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photo by Jessica St. James
Vickie Newman, owner of P.A.L.S (Personal Assistant and Lifestyle Services), makes her way down the isles of Foodfair in Proctorville Saturday morning shopping for one of her clients. P.A.L.S. is an individual and corporate concierge service designed for time saving benefits for busy people.
Everyone needs P.A.L.S.
Proctorville business helping with life’s tasks
Originally published 10:32 a.m., January 12, 2009
Updated 05:58 p.m., January 13, 2009
Photo by Jessica St. James
Vickie Newman, owner of P.A.L.S. (Personal Assistant and Lifestyle Services), prides herself on knowing her customers needs that range from special diets to preferred products.
PROCTORVILLE — The morning meeting runs through lunch. You’ve got your coat on to go out the door and the boss wants you to stay late.
So who is going to get groceries in the house? Or pick up your niece’s birthday present? And don’t even think about cleaning the house.
That’s where P.A.L.S., a new service business based in Proctorville, can step in.
Started in 2006, P.A.L.S. or Personal Assistant and Lifestyle Services steps in to help busy professionals keep up with the nitty gritty of life like picking up the laundry, mailing out holiday cards or waiting for the plumber.
The brainchild of Vickie Newman, P.A.L.S. offers a wide range of everyday services from house sitting to arranging for lawn care and minor landscaping to running to the bank to meeting weekend guests at the airport.
Before starting her own business, Newman was in the office of the Barboursville, W.Va.-based Dirtbusters Janitorial Services, a commercial cleaning outfit.
Working with John Perry, Dirtbusters owner, Newman learned much about being an entrepreneur.
“He is very business savvy,” Newman said. “I was able to observe business in action.”
Newman was encouraged by her husband to start an in-home business, but wasn’t sure what path to take.
“It took me a while to decide what I would enjoy. My boss always says I am a nurturer by nature. I am not a nurse but I can take care of people in other ways,” Newman said.
“I did a lot of online research trying to think of the future of the area. … This will be slow, but I know it will take off. The Tri-State is growing. People have two incomes, family, children.”
All those add up to busy people needing quality time to spend at home.
“I mostly cater to busy professionals, doctors, lawyers… people who have a lot of stress,” she said. “They want to relax and not worry about mundane things.”
P.A.L.S. can clean out a garage, re-box the items to be kept, re-label and put everything back the way the owner wants it. They can go through a basket of ironing or sit with pets.
“People who go out of town will call and say I’m coming back. This is what I would like to have in my house and have it clean,” Newman said.
P.A.L.S. can even provide a virtual office whereby a staff member can handle correspondence.
“We do unusual jobs. We hardly ever turn down a job,” Newman said. “Every day is a new thing.”
For more information, contact Newman at (740) 886-0600 or visit the web site at www.call-pals.net.
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Comments
Posted by Vil (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, this service is for people that have money to throw away. Paying someone to go grocery shopping or to pick up a relatives birthday present just sounds asinine to me.
Posted by nicks_mom03 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well i think it is a wonderful buisness for the elderly who cannot get out and who dont have the family who have the time to do these things, so I say " YOU GO VICKIE NEWMAN(P.A.L.S.) and for All the TRUELY busy people who have alot on their plate. And the last time I checked this is america and everyone needs to survive at anything they choose to do. Makeing an honest dollar never hurt anyone.
Posted by TNT1985 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 12:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You go Vickie Newman (P.A.L.S.) I think it's a wounderful thing that you are doing from helping handicap and elderly people to helping professional business people with busy schedules.Keep up the good work i think the world needs more people just like you!!!
Posted by littlefish (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 3:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This service must be for the Big Fish ! Us little guys have to do our own errands, while juggling, work, home and family.
Little time left to play when you swim at the bottom of the pond!
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think its a great service for those who need it.
Its great to know there are still ambitious people out there who will find their "niche" in the job world.
Posted by busybusybee (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have used PALS several times and it is worth the money to save me time to be with friends and family. I have a hectic job and PALS takes care of my chores, shops, and reminds me of special dates I would normally forget ( and be in trouble).
Posted by PositiveWoman (anonymous) on January 19, 2009 at 7:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Greater Huntington Area is blooming into a beautiful city and booming with busy professionals who need this type of service. Yes, there are some that cannot afford this luxury, but I still see lines at the Outback Steakhouse & the Huntington Mall. PALS have their good qualities... 1) they do jobs that other people would not touch, 2) they employ the disadvataged when possible, 3) they do background checks and drug test all employees, 4) you can usually call them at the last minute, or if you are in a pinch, 5) they give discounts to the elderly & other circumstances.
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