by Kara | Nov 17, 2022 | Gifts, Small Business
As many of us who have stopped into a grocery store or turned on the radio lately may have noticed — the holiday season has begun. And although it might seem like it creeps up on us a little bit quicker each year, it’s never too early to start planning.
Let your friends and family know you’re thinking of them with our holiday gift guide. We’ve featured some great local businesses!
DIY Kits and Classes at The Works
Know someone on your list who can’t get enough of arts and crafts?
Located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, The Works is a woman-owned and woman-operated business. You can find in-person classes and DIY kits for everything from cooking to gardening to creative crafts. Grab a gift card, purchase a DIY kit or sign up you and your loved one for a future class together.
Washington State Discover Pass
Whether you’re buying a gift for an avid outdoorsman or a friend who enjoys simply reading in the park, they’ll greatly appreciate a Washington State Discover Pass as a present this holiday season.
One pass gives the holder and up to two vehicles unlimited access to millions of state-managed lands across Washington State for a year. This includes more than 100 state parks, 350 campgrounds, nearly 700 water access points like lakes and rivers, and more than 30 wildlife areas. Learn more about the pass here.
Washington Mountain Glasses and Gifts From North Drinkware
Although North Drinkware operates out of Portland, Oregon, the folks there rep the Pacific Northwest all the way up the coast.
They meticulously design each piece of glassware using U.S. Geological Survey data to accurately represent majestic landmarks, including Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens. They also offer blankets, coasters, cards and other unique gifts.
Take and Bake Decadent Desserts From Hot Cakes
If you’re like us, you have at least a few people on your list who’d appreciate some chocolaty goodness (including yourself). Luckily, we have just the recommendation for you.
Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in Ballard and Capitol Hill also offers take-and-bake kits to make its decadent desserts in the comfort of your own home.
Seattleness: A Cultural Atlas
Check out local specialties — from sasquatch discoveries and UFO sightings to music history, mountaintop data and local landmark trivia!
This visually rich cultural atlas of Seattle by Tera Hatfield is the perfect book for anyone who calls or has called the Emerald City home. Order it from Seattle publisher Sasquatch Books or your favorite local bookseller.
Book-It Rep Theatre Tickets
Sometimes an experience is the best gift of all, especially when it combines two things we love: books and theater!
The Book-It Repertory Theatre, located in the Seattle Center, has been putting on literature-based plays for over 30 years. Spread the love of local performance art with tickets to an upcoming show or a full season subscription.
KEXP Membership
Do you have a passionate music lover in your life? We’re lucky enough to live in the same area as one of the best nonprofit community-run radio stations out there, KEXP 90.3.
This holiday season, gift a monthly donation in your loved one’s name. While you’re at it, be sure to check out KEXP’s gathering space — including a coffee shop, worktables and couches, and a record store — across from the Space Needle.
Candle From Cancelled Plans
Over the past few years, some of us have really leaned into the self-care, cozy stay-home vibes. And there’s nothing wrong with that!
Cancelled Plans celebrates the joy that comes with unexpectedly having a little less to do. With clever names like “It’s Freezing Outside,” “90’s Baby,” “It’s Fine I’m Fine” and “Student Loans,” these locally made luxury candles don’t just smell incredible — they’re also extremely relatable.
Need more ideas? Check out our holiday gift guides from 2021 and 2020 on our blog.
Celebrate the Season With Pepper’s Personal Assistants
This season should be all about spending time with your loved ones, not stressing over an endless to-do list!
Pepper’s Personal Assistants wants to give you your own time back. And that means you can tackle your personal goals and make lasting memories.
We can help if you need assistance during the holidays, whether that involves picking up online orders, ordering cards, doing grocery shopping for dinner parties or dropping off gifts at the post office.
[Related: How a Personal Assistant Can Help This Holiday Season]
We provide long-term support to busy executive households who are ready to outsource. As a result, our clients have more time and headspace to focus on their families, their careers and the things they truly love.
Check out our service packages today, and treat yourself this holiday season. Contact us with any questions!
Featured image via Pexels
by Kara | Nov 2, 2022 | Organizational
With the holidays just around the corner, our normal workloads are about to quadruple in size and scope. Santa Claus may have an entire workshop of elves to help him get through the holiday rush, but how are all of us mortals south of the North Pole supposed to cope?
One recent study shows that 60% of Americans feel increased stress and anxiety around the holidays. The hustle and bustle can be overwhelming, so you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for the help you need. But when friends and family are going through their own holiday stressors, who do you turn to?
While we may not have the magical powers required to make a sleigh fly, we do know the next best thing: a personal assistant who can make your life run smoothly.
