (24 hours? less? more?). You don't want to book an entire day, turn away other clients, and then have everyone cancel on you - then you don't get paid that day. Be conservative about how long a task will take. Don't commit to an hour errand which will maybe take two, and make you late for your next client, etc. Good luck!
HQ, have you thought about being an Uber driver? I don't have a car down here in Fl and have met some very interesting drivers. They all seem to like their freedom of when they choose to take a ride.
Check it out at uber.com to be a driver. It really sounds interesting.
oneofthegirls said:
HQ, have you thought about being an Uber driver? I don't have a car down here in Fl and have met some very interesting drivers. They all seem to like their freedom of when they choose to take a ride.
Check it ou at uber.com to be a driver. It really sounds interesting
thanks for the idea .. but nahhhh that is not up my alley 
kriss said:
I had an after school sitter for my kids when they were in elementary school and as they aged out of needing her as much she would do exactly this kind of stuff for me - run errands, do housekeeping, etc. I could see myself using this type of service if it were available - but, I think for me, having someone I can call on last minute to do something would be very appealing, and that's probably going to be a challenge for you as you begin. Since it's just you, you can't be on-call for every client every time they need you, you know what I mean?
I think apple44's points are very good. Make it clear what you are available for, how much notice you need, etc. Are you willing to do something last minute if you have nothing scheduled? How much of a premium (if any) would you charge for that?
There is a local service that provides rides for kids to/from school, activities, etc. We use them and the owner has a clear model: how much it costs depending on how long the distance is; how much extra if the driver has to wait if you/your child is running late; how far in advance you need to schedule; penalties for canceling your ride last minute, etc. We can call her last minute for a ride but if she's already booked we're out of luck, and we know that up front.
These are all good things to keep in mind as you schedule things for your client. Be very clear what you are charging for - is it the time? Or the task? Are you getting paid in advance or at the end of the task? If someone needs to cancel, how much notice do they need to give you? (24 hours? less? more?). You don't want to book an entire day, turn away other clients, and then have everyone cancel on you - then you don't get paid that day. Be conservative about how long a task will take. Don't commit to an hour errand which will maybe take two, and make you late for your next client, etc. Good luck!
Very interesting points kriss, thank you very much for your detail thoughts. I have wrote them down.
I would also be careful to say what you DON'T do, in one way or another. For example, are you willing to babysit? Are you willing to take sick kids to the doctor? I feel like as a working mom I'm most often in a pinch when it comes to my kids, so if that's not part of your service I'd make it clear!
The Go Getters is a registered trademark of freeway industries inc. You can license it for a nominal fee of $3000/month.
TarheelsInNj said:
I would also be careful to say what you DON'T do, in one way or another. For example, are you willing to babysit? Are you willing to take sick kids to the doctor? I feel like as a working mom I'm most often in a pinch when it comes to my kids, so if that's not part of your service I'd make it clear!
thanks TarheelsInNj, I am considering babysitting/ take kids to doctors appointment
Im studying all my options.
Freeway said:
The Go Getters is a registered trademark of freeway industries inc. You can license it for a nominal fee of $3000/month.
The Go Getters is a registered trademark of freeway industries inc. You can license it for a nominal fee of $3000/month. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah 
what do you think about "Go-Gotters concierge" ??
I would be interested to know what kind of pricing you are considering. It's a great concept -- I would use it occasionally at best, but priced right and with enough of a customer base you may find yourself VERY busy!
I was just thinking about this yesterday. I have to be home to accept a couch delivery and appliance delivery tomorrow. The appliances were ready last week, but I couldn't take a day off work to be there. I would definitely have considered paying someone to do that for me!
That is a good example of a service I might use. How much would you charge to meet a delivery with, say, a three-hour window?
As far as the name, I suggest dropping concierge. They don't run errands. And as somebody else has pointed out, it might be a reminder of something that did not work out. Project a positive businesslike, gender neutral image to avoid unintentionally alienating people. I find gal off putting.
Have you checked out care.com? Here are some local errand runners:
https://www.care.com/errand-runners/maplewood-nj
j_r said:
That is a good example of a service I might use. How much would you charge to meet a delivery with, say, a three-hour window?
Yep... and actually as I'm thinking more, there could even be a service to kind of "house sit" when you have, say, carpet cleaners coming or something and YOU don't need to be there necessarily but you just want someone in the house with them.
TarheelsInNj said:
j_r said:Yep... and actually as I'm thinking more, there could even be a service to kind of "house sit" when you have, say, carpet cleaners coming or something and YOU don't need to be there necessarily but you just want someone in the house with them.
That is a good example of a service I might use. How much would you charge to meet a delivery with, say, a three-hour window?
Or a plumber.
Sponsored Business
Promote your business here - Businesses get highlighted throughout the site and you can add a deal.
Thank you galileo !! Im sure at the beginning I can handle it but once jobs starts picking up, I will have to find a reliable person (which I already have
).