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Nothing wrong with DIY if you are really ‘into’ building/maintaining your website, but I wanted to focus on client work. So I turned it over to the pros, and I highly recommend Greta Perry and her team at Kickify (https://kickify.com/about/). Kickify didn’t do my original website design, but they’ve cleaned and spruced it up and made it compliant (SSL, etc.). Responsible, responsive, and reasonably priced!
Holly, I’ve been watching your post because I’m curious about the same thing. [While Dave’s political ramblings can drive me crazy, much of his financial advice is spot-on, and he has helped a lot of people get out — and stay out! — of debt.]
If you decide to go forward with it, let me know!
Faith, have you googled “hire estate or household manager”? I just did, and skimmed a few of more than 25M ‘hits’ — some very interesting reading! Here’s just one to get you (her) started: https://www.women.com/rebekkahowell/lists/how-to-hire-a-household-manager.
I’m eager to hear from colleagues who have experience in this arena — I think I want one now. 🙂
I don’t have any words of wisdom based on experience, but some interesting thoughts here: https://www.zerodayfinance.com/business-expenses-on-credit-card.
I’ll be interested to read what other colleagues have to say on this one.
Woohoo! Conference registration just opened up and I’ve already reserved my spot. Also a wonderful room at the DeSoto [https://www.thedesotosavannah.com], a beautiful hotel in the heart of the city’s historic district. Hope to see all of you there!
Karen, I can’t offer any personal experience, but a quick Google search for “estate liquidation professional qualifications” resulted in more than 5 millions hits. If you haven’t already looked at the website for the American Society of Estate Liquidators® (ASEL), I commend it to you. Here is one snippet copied from that site:
Questions for a prospective estate sale company:
How long have you been in business? [Those new to the industry can be excellent too, especially if they have been professionally trained.]
Ask for 2-3 professional references for sales they have conducted recently
Ask if they have any credentials, certifications, special education?
Do they charge a flat fee or commission?
What is their percentage of commission?
What services are included in that percentage?
What must I do to prepare for you to begin?
Are there any additional fees? Additional services you offer?
Do you charge extra to clean up prior to the sale, as well as post-sale?
How many days will it take you to set up for the sale?
Do you price every item?
How do you keep track of what items sell for?
How many days do you hold the sale?
Can the family be present? (generally not recommended)
How do you handle discounts or negotiations?
May I see a copy of your contract?
Are you insured/bonded?
Do you also clean out estates? If so, how much do you charge?To your success!
Jennifer, don’t give up! It takes time to develop a reputation where others will feel confident entrusting you with their business … or referring others to you for assistance. It’s all about relationships, right? Have you gotten involved in a local nonprofit organization; church; or other organization/venue where people can get to know you personally? How about offering classes at the local adult learning center or library? Of course these activities won’t translate into billable hours quickly, but by working ON your business now, you’ll build a solid foundation for working IN your business down the road a bit. Good luck!
Jennifer, I commend this blog to you (and others) about spotting and dealing with ‘crazy-maker’ clients: http://www.passionforbusiness.com/blog/crazymaker-clients2/.
That said, I applaud you for recognizing that sometimes (very rarely, one would hope) we must ‘fire’ a client. If she has paid for a package of hours, you might want to wait until the prepaid hours are expended before pulling the plug. In any event, I would recommend that you TELL her in person what you need to say, then follow up in writing — something short and definitive such as, “I understand you are dissatisfied with my services. I will provide you the names of some other Daily Money Managers who may be a better fit for you. I wish you only the best going forward.” (I found three other DMMs in Maine, but I have no idea their proximity to you. It would be great if you could refer her to someone else, but of course that may not be possible.)
I will also send to you emails from NAPO colleagues regarding a similar situation/topic. They’re from a few years ago but may still be helpful as you consider how to proceed.
Good luck!
Donna, I see in the directory that you are located in Colorado, so I simply ‘googled’ the question for your state and came up with several seemingly helpful links. Perhaps one of these pages will be useful:
https://info.legalzoom.com/deleting-owner-certificate-title-divorce-colorado-27088.html
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dmv/titling-vehicleGood luck,
RoxanneAh, yes — thanks, Barbara. I’d forgotten about the higher cost Option B. (Obviously, I chose the less expensive Option A. Sorry for any confusion!)
Hmmmm, perhaps I was sleeping through that part of the process. I didn’t know there was a Background Check Badge!?
Sharyn, One of the most effective tools to prevent ‘mission creep’ is saying no, politely but firmly. But instead of ‘keeping it simple’ by severely limiting the services you provide, consider restricting the number of clients you take on initially. Why? In order to establish a sterling reputation, you need to build lasting relationships based on trust and confidence; you can’t achieve that with too many “Sorry, I don’t do that” responses. But if you provide ‘world class service’ to a small number of clients, your business will flourish.
Naturally, I say no when asked to do something clearly out of my lane; in those cases, I always recommend an appropriate service provider (perhaps an in-home health care aide; a house-cleaning service; a CPA; etc.). But since starting out in 2009, I’ve done (and still do) many things for clients that are not listed on my “Services” page. I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned along the way (even when the lesson was, “I’ll never do that again!”). All of those unanticipated tasks helped build my professional knowledge and confidence (and reputation!).
I look forward to reading what other colleagues have to say in this regard. And I know you’ll get excellent advice from Gideon!
Best wishes,
RoxanneLike Barbara, I don’t consider tax season/year end services ‘extra’: that is integral to my services. Throughout the year I periodically download to a spreadsheet each client’s income and expenses, categorizing as we go (Charitable, Medical, etc.). I provide the applicable portions of these spreadsheets to each client’s tax preparer along with the Tax Organizer (which I usually complete, as well).
Lisa, Recommend you use the search feature to find previous discussions in these forums about “Fees” … you will find several responses to a similar question that should be helpful for at least part of your query.
Good luck!
Roxanne Cheney, LLC
P.S. I just did a search on your zip code and found three AADMM members within a 20 mile radius of you. I encourage you to contact them directly to introduce yourself and discuss this and any other questions you have. I think you’ll find that we are a very collegial, cooperative clan and are always happy to talk with and encourage others who are considering or new to our profession!