Here’s how a personal assistant can help you this holiday season.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
Shop for Gifts
Once you’re done making a list and checking it twice, the hard work begins: braving holiday traffic, mall crowds and busy stores to pick up the perfect presents.
But especially as you rush to complete your workload at the office in time for the holiday weekend — perhaps even putting in some overtime or working late nights — finding time to devote to gift shopping can be challenging. Besides, the free time you do have on weekends is precious and to be savored, not spent in a harrowing stampede of shoppers.
Hand off your gift list to us, and we’ll handle the chaotic parking lots and long lines. You can sit back, relax and enjoy the real reason for the season — spending time with loved ones. We’ll load up the sleigh and shuttle the haul back to your home for wrapping (which we’re happy to help with, if you’d like!).
Delegate and Send Out Greeting Cards
How many times have you planned to send out old-fashioned holiday cards? And then before you know it, the season’s wrapping up — and you haven’t addressed half the envelopes or even purchased the cards?
Your personal assistant can help you find the perfect greeting cards, gather names, address envelopes and ensure they’re all in the mail on time.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer Is Yes.]
Brave the Post Office and Mail Packages
The post office run can be a truly chaotic errand during the holiday season. Lines are often out the door, and in the ruckus it’s easy to forget to send out packages on schedule.
Trust your personal assistant to gather all gifts headed to far-off friends and family and make sure they’re shipped on the dot. They’ll also brave the long lines and the mayhem of actually going inside the post office.
Book Lodging and Travel Accommodations
Are you planning on traveling for the holidays?
A personal assistant can take the stress off booking lodging and travel arrangements. First, your assistant can sift through the endless hotel and Airbnb reviews to find you the ideal option. Next, they’ll do their best to snag you a flight for a decent price (and at a decent time).
Prep Before Events
Whether you’ll host an extravagant holiday meal with the entire extended family or have a few friends over for a small gift exchange, if you plan to open your home this season, chances are you’ve got a few to-dos before entertaining.
Your personal assistant is here to lend a hand as you prepare everything from the menu to the house itself.
Got a few small pieces to finish off your festive decor scheme (wintry figurines, decorative pillows, wreaths, garlands or candles)? We’re happy to set them out on the couch, mantle, coffee table or elsewhere.
While we’re at it, how about some help with grocery shopping and meal prep? We’re experts at chopping veggies for the stuffing and fruit for the pie.
Need someone at home to sign off on a special delivery package? Or maybe you need someone to water those poinsettias, put away the laundry and tidy up the living room before the guests arrive? You can count on us to complete tasks at home and beyond!
[Related: Pepper’s Personal Assistants’ Local Seattle Holiday Gift Guide 2021]
Lighten Your Seasonal Load
Between work obligations and social events, family gatherings and seasonal errands, your already-busy life gets about five times busier during the holiday season.
Fortunately, you’ll find no better time to enlist personal assistant services.
Your personal assistant can cover the time-consuming tasks that burden your week. We’ll drop off and pick up your party dress or suit from the dry cleaners just in time for that festive soiree.
Hitting the road for a holiday meal at grandma’s house? We can take the car in for maintenance so you can safely navigate any wet or icy highways.
Perform Absentee Services
If you’ll spend the holidays at another destination, we can hold down the fort while you’re away. Here are just a few samples of how a personal assistant can help this holiday season while you’re away:
- Picking up and/or organizing your mail, newspapers or other deliveries
- Taking out any trash or recycling
- Turning lights and electronics off or on
- Completing light tidying (like sweeping, dusting or turning down bedding)
- Monitoring your home’s temperature (in other words, running the heat if necessary for pets or houseplants that require a specific climate)
- Running faucets to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting
- Restocking the fridge and having a meal ready for your return
A personal assistant can give you reprieve from worrying about your home while out of town. That way, you’ll be able to focus on relaxing and making lasting memories with those you love during the holidays.
[Related: All About Pepper’s Personal Assistants—and How We Can Help]
Relax This Holiday Season With Pepper’s Personal Assistants
Getting ready for the holidays should be exciting, not stressful.
Embrace the warmth and merriment of the next several weeks and avoid the panic of last-minute preparations — Pepper’s Personal Assistants has your back.
Interested in learning more about how a personal assistant can help this holiday season? Contact Pepper’s today!
by Kara | Sep 21, 2022 | Organizational, Parenting
When the first bell rings at the end of summer, for busy working parents, it means so much more than the end of a nine-week break from school. It seems as soon as September rolls around, the shortening days close in on a landslide of seasonal commitments and back-to-school stress.
