On mission with a helping hand
The idea for a new business came to Steve Sharp when he found himself unable to fully enjoy visits with his parents, who live in an assisted living facility, because his time was spent running small, but important errands for them. Last January, Sharp started Mothers on a Mission and is now running errands and making shopping trips for his clients who are elderly, home-bound, or are those who for some reason need a little help.
“It was my mother’s triple bypass and recovery that was the final push to form Mothers on a Mission, because as she became better the need for a caregiver became less and less,” said Sharp, who was born in San Diego in 1954. “However, she still needed errands run and things from the store, which I could not fit into my schedule, so I hired a local gal to help me. The name for the business hit me then and there – Mothers on a Mission.”
Sharp decided to begin his new business venture while still working as a division manager at Jim Russell Racing Driver’s School at Infineon Raceway. He already had a few satisfied clients when a box of flyers advertising Mothers on a Mission arrived in the mail. On that very same day he received another more unwelcome delivery: a pink slip. Sharp took this as a sign that Mothers on a Mission would become his life’s work.
“The lack of personal transportation, which most of us take for granted, can add an element of frustration, inconvenience, and even risk to seniors’ lives when they need to take a trip to the store, post office, or video store” said Sharp, who has also worked in sales, marketing, and advertising. “The most rewarding part of the job is knowing that I am providing a comfort level to those who have previously doubted they could get the items they need.”
When Mothers on a Mission’s clients call in their shopping lists before 1 p.m. they can expect their items to be delivered to them that very same day. Those request calls that come in after 1 p.m. result in deliveries early the following day. Errand requests are always completed within 48 hours. This basic program costs $15 for the first errand, $10 for the second, and is available Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. A weekly, unlimited shopping and errand service costs $100, which doesn’t include the cost of the groceries.
Mothers on a Mission premier service offers, in addition to shopping and errand running, three visits and two calls to the client per week on the days the staff isn’t making a house call. During the visits, staff does light household chores, makes pleasant conversation, and picks up the client’s shopping and errand lists. The staff is available by phone while doing the shopping and errands, just in case the client needs additional items. This program costs $200 per week.
“The most challenging part of the business is that people know exactly what they want and it is hard for them to trust others to purchase the correct items they have requested,” said Sharp. “To accomplish this we will call the customer several times during our shopping trip to confirm the item or to let them know the store is out of a certain item, which can happen because our clients are often using sales flyers.”
Sharp is working hard to expand Mothers on a Mission’s client base and hopes that soon he can employ local moms, who can earn extra cash much needed during these tough economic times. He sees his business model as also being a perfect fit for busy professionals and has plans to add a “Girl Friday” service, which will provide business support by making copies, mailing letters and packages, and performing any number of such tasks.
“I started with Mothers on a Mission a few weeks ago and I was quite impressed with the job they did for me at what I think is very fair charge,” said Alice Rogers, who has lived in an adult community in the Sonoma Valley for 30 years and needed someone to pick up items for her at a few stores. “I think it is a wonderful idea and have been telling all my friends about it. I think, once the word gets out, they’ll be very busy.”
Mothers on a Mission; 707.888.0629.
