By The Way..

I just added a picture of my daughter, Victoria. She's the inspiration for me wanting to start my own business. Mostly I just want to be the boss and have my own hours so I can spend the most time with her! (Even though she's been cranky lately, her 1st 2 teeth are visible today).

So Much To Do!

It has been a week since I came up with the idea to start my errand service business. There has been so much to do, and there is still a lot more to do! I've been busy getting my name out there but I am still waiting on my first customer. I must say, the Yahoo group I joined has been very helpful, and I recommend to anyone starting a business to find one relating to their product or service! Next week I am going to check out a seminar on Government grants, it may be a scam, or I may just find some free money just for being a woman starting a small business!

My First Call...

was a prank call. It came from an aquaintance named David and he asked me how much it would cost him for me to walk his cat for an hour. My first reaction was discouragement. I had been hoping for a call from a real customer on my first full day in business and it hasn't come yet. I thought maybe this whole thing was not a good idea.

At the end of the call he said he thought it was a great idea and wished me luck. Now I felt just the opposite of what I just had felt! Then I received an invitation to a group for other people in my line of business. I checked it out and hopefully I will be accepted. I guess there are a lot of us!

My Second Day

So the idea for my business came from the concept of a concierge service. I decided to become a personal and business errand runner. I will do just about anything (legal) that someone wants done and is willing to pay me for. Whether they just don't have time to do it themselves or they simply don't like doing it. Especially during the holidays, people are busy, and I'm the solution!

The first page of my website is available at www.mylittlehelpers.biz and I will be adding to it in the next couple of days. I definitely have to come up with some pricing. It is difficult though to list a flat rate for some services, since the mileage will be different for every client. If someone wants one specific service several times a month, such as dry cleaning pickup, there will be a monthly fee instead of each individual pickup. This is my biggest challenge so far.

Today I will be finding some potential clients via the phone book and sending out some brochures. I will let you know how that goes!

My First Day

Yesterday I decided to start my own business. I got the idea by watching Good Morning America's Take Control of Your Life series, and checking out some related sites. I have wanted to find something to do from home for quite some time, since I have a beautiful 5 month old daughter and I did not want to return to a full time job.

Today my idea is already taking shape. I thought of a name, registered with the town, opened a bank account, passed out business cards, and hung up flyers. Next I will be creating a website and sending out some direct mail brochures to individuals and businesses.