My new little business "Butterfly Errands" - personal assistant service

Hi everyone,

I am serious considering starting my own small business "rent a wife" here in Maplewood/South Orange.

For those of you who don't know what the concept is: is basically you hire a person to help you take care of things (run errands for you), while you are at work, help with chores if you feel overwhelmed, etc. (from doing groceries, take your pet to the veterinary etc).

I would like to hear you thoughts and if possible you opinion if this is something you would like to have and would you eventually use this service. In general i would like to know if there is a public out there who would use this kind of service. I know this kind of service would probably benefit more for working mom and dads.

edited to add: think about it like your personal concierge.

Thanks


There might be some demand for the services but I suggest you pick a better term for it - something like "Personal Assistant" or something more clever but less gender-implied for a myriad of reasons...


I'd keep it more neutral and make it "Rent-a-Gopher" or "Rent-a-Gal Friday" or something.


Agreed - Cross posted


Agreed. My first thought from the title was that this was going to be about a sex-industry related scandal.


Sorry everyone, googling around they call it "rent a wife". Will change it.


Got it !! changed the title .. sorry about the misunderstanding.


The first issue of MS magazine, which came out in the early 70's, had an article entitled "I want a wife." The article was about exactly what Harley is proposing: women--actually, everyone--need a "wife" to do the million things that need doing in addition to working, taking care of families, etc. Back in the bad old days, it was expected that women--wives--were the folks who were supposed to do all that, so this was a radical, feminist concept.


Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...



lanky said:
Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...

ha !! I don't think there is a gender specific for this kind of work. Any gender can do this job.

I was wondering if there is demand for this kind of service here.



lanky said:
Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...

That's why I suggested "Rent-a-gopher".

How about "Home Assistant" or Home Assist ?



i want to think of it has a "personal concierge" wink


Considering how popular cleaning crews are, I would have to say yes. But marketing the service could be an interesting challenge.

I would keep any gender-loaded words out of the company name/description altogether. So, "Gal Friday" won't work, and neither will "Go-To Girl." But you would want something that conveys the broad range of help the staff would provide, to distinguish from nannies or cleaners.


Ahhh, "Personal Concierge" has a ring to it that would appeal to people who can actually pay for such services. I like that.



jimmurphy said:


lanky said:
Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...
That's why I suggested "Rent-a-gopher".
How about "Home Assistant" or Home Assist ?


its not only home assistant .. besides house management (house sitter, dog sitter, waiting for deliveries or contracts) house errands (get mails, pick up dry cleaning, pick up pets, pick up kids, etc.) Organization services, personal shopping (groceries) a much more.


I think you're on the right track with "concierge." It has a high-end ring to it, which is appropriate, while also indicating that the range of services is very broad.


I would absolutely hire you - but it would be to do stuff for our small business, like be available to accept a delivery at our warehouse etc. -- please let me know when/if you do this and become available !!



PeggyC said:
Ahhh, "Personal Concierge" has a ring to it that would appeal to people who can actually pay for such services. I like that.

Thanks PeggyC. I think too it has a nice ring to it.

But, I feel I must add something else besides "personal concierge".




HarleyQuinn said:


jimmurphy said:



lanky said:
Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...
That's why I suggested "Rent-a-gopher".
How about "Home Assistant" or Home Assist ?
its not only home assistant .. besides house management (house sitter, dog sitter, waiting for deliveries or contracts) house errands (get mails, pick up dry cleaning, pick up pets, pick up kids, etc.) Organization services, personal shopping (groceries) a much more.

Your description sounds like a Home Assistant to me.

I do like ring of Personal Concierge to some extent. Although when I think concierge, I think of someone to get me tickets or give me a recommendation or make a reservation for a restaurant. Not really someone who is going to *do* whatever it is for me.

I do think this is a good idea. Good luck!



new207040 said:
I would absolutely hire you - but it would be to do stuff for our small business, like be available to accept a delivery at our warehouse etc. -- please let me know when/if you do this and become available !!

My first customer wink

I will definitely let you know smile


I like the idea. I was in the market for just such a service back in late May/early June, when I was completely overwhelmed by a huge work project and needed to work longer hours. I needed someone to pick up my daughter at school, bring her home, make a simple dinner and start after-dinner cleanup, for a period of about two weeks. I found someone -- a lovely college student -- and it was great for one day, and then the young woman's car was broken into and rendered undriveable, and that was the end of that... it was too late to start over and find someone else, so I just had to muddle through the crazy work period as best as I could, relying on takeout some nights, making my husband leave work early and come out from the city and pick up the kid some nights (which was difficult for him since he has his own high-pressure job), and doing some work at home in the evenings and on weekends... if I could have utilized a service like the one HarleyQuinn is thinking of, I could have gone back to the service and gotten a fast replacement for my one-day mother's helper instead of being thrown back to square one of the crazy hectic mess and shortchanging both my job and my family...



jimmurphy said:


HarleyQuinn said:



jimmurphy said:




lanky said:
Am still confused as to why it must be gender-specific ("rent-a-gal" etc). Was gonna suggest "Errand Boy" but even that seems a little off-putting...
That's why I suggested "Rent-a-gopher".
How about "Home Assistant" or Home Assist ?
its not only home assistant .. besides house management (house sitter, dog sitter, waiting for deliveries or contracts) house errands (get mails, pick up dry cleaning, pick up pets, pick up kids, etc.) Organization services, personal shopping (groceries) a much more.
Your description sounds like a Home Assistant to me.
I do like ring of Personal Concierge to some extent. Although when I think concierge, I think of someone to get me tickets or give me a recommendation or make a reservation for a restaurant. Not really someone who is going to *do* whatever it is for me.
I do think this is a good idea. Good luck!

Thank you jimmurphy !!

that is why I add the "personal" to concierge. But you never know, perhaps some day i might get tickets smile


Isn't this just like TaskRabbit? https://www.taskrabbit.com/




bluepool said:
I like the idea. I was in the market for just such a service back in late May/early June, when I was completely overwhelmed by a huge work project and needed to work longer hours. I needed someone to pick up my daughter at school, bring her home, make a simple dinner and start after-dinner cleanup, for a period of about two weeks. I found someone -- a lovely college student -- and it was great for one day, and then the young woman's car was broken into and rendered undriveable, and that was the end of that... it was too late to start over and find someone else, so I just had to muddle through the crazy work period as best as I could, relying on takeout some nights, making my husband leave work early and come out from the city and pick up the kid some nights (which was difficult for him since he has his own high-pressure job), and doing some work at home in the evenings and on weekends... if I could have utilized a service like the one HarleyQuinn is thinking of, I could have gone back to the service and gotten a fast replacement for my one-day mother's helper instead of being thrown back to square one of the crazy hectic mess and shortchanging both my job and my family...

thank you for your thoughts bluepool. Sorry you went threw that .. it can be very stressful. Been there.

I know there are some working parents that sometimes need the extra help ( even stay at home parents ) and I want to provide them a service that they can relay on my business (me).





beppolina said:
Isn't this just like TaskRabbit? https://www.taskrabbit.com/


pretty much the same concept except for some task I wont be having (ex.handyman)

The difference with taskrabbit and me is I'm from this town, my kids goes to school in M/SO, I'm involve with the community and have made great friends. Im not going anywhere any time soon wink



Besides all that I have said, I will have cleaning service available wink


Your Concierge? The Task master?



calliope said:
Your Concierge? The Task master?

My concierge smile


Sounds like a good idea but you are going to have to find reliable people to work for you. It's not something you yourself can always do.


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


This sounds like a take off of 'hire a husband' which is a handyman business....i'd love to use the service, but can't afford it


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