Mom & Pop Shops- Solutions for Marital Discourse in the Family Business

Married to your business partner? Many small business owners run a service or shop with their spouse, allowing a certain independence and a sense of pride. But what happens when one partner isn't measuring up? Can you just leave a pink slip on their pillow?

A client and owner of a carpet cleaning service, which he runs with his wife, was frustrated. He manages his cleaning crew and takes care of the customers, while she completes the billing, marketing and general office work. He complained that she wasn't keeping up with certain aspects of her job and hadn't completed important projects that were agreed upon. He believed that she was costing them money at a time when he was projecting breakthrough sales for the following year.

He didn't know how to approach her on the subject and took a risk by introducing me to the situation.

I was hired to find a solution that preserved the wife's sense of duty and took advantage of her strengths, while keeping an eye on the bottom line. As any professional who works closely with a married couple knows, you can lose an eye in this type of quest for compromise.

I shadowed the wife for several days. I sat by her while she explained her scheduling practices, how she filed customer information and what she did when she sent a customer an invoice. She explained various projects that were in all stages, but the documents were covered in a layer of dust. It became apparent that like all jobs, she was great at some things, like marketing and communication, but lacked in others, like billing and finances.

After collecting all my research and speaking to the business owners together and separately, the solution was simple. I suggested that they hire a bookkeeper. They only needed part-time assistance and were able to hire an independent bookkeeper at an hourly rate. The wife then had free time to complete all the projects that had been dragging her down. She needed to overcome her mental block, so I helped her get a jump start on the projects. She is now more focused on marketing and winning customers, which are responding favorably.

No pink slip necessary! The husband has reported that things at work and at home have been running more smoothly. Both owners have a renewed vigor and admit to overlooking their need to delegate the bookkeeping for far too long. They couldn't believe what a negative effect the whole situation had on their business, marriage and lives. They were apprehensive when dealing with the problem because they were afraid of the solution. Their worst fear was having to hire a full-time employee, paying salary, taxes, vacation time and sick time.

Anyone can delegate when time could be better spent. Find someone you trust who works at a lower hourly rate than you and hire them to help you with a project. Have them run your errands or take the dog to the groomer. You know how valuable your time is, so don't be afraid to take advantage of any opportunity you have to delegate and play to your strengths.

Home for the Holidays, or are you?

It's the most wonderful time of the year, a time when many of our friends and neighbors are making plans to visit loved ones during the upcoming holiday season.

And while some folks are planning to travel out of town to spread the message of holiday cheer, goodwill and peace, here at The Conciergerie we will be providing peace of mind.

At a time when homes can become vulnerable to theft, fire, and even winter storms, we are happy to provide house monitoring, key holding, and pet sitting services to the people of our hometown community.

After all, peace of mind is one of the best gifts worth giving, and there's no place like home!

Warm on the Inside- Holiday Giving

During the holiday season there are many charities who provide unique ways to give back to the community and to the world around us, depending on the causes that are most important to you.

When we at The Conciergerie saw these unique ideas, we thought they were too interesting to pass up, so we would like to pass them on to you.

Heifer International www.heifer.org offers many programs to help impoverished families all over the world.

One called "gift of chicks" helps families from Cameroon to the Caribbean with a starter flock of 10 to 50 chicks, adding nourishing eggs to their diets.

World Vision www.worldvision.org has over 100 programs from sponsoring a child to meeting basic food and care requirements for the needy.

And if you need help finding a charity to give to, Charity Navigator www.charitynavigator.org lists hundreds of charitable organizations according to their causes and user ratings.

Donating to a worthy cause is a great way for families to come together and learn about the joy of giving, especially at a time when there are so many people in need.

Happy holidays!

Green Gardening

Tell me if this sounds familiar: It's Monday morning and you don't have to be awake for another hour, your alarm clock says so. Yet, you are awake. Why? It's not that you weren't sleeping cozily and comfortably in your bed. It's that *cough-cough-splutter-rrrRRRROOOAAARR* the gas lawn mower in your neighbor's yard is ruining a perfectly good, sound sleep!

