Individual job descriptions for typical 21st–century American families have dramatically changed from only a few decades ago. In the mid–20th century, 56 percent of families fit the “traditional” image of the two–parent household in which one parent cares for the house and the children full–time, and the other parent held a job. Today, less than one–fourth of our nation’s families fit that image because many more women hold paying jobs. In addition, both men and women are working more hours. Average work hours per adult increased 7.9 percent between 1960 and 1998. And while the work day, as well as the work week, has grown longer, the school day has not. The gap between work and school schedules presents working parents with the challenging task of finding someone to care for their children, homes and pets. Both Mr. and Mrs. Baby Boomer are sandwiched between working and caring for their children, as well as for their elderly parents. Employment and family health issues, business trips and vacation schedules all spate issues concerning child care, managing personal properties and caring for the home.
Is time management an impossible task for busy families? “No,” says San Antonio native, Celeste Steele, a graduate of St. Mary’s University, who at age 23, turned her innate organizational skills into a productive and much sought–after service called Sitters–on–Call. Steele’s communication skills, as well as strength in marketing and managing sitters, compliment the abilities of her business savvy partner Melanie England, who focuses on financial matters and business legalities.
Born in Japan, Steele was reared in San Antonio in a military family; she has one brother and two sisters. Mentored through her adolescent years by her business–minded grandfather, she was unknowingly instilled with an entrepreneurial spirit that fanned into fruition as Sitters–on–Call turned from a concept into a viable service.
Offering professional assistance for house–sitting, childcare and pet sitting, Sitters–on–Call has been meeting needs of San Antonio citizens for the past two years. Sitters–on–Call was established to specialize in an upscale, yet simplistic, service affording busy families time to manage their day–to–day tasks. Steele’s business is committed to maintaining and establishing long–term relationships by providing prestigious clients with value, complete confidentiality and service that is unparalleled.
“It has definitely been a ride,” said Steele. “One that has been challenging, growth–promoting and sometimes overwhelming, but nevertheless, a good ride, and one I would not change.”
Clients of Sitters–on–Call can expect years of expertise in child–sitting, house–sitting and pet–sitting. Staff members are bonded, CPR trained, and certified and equipped with first aid kits along with an instruction placard. In addition, there is a Registered Nurse on call to assist the staff with any situation that may arise. Sitters–on–Call provides efficient and professional sitting services, and ensures that the satisfaction of its clients is top priority. House–sitting services can be tailored to individual needs, from mail retrieval and plant watering to overnight stays. Sitterson– Call also excels at domestic pet–sitting and takes care of clients’ pets in the comfort of their own familiar surroundings.
Steele currently has over 150 clients and wants all of them to know that there is a sense of “ownership” with her sitters. They treat the clients’ homes, pets and children as if they were their own by giving individualized attention to every detail that the client desires.
Steele says that a most rewarding aspect of her work is hearing rave reviews from her clients as they call her back after a babysitting service. She enjoys hearing that the kids had so much fun they didn’t want the sitter to leave.
Because business is constantly on Steele’s mind, it is difficult for her to disconnect and recharge. She sees every outing, whether social or business, as an opportunity to market herself, to network, and to think about what is next for her business. For her, going to networking events or social activities is just another opportunity to market herself and her services.
“If you are passionate about something, do it while you feel the fire,” said Steele. “Age is irrelevant if you have a marketable idea. When people are excited about what they are doing, it bleeds over into every aspect of their life, and it becomes who they are just as Sitters–on–Call has become who I am, in a sense.”
Until recently, Sitters–on–Call developed and thrived on personal references and word–of–mouth recommendation alone. As the business has expanded to offering corporate event sitting services, event car–sitters and parking attendants, wedding and reception sitters and elderly companion sitters, the advertising has gone beyond business referrals and their website information. Sitters–on–Call is marketing in hotels and introducing its services to the local hotel concierge population.
With history being the tried–and–true determinate for the future, it takes but a brief look at Sitters–on–Call’s brief existence to foresee the potential growth for its booming development. The citizens of San Antonio can place their most precious material possessions, their children and pets in the care of Sitters–on–Call with confidence. As such, one can hardly help but anticipate the continued success of Sitters–on–Call in our city and beyond. Celeste Steele, hats off to your sterling services!
