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Last week, I caught up with Founding Runner Michael U, who was gracious enough to fill me in on what got him started working with RME.

He joined the site because he moseyed on over to runmyerrand.com and was impressed by Leah’s idea and wanted to help get this ’small business’ of sorts going. As a professional with an IT and legal background, Mike has worked with a handful of small companies and businesses, and was interested and excited to join another start up effort.

We reminisced about favorite errands, crazy errands we’ve run, and even crazier ones that we were surprised anyone ran at all…all the while, connecting because our common link is that we run errands for RME when we have the chance, and we’re truly enjoying making things easier for people in our community.

Mike also had some awesome suggestions on how RME can further develop this site to become more of a web community. As we continue to grow(psst! calling all developers!), one of his ideas was to allow runners to include skills or job types in their profile, so that errand senders can “Select a runner” based on their strengths.

Mike himself would specialize in computer-related errands, such as document formatting, HR/Payroll-related jobs, and quick deliveries; he shares a car with his girlfriend, but during specific day parts, he would be able to get items where they need to go, fast.

So, if you need any of the above, you can add Mike as a favorite runner by clicking here!

Stay tuned to learn more about our errand running team, and as these fall days find us busy with work or too tired to cook when we get home, remember that we can help by running those errands you just don’t have time to get to!

Cheers,

allison r.

So, about this whole ‘community’ thing.

I took advantage of a slow day at the office to sneak out to a mid-day yoga class, and as we were lying in savasana, my mind drifted to thoughts of community. A room of about 20 people were lying flat on their backs devoid of any stress in their bodies, empty of tension, as they rebuilt and prepared for the day ahead following sixty minutes of moving and breathing together. Some moments were serene, others impossible, but together, we completed the task at hand.

I thought about what I take from that community, and how vested I am in it. I enjoy the occasional-to-frequent practice to stay in shape and distract myself from everyday stresses. The studio offers intensive sessions, and regulars are chatty with the instructors, but I prefer to linger more on the outskirts of this community, popping in as I can, and enjoying the somewhat annonymity I can achieve by blending into a crowd of sweaty bodies as I make each class my own challenge.

I realized that my own level of commitment to this community almost frees me to dabble in many others. I made a short list of a handful of the communities to which I belong: yelp, my office, my Starbucks coworkers, varying circles of friends, the regulars at a Somerville dog park,the career networking on linked in, and, of course, Run My Errand.

Each of these communities gives me something different, exposes me to different people, and engages me in different levels of involvement. So, what is RME doing for me?

As an errand runner, I’m able to make a few extra bucks here and there when an errand pops up that is local/convenient for me. But I’m also tuned into the site’s community in a whole new way: I’m seeing who the errand senders are, which areas of the city seem to utilize our service most, what types of errands are common, and what types are not immediately successful. I’m informally filing this data for now.

What will RME do for me in the future? As the community continues to grow, I hope I can lend my creativity and event planning skills to help unite this community with local events, be it a fundraiser, a social meeting to thank members and senders for taking part, or training sessions for other runners as we continue to grow. As the programming team grows the website itself and helps us build an online community, I want to take it further and focus on the human interactions.

It’s so rewarding to complete an errand, like a cake I delivered to the Zipcar office, probably last April, and leave the sender, your single-serving employer, with a smile on her face, knowing you’ve done a favor and made a positive connection.  I want to see those connections begin on this site and extend into the ‘real world,’ so that we can all take what we want from this community.

Maybe you need a permanent dog walker, and that errand runner who helped you in a pinch becomes a new contact. Maybe you were just sick of the same old delivery chinese, and really appreciated your runner’s suggestion of a new spot to try. Run My Errand is building this kind of community, where chance interactions will make your life better.

We hope you’re enjoying the journey there.

Hello, fans of Run My Errand!

