Let Your Butler Do It

Kate and Robin Butler gathered ideas for businesses for years, documenting their ideas in file folders. While searching for business guidance in December 2018, she discovered Amy Lambert and the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the Starved Rock Country Alliance. With Lambert’s help, the two transformed their notes into a business plan for Butler Concierge Services.

Butler Concierge Services focuses on the needs of senior citizens and their families, empowering seniors to remain independent, living in their own homes, for as long as possible. The plan envisioned a premium service to help seniors cope with independent life, including escorted visits to medical specialists and downsizing help for seniors moving into assisted living residences. After earning a certification as a trusted senior advisor, the Butler team earned the trust of families in Bureau County, Illinois. The team soon exceeded its projection for clients. Anticipating growing pains in advance, the Butlers leveraged lessons in human resources to recruit and train a reliable base of senior concierges. Then, the Butlers turned to expand the business by training owners in Illinois and Florida. While her husband handles the financial part of the business, Kate Butler works on marketing their brand, looking at franchising and online course development as growth opportunities.

Kate says, ”it brings me back to one of best inspirational quotes. - "Action is the foundational key to all success."- Pablo Picasso

“It is so true!" Kate adds, "Action is one thing that Amy was so good at modeling for me! Amy takes action and gave me the courage and guidance to take real action in my business. I could have all the dreams and plans in my notebook but if I didn't take action, I would not have a successful 6 figure business today. Thank you Amy and the SBDC for the guidance and giving me the courage to take action!”