Call Sheilah! - Call Sheilah! News

Sheilah Discusses Decluttering, Downsizing, and Moving on Spectrum News Albany

10/28/2020

JoDee Kenney of Spectrum News Albany recently (week of October 25th) had a conversation with CallSheilah! The story covered how Sheilah helps people get tough tasks done for the home or for business. Sheilah also shared some helpful tips.

See part of the video here on the CallSheilah! Facebook Page or click the image below.

JoDee Kenney is a television news anchor, podcast host, inspirational speaker, and consultant.

Creating order and peace with Call Sheilah!

10/13/2020

Sheilah was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Long Island. From a young age, she found herself helping her parents, friends, and family with projects of all sizes. She always had a desire to tackle problems, in fairness and injustice, and that desire only grew over the years.

Upon moving to the Capital Region, Sheilah began building a career in the non-profit world, specifically as an activist and advocate. No matter her job title over the years, Sheilah always worked hard to see projects through from beginning to end. Four and a half years ago, this talent and enthusiasm led to the launch of her own business: Call Sheilah! Your Personal Concierge and Move Specialist.

So, what exactly does a personal concierge do? Sheilah put it best, “We’ll do whatever task you don’t want to do, especially the ones that make your eyes roll into the back of your head.” Of course, there are a few caveats. “If we have the skillset, and as long as it’s legal,” Sheilah added. But other than that, the sky’s the limit.

“Asking for help is a spiritual act,” she explains. However, Sheilah understands just how easy it is to become overwhelmed by all facets of a busy life. “Many people need help with overwhelming projects not because they can’t do it themselves, but because it may not be something they can accomplish because of other overwhelming aspects of their lives: children, jobs, aging parents, dogs, business, and so on.”

From small to large, Sheilah has seen it all. Sheilah’s shopped for groceries, picked up dry cleaning, and helped pack up an entire four-bedroom house and coordinated the logistics for the relocation. Once, she even helped a family find the perfect puppy. In the professional realm, she helps companies organize focus groups, downsize, relocate or plan events.

Recently, during the Covid-19 lockdown, the types of projects she has worked on and how she handles them have changed. “To be quite honest, I thought the business was going to tank,” shared Sheilah. “Not because people didn’t need Call Sheilah!,” she was quick to clarify. But she had to ask herself if she could take the responsibility of sending herself and her team into possible danger.

“Everybody’s had to pivot,” remarked Sheilah. As general safety protocols went into place, Sheilah has been able to get back to work with a core team. Being a source of strength for others is still at the heart of who Sheilah is, both in her professional and personal life.

Lately, Sheilah works behind the scenes with the activist groups that make up the local Movement for Black Lives. She helps with paperwork, filing, organizing behind the scenes--whatever is needed from her. Sheilah pressed a hand to her heart. “That’s an act of love. It’s not a gig. I do it because it is meaningful to me, and important to the community, which is why I expend the love and resources.”

It is not surprising that Sheilah has become deeply involved in her community. After moving to the Capital Region from Long Island, Sheilah worked hard to create connections in her new home. She became involved with local activist groups in the community to grow new roots and carve out a place for herself. “Now I consider myself a Capital Region resident with a remaining hint of a Brooklyn accent,” she said.

Originating in New York City, Sheilah was able to develop a deep appreciation for the Capital Region. “I love the small-town feeling inside a small city,” she explained.

There is one aspect of the Albany area that is particularly important to Sheilah. “As an activist, I’ve always loved that we are a hub for social justice movements in the state.”

Since Sheilah lives far from her family now, the connections she has made here in the Capital Region are incredibly important to her. “My closest friends are my family, as my biological family lives far away,” she explained. She also loves to hike, travel, and consume all that the area offers, from good food to the arts, theatre, and movies with her surrogate family.

Of course, many of these activities are off the table at the moment. Still, despite these changes, it is easy to see Sheilah’s optimistic outlook on life.

“Success, to me, is being able to live in the moment, free from the worry and anxiety of the world; time away from business or worrying about my loved ones. Being able to accept what comes my way, whatever it might be, and living in the knowledge that I will be OK, no matter what comes along. I don’t always get that perfect,” she admitted “but I practice.”

Challenges have never stopped Sheilah for striving towards those beneficial goals and helping others to do the same. “There is nothing that feels as good as a day free from worry and anxiety on a repetitive loop.” Sheilah helps and supports her clients in finding joy by alleviating some of life’s burdens, one meaningful relationship at a time.