I’m allison r, a self-designated “Super runner,” here to help introduce you to me, and other members of the Founding Runners team.  Who are the Founding Runners, you ask? We’re the ten or so crazy kids (and adults) who jumped on board with Run My Errand pretty darn close to its inception, and have been running errands with gusto ever since. We’re constantly suggesting new features to Leah, we can post our own runs(like trips to Home Depot and Target), and we even have a super secret handshake.

Going forward, check this blog compulsively for profiles of and interviews with our fabulous Founding Runners. For today, though, you’re stuck with some interesting facts about me!

I’m a 25 year old graduate of Bowdoin College with a BA in German and Film Studies trying to find my niche in the working world. I’m really good at driving places fast, picking up stuff, buying stuff, delivering stuff, and coordinating times to pick up, buy, and deliver stuff. Enter Run My Errand, the perfect outlet for my (until now) unused talents!

Seriously, though, I work a couple of part-time jobs, so I have a flexible schedule, and I’m all over the city. Living in Somerville, working in Watertown and Brookline, and making frequent trips to Metrowest makes an errand in almost any corner of the city feasible for me.

My favorite errand to date, though, was an Ikea run for a man who runs a home improvement business in Somerville. The errand required much haggling over the fee and the enlisting of a friend with a Subaru to make the trip to Stoughton to purchase and deliver over $1500 worth of kitchen cabinetry! We had to wait over an hour for Ikea to even pull the items from their onsite warehouse…good thing they have a great food court with 50 cent hot dogs, and lots to browse to pass the time!

Neither party anticipated the errand would take as long as it did, but I didn’t mind, and Brad (the Sender) was very understanding, and grateful we completely his mammoth errand! My friend and I left sweaty, tired, a few dollars richer, and glad we were able to help. Because that’s what it’s all really about, right? We’re a bunch of young professionals who are enterprising, creative, tuned into the community, and here to make your life easier. Rock on!

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more runner anecdotes, top-secret Run My Errand tid-bits, and maybe even some chances to get hooked up with cool RME gear!

Cheers,

allison r.

Here at RunMyErrand we are all about community. That’s why we’re proud to have partnered with some of the best local businesses serving Boston’s communities. Below are four new featured partners, who are enjoying FREE advertising on the front page of RunMyErrand.com.  Whether it’s picking up your hound from the groomer or delivering roses for an anniversary, our runners can help individuals and businesses crowdsource their needs.

The Boston Neighborhood Network calls our work with small business partners a “no brainier”. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your small business, drop us a note at biz@RunMyErrand.com or check out our business page on RunMyErrand.com.  It’s no commitment, no obligation, and takes about 30 seconds to get started!

Brookline Booksmith

As the name implies, the Brookline Booksmith is located on Harvard Street in Brookline. This independent book store has been around since 1962 and was named “Best Bookstore” by Boston Magazine in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008. With a large collection of both new and used books as well as a gifts section, this local bookstore took on Barnes & Noble…and won! If you’re in Coolidge Corner, definitely check this place out!

Four Preppy Paws

When Heidi Barraza had trouble finding a collar for her “preppy” dog Cuchufli, she started Four Preppy Paws, a store for high quality, durable pet supplies. Today, Four Preppy Paws sells collars, leashes, harnesses, and even matching belts for owners! The store also has a “Paws for a Cause” collection whose proceeds go toward charity.   If you have a preppy dog, you can find Four Preppy Paws merchandise online, in boutiques across the country, or right here in Beacon Hill.  They also carry a wide variety of specialty dog food, and who wants to carry that 40lb bag home, when you can just have it delivered?!

Jeana’s Dirty Dog Salon, Inc.

Even dirty dogs like to feel pampered and Jeana’s Dirty Dog Salon is the place to bring them. Located in Cambridge, this groomer promises a fun and social atmosphere for your pooches and kitties that keeps them relaxed and comfortable during their beautification. The experience and quality service makes owners feel great as well. After an appointment at Jeana’s Dirty Dog Salon, your pet will leave feeling as good as he or she looks.

