Do you want to create an on-site, lobby or corporate concierge service? Or are you looking to serve individuals? From small boutique concierge services to large corporations, this manual will help everyone!

The information is all here, presented in a simple, step-by-step format!

This books answers some of your biggest questions about the logistics of running a concierge business ... How do I structure the business? What services will I offer? How do I set my fees? How do I set up my vendor service and actually get commissions? How do I create an errand service and hire employees?

The basics of starting a new company, such as your business plan, brochure, website and insurance are covered. Plus ... sales, marketing tips and much more!

Sure, you could do all the research and learn how to do this business yourself. Why re-create the wheel? The information you are looking for is in The Concierge Manual.

I have received my copy of the Concierge Manual and started reading it at 9 pm and by 11 pm I read to chapter 10. It is exactly what I needed, I am so happy I ordered. Your book is highlighted, dog-eared, sticky noted and read 2x now. I am still working on my business plan, but your book gave me direction. Thank you for writing such an awesome book!!  Cathie Carrigan

"Your Concierge Manual is fantastic. Thank you so much for writing it!!!! I waited breathlessly for 3 weeks for it to get to Australia and I must have read it 4 times in the past week. It really confirms the direction I’m taking and is full of fantastic ideas. Thank you for being so willing to share your experience and knowledge." Kate Gomsi, The 25h Hour

"Thanks so much for the detailed book. Now, I am less scared and more excited! I enjoyed our conversation, your encouragement and personable approach is refreshing." Rhonda L. Kositzky, ASAP Personal Concierge

Below is the Table of Contents. If you would like to read a sample chapter, please just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Table of Contents

You have to be the type of person who will labor until the work is done no matter what time it is. If you are the type of person who leaves work at exactly 5:00 p.m. no matter what, then may I suggest that you read this section very carefully before embarking on this new venture. The client always comes first, no matter what, and if that same client needs some work finished by a certain day then you need to be sure to finish it, on time.

Experience in sales, marketing, meeting/event planning, human resources and customer service are all great things to have, but are not essential. I know of an excellent concierge who was an engineer in his “past life”, and his business is flourishing. In the beginning you will be everyone — the bookkeeper, secretary, receptionist, errand runner, meeting planner, webmaster, business owner, mail room clerk, administrative assistant, president and chief bottle washer. You are the classic Girl (or Boy) Friday who does everything for everyone.

There is no such thing as a time clock when you own your own business, just like there is no such thing as a paycheck. I jokingly complained for months that I was the classic case of “overworked and never paid”, but if you can hold on, the payoff is big because eventually your concierge business will soar. In this business you can’t wait for things to come to you, you have to go to them. You need to be able to talk to virtually anyone about anything. You basically need to be the type of person who can have a conversation with a post in the subway. You should be able to radiate enthusiasm when talking about your business, and you need to be able to work steadily day and night without complaint.

When you own your own business you have to be everything to everyone. If you have children at home then you not only have to balance everything in your new business but you also have to find time for the kids. I myself have a husband and two small children and balancing them makes me feel like a tightrope walker sometimes, but it is worth it.

The good news is that owning my own business allows me to set my own schedule and I can be there for my kids when they need me. It gives me the freedom to come and go as I please and work at my own schedule. Further, since my office is in my home the commute is great! No more rushing home at 3:00 p.m. (breaking every speed record in the book, by the way) so I can make it to the school bus on time. I also always carry my cell phone with me so I can return telephone calls and speak with clients anytime day or night. This may appear to be intrusive, and at times it feels that way, but in my opinion it is essential in business that the client feels that their needs come first.

The downside to this? When there is a blizzard outside and everyone else gets the day off because the roads are completely impassable, you are the only lucky one on the block who can actually get to work.

So, what type of person do you have to be? Outgoing, friendly, completely honest, open, talkative and enthusiastic. A real “go-getter” if you will. You need to be willing to work crazy hours doing seemingly crazy things, and you absolutely must follow through. You need to be able to wear 50 hats at once. You need to be able to not only find the impossible but also do the impossible. You need to be able to talk on the phone, work on the computer, answer a question from one of your staffers and chew gum all at the same time. And, most critically, you need to be willing to sacrifice a steady paycheck for a while.

Make sure that you have enough money in your bank account to last you a minimum of 6 months, preferably a year, because in the beginning, all the money you take in from your business will have to go right back into the business. Economize as much as you can. Use coupons. Drive a cheaper car. Cut back on luxuries. Don’t eat out, brown bag your lunch. There are perhaps hundreds of ways to cut back (and at least as many books out there to teach you how to do it). So, essentially, you need to be willing to be “poor” for a while. As an entrepreneur it can be overwhelming in the beginning unless you are prepared for it emotionally as well as financially. So ask yourself, are you prepared?

While this picture may seem bleak to those of you who have never owned your own business, it offers a realistic glimpse at the beginnings of a new venture. A few years ago when we were starting our first company, Meeting Planning Plus, my husband and I were both working the business and neither one of us was earning a regular paycheck. We were financially overburdened, and stressed to the max! Talk about having to cut back on things! It was a little touch and go there for a while but we learned from this mistake and he went out and worked a “real job” (that included health insurance) while I got the business going. Once the company could afford to pay his salary, he returned to working with me full time.

The lesson here of course is this ... if you are married to your business partner, make sure that one of you has a steady income coming in as well as health and dental benefits. I also humbly suggest to all married partners out there that they each have their OWN desk, computer and telephone if they value their marriage. Trust me on this one because I am the voice of experience. At one point Ron and I were sharing a desk and computer in the basement of our house. It seemed to be the most cost-effective solution at the time because we could only afford to buy one of everything and sincerely thought that we were capable of sharing.

NOT!

We always needed to use the desk and computer at the same time, and we each thought that our own work was the most important (of course) and should take priority. So we started fighting about it. It drove me crazy!! Soon, however, we found a solution to the problem. We had to separate. Separate our work spaces that is. Once we moved apart, we no longer quibbled about who needed the desk more. Today, my office is up in the bonus room and his is in the den. We each have a desk, computer, telephone and fax. We don’t bicker any more (at least about this issue) and the peace is back. So if you love your spouse then let them go ... so to speak.

If you are single, as mentioned before, make it a point to have at least 6 month’s salary saved in a readily accessible bank account before you begin. Either way, it is best to work out most of the details that I will be outlining before you quit your current job. Create the framework for your business at night, on weekends, or even by taking a week long vacation to stay at home and work. Once the details are all ironed out, then you can quit your current job and start working on your new business full time.

Ultimately, my advice can all be boiled down to one old saying that my mother used to say to me --- “do as I say and not as I do”. Just because I made all of these crazy mistakes certainly doesn’t mean that you have to.