Brenna Johnstone, Founder and Head Gardener of The Quiet Gardener, had met with similar problems, morning after morning after morning, but instead of rolling over and stuffing a pillow to her ears, she had an idea. Moving beyond noise issues, she began to wonder when gardening stopped being clean and natural and became another gas-guzzling, pollutant-emitting fact of modern life.

The EPA estimates that gas spills alone from lawn equipment equate to around 17 million gallons a year. Johnstone thought that surely, there is a better way. Starting with friends and family, she offered her quieter, earth friendly gardening services.

Using a combination of electric, battery and shear muscle, she's bringing gardening back to its roots (pun always intended).

One of her customers, Jamie Willis of Redmond, noted that she's "so quiet my husband did not know she was here!" and that meanwhile her neighbor's gardener "blows up a storm." Brenna prefers a broom.

Quietly zipping around town in her tool-packed, hybrid car, she's taking the small steps needed for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world.

Brenna's services include lawn and garden maintenance, weeding, trimming, landscaping, and soil improvement (using all organic amendments). For more information, visit her online.

Christmas Tree Delivery Service

Fall is back to school season, but even if no one in your household is heading back to the classroom, you still probably get that fall feeling.

The weather in the Pacific Northwest quickly turns from summer to fall and the milder temperatures urge you to cozy up in a layer of fleece, shop for "school clothes" (or at least a sturdy new pair of weatherproof boots) and you begin to crave your favorite comfort foods. Mmm, homemade macaroni and cheese...

In my family, we start jockeying for hosting rights to Thanksgiving and Christmas. We make tentative plans to travel over long weekends and in late December, to make the most of our paid time off. We are always looking for ways to stretch our family and vacation time despite our mounting responsibilities at home and in the office.

This year, The Conciergerie came up with a time-saving, stress-reducing service that could make your holidays a little brighter.

If you are looking for ways to optimize your sugar cookie baking time, you may want to consider our Christmas Tree Delivery service. You can choose the tree and the tree size; we bring the tree to you, set it up in your home or business and even clean up the mess.
After the holidays, we'll take the tree away, discard it responsibly and you won't have to lift a finger.

Check in with our blog this fall for more details. We will be posting the tree delivery dates, service areas and pricing as Christmas nears.

Happy fall!

Tips on Hiring a Gardener or House Cleaner

When you consider hiring a housekeeper or gardener, what are the qualities you look for?

Good work ethic? Good references? Price? What about insurance? On the surface, hiring uninsured workers is certainly less expensive, but the repercussions can be costly.

Q. How could hiring an uninsured service provider cost you?

A. If a worker is injured on your property and they are not covered by their own insurance, they can sue you under workman's compensation and your home owner's insurance will not cover the cost. Unless you have a specific workman's compensation coverage added to your own insurance, you as an individual will be held accountable for the suit. For homeowners who employ several full-time domestic workers, adding workman's compensation may be the best way to go, as it protects against other kinds of suits, such as sexual harassment. For the rest of us, however, it is unreasonably expensive.

The best option is to ask about insurance coverage before hiring any kind of domestic help and employ only those who are covered, even if it means paying a higher rate. Even the best workers can have accidents. It is better to be safe than... well, you know the rest.

Administrative Office Assistance

If you have a small business, you know how quickly paperwork can pile up and become misplaced. "Where did that bill go? Did we pay our vendor yet? How many hours did the delivery guy work this month?"

The Conciergerie offers administrative consulting services to create solutions that fit your needs.

We start by reviewing everything that you or your administrative assistant does on a daily basis. How long does it take? What does she enjoy doing? What doesn't she like to do? What types of projects never seem get done? Is anything or anyone preventing her from completing her work, or particular projects? If you could change the office procedures, how would you? What things could run better?

One of our goals is to play to the strengths of everyone in your office. After we get your office organized and you feel comfortable with the new processes, then we'll make recommendations that are aligned with your business goals and restrictions. Maybe you just need a part-time filing assistant. Perhaps you should hire an accountant or CPA. We'll work together to maximise your efficiency and create a sustainable administrative process.

With professional administrative consulting, you will have a better chance to make money for your business.

Internet Research

When I mention that staff at The Conciergerie frequently conducts internet research for clients, I get some funny looks.

"I know how to use the Internet," people invaribly reply.