Published previously in the September 2020 Albany Real Producers Magazine. Article written by Isabella Browne Lorcher. Photo by Dino Petrocelli, Jr.

How We Help

3/31/2020

Business leaders- Call Sheilah! has and will continue to manage errands, projects and tasks of all sizes, and welcomes discussion about your immediate or future needs for move management, clean-outs, downsizing and events.

We are continuing to work with leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals in the community and are ready to support your daily operations during this time as well. There are a myriad of ways we are able to help today, as our new world, both personal and professional, continues to change and new challenges develop every day.

Here are some of the things our team can assist with:

Hospitals/Medical Facilities:

Support temporary set ups;
Implement temporary measures;
Liaise with families;
Source housing and supplies for displaced visitors;
General assistance with the execution of daily and evolving plans that require quick and smart responses;
Staff your top-level executive or manager so they can staff the ongoing and incoming demands.

Food industry/Supermarkets:

Coordinate temporary systems;
Distribute supplies for new health guidelines;
Shop;
Deliver;
Assist in implanting new health guidelines for sanitizing, disinfecting, and handling the operations and the products.

General contractors:

We can staff your managers so they can staff the warp speed demands of your industry;
Oversee delivery of materials;
Assist with triage needs as they develop.

Small and not so small business of all kinds:

Set up and support home-office work spaces;
Provide support for people working remotely (grocery delivery, meds pick up, coordination of household services);
Set up and host your online platforms from 5 to 500 attendees (Zoom, GoTo, or your preferred platform);
Drop offs and pick-ups between remote workers and clients;
Source materials that you didn’t know you needed.

There are other valuable services and connections to be made through Call Sheilah! and our partners as well.

Inventory solutions:
One of our clients provide solutions for your inventory challenges. We can connect you to help you move stock that is:

Stagnant because of the shutdown;
Excess in general;
Seasonal;
Outdated in its branding;
Overstocked and taking up space for next seasons items.

Commercial cleaning to help disinfect and sanitize for your space for our return to a more typical work routine:

Referrals to top notch commercial cleaning team;
Oversight, scheduling and coordination of services.

Finally, the Call Sheilah! rates are $35/hour* and package rates are available as well.

I am happy to help you strategize the ways in which we can meet your needs in this ever-changing environment. Please reach out with questions and to let me know how you are doing.

Are Your Keys in This Box?

11/19/2019

Call Sheilah! is trusted with keys from Glenmont to Saratoga. We take enormous pride in being THE business that people all around the Capital Region go to for assistance with errands, projects, tasks and events that hold special meaning for them. Building trust with our clients is at the core of everything we do, and maintaining that trust by providing personalized, responsive and efficient service, has been a hallmark of our success.

Keep in mind, our personal concierge business is customizable for each and every client. You don’t need to be heading up an entire household downsize or large corporate event to call us. We’re here for all kinds of projects. If you have a project that you need assistance with or can’t find solutions on your own, you can get in touch with the team at Call Sheilah! We provide all aspects of project/task management, including, but not limited to:

Coordination with outside vendors on your behalf (cleaning crews, repair people, home inspections, deliveries)
Event detail/set up for small and not so small parties
Holiday decoration (AND take down!)
Downsizing (for general purposes and for greater goals: moving, safety, relocation of an accumulation of stuff)
Vacation services (We help you get where you are going and we help you acclimate when you return. You can have our team pickup and restart your mail; restock the fridge and wine cellar; care for house plants; do general safety checks- HVAC, frozen pipe situations and other potential scares while you are away.)
Organize and drop off items for donation
Compassionate clean-out (We help families who are grieving- our team will tend to the overwhelming details while you tend to each other’s well being and comfort.)
Packing and unpacking move logistics
And More!

Our whole mission is to help minimize any stress or worry in your life, whether it stems from a lack of time for everyday errands, to what may feel like an insurmountable task that just needs some extra management. Using Call Sheilah! services, or buying a gift card for the over-extended person in your life, provides an opportunity to give yourself or the people you care about some of their precious time back.

We love what we do and we’re honored to be a trusted service provider for so many individuals, families and businesses in the area. Our services are for the big and small tasks in life, for every season and every project type. Join our already existing client list, and we can be your solutionist, too.

Plan Professional Retreats with Call Sheilah!

10/10/2019

Did you know Call Sheilah! can help plan and execute professional retreats? When our client Bonny reached out to us to help with a couple of events for local chapters of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) we were thrilled to take on the challenge. Helping contribute to a group focused on lifting up and supporting women in leadership roles? Sign us up!

