Whether you’re a parent on-the-go or a busy professional with appointments galore, the following services can help minimize your load and maximize your time.
1. Pamper Your Pooches
Leaving Fido or Fluffy when going out of town can be one of the hardest elements of being a pet owner. Lisa Benitah of Scottsdale-based Pick of the Litter Pet Sitting is about to change that. Benitah, an animal lover and entrepreneur, provides a wide array of in-home animal care services.
“I always go to my client’s house because dogs and cats are very comfortable in their home environment and normal routine,” Benitah says. Her services provide an alternative to booking a stay at a pet hotel or having to run home midday to let the dogs out.
“I do anything from once-a-day half-hour visits to overnights and live-in care, where I stay in the client’s home for 19 out of 24 hours a day,” Benitah says. “A lot of my clients are busy individuals, so whatever is involved in an animal’s normal daily and nightly care is what I will do.” 480.248.6680, www.petsittingscottsdale.com.
2. Get Beautified at Your Home Salon
When Carla Olivares, founder of Beauticians on the Go, began in cosmetology more than a decade ago, she noticed a void for quick, mobile stylists that could serve a variety of clientele at various locations. Beauticians on the Go, a family-operated business, offers hairstylists, nail technicians, colorists and other salon services throughout the Phoenix area. The company also has branches in Miami, Las Vegas and New York.
Olivares says her diverse range of clientele includes families and moms on-the-go to corporate professionals to party events and care homes. “I was contacted by a young girl who mentioned that her mom had cancer and she couldn’t get to a salon but wanted to do something special for her,” Olivares says. “We took our tools and equipment to her location, and we did her hair. Afterwards, she just totally changed. She was smiling and you could tell she was happier—almost like at that moment, she just forgot all her problems.” 602.803.2827, www.beauticiansonthego.com.
3. Put Your Money to Work
While high-net worth individuals enjoy many luxuries, from homes and cars to boats and planes, the management and organization of these amenities can be a full-time commitment. “We are kind of like a quarterback for high-net worth families,” says David Harbour, president and CEO of Scottsdale-based High Point Capital Group (HPCG). “We help them find the appropriate attorneys, CPAs, money managers, and people to assist if they want to buy a plane, boat or second home, among other things. We are like the personal CFO for the family.”
The concept of the “family office” appeals to such families because it simplifies the day-to-day financial management of assets, homes and luxuries held all over the world. HPCG assists families in setting up a stellar group of professionals specifically selected to manage a particular family’s needs.
“For example, take a family that has four or five houses and 15 to 20 cars or more—that is a lot of work,” Harbour says. “Each property has HOAs, property taxes, etc., so they hire a family office to manage all of that paperwork.” www.hpcg.com.
4. Simplify Shopping
While shopping tends to be an enjoyable sport for most, at Scottsdale Fashion Square, one roving mall concierge is heightening the experience through superior customer service, dedication and a welcoming personality.
Upon meeting Peter Harden, it becomes evident that he loves life and he loves his work, though he is hard pressed to call it a job. “For me, it isn’t like a job but more of an opportunity to see different friends each day,” Harden says.
As the mall’s “Roving Concierge,” Harden can be found escorting shoppers to stores, holding bags for clients in dressing rooms and walking celebrities through the shopping haven, among many other tasks. “Peter’s nickname is Mayor of Scottsdale Fashion Square,” says Kate Birchler, senior marketing manager. “Local celebrities and celebrities, in general, all know him and want to walk with Peter. Typically, if people see Peter with someone, there is just an assumption that this person is a VIP.”
Counting among his friends, Harden notes Robin Williams, Rihanna, Muhammed Ali, Chris Rock, and the list goes on. “Peter is the face of Fashion Square,” says Steve Helm, property manager. “When people think of Fashion Square, they think of Peter and that adds a personality to it.” www.fashionsquare.com.
5. Find a Caring Nanny
Beth Weise has been in the child care industry for more than 27 years. Needless to say, she knows how to spot a good nanny. As the CEO of Caring Nannies, based in Scottsdale, Weise facilitates nanny-family introductions after a rigorous nanny screening process. “I am constantly happily amazed at the high caliber of candidates that want to do this type of work,” Weise says.