You also know how to grocery shop, plan a party for your six-year-old and buy airline tickets, but if you have better things to do with your time, lumping these tasks together and calling your personal assistant may be a better option.

We recently had a client who needed to attend a specific training course. She had 24 hours notice and a 48 hour deadline. She was also much too busy at work to find a solution. We quickly researched the training facilities and in under an hour we found the class and had her registered.

Ideas for your new found free time

With a personal concierge managing all your errands and chores, you suddenly have a lot more free time.
If you're looking for new ways to spend it, we have a few suggestions!

Tot Spot Cafe
If you have a toddler and you live on the Eastside, be sure to check out Tot Spot Cafe the next time it rains. With safe, age appropriate toys, your child can play while you enjoy an espresso. It's a great place for parents to catch up with friends while keeping the kids entertained. Low walls allow kids to be seen from anywhere in the cafe. The Cafe also sells healthy foods for adults and children.

Busy Tot Spot Cafe Patrons

Other great Tot Spot Solutions:

• Changing tables are in the main play room, so you don't have to lug your diaper bag into a bathroom. This is particularly helpful when you have more than one child.
• High-chairs of all shapes and sizes are available and free.
• Cozy nooks for breast feeding and quiet time are provided.

Additional Details:

• Open Play weekdays are from 9 am to 4 pm and special Family Fun Hours are every Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.
• Admission is $6.00 per hour of play, plus $4.00 per hour for the 2nd child. Infants under 6 months are free.
• The Café is located in the Bear Creek Plaza on Bear Creek Parkway in Woodinville, WA, right off of the I-405/SR-522 interchange. The address is 17802 134th Ave NE, Suite 6, Woodinville, WA 98072. [map]

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
If gardening is among your hobbies, or if you simply prefer to admire someone else's green thumb, we highly recommend that you visit Mt. Vernon during their annual Tulip Festival. With more tulips grown in the Pacific Northwest than Holland, you can view and purchase any tulip on the planet.

Tour des Fleurs

Coffee and Art

If you're a city dweller and would rather socialize with a cup of coffee, visit Bauhaus Books and Coffee at 301 East Pine Street in Seattle. Bauhaus features the talent of local and upcoming artists. Right now, Jesse Link has original work on display.

http://www.jesselink.com/

We're sure that you can manage to fill your time with activities, or even better, spend it relaxing. In the tub, by a pool, with friends, at a restaurant... let us know if we can make reservations for you!

Redmond Reporter Article on The Conciergerie

Easing your burdens: The Conciergerie helps with your daily errands

By MARY STEVENS DECKER
Redmond Reporter Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The weekend arrives. You're finally free! Free to go home and ... do the laundry, mow the lawn, fix that leaky faucet, do all those exciting chores that have been piling up. Oh, what joy.

A new Redmond business, The Conciergerie, has been created to ease your burdens. Alyssa Hagen, personal concierge/proprietor, and her assistants are available on an hourly basis to take charge of your errands, yard work, pet care, house sitting, vacation planning or pretty much anything that’s bogging you down.

Hagen, who graduated from Eastlake High School and majored in English at Seattle University, was formerly an administrative assistant at Microsoft.

“I was doing marketing support for a large staff,” she said.

Much of her job involved running errands, planning events and tying up loose ends for others.

"In October, I came off a maternity leave and decided I wanted to give more personal service to help people make more of their free time. We all have those ‘to-do’ lists that grow and grow, especially when you have kids. If you can off load some of that to a trusted personal assistant, you can spend more time on the things that really matter," she explained.

She lives in the Redmond Ridge area and her staff members are also locals with an eclectic array of skills.

Among her unusual specialists is someone who delivers singing telegrams, "whether it's singing 'Happy Birthday' to your mom, or going to your boyfriend's office to sing 'Hit the Road, Jack,' when you want to break up," she commented, laughing.

More often, however, people want help with things like organizing a closet.

"One gentleman called us and said, 'I want you to do as much ironing as you can, for two hours.' He was ecstatic! He had responded to an ad that said, 'What is it you’re not looking forward to on your commute home?'" Hagen said.

Another request came from a frantic student at Columbia University who was running for the office of student body president. He wanted a campaign T-shirt but didn’t have time to get one made. Hagen ran over to Redmond’s Ben Franklin craft store, bought a shirt, ironed something onto it and got it back to him within 24 hours.

