Does anyone have a personal assistant. . . Thinking about hiring one

[Anonymous]

I own a business with a couple dozen employees. I have numerous other business interests. Married with two young kids. Two homes. I have very little free time. I have dreamed about hiring a personal assistant for years. Dh and I agreed that when I made over a very significant threshold I could hire one. Fast forward a few years and I actually did surpass the threshold.

I've done some Internet research, but am still not certain whether it is worth the expense. Also I feel as if some one would have to train me on how to use one.

Does anyone have any insight? And yes, ths is definitely a rich people problem, but is a real one and I haven't the slightest clue who to ask.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I (two home offices) once tried hiring a personal concierge service. Didn't work. The woman created far more problems than it was worth (always late; couldn't find childcare; didn't follow through; wanted to talk about going to Brazil to have a butt-lift). If you find one, please post!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I own a business with a couple dozen employees. I have numerous other business interests. Married with two young kids. Two homes. I have very little free time. I have dreamed about hiring a personal assistant for years. Dh and I agreed that when I made over a very significant threshold I could hire one. Fast forward a few years and I actually did surpass the threshold.

I've done some Internet research, but am still not certain whether it is worth the expense. Also I feel as if some one would have to train me on how to use one.

Does anyone have any insight? And yes, ths is definitely a rich people problem, but is a real one and I haven't the slightest clue who to ask.

A personal assistant might have been a great help prior to modern conveniences for running a household. Think of online banking and bill payment as the equivalent of the dishwasher and washing machine. Put utilities and junk on autopayment from an account just for bills. Stop paper bills so there is less coming to the house. Deal with one insurer for home/auto policies=on the same profile web page. Cut out most credit cards. The time you'd spend with the asst would be less than what it takes to manage this stuff. Or get a cpa firm to do your shit. Get service contracts with a company that does it all for household systems-plumbing, electrical, hvac.

I assume OP has a nanny and cleaning person so they are there to open the door for service people. Unless OP is at another level of complication like an Angelina Jolie traveling with multiple homes and children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I own a business with a couple dozen employees. I have numerous other business interests. Married with two young kids. Two homes. I have very little free time. I have dreamed about hiring a personal assistant for years. Dh and I agreed that when I made over a very significant threshold I could hire one. Fast forward a few years and I actually did surpass the threshold.

I've done some Internet research, but am still not certain whether it is worth the expense. Also I feel as if some one would have to train me on how to use one.

Does anyone have any insight? And yes, ths is definitely a rich people problem, but is a real one and I haven't the slightest clue who to ask.

A personal assistant might have been a great help prior to modern conveniences for running a household. Think of online banking and bill payment as the equivalent of the dishwasher and washing machine. Put utilities and junk on autopayment from an account just for bills. Stop paper bills so there is less coming to the house. Deal with one insurer for home/auto policies=on the same profile web page. Cut out most credit cards. The time you'd spend with the asst would be less than what it takes to manage this stuff. Or get a cpa firm to do your shit. Get service contracts with a company that does it all for household systems-plumbing, electrical, hvac.

I assume OP has a nanny and cleaning person so they are there to open the door for service people. Unless OP is at another level of complication like an Angelina Jolie traveling with multiple homes and children.

Op here. I have everything on auto pay. We do have a nanny and cleaning person. I have a CPA firm and a full time accountant who works for me. I have a property management firm for my rentals. Still I find myself unable to do little thins I would like to do (schedule lunches, dinners, play dates, arrange for repair people, send thank you notes, send gifts, someone to keep me on schedule, send my personal mail, check, sort and reply to email, organize business contacts, plan vacations, update my personal financial statements monthly, keep track of insurance policies and update as necessary, coordinate refinancing, move money between personal bank accounts, make reservations, pull together preliminary information on potential business opportunities, screen, sort and respond to phone calls, receive and keep track of minor personal income streams too small for my accountants, etc).

[Anonymous]

OP, do you have an admin at work that you trust and that would like to earn a few extra bucks? I had a friend that used to do this stuff for her former employer. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

OP, definitely a rich people problem.
I don't know, an assistant just seems unnecessary. "send my personal mail", "move money between personal bank accounts", "coordinate refinancing" -- Those are all very personal and somewhat private things. And planning vacations? That should be a fun, rewarding thing for you and your partner/family to do together.
Your nanny can schedule playdates and be there for repair people.
It takes 2 minutes to make a dinner reservation and to schedule a lunch.
Sending gifts and writing thank-you notes aren't a daily or even weekly occurrence and would be entirely impersonal for someone else to do for you- why even do it?
I'm not trying to be completely rude, I just think it's many very tiny things that are easily do-able, but maybe they are just adding up and you feel overwhelmed?

[Anonymous]

In my 20's I did this sort of thing. You are right, the biggest problem is that a lot of time people don't know how to use a PA (this is assuming you have found a competent PA, which is a whole other issue).

I did some very personal things for very very busy people. I know that I made life easier for my employers and if I ever struck it right I'd totally hire someone.

[Anonymous]

You want a secretary, like my mother was her whole life. She always worked for very rich people (men) in their office, but doing almost entirely personal stuff. She knew things and had access to information his wife didn't even have.

Be careful.

[Anonymous]

My boss has someone like this - she books flights, orders (and returns) new clothes and gifts, researches costs for things like insurance, utilities, and big purchases, makes lunch and dinner reservations (personal and business) and medical appointments, keeps track of business expenses for tax purposes, pays bills, deals w/ utilities and arranges for needed work for the three homes, pays other bills, etc. You just need to hire well - find someone overqualified (a well-educated SAHM who formerly held a job requiring trust or a security clearance and who wants to work from home 10 hours a week, for example) and guarantee a certain number of hours a week with the proviso that s/he be on call during certain hours or for specific work (such as when you travel and may need someone to deal with stuff at your house at a certain time).

[Anonymous]

OP, if you hire well, the PA will be the one training you. Be forewarned that you get what you pay for, though.

[Anonymous]

DH uses an online PA company. His PA,"Sid" has posted internship opportunities on local college list servs, job listings on other boards, contacted a couple of companies to get price quotes on their services, booked hotels for us, made dinner reservations, etc. He pays for a certain amount of hours per month and the guy basically does anything.

DH has recommended the service to some of his friends, who also love it.

[Anonymous]

What is the name of the online Pa company?

[Anonymous]

I haven't hired a personal assistant - though if you had your personal assistant contact me to schedule lunch or dinner, or a playdate, I would most certainly decline. I say this just to remind you that having a PA isn't necessary the solution you're looking for. I imagine most poople would be put off by that kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

OP sounds like she is disorganized and not in control of her personal/family life to be such a successful businesswoman. No sympathy here. Why don't you hire a young family member whose trying to find their way in life but also needs some mentoring. Whole idea of a PA sounds silly unless you live in LA.

[Anonymous]

Why not ask your secretary to do a lot if this stuff, like a PPs mother did? Start out small and don't call him or her a pa, just call them an admin or secretary and start taking with these small things until over a period of years they get it. Then always check their work.