For the past five years, a trio of Hudson Valley Concierge vans bearing the message “We give you your time back” has been generating inquiries for its concierge-on-wheels owner Micah Bennett.
“I love helping people,” says the 28-year-old Marist grad, who hatched his business after several service industry jobs and a stint at a local hotel’s front desk taught him that the words “Is there anything else I can do for you?” usually produce a lengthy to-do list.
Tapping into a growing nationwide trend, he rented an office in a cooperative workspace on Poughkeepsie’s Main Street and hired a small staff. The service charges an all-inclusive $40 an hour to fulfill your requests in a 20-mile radius (after that it’s an additional $2.25 per mile). Name your mission: They’ll get Grandma to and from the doctor, show your out-of-town visitors around, book reservations, and do your shopping (that includes picking up dress heels from Macy’s for your party tonight). “I’ve been called ‘Mr. Impossible’ for making things happen,” says Bennett.
Some of his biggest patrons are corporate clients and faraway parents of local college students who need someone to take Junior off campus. The service also does JFK, Albany, and LaGuardia for a flat round-trip fee of $400 ($425 to Newark), in comfy vans equipped with water, snacks, and Wi-Fi.
Bennett and his staff are also certified in CPR, AED, and first aid. “I didn’t want to just think about the bottom line when I started this business,” he says. “I wanted to impact lives.” Click here for more information.