He, too, was thrilled and sent her a fan e-mail, "Keep up the stunning work, can't wait until I think of another way for The Conciergerie to make my day!"

The usual charge for The Conciergerie’s services is $35 an hour, or more for rush requests. Services (8 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Saturday) can generally be arranged with 24 hours' notice. E-mail alyssa@TheConciergerieSeattle.com or call (425) 788-3192.

The Conciergerie Helps Columbia University Student

We had an unusual and rushed request made by a student at Columbia University a couple weeks ago.

Brody Berg is running for the General Studies Student Body President and per the election committee regulations, he could only have one piece of campaign clothing.

Brody, a Seattle native and former Microsoft developer contacted The Conciergerie and specifically asked for a light blue shirt (one of Columbia's school colors) and text announcing himself as a candidate and encouraging students to vote.

Due to a short, but important campaign week, the shirt was a rush request.

Here is Brody's reaction to his campaign t-shirt.


The t-shirt I ordered from you for my election is .. AMAZING!!! I knew that when I asked you to put it together that it would be far more than I could have done myself, but really, this attention to detail completely blows my mind. The second I saw the shirt I had that incredible feeling of satisfaction, when I put it on for the first time I felt like my campaign had officially begun.

Keep up the stunning work, can't wait until I think of another way for The Conciergerie to make my day!!!

Added Service- Monthly Costco Run

We now offer a monthly Costco run!

Each third Wednesday of the month, we go to Costco, pick up the items on your list and deliver them to your home or business. Shopping lists need to be sent to The Conciergerie by the Third Monday of the Month. We will try to get everything on your list, but as Costco's stock rotates frequently, we may not be able to fulfill all of your requests.

Both new and existing clients are invited to take advantage of this service.

A $20 trip fee applies. As with all of our other services, we charge for our time only and there is absolutely no mark-up on the purchased items.

Please contact us if you have questions or would like to sign up for the monthly Costco Run email reminder.

Costco Run dates through the end of 2008:

May: May 21st (Shopping list due May 19th)

June 18th (Shopping list due June 16th)

July 16th (Shopping list due July 14th)

August 20th (Shopping list due August 18th)

September 17th (Shopping list due September 15th)

October 15th (Shopping list due October 13th)

November 19 (Shopping list due November 17th)

December 17th (Shopping list due December 15th)

Administrative Professional's day

April 23rd is Administrative Professional's day.

Don't forget to do something thoughtful for the administrators who keep your day running smoothly.

If you need a hand thinking of ideas or making it happen, send us an email info@theconciergerieseattle.com or give us a call (425) 788-3192.

We'll order flowers, make lunch reservations for you and your staff, purchase and deliver a spa gift certificate to your office... we have lots of ideas!

We'll make you look good!

Grand Opening!

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am excited to announce the grand opening of The Conciergerie!
We specialize in helping busy people do things they do not have time to do.
The Conciergerie is a full-service, one-stop boutique and your time is the hot ticket item. Get your leisure time and weekends back by delegating your household chores and routine tasks to a trusted, personal assistant.
Here is an abbreviated list of the services offered:
Travel research and booking
Personal errands
Home cleaning
Landscaping
Short term and long term house sitting
Pet sitting and dog walking
Event planning
Anything you don’t have time to do
I, along with a several trusted assistants and a handful of pre-screened service providers, can help relieve you of your mental and physical clutter. Do some psychological spring cleaning and consider all the tasks you could delegate in order to free up your own time.
Imagine…
Being able to leave town at a moment’s notice, knowing that you have a trusted house sitter and someone to take care of your weekend chores
Coming home from work to a clean house, fresh laundry, crisp dry-cleaning and the heel fixed on your favorite shoes
Not running errands all weekend
Returning from vacation to your freshly groomed dog who is panting happily after a nice, long walk
Calling your personal concierge from a business trip to arrange a special evening for you and your spouse
For a full list of services, please visit http://www.theconciergerieseattle.com/
Please pass this email along to anyone who you feel might benefit from the services we provide.
New clients receive a 10% discount off concierge services on their first statement.

Thank you!

