Turn your helpful nature into cash
These women know that doing good not only makes them feel better, it can pad their wallet! Read on for their secrets
“I earn $35 an hour running errands that would be difficult for my clients”
“When I was younger, I had desk jobs—but today my office has four wheels and four doors!
I have a concierge service called Best Friend Errand Service that caters to older people. I got the idea reading about another woman who was doing something similar. Since I didn’t have any experience running a business, I ended up going to a career-training school and took a class called ‘How to Start a Small Business.’ It cost a few hundred dollars, but it was worth it. I learned everything I needed to know. And I met another student there who created my logo for free!
“My first clients came from networking, but today a lot of my work comes from my website (BestFriendErrand.com) and Facebook page. Most of the time, I get calls from family members of my clients asking me to help. Often the client’s children will hire me. I charge $35 per hour— clients are happy to pay for my time and know that their loved one is being taken care of.
“The work I do for my clients is as varied as they are. Yesterday I took care of a cat that I picked up from the vet, organized files and papers, then went on a mission for birdseed. I had to go to multiple stores before I found the right one. I also do a lot of grocery shopping for my clients, especially for things that are heavy or bulky. I have one elderly gentleman whose wife always did the gift wrapping during the holidays, so every year since she passed away, I’ve done it for him. Every year he invites me and my husband to dinner too.
“I love my job. I’ve been doing it for 12 years and there hasn’t been a day when I got up and didn’t want to do what I do. It’s become my primary job. The money I earn helps support my family.”