Week Twenty Six - The Concierge is Launched!!

Well I find it somewhat fitting that exactly six months into writing this blog (halfway you'll be pleased to know) I am finally announcing the launch of the first of my business ventures - and as my loyal followers you're the first to know.

As of yesterday Miss Snowden Presents Ltd was incorporated.  It will be a bit of a emporium of ventures which will organically grow in the next few months/years.  The first of these micro businesses is The Concierge - consider it a personal assistant that is designed to make life just a wee bit easier.

For years I have been a planner / organiser / manager.  I have been known as The Organiser, The Concierge, A Pain in the **** so on and so forth.  When I was lucky enough to participate in an INSEAD Leadership Course in Australia a few years ago I had to get feedback from ten people about me.  It was a deeply searching questionnaire and some of it quite hard to read when you got the results.  One of the brighter points though was that 9 out of 10 respondents to the question "if Gillian wasn't doing the role she does today what would she be doing?" said I'd be an events manager.  The other one said I would be CJ Crane of West Wing fame (the President of the United States Press Officer then Chief Of Staff).  That has always played at the back of my mind.

Then a couple of years ago my friend and I tried to work out how we could set up a business aimed at being personal assistant to professionals who don't have time to organise their lives.  We didn't really get anywhere with it.

After last weeks blog I received feedback to say that if it wasn't for the role I'd taken in distilling the Commonwealth Games then the person in question would not have been aware of, let alone take part in, any of the festival that is going on on our doorstep.  The suggestion (over a very long liquid lunch in the sun) was that I should set up a business doing it.

And so joining the dots on all these nuggets, I am delighted to announce the launch of The Concierge.  I offer three services:
1. The Daily Grind (available from January 2015) - I shall be in allotted office block atriums on certain days of the week to pick up dry cleaning, shoe repairs and any other errands and will be back at the end of the day to hand them back.

2.  The Host(ess) with the Most(est) - whether its a dinner for friends, a kids party, a special occasion (including weddings) or a holiday - I'll do all the organising to meet your requirements so you can concentrate on enjoying the event (and no-one has to know).

3. Mañana - for people who have a list as long as their arm of domestic jobs that need done but never get to them - everything from organising tradespeople to car services, utility comparisons and any of the other services above.  This is a 'bundle' service where you book so many hours a month dependent on what you need done.

The Concierge is now live, has its first couple of clients and is the first of a number of little businesses which make up Miss Snowden Presents Ltd.  You'll hear more about the other exciting components in the coming weeks and months (then the name will make sense) - in fact I'll be looking for your help with one of them.

My website will be up and running hopefully on Thursday so please take a look and give me feedback.  If I've set it up correctly then it is www.theconcierge.org.uk

Whilst based in Glasgow, the nature of the business means that my services can transcend geographical boundaries (especially when it comes to The Host(ess) with the Most(est)) - so it would be great if there is anything I can help you with.  Here are the pics of my business card for your info...

Not bad given it didn't exist on Friday!!

Whilst becoming a micro captain of commerce I have also had a few other minor projects on the go this week.

First of all I have finally finished my first up-cycling project.  It started life as a pine blanket box donated to me a number of years ago by the Clegg family.  It remains a blanket box but you'll see what I've done to it below.  A few lessons learned along the way including the fact that just cos I don't like sanding doesn't mean I shouldn't do it properly!!  There will be more to follow and if anyone would like me to up-cycle a piece of furniture for them then I can.

Before (nearly forgot to take the "Before" picture)

And after

This stunning masterpiece can be sold if anyone loves it that much!!!!

My second micro project that is kicking off is making olive oil - I hope.  After a few years of dormancy, my olive tree is actually budding and I'm pretty optimistic (if the weather stays good) that I may collect a mini harvest and manage to make a tiny amount of olive oil - wishful thinking perhaps but the great thing is that all the skills I learned on the vineyard this year about pruning to direct energy etc are coming into their own now.  It may not be wine but olive oil is definitely a nectar in its own right.  I'll keep you posted with progress - I know you'll be interested...

Lastly I have developed my Barista skills slightly this week - can you believe its been so hot in Glasgow that morning coffee is not an option.  So instead I've made iced coffee for the first time.  How did I do it - the proper way.  Grind a third of a cup of coffee beans and put them in an individual caffetiere.  Add cold water and put in the fridge overnight with the plunger up.  In the morning you'll have a beautiful strong brew of coffee.  Put a lot of ice in a glass, add milk then pour your coffee over the top (you can add flavours if its just a bit bitter).  An absolute winner for this year. Thought I'd show off my tree and my coffee!!

So whilst doing lots of micro things this week I have...

...HUNG OUT AT home quite a bit doing all my projects (and reading the most amazing book given to me by a friend - Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch)...

...WINED ON...as well as a boozy Friday lunch (6.5 hours) there was also Cafe Gandolfi wine club this week with Francesca from Planeta in Sicily (this winery makes olive oil too so I'm not mad) and a wine tasting at The Blythswood hosted by Buff Wines.  Highlight wine of these events was actually the bottle ordered after wine club finished to compliment dinner.  It is a Greek off dry wine called Malagousia from a winery called Ktina Gerovassiliou.  It is beautiful on its own and would also have been a compliment to the very interesting dish from the Cafe Gandolfi team which I DINED ON - Hot Smoked Salmon Fishcakes with Gooseberry Jam.  The dish itself was a taste sensation (hence I've combined WINED ON and DINED ON) and the slightly sweet wine would have been perfect with it - must try them together sometime.

And so as I sign off we are on the cusp of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.  The city is ready and starting to develop a great atmosphere.  Tomorrow sees the Queens Baton coming through oor wee bit of the world and more importantly the wonderful Sara Clegg is carrying the baton into one of its key stops in the day.  With a party afterwards, it is bound to be the most amazing day and I look forward to reporting back on this and the myriad of other events I'll be attending over the course of the next couple of weeks.

A bit of a watershed week for me (I think the shackles of the corporate world, other peoples perceptions and a conservative view of how to make a living are finally off - for now anyway).  It may not be a massive leap off a cliff but it is a tiptoe off a slight gradient.

Have a great one.  G