Customers Come First

8/13/2006 - Jamestown Woman Starts Errand Service By MANLEY J. ANDERSON

A visit to a friend’s grandmother was the genesis for a small but growing business founded more than a year ago by an energetic Jamestown entrepreneur. It was on July 7, 2005, that Bonny Cowen of 142 Park St. received her business certificate for Bonny’s Errand Service & More.

Ms. Cowen said she was employed when she first cared briefly for her friend’s grandmother in the older lady’s home and continued to assist her part-time as her first venture in what turned into a business.‘‘I felt there were many others unable to get out of their homes or who did not want to get away from their homes,’’ the entrepreneur said. ‘‘With me doing their errands for them, they didn’t have to leave their homes.’’Ms. Cowen went on to relate that she continues to see the grandmother as her first customer on a regular basis every other week, or more often as needed. She noted some clients are seen once a week, some twice a week and others at different intervals as needed.The service provider said she has never had a one-visit customer, explaining, ‘‘This built up my client base, but I want to do more.’’Ms. Cowen said her service business has taken her past East Randolph into Cattaraugus County, noting ‘‘Most of my customers are in Chautauqua County, but I would like to expand it to Chautauqua Institution, especially winters.’’She explained, ‘‘My service is not only for seniors but for two-income families too busy to get everything needed done,’’ noting she has shopped for people and dropped the purchases of at their workplace.

Ms. Cowen said that while her logo is ‘‘from gifts to groceries,’’ she also does light housekeeping for people using her own equipment or theirs.‘‘I sit with people too,’’ she said, ‘‘giving other family members an opportunity to get out. I take them for walks also.‘I’m not a nurse,’’ Ms. Cowen said,‘‘but I would do anything else to help them.’’ She went on to relate, ‘‘I’m also bonded (as protection for her clients) and I’m also a notary so you can have one come to your home.’’Ms. Cowen continued with, ‘‘My schedule is very, very full but there’s room for more,’’ while noting she presently handles the busy load by herself.She noted that errand services are said to be one of the fastest growing industries in the country, explaining, ‘‘You don’t have to ask a family member or a neighbor who doesn’t have time (to do it). What I do is so rewarding. I love so much of what I’m doing.’’Ms. Cowen said clients always are telling her they’re so thankful for what she does, commenting, ‘‘A lot of people just do not want to get out and drive in the winter.’’The service provider said of her experience, ‘‘Everyone’s been very happy and so am I. It’s my own business and it’s wonderful.’’ Her concern is, ‘‘When gas goes up, it makes me nervous.’’At home, Ms. Cowen finds time to take care of a flower garden, noting ‘‘I enjoy that’’ and adding ‘‘I’d like to keep my business expanding.’’She noted, ‘‘People comment, saying ‘I know there’s a need for that.’ People appreciate it. That’s what makes it so fulfilling for me.’’Ms. Cowen summed her job up succinctly, saying, Whatever people need, that’s what I do.’’She was aided initially by Beth Reed, business adviser with the Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College.Ms. Reed said of her own involvement, ‘‘I worked with her some last spring when she was kind of getting started in her project.’’The Development Center employee went on to state, ‘‘We did work with her on the basics she needed to get started and we got some market research for her.’’Ms. Cowen appears to have benefited from it and would like to expand her business further.

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