Central Square Florist

Family run, Central Square Florist has been serving Metro Boston for 80 years and 3 generations. This local shop offers an arrangement for every occasion, personal taste, and price. Deliveries are made 7 days a week and hours are extended during holidays. Show your Boston sweetheart you care and order from Central Square Florist.

Another nice email we received from Donna.  If only she had known about RUNmyERRAND a couple of months ago!

“Hi, I read about you in the article in this Sunday’s Globe. Just a couple of months ago, I was looking for a business like yours to help me in my hour of need. I had knee surgery and found it difficult to do the basic daily needs like make a sandwich for myself and carry it to the table. I wondered what people do when they don’t have a support system such as a husband to help with daily chores. And then how would you find help if you needed it? ”

We’re always looking to connect people in a community.  RUNmyERRAND can help.  Please keep the emails coming.

Why we go online

According to Ruder Finn, 100% of US Internet users surveyed in Q2 2009 went online to pass the time.  Learn more.

Look at the number of us going online to “connect with others”, “share” or “be a part of a community”. The wonderful part of RME is that you can connect, you can be part of a larger community and you can also be productive so that your offline world is more balanced, more manageable and more pleasant.

Do you think this survey is accurate? Do you find yourself online for these same reasons or is it something else?

Hi everyone it’s me, Steve (not to be confused with the Blue’s Clues character). Those of you who have been following the blog know that the RME crew was out in Charlestown this past Friday for Fox 25’s Zip Trip. You may also know that I had a blank stare when the reporter asked me to name the strangest errand I’ve seen because I couldn’t think of one on the spot. Thinking Fast 1, Steve 0.

In today’s fast-paced world though, you have to be able to think fast. I recently attended a webinar from @rickburnes of @hubspot on marketing through social media. The message was pretty simple: If you’re not on already, get on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Engage your audience through blogs and videos. You have to establish a dialogue between you and your audience through what HubSpot calls “inbound” marketing. It was good stuff, but a little basic for people already familiar Twitter.

More interesting was a related blog post I found on HubSpot titled “5 Marketing Lessons from the Godfather” (especially since my friends just introduced me to the movie for the first time last week). I particularly liked lesson #5 “If You Can’t Change, You’ll be Sleeping With the Fishes.” I would like to add my own a corollary to that: “If You Can’t Change and Act Quickly, You’ll be Sleeping With the Fishes.” That’s right, with social media, you have to be quick on your feet to keep you one step ahead. You don’t wanna be blanking when that mic is in front of you. That “15 minutes of fame” has now shrunk into “140 characters of fame.” You need to make each of those characters count.

That’s why here at RUNmyERRAND we’re making our own change. You’ve heard a lot about what we’re doing, but we want to hear your thoughts. After all, we’re here to help you. We’re going to start asking you to share your experiences with us via Twitter. Just follow us at http://twitter.com/runmyerrand and send in your responses by @replying to @RUNmyERRAND. We look forward to hearing from you!

I had an “Aha” moment this morning.  I was driving to work early so I could have coffee with an old classmate, and every light was green except one.  And for the one red light, I was the only car at the light so I wasn’t slowed down at all.  I might have also been going a bit faster than usual, but it really made my morning and put me in a good mood.  I felt as if the day had been blessed and some coffee and a bagel at our corner Finagle sure helped.

So what’s this have to do with RunMyErrand?  At first, I always thought of RunMyErrand in terms of prices and value.  I’d always tell my friends- most errands go for $7-15 etc. and where else can you get that deal.  True, this a great fact to tell people, but it doesn’t strike at the core of what RunMyErrand.  For me, RunMyErrand is the green light on your morning commute.  It is the magic of knowing that there are runners out there who can help you with that one task which can make or break your day.