Call Sheilah! was there to help Bonny with a recruiting event for the local chapters of the WPO that she leads by handling the registration/welcome table for their cocktail party. Bonny said that when she was considering who to bring on to help, her first priority was to hire someone that could effortlessly make her attendees feel welcomed and she knew Call Sheilah! could deliver on that front. Bonny told us Sheilah “did just a great job welcoming everyone. She had supported our group before and it’s just always great to have her presence in the room.”

We were happy to help the WPO again when Bonny was putting together a retreat for 45 women from three local chapters to attend a speaking event in Syracuse. Realizing that there were a lot of logistics and moving pieces involved with planning and executing this retreat, Bonny came to Call Sheilah!to oversee those details. Call Sheilah! handled the scheduling, travel arrangements and payment from attendees and outside vendors, and was available throughout the trip, electronically, to troubleshoot any issues as they arose.

“Sheilah took care of all the details before, during and after the event,” Bonny told us of her experience. We love that clients like Bonny can use our services so that they can actually participate fully and enjoy their retreats instead of dealing with all the logistics. When an issue arose with the bus used for the trip, Call Sheilah! took care of it without having to pull Bonny away to handle it.

It’s been such a pleasure working with and getting to know the folks at the Women Presidents’ Organization, and we’re so happy the feeling is mutual. “Sheilah has good energy. She’s responsive, and always gets back to you quickly. She’s really someone who cares about other people, which you don’t always find.” We’re honored by Bonny’s kind words and are always working to live up to our mission of person-centered service. Make sure to take a look at the WPO website to see how you can join and/or support their mission, and call us the next time you need to plan a retreat!

Breathe a Sigh of Relief with Call Sheilah

9/25/2019

Some of our customers come to us with one specific task in mind, while others have a long list of short and long-term projects for us to consider. Our longtime client Chris has been one of our most creative clients, using our services from soup to nuts for both personal and professional projects. We love that Chris has found so many ways to work with us, and we had a great chat with her about her experience with Call Sheilah! over the years.

“Sheilah walks in and you just breathe a sigh of relief! Like- ‘Thank God Sheilah is here!’” Chris told us when describing her working relationship with us. Chris and Sheilah Sable met several years ago through the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce's Entrepreneur Bootcamp, and Sheilah was one of the first people Chris went to when getting her own small business off the ground. Chris was in the process of developing a revolutionary device and has used Call Sheilah! services for clerical support, marketing, setup at events and even helping to implement computer programs for business support and organization. Chris has had us be her “extra set of hands” at workshops, so that she can focus on building positive relationships with new investors and consumers and not have to sweat all the logistical details.

Over the years, Chris has also asked us to help with personal and professional event preparation and execution. When Chris’ family was planning an important memorial service, she relied upon Call Sheilah! to help with all levels of event coordination. She told us pulling this event together so successfully would have been “impossible without the team at Call Sheilah!” This was an extremely meaningful event to Chris and her family and she noted that, “When you spend that kind of time, resources and love on an event you don’t want any mistakes. Team Call Sheilah! gave us top-notch help. Words can’t describe what she’s done for us!”

In day-to-day life, Chris and her husband have found myriad uses for our customizable services. We’ve been there to assist with holiday card labeling, rides to and from the airport, grocery shopping and dry cleaning pickup as their needs dictated. We've shopped at the Co-Op, staffed parties and arranged for cleaning services and other vendor needs. We’ve been honored to be a part of some of the biggest projects in Chris’ personal and professional life, as well as being able to support her and her family with everyday tasks that took some stress off their shoulders.

Chris told us that she feels “the missing ingredient in so many businesses is listening- and Sheilah does that so supportively. She doesn’t judge, she’s always respectful.” The Call Sheilah! team is always striving to bring this level of service to all our customers and every project we take on. Be our next “soup to nuts” customer and give us a call whenever you have a project that needs supportive, professional and reliable support.

(L) Guests gathering for the Memorial Service we helped organjze (and staff) last August, and ready for anything the Call Sheilah! vehicle (R) at the Memorial Service in Berne, last August.

Here for You During Life Transitions

6/30/2019

Are you one of those folks that knows Call Sheilah! from the work we do helping people to downsize, organize or plan events? While those are all pieces of our work that we love- our personal concierge division strives to help people with all kinds of needs, including those needs that come up during challenging life circumstances. Our client Dave was one of those people who called on us when he found himself at a turning point in his life and needed someone to help him sort through it and identify his next steps.