Then, add daily school drop-off and pickup, after-school chauffeur duties, homework help and the impending holiday rush to the mix of ‘round-the-clock career, home and social responsibilities.
Now you’ve got a recipe for stretching yourself too thin.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
For bogged-down parents who find themselves in need of an extra set of hands during this busy time, enlist a professional personal assistant (PA) to help pick up the slack. The best part? Your freed-up schedule makes room for more quality family time!
The trick is to get back into the swing of things before the holidays hit. You can use September and October to tackle your to-do list before Halloween gives way to the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas takeover. This is where your PA steps in to save the season.
Here are a few ways PAs can help lighten the load during the frenzied back-to-school season.
Meal Planning and Prep
Grocery shopping for dinner ingredients and preparing each component can eat up a lot of your spare time.
While you’re at work, hand off your shopping list to your PA. We’ll shop during non-peak hours and stock your kitchen with all the fresh and dry goods you need. We can also measure and chop vegetables beforehand, so all you have to do when you get home is assemble, serve and enjoy.
Our PAs can even pick up your favorite bottle of wine so you can pamper yourself with a glass once the kids are in bed!
As a result, you replace mealtime stress with relaxing personal time.
[Related: Burnout: What’s at Stake and What Can You Do About It?]
Scheduling
We can take care of calendar organization, including scheduling important dates:
- Upcoming doctor and dental appointments
- Yard services
- Car tune-ups
- Repair services
- Haircuts and beauty appointments
- Child and pet care arrangements
- Home delivery coordination and reception
Our PAs can also make sure that any school-related events — such as PTA meetings, field trips, concerts and other extracurricular activities — make it onto the calendar. That way, they’re easy for you to review. Never double-book again with the help of a PA.
Taking Care of the House in Your Absence
Flying out to visit the in-laws for the holidays? Your PA will take care of your home while you’re away — whether this means watering plants, cleaning up after the kitty, checking the mail, restocking the fridge or all of the above.
Event Planning
Hosting a holiday party or Thanksgiving dinner? Allow your sidekick to manage your invites and get a head start on the shopping.
Maybe your child wants a very specifically themed birthday party, and you don’t have time to research who exactly the Avengers are and what kind of cupcakes Iron Man is into. A PA can take the reins and work with your budget to plan an unforgettable event.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer Is Yes.]
Shopping for School Supplies
It can seem that each year, school supply lists keep getting longer and longer. And because every parent out there needs to get those items, navigating busy stores can take a lot more time than it needs to.
Pass off these lists to your PA. They’ll grab all the notebooks, pens, pencils, tissues, and crayons your kid will need this year.
Pet Care
With the increased activities of fall, one or two family members may feel a bit neglected. Let your PA make sure your furry, four-legged friends get enough care and attention on those extra-busy days when you aren’t home that much.
Our PAs can guarantee your animals are happy and entertained. They’ll feed, walk, make vet appointments and give extra belly rubs.
Balancing Career and Home Life
Own a small business? Wrapped up in a full-time consulting job? Staying late at the office as business picks up during the fall and winter?
With a PA to take care of errands, chores and home life details, you can focus your energy on workday operations for maximum success — and use your hard-earned time off to relax for once.
[Related: Case Study: How One Mom Got Back Her Time]
Relax This Fall With the Help of Pepper’s Personal Assistants
If you’re thinking of starting your PA journey, contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants today. Let’s get started!
Want to learn more? Check out the best interview questions to ask a PA, our advice for getting started with your PA and the five apps we recommend for making back-to-school time a bit easier.
Featured image via Pexels
by Kara | Aug 2, 2022 | Outsourcing
At Pepper’s Personal Assistants, we will listen to your specific needs and work hard to match you perfectly with the ideal personal assistant (PA). While we are confident in our recruiting process, you may have additional questions. Feel confident in your decision by asking the best interview questions for personal assistants.
Here’s how it works.
Our HR Director will do a deep dive into your preferences and seek out a dedicated personal assistant to provide you with recurring household support. Then, we will facilitate a meeting between you and a potential PA where we will discuss Pepper’s Personal Assistants’ policies and guidelines, and you can bring up any concerns you might have.
Before deciding to go forward with your matched assistant, you may want to consider asking the following questions so that you can feel confident everyone is on the same page.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
Why Are You a Personal Assistant and What Do You Enjoy About Your Role?
Before venturing into more detailed questions, asking why this PA candidate has pursued this job path and what they enjoy about being a personal assistant can help you get to know their goals and what type of person they are. It’s also a great open-ended icebreaker question.
What Are Some of Your Hobbies and Interests Outside of Work?
