Thursday, May 31, 2012

Time on Your Hands?

  There used to be a time when a personal assistant was all you needed to help maintain and balance work and home, but with demand comes more responsibility. If your personal assistant is a valuable asset to your success then you need that person right by your side to continue assisting with the business end of your life. Joel Libava writes “As a time-starved entrepreneur, and consumer myself, I am certainly willing and able to pay for some services that will save me time. The other thing I look for is a service that will give me more of my quality time back. Quality time for me is defined as the time I spend at my child’s basketball games, or the time spent going to an afternoon matinĂ©e with my wife and friends, as examples.” (Help for the time-starved: Service Franchises)
Enter a new catch phrase: “timed starved”. Does this fit your life? Do you always seem to run out of time trying to put everything you need to do into one day? This is especially true for people who have demanding schedules due to their 9-5 and beyond. Having a full schedule means that there needs to be at least 2 possibly 3 duplicates of yourself just to accomplish your business obligations.
What about the other side of your life? Your home, special events, or family and friends coming into town? What about the non-profit you have started up or that you work diligently for; who is there to help you sustain?
It is at this point that Odyssey Concierge steps in and takes over, your life becomes “simplified” as our dedicated and knowledgeable team continues the daily operations of your life. We understand the needs and concerns of our clients and strive to bring order and organization to every aspect of their dynamic lifestyle.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Strictly Confidential

Andy Warhol predicted that each of us would have our “15 minutes of fame”. This has become a catch phrase for the media used to describe mistresses of celebrities, Ponzi schemes and fly by night reality stars. Moreover, the once trusted personal assistance can be relieved of confidentiality and loyalty to their former employer for a minimal sum offered by media vultures, hungry for a story.

In a world where information travels at the speed of light, it is reassuring to know that privacy is still valued by most men and women in business. Odyssey Concierge is committed to guarantee the confidentiality of our clients. We are here to assist in the success of your business venture through our highly regarded and sought out services. We respect the privacy of all of our clients and under no circumstances feel it necessary or wise to divulge personal or harmful information to our clients.




Thursday, May 10, 2012

Smart Steps to a Successful Event

Step One: Plan it out. Instead of sending you and everyone else scrambling for ideas and answers, start with a plan. Delegate responsibilities so that you don’t have more than one person handling one aspect. This prevents getting two or more forms of information or worse, misinformation.
Step Two: Find a venue. Patiently. Yes, it is tiring trying to find the perfect place for your perfect event, but the end result really is whether or not you were absolutely happy with the location of your event. Before you hit the streets, do your research. The internet is a wonderful thing. Many venues show their facilities on line. Point click and pick carefully

Step Three: the initial planning should have included the menu, but it’s simple really, if it’s a sit down, very formal, it’s best to go with a reputable caterer. Cutting corners on food could mean cutting out more guest at your next event. If it’s causal find a caterer that specializes in finger foods that are easy to handle and eat without spilling all over the place. Who wants a guest with a big blotch on their clothing from your caterer?
Drinks on me: An open bar is always welcome however; if you are not covering the drinks, create a simple yet elegant drink menu so that the guest won’t badger the mixologist for prices. Your best bet: open bar with a tip jar. Keep the drinks simple and neat by again providing a short menu. Keep the drinks simple and flowing.
Step Four: Entertainment. You can never go wrong with a nice jazz trio. However, you can go wrong with a loud party band. Choose your entertainment wisely. Consider your crowd and their temperament.  If it’s an all-out party, a party band is exactly what you want. However, at more low-key networking functions, perhaps simple upbeat background music is more suitable for your event.
Step Five: Say thank you. One way to thank guests is to send them home with a party favor. Again you must consider your guest before you act. Friends and family will appreciate your whimsy when sharing a special little something to take away. More upscale events require extra consideration. Networking events “swag” should be business oriented. A small business card holder or a nice pen with usable not decorative or too feminine.
Event planning too over-whelming? Just remember, Odyssey Concierge is your life, our event, simplified.

Friday, May 4, 2012

No Place Like a Safe Home

Our last article, Serious Business Travelers Only, Odyssey Concierge addressed extended stays associated with business travel. Now we continue to look at extended business trips but this time from a more “at home” position.
As a business traveler, the comforts of home are always a pleasant amenity to an extended stay away from home. However, a smart traveler knows that taking care of home is just as important as feeling at home. The most sophisticated in-home security system in the world cannot take care of the multiple day to day task need to ensure that home is safe and secure.
Homesite Insurance suggest that business travelers avoid the tale-tell signs of an unattended home such as piled up newspapers, hanging door advertisements and over flowing mailboxes. However, absolute sure way to deter curious criminals is unpredictable activity around the home.
Odyssey Concierge is available to oversee the day-to-day operations of client homes, as well as provide daily activity and which will further ensure the safety of the household. It’s just one of the many ways that OC simplifies your life.