When Dave was in the midst of a divorce and becoming the primary caregiver for his six children, a friend of his recommended he connect with Call Sheilah! to talk about the situation and try to sort out immediate priorities and tasks. Even though Sheilah was a complete stranger to him at the time, Dave said, “She’s very disarming. She set me immediately at ease.” Following their first meeting, Sheilah was able to help Dave with the process of researching, interviewing and ultimately hiring a nanny. Dave told us he could sense right away that Call Sheilah! was “totally capable” and he felt completely comfortable in having the help navigating this sensitive, and at times stressful, set of tasks.

Throughout the process, Dave wanted Call Sheilah! to help coordinate all the logistics and details of researching and selecting a nanny and to be plugged in at the key points of the process to make final decisions. He was relieved that Call Sheilah! could provide that level of service impeccably. “Sheilah has a good intuitive sense and capability to do whatever it is she’s tackling- from the minutia, to the profound,” he told us when chatting about his experience. He said he really appreciated not having to micromanage the process, and that facilitation of the new hire was able to happen in a tight timeframe.

While Dave was impressed with the level of professional service Call Sheilah! was able to provide, he said what really has stayed with him is how Sheilah helped him take an objective look at his situation and pinpoint what he needed. He told us that, “she captured the spirit of what we were trying to do and helped me frame in my mind what I needed to do. She told me, ‘What you’re trying to do is make sure that when you’re home you’re spending that time being the best father you can.’ Words like that really hang with you.”

We couldn’t be happier that Dave was referred to us at a time when he wasn’t sure where to turn or what exactly he needed and that we could provide a service that felt positive, professional and affirming for him. Dave told us he has referred others to use Call Sheilah! and even bought a co-worker a gift card when she needed some assistance planning her wedding. It’s these types of stories and relationships that we think set Call Sheilah! apart- at the core of everything we do, we care tremendously about making life more manageable for people. We hope you’ll give us a call if there’s ever anything we can provide as you go through changes, no matter how big or small.

Give us a call, even if you aren't sure if your project or challenge is in our wheelhouse. Chances are, it is!

One-Stop Shopping with Call Sheilah

5/28/2019

Perhaps you didn't know that our number one priority is to meet the needs of our customers with tasks, big and small. If you come to Call Sheilah! we want to find a way to solve whatever issue that needs handling, and give you service that is friendly, efficient and worry-free. When speaking recently to our long-time client Casey, it was great to hear that she has found working with us to be a convenient “one-stop shopping” experience where we can help coordinate multiple aspects of a project, and take on a range of tasks.

When Casey’s client, whom she acts as a guardian for, needed to move under a tight timeline to an assisted-living facility she thought immediately of Call Sheilah! to help facilitate the process. This move happened to take place around the holidays, and Casey said she was impressed with how efficiently everything from packing to coordinating with vendors to pick up donated items was done with no need for her to step in or provide reminders. Her client was able to get back their security deposit on their apartment and move seamlessly into their assisted-living facility all under the timeframes and budget Casey had provided. Casey felt that the team at Call Sheilah! did a “wonderful job” from start to finish and was relieved to have these services available with this time-sensitive move.

We love that Casey has thought of so many different ways to use Call Sheilah! services, including buying a gift card for her own mom when she needed help with the finishing touches of cleaning out a family estate. She’s also referred our team to colleagues who work in estate planning/probate to assist clients who may be overwhelmed with the process of organizing or cleaning out an estate, and to colleagues who deal with divorce proceedings whose clients need help distributing/packing/selling personal property items. These are areas that we are so glad to provide assistance with while focusing on making clients feel at ease, respected and heard during what can be difficult life transitions.

Casey has even called on us to assist with personal shopping for a disabled client whose regular aide had to take some time off. We picked up groceries for her client, and unpacked and organized their pantry. It means a lot to us that customers like Casey trust us to work closely with their family, colleagues and clients. Casey told us she loves working with us because we “spend the time coordinating multiple aspects of a given project” so that she doesn’t have to.

When asked about her experience working with Call Sheilah!, Casey said that she really appreciates that she can go to us for any project and know that we’ll carefully consider it- that “no project is too small or too much of a pain to take on. The fees are reasonable, and Sheilah is always willing to jump in and take on a project.” If that doesn’t summarize our mission, we don’t know what does! So, keep us in mind for those nagging little tasks you just never seem to have time for, or to tackle big multi-tiered projects that you can’t manage alone. We’re here for you whenever you need us!