For the runners, the same applies.  I don’t run many errands.  At first I thought I would have to, but our runner network is usually hungry for errands (no pun inteded for our Red Bone’s delivery last night).  However, yesterday I ran one for a fellow community member in Charlestown.  I dropped off some rugs at Crate & Barrell in Faneuil Hall and some checks for deposit at Fidelity.  For 2 runs, I made $20.  Not bad, the $/ hour is not what I remember-  the green light for me was deciding on a whim that I could do that errand and scoot out of the office.  I love exploring the city- driving by the Bunker Hill Monument with the windows down listening to country music and walking around a “Big Dig Free” downtown Boston.

So this morning, I only saved 5 mintues by hitting all but 1 green light on my morning commute.  However, that 5 minutes made my day.  I think the same thing can be said about RunMyErrand.  Sometimes it only takes 1 errand to make or break your day.

Despite what most people think when I tell them I am interning for RUNmyERRAND.com this summer, I don’t usually run the errands that are posted on the site. In fact, I hadn’t ran any.  That all changed last week when I accepted an errand that (not to brag) I couldn’t have been more perfect for.

Someone posted an errand to pick up their pug from the airport. Although the sender wanted to meet with the runner first, she would pay top dollar for the transportation of her precious cargo. I was reading the errand alert message on my phone and realized that the airport wasn’t Boston’s Logan international, but Republic Airport. Where the heck is that you’re wondering? It just happens to be in Farmingdale, NY (on Long Island) and 20 minutes away from my parents’ house. What airline? Pet Airways, the same one my mom (a dog lover) told me about the day before while chatting on the phone after seeing a special on the news.

Coincidence? At RUNmyERRAND we’d rather call it the power of community. It wasn’t until this point that I realized how truly awesome it is.

Mr. Peabody slept almost the whole way up to Boston, but came alive when he was reunited with his owner.  I was happy to have helped out (and as far as I know, garner the biggest runner fee in RUNmyERRAND history.

Hi there, it’s Rebecca, Marketing Guru at RunMyErrand. Having been in luxury consumer marketing in Boston for over 10 years, this time of year is always filled with anticipation, excitement and anxiety. And it’s not because we are halfway through the Red Sox season or because the weather has finally changed and the weekend warriors make driving out of the city on a Friday a new sport, but because it is the time of year that both Boston Magazine and The Improper Bostonian publish their “Best” lists for the Boston area.

At the time of this post, The Improper’s “Boston’s Best” issue has come out and Boston Magazine’s “Best of” issue should be on stands next week. I am both ambivalent about and obsessed with these lists. I believe that they provide a useful resource to refer to throughout the year when I am up for a great Brunch (according to IB it is Henrietta’s Table in Cambridge) or want a Girls Night Out (Liberty Hotel). If I am struggling to find something to do at night with friends or if my in-laws are in town, I admittedly refer to these lists and am apt to try out a new Salon, Restaurant, Bar, Store or Service they recommend.

But on the other hand, there are so many hidden jewels in Boston and so many wonderful places to see and visit that are continually omitted from these lists.  Some claim that winners “buy” their way onto the lists by throwing around advertising dollars or by wining and dining or through use of brute force. I have no evidence to suggest this is the case (if it is, let me know who to pay to get RunMyErrand considered for the 2010 “Best Service” winner) but I am skeptical that perhaps some categories are on a “best of” auto-pilot. I will refrain from listing those but I think we all agree there are some on these lists that have lost their luster.

And yet, we as consumers and we as marketers eat up these lists even though there may be inherent flaws. Even though we might be skeptical about their merits, even though we have been disappointed in the past. We hold onto the periodical longer than its normal lifespan, dog ear the pages, note the margins and rip out the keepers. With Yelp and other sites providing up-to-the minute feedback about local establishments written by the every-man I wonder how long we will rely on these once-a-year lists compiled by an elite group of 30-50 Bostonians.

For now, I admit, I cannot wait for the August issue of Boston Magazine. If only, to gossip and questions the choices.

What about you? Do you put a lot of credit into these lists? What are some of your favorite places missing from the list? And remember, with RunMyErrand, if you need something at one of these winning locales, just let us know. We’ll get it for you. Without judgment.