Asking the candidate about their hobbies and interests outside of work can also help you get to know them. Someone who has similar interests and hobbies might be more of a great fit for you since they can relate to your daily life. Their special interests could also potentially benefit your working relationship.
For example, if the candidate loves the outdoors and you are just beginning to embark on camping trips, they might be able to provide specialized insight on camping packing and to-do lists, best places to hike, and local businesses they recommend supporting.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer is Yes.]
What Specific Skills or Strengths Set You Apart?
Find out if the candidate has any special skills or strengths that set them apart from other candidates. Who knows? Your potential PA could be extremely skilled at something that could benefit you through minimizing your mental load and decreasing your stress level.
If Your Client Needs to Go on a Last Minute Trip, How Would You Support Them?
The answer to this interview question can reveal a lot about a potential PA. Asking the candidate how they would support you during this kind of last-minute situation (i.e. booking flights, rental cars, finding a hotel room, and making sure everything runs smoothly at home) can give you insight into if they’d be a good match..
[Related: Will More Free Time Bring You Joy?]
How Do You Deal with a Stressful Situation?
You should feel confident that your PA can handle stressful situations efficiently and in a way that complements your needs. Asking someone how they manage stress themselves is especially important when finding the best personal assistant fit.
What Are You Most Proud of in Regards to Your Past Experiences Supporting Others?
Allow the candidate to take time to shine. Find out what they’re most proud of accomplishing in their past roles. This can help you get an idea of what they might be able to accomplish for your household as well.
[Related: Our Advice for Getting Started with Your Personal Assistant]
Find the Best-Fitting PA for Your Needs with Pepper’s Personal Assistants
Pepper’s Personal Assistants are ready to listen to your particular needs and find you an assistant that will make your daily life easier, and give you more time to focus on the things that matter.
Asking the best interview questions for personal assistants is just one part of the personal assistant journey. Do you want to learn more about the process of hiring a PA through Pepper’s Personal Assistants? Curious about The Pepper’s Way? Check out our services and get started today.
by Kara | May 4, 2022 | Travel Services
School will be out soon, the weather is heating up, and you might find yourself looking at some summer getaways. But before you stuff your suitcase and lather on the sunscreen, you have to think about logistics. Where are you going? How are you getting there? And how will everything continue to run smoothly while you’re gone?
Whether you’re looking at a month-long tropical stay or a simple hotel weekend to yourself, here’s how a personal assistant can help you prepare for your summer vacation and help you stay organized while you’re gone.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer is Yes.]
Book Hotel and Flight
First thing’s first—where are you staying? We all know how much time you can waste opening tab after tab of flight and accommodation sites. A personal assistant can sift through the seemingly endless online reviews for hotels and possible flights and present you with the best options under your specifications.
Itinerary Planning
Looking for activities to do while you’re on vacation? Making plans of things to do ahead of time is smart—after all, you want to make the most of your time away. Let your personal assistant research some exhilarating (or ultra-relaxing) events to add to your itinerary.
Laundry
Imagine your flight leaves early the next morning. You just realize all of your summer clothes are still in the attic and you are definitely running out of clean socks. This is where your personal assistant can come to the rescue. Personal assistants can take care of pre-vacation laundry, and retrieving some seasonally appropriate options out of storage so that you won’t be scrambling to pack the night before.
[Related: Will More Free Time Bring You Joy?]
Pet-sitting
If you aren’t planning on taking your furry companions on summer vacation with you, you’re going to have to make sure they’re fed and not too lonely while you’re away. Ease your mind and hire a personal assistant to take your dogs on walks, play with your cats, and feed your fish while you’re enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Package and Mail Pick-Up
Did you know that last year people reported approximately 210 million packages stolen off of front porches across the U.S.? If you don’t have a secure spot for mail and packages, a personal assistant can help you avoid being part of that statistic. They can drop by when you anticipate receiving packages and safely and securely store them in your home.
Lawn and Garden Care
Summer means soaking up the sun. While that may be the goal for your vacation, it can also wreck your lawn. Put your mind at ease! Hiring a personal assistant to keep up with lawn and garden care while you’re away. If your yard requires more attention than simply watering the plants, your personal assistant can be there for any scheduled landscaper or gardener appointment.
[Related: How to Get Back on Top of Your Routine and Enjoy Your Summer]
Enjoy Your Summer Vacation with Pepper’s Personal Assistants!
Planning and going on summer vacation shouldn’t be stressful. Avoid the panic of last-minute preparations. Don’t worry about who will take care of everything while you’re gone—Pepper’s Personal Assistants has your back. Our personal assistants can help you prepare for a well-deserved summer vacation and keep things running smoothly at home.
Contact us today for a consultation!
Featured image via Unsplash