Alyssa Hagen
Personal Concierge, President

The Conciergerie
23515 NE Novelty Hill Road B221-222
Redmond, WA 98053
(425) 788-3192

mailto:alyssa@TheConciergerieSeattle.com.com
http://www.theconciergerieseattle.com/

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has Sprung and every once in a while we get a lucky sun break. Suddenly it warms up, the birds get excited and then... the clouds come back and it starts raining.

If you're going stir-crazy in the house or behind your desk at work, we have a few suggestions and even some solutions.

Suggestions:

• When the sun shines through your window, enjoy it just for the moment!
• Crank up the heat in your car and roll down the windows if you're cruising around town at 30mph.
• Light a scented candle at home. Aromatherapy is highly appreciated by many people as it has the capacity to promote health and well-being by way of soothing the mind, body, and spirit.

Solutions

• Let us plan a vacation for you, to a place that doesn't have much rain
• Let us hire a landscaper to catch those pesky weeds before they take root
• Call on us for spring cleaning or a general house cleaning

We can help you combat your "Is-it-Summer-Yet?" blues!

Realtor Resource

We are excited to announce one of our new packages, designed for real estate agents and home owners who are trying to rent or sell.

As with all our packages, the "Real Estate Agent’s Best Resource" is completely customizable. You get what you want. "Yes! We need the carpet professionally cleaned. No! We don't need the house painted." And you don't pay for anything you don't need.

Whether a home is on the market or a new owner is ready to move in, real estate agents and home owners can rely on our one-stop, move in/ move out home service to keep both house and landscaping looking its very best. Just let us know which services you need:

• Garbage and junk removal, interior and exterior
• Home interior cleaned top to bottom
• Light drywall repair, ceramic tiles repaired, other minor repairs completed by our experienced, licensed contractor
• Interior painting
• New carpet installation
• Professional carpet cleaning
• Yard maintained, lawn mowed
• Anything else you need

How it works: when you order this service, a concierge will meet with you at the place of service to go over your needs, repairs that need to be made and learn the best ways and times to access the property. Your concierge will then order the appropriate services and hire contractors to complete the maintenance and you never have to lift a finger. We see the home maintenance through until it's sold.

Trilogy Community

Trilogy is an adult (age 55+), active living community located on Redmond Ridge. Residents live on or near the golf course and close to their gorgeous, lodge-style clubhouse that features a gym, swimming pool, every social group you could think of and (almost) every resource at their fingertips.

Trilogy is located near The Conciergerie and is one of the catalysts that initiated the start of our all-inclusive, personal concierge service. We even have a service package created with our Trilogy clients in mind.

We offer the "Up-High Interior Home Maintenance" package for anything that might require a ladder. Clients request this service annually to replace smoke alarm batteries, carbon monoxide batteries, light bulbs and fight evil dust bunnies.

Thanks to great recommendations, Trilogy residents are now discovering The Conciergerie. The solutions we provide help people stay independent.

This week we took a client to the hospital for out-patient surgery. Our client didn't want to inconvenience his daughter who has two young children, so we took him to the hospital and picked him up. He was released by the nurse, to our concierge who then stopped by the pharmacy on the way home, started his medications and prepared dinner for him. He is already back on his feet and has a tee-time reserved this Sunday.

Gazebo, Research and Installation

A client is looking to have a gazebo placed on his property.

I am researching gazebos according to his specifications and I am getting prices from several vendors. When my client decides which one he wants, I will work with the vendor to have the gazebo built.

I love Garden Solutions in Woodinville. http://www.gardensolution.com/

Fridge Re-Org

Yesterday, one of our concierges cleaned a client's refrigerator.

It's one of those things that can be time consuming, but it's wonderful when the job is completed.

With the expired foods gone and the shelves sparkling, cooking is fun again!

New Client- Small Biz Owner needs Help!

We have several clients who are business owners and often work from home.

Sometimes the richness of life can be more fun when the kids are playing within earshot.

For busy parents and business-owning clients, our concierges assist with both aspects; personal and professional. With Microsoft administrative experience, our ultra efficient concierges become temporary "admins" managing errands, grocery shopping, removing the "junk" from the mail, caring for pets and anything else clients can delegate.

We free clients up for picking their kids up from school, making dinner for their family and heck, even playing a round of golf!