And by the way, we feel the same way about Casey and her law firm. They are competent, efficient, smart, compassionate, available, accessible and will answer any question. If you have legal issues, estate planning needs, a closing or a contract, check out Copps, Dipaola, Silverman, PLLC.

This empty space was Casey's client's living room. It was filled with a lifetime of memories and belongings. When Casey decided to Call Sheilah!, we were at the ready to sort, donate and remove everything, after the client was relocated for health reasons. We prefer to show the after pictures only, to ensure the privacy of our clients.

Event Planning that Exceeds Expectations

5/3/2019

Call Sheilah! offers a wide range of personal concierge services, and one of our specialties is high-quality event planning and facilitation. We’ve planned and executed events from weddings, large corporate events, lobby days and small, intimate gatherings. Call Sheilah! has provided registration table coverage, event logistics, vendor coordination and troubleshooting to anticipate and solve any issues and ensure your event runs seamlessly.

Our long-time client Sabrina thought of us first when she needed support for fundraising events for her family foundation- the wonderful Let’s Be Superheroes- and we were happy to answer the call. When chatting with Sabrina about her experience using Call Sheilah! event planning services, she told us that her decision to bring Call Sheilah! aboard to help with logistics was based on Sheilah Sable's “genuine heart." Sabrina needed someone to help as the foundation honorees, individuals living with cancer, were prepped and transported to a photo shoot. Reliability, professionalism and warmth were absolutely necessary for anyone Sabrina hired to help facilitate the day.

“Sheilah outshone my expectations. She set our honorees at ease, which isn’t easy to do when you might be nervous being on camera. She just made people feel really good about themselves.”

For the photo shoot Sheilah helped get the honorees to and from the prep are to the shoot, and coordinated with the onsite vendors to ensure things were running on time and the honorees were comfortable throughout the day. At the foundation’s evening event Sheilah also helped coordinate with Sabrina’s team to ensure no details were overlooked and any issues that cropped up were dealt with quickly. “She is anticipatory… People are shuttling back and forth, sweating getting everything moved from A to B, and she’s the first to show up with a case of water.”

Sabrina told us she really appreciates Sheilah’s ability to both look at the big picture, and also have her boots on the ground executing the smallest of details. “I’ll never not use her! …She listens carefully and responds thoughtfully. That’s why she’s able to not just meet but exceed the needs of customers she serves.” Sabrina said when asked about her experience and future event planning needs. We love having this great working relationship with a terrific local foundation that’s doing so much to support cancer patients and help support their needs for integrative care, and being able to help ensure their events are as successful as possible.

Our mission here at Call Sheilah! is to fulfill your event planning needs so that you can relax and trust that your event is in experienced hands, and you can hopefully enjoy yourself and let us sweat the details. Give us a call (or shoot us an email) the next time you need help with event planning, and make sure to take a look at the Let’s Be Superheroes website to learn more about their next Visions of Strength gala planned for October 17th.

An Extra Set of Hands for AirBnB Hosting

3/20/2019

I recently returned from an AirBnB weekend and was quite pleased with the hosting and how lovely the space was.

The popularity of home rental via sites like AirBnB continues to grow even outside of major cities, including in and around our own Capital Region.

Being a host is a great way to earn some extra money while providing space to travelers looking for options outside of standard hotel stays. We know there are challenges to being a rental host that can make listing your space difficult- and Call Sheilah! is here to help. We make it happen.

Whether you’ll be out of town while renting your space or just too busy with your everyday responsibilities to get all your hosting needs taken care of, we can handle those tasks for you. Call Sheilah! can provide the full range of host management services to ensure your vacation renters step into a comfortable, welcoming space and are provided with all the necessities to make their stay a great and productive one.

Our vacation rental hosting services are extensive. Call Sheilah! will manage and assist with: communication with and vetting of potential guests; transfer of keys; ensuring guests step into a clean space with all of the amenities offered; replenishing soaps and other consumable goods, and responding to guest needs for the duration of their stay. Guest ratings are the primary way to make sure your listing gets rebooked, and Call Sheilah! will make it our mission as your host manager is to ensure a 5-star quality stay for all of your guests.

Email or give us a call anytime to discuss your host management needs, and get to renting your space without any of the stress! We work anytime, but not ALL the time.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.