With a database of more than a thousand qualified nannies in Arizona, Weise says each nanny represents the attributes that make an exceptional caregiver. “We feel that the most important job of a nanny is to bring passion and joy to the life of a child and peace of mind to a family.” 480.946.3423, www.acaringnanny.com.
6. Learn How to Manage
From coordinating children’s activities to meal planning and grocery shopping, managing a family can be a full-time job. Luckily, family managers like Coree Parra are taking on a new job description that enables families to relax and just enjoy each other. “As the family manager, I monitor the family dynamics and the household to make sure everything runs smoothly,” says Parra, who graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in psychology. (She minored in family studies and human development.)
Duties like scheduling doctor appointments, ensuring bills are paid on time, aiding with homework, arranging flight and vacation accommodations, running errands, answering e-mails as well as a bevy of other tasks have made family managers integral in the day-to-day operations of single and/or working-parent households. “It’s really about observing what it is the family needs and what they don’t need, for the kids and [the parents],” Parra says.
7. Ride Without a Worry
For busy individuals looking to kick back while getting from point A to B, a private chauffer might be the way to get r-n-r between appointments. Brett Richardson, owner of Scottsdale-based NY 54 Limousines, has a fleet of stretched rides to please the discriminating passenger and helps clients coordinate jet charters and personal protection services.
“We work with a third-party agency that has guys who have special operations pasts and who specialize in a lot of different areas relating to that,” says Richardson, who also has a background in defense program management. “Whether it be investigative services or personal protection, some of these guys have been to Afghanistan or Iraq on a contract basis for the state department.”
Richardson says the most use of the service comes from high-net worth individuals or visiting dignitaries who need an extra eye along their luxurious rides around town. He also provides limo service for proms and other special events. 480.838.5454, www.ny54limo.com.
8. Leave the Cooking to the Pros
“My cuisine is very client-driven,” says Stephanie Heller, owner of RIPE Personal Chef Services, a Scottsdale-based company specializing in organic gourmet cuisine. “If a client wants Indian food, I will do that but it will have the elements of being whole and organic with the best products you can find.”
Heller, a graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, earned her chef stripes working at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’s Bourbon Steak. “Some people will book a specific day each week, and I’ll come in and make 20 meals for the next week,” Heller says of the menu of convenient culinary options she offers. “For others, I will go to their house two or three days a week and I’ll make meals throughout the day.”
Her style of cooking has caught the taste buds of several Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks players as well as CEOs of prestigious Arizona-based companies. 602.400.3080,
www.ripepersonalchef.com.
9. Don’t Do the Heavy Lifting
Golf is a great way to de-stress and yet carrying a golf bag for 18 holes can strain many parts of the body. Leave it to a caddie to do the heavy lifting. Caddie Connection is a caddie management company that brokers caddies out to private clubs, high-end daily fee courses and charity events.
Founded by Bobby DiMeo, Caddie Connection has a pool of more than 700 caddies and can fill requests nationwide. “Golfers can log on to our online portal, book a caddie and the caddie will arrive on time and ready to work,” says DiMeo, who knows the caddie perspective from his days caddying for the Hooters Tour.
Many celebrities have used Caddie Connection including Rush Limbaugh, Marcus Allen, Drew Brees, Josh Duhamel and numerous professional athletes. 760.494.3607, www.caddieconnection.com.
10. Set a Date
Busy professionals know that a personal life gets put on the back burner when your career is skyrocketing. Enter Kelleher International, a matchmaking company that provides services much like an executive search firm. “We match our clients with compatible, like-minded individuals who are looking for a committed monogamous relationship,” says Jean Adams, managing partner at the firm.
Through one-on-one meetings, Kelleher’s matchmakers personally convene with clients and work from their criteria. “The majority of the people who contact us are educated, attractive, selective, successful professionals,” Adams says. “We’re picky and selective because our clients are picky and selective.” 800.401.6282, www.kelleher-international.com.
