Say cheese!

What's the deal?

I created this blog to use specifically as a business diary. We obtained our business license for Befitting Service on June 20, 2006. It is my intention to write about the lessons we learn and the mistakes we make along the way as we build our company from nothing to something—from the ground up.

 

Right now we operate Befitting Service from our home—from the computer desk in our bedroom, to be precise. This week marks the one year anniversary of my hire with the City of Imperial Beach, which means I am eligible for the computer loan purchase program. I ordered a desktop package for Milan, and a slick laptop for myself. Gaidi and I are always trying to work on the computer during the same periods of time, and we’re starting to get frustrated! Fortunately, thanks to the computer loan program, we’ll be able to afford working independently—plus, we can write off the computer purchase for the business!

 

Working for the City has been a good transition for me, even if it pays less money. I love being close to home (I can go home for lunch or run my local errands), and I am learning a lot about my community.

 

The harder business task right now is finding clients! Because we designed our business model to cater to affluent clientele, we can’t work with just anybody—we don’t do anything with a budget under $10,000, and our fee is 15% (so anything we do nets us at least $1500—our rent for the house is $1400, so we know we only need ONE CLIENT every month to make ends meet). That’s my goal—to make at least one rent payment this year using someone else’s money.

 

So how do we get that one client??

 

I’m starting with high-end bridal shows and working backwards.

1.      Find the bridal show, look for vendors lists

2.      Inquire about advertising or vendor registration

3.      Review the available list of vendors for business (of our goal caliber) that might network with us, or does not offer the same services as we do, or if they have the same services, maybe they outsource when their schedules are full

4.      Send a friendly introductory email and see who responds!

 

I just started this process on Monday (today’s Friday), and of the 15 or so emails I’ve sent, I’ve received 2 responses—actually, it’s 3, but one of them was an auto-response, so that doesn’t count. One asked for a list of services (she might outsource) and the other is interested in a brief meeting to discuss possibly working together—wooo hooooo! ALL WE NEED IS ONE!

Befitting Service | It’s what you deserve.
Naima Finnie, Director
*   naima@befittingservice.com
þ   www.befittingservice.com

 

What's a concierge?

Since we started our new business, Befitting Service, we've had some of our friends and family members tell us how excited they are for us...immediately followed by a question:

 

"I think I understand what you do, but what's a concierge?"

 

Great question! A concierge is a person employed by a business or individual to make personal or professional arrangements. Befitting Service provides and evaluates concierge services for boutique hotels and individuals worldwide: we make sure that the people responsible for attending to your needs are doing so to the best of their ability, and we only work with people who are simply phenomenal at what they do! So at home or when you travel, Befitting Service does elegant things, and we can coordinate everything you'll need from door to door. For example:

 

Event Coordination and Design (beach parties in Koh Samui, Thailand)

Destination Weddings  (Yah Mon!)

Charitable Galas (affairs of the heart)

Corporate Care (we'll greet while you meet)

Service Evaluation (does the staff make you want to remember their names?)

Staff Enhancements (great service made better)

Hospitality Accoutrements (Martha who?)

Transportation  (helicopters sure are loud!)

Exotic Destination Tours (we will take you to Amsterdam)

International Forerunning (ever been to Bali?)

 

Your feedback is really helping us define and elevate the services we provide. And thanks for referring us to your friends!

 

Your support is appreciated,

Naima & Gaidi Finnie

Befitting Service | It’s what you deserve.
Naima Finnie, Director
*   naima@befittingservice.com
þ   www.befittingservice.com

What does the title mean?

What do I mean by "from the ground up"...I'm not really sure.
I just know that i feel something about me changing; it's based on circumstances--I am not unhappy or sad or depressed or angry...just...changing.

Rebuilding.
Restructuring.
REPRIORITIZING.

Let's see where this new journey leads.