Job idea? Help with new baby - admin assistant for the home

[themagicno4]

hi,
I just wanted to get an idea from other parents on what they think of this idea, how to Market it, & ideally what to call it.
Also is it something you would either yourself use or a service that you'd think could be popular.

I'm planning on working early next year, to firstly start back in the job Market after 9 years out and secondly to boost our income even it's just a little. I really want to work for myself as have busy life with multiply school pickups, & will for next 2 years.

Anyway what I love and think I'm good at are in no particular order, looking after newborn, young babies, spot of babysitting ( day) cooking, tidying ( love it), organising from appt. to birthdays to clutter, eBay you name it. I really enjoy being around people but am also happily able to just get on with things.
Basically mum stuff but I think I'm pretty handy round the home.

I live in a fairly wealthy area & would hope to market myself as a bit of a fairy godmother prob to new mums, or just productive working mums?

( I don't have any childcare qualifications, but have raised children (do have crb check though) - and many moons ago have a degree - would this be a barrier)

Would you appreciate me sorting your bedding cupboard out and doing your online shop.

Please any feedback would be great.

Can I make thi

Sorry end bit,

Can I make this idea work?

So not wedding planner ... but life planner? I think it could work if you live in an area welathy enough, good luck.

Agree, if I had money, I'd love to get someone in to do those jobs I never get around to, but that aren't "trade" specific. Issue I suppose is how to get started - it sounds like the sort of thing that would be somebody you'd hear of by word of mouth / personal recomendation

I don't want to rain on your parade, because I admire your entrepreneurial spirit... but in all honest what you describe is a bit like a general housekeeper/enhanced au pair role, and I imagine anyone really affluent and in need will already have someone like this.

The other thing which strikes me is that if there is a market for someone like you, it's most likely to be busy working mums who may well want you to do their school run, as this is one of the pressure points of the day, but you say you want something which will fit around your own multiple school runs. My children are primary age , and I work full time, and tbh if I were to employ a 'fairy godmother' I would include the school drop and pick up in it (I currently use a cm) School holidays are another pressure point, and I am assuming you would want to be free in those for your own children?

My gut instinct reading your post is that you would make a great PA/office manager as you thrive on organising, are good with people yet also able to get on with a job independently.

Thanks so much for your comments, a little more thought required from me.
I think after doing a bit of googling, it's basically a mothers help but that is something I could start with.
Believe me, where I live there are plenty of sahm who want free time for appts & laundry services etc so I'm not completely aiming at working parents ad I know their childcare/ house needs can be so complex.
Thanks sittingbull it's sometimes who you know or building up relationships ( and hard work) that can lead you forward.

magic- I think there is loads of demand for someone like you. Really. I would absolutely love to have someone like you even for 2 hours a week and know loads of people that feel the same who work. I do think you are essentially marketing yourself as a mothershelp/PA so it might take a while to find someone that it would work for.

Where do you live :)

I know someone who does this and charges £25 an hour. She's a 'home PA' - she does everything you've suggested, plus researching and booking holidays, making sure the childrens' dentist and doctor appointments are booked, making sure school uniforms are in place, dropping off and picking up dry cleaning, remembering family birthdays, buying and wrapping the presents, making sure the car is taxed, serviced etc. Etc. Basically everything a SAHM would do if she weren't at work.

I would also love to employ someone like you but it would depend on price. Ideally for me I would want something like that on an ad hoc basis on particularly busy/stressful weeks rather than a regular financial commitment. Good luck!

I think you're coming at it from the wrong angle, expecting one person to employ you as a 'fairy god mother'.

Instead I'd advertise a few basic services which can be branched out. So cleaning, washing and ironing. Once you have regular clients, you could develop a list of 'services' linked to the initial ones, so maybe dropping off dry cleaning, decluttering houses and eventually a bit of home admin etc.

If you do this, you'll get more clients I think. As someone upthread said, most very affluent people already employ staff. Now as a full time working, lower middle class mum,with very little spare income, I'd love to pay for a couple of hours of your time each week, precisely because I'll never afford a housekeeper.

I'm not sure where the childcare fits in tbh, I think it muddies the waters a little, because it's a different field. It's also 'all-consuming'. If I was paying you to look after my child, I'd want you to do just that, iyswim, but if you were picking up my dry cleaning I woulnd't care how many other people's dry cleaning you had on your back seat. Or if you were booking me a flight, I wouldn't care if you were on your laptop in a launderette whilst another client's washing dried. Does that make sense?

Sorry for the ramble, it does sound like a fantastic idea! Good luck.

I have recently seen a service very like this advertised here - have a look for comparison.

I think it's a great idea - there's something in the States called Fancy Hands - it's not exactly what you're proposing but quite similar, and if you look at the way their pricing system works that might be something useful to consider. Basically you can pay as you go, or pay various amounts monthly and have a number of "requests" per month that you are then entitled to use.