By Allie Ward
For those who thought personal assistants were only for the rich and famous, think again. Now, Mercer County residents can get the same business and personal services from a new company – Timesavers LLC.
Ewing resident JoAnn Gallo launched Timesavers in May, and offers everything from office and clerical assistance to banking to grocery shopping.
“Have you ever said, ‘Boy, I wish I could pay somebody to do this’?” Gallo said. “Anything people would want me to do, I will determine if I want to do it.”
As a state employee for over 30 years, Gallo worked as a clerk and executive assistant, running errands, arranging lunches and scheduling appointments. Timesavers incorporates those aspects of her state job, while giving her the freedom to take on other tasks as well.
“It’s everything that I already did in all my previous work and [now] I can do these things outside of the confines of an employer,” she said.
Starting a business in today’s economy has proved to be a challenge for Gallo, and though she is still waiting for her first Timesavers job, she is focused on promoting her services through many different outlets. She has posted flyers in libraries, post offices and grocery stores, contacted hospices and doctor’s offices and created her own website – your-personalassistant.com.
“Some people call me brave but they think I’m crazy,” Gallo said. “But I think time can be more precious than money.”
The market for personal concierge services is considerably larger than Gallo anticipated, with much competition.
“I thought I had this very unique idea, and it’s not,” Gallo said. “If you go online and look for personal assistants or even type in ‘Timesavers,’ you’ll find all kinds of stuff online.”
However, Gallo believes her personal touch, confidentiality and pricing will draw in customers. She does not inflate her expenses, and even offers discounts for senior citizens and veterans. Fully insured, Timesavers encourages requests for jobs not listed on the website.
Working from home, Gallo plans to enlist the help of her family if business takes off. In the meantime, she looks to make connections with individuals and build a clientele through word-of-mouth.
“I enjoy doing things for people and helping them with their problems and solving it,” she said.
