Orland Mom Works As Concierge
Think you need a six-figure income to hire a personal assistant who’ll do your dirty work?
Mimi Citarella, an Orland Park mom, says folks on a budget can benefit by turning over the task of running errands to somebody else — namely her.
The owner of All Around Concierge, Citarella says she combines the services of a gofer, personal assistant, party planner and even travel agent. Some of the jobs she’s done for customers include cleaning out a garage in New Lenox, dog-sitting for a neighbor, picking up office supplies for a small-business owner and sending out mailings for local real estate agents.
“It really is an all-around kind of business,” Citarella said.
Tools of the trade include what she describes as a “geeky” Trapper Keeper that’s stuffed with coupons culled from newspapers and the Internet.
“If I don’t have it with me all the time, I feel guilty,” she said.
Citarella said she can usually save her customers money because she’s done the legwork hunting down the best deal, whether it’s groceries or a printer. She’s also helping them avoid impulse shopping.
“I have heard from every client that their shopping experience turns from running to the store to get milk, into spending way more money and time than they should have,” she said.
Citarella launched All Around Concierge in January and has clients in towns including Frankfort, New Lenox, Orland and Tinley.
The Orland Park office of the brokerage firm Smith Barney has hired her to complete to-do lists of clients coming in to talk with their financial adviser, she said. A salon in Mokena wants to offer a similar service to its customers, she said.
“It (the business) has really taken off a lot quicker than I thought it would,” Citarella said.
No comments yet.
Leave a Reply