Balance InStyle is Hiring!

Balance InStyle is growing and we are looking for some amazing talent!

If you have a background as a personal assistant or executive assistant, or you have your own Virtual Assistant business, we want to hear from you!

You will be working as a Virtual Personal Assistant, using your experience and skills to complete a wide variety of administrative tasks, such as schedule management, research, data entry, document editing and general thinking outside the box and on your feet.

Qualified applicants will possess excellent people skills as well as the ability to work independently within a fast-paced environment. 

Please Note: If you do not enjoy serving people at the highest level and are not able to commit at least 20-40 hours a week then please do not apply.

Understanding clients needs, building long termed valued relationships and valuing client confidentially is the standard at Balance InStyle. Our core belief is that time should be on our clients side allowing them to do what they do best. We take care of their to-do's so they can focus on their LOVE to's

CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION: KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Ideal Experience

• Excellence Time management Skills - There is a ton of work to do and it needs to be done on-time;

• Excellent organizational skills;

• Excellent oral and written communication skills; articulate and well spoken; our reputation rest on your ability to communicate effectively;

• Dynamic, high energy and ability to self motivate while working remotely;

• Self-confidence and professionally poised;

• Proactive; able to predict possible issues and execute immediate solutions;

• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment;

• Detail oriented, ability to multi-task, prioritize and execute multiple concurrent activities; 

• Flexible and capable of working at least 20+ a week;

• Life long learner - you might not have all the answers but we can help and mentor you along the way; 

• Respect for others' intellectual property (no plagiarism or software piracy)

• Maintains a professional demeanour;

• Flexible and adaptable to change;

• A “do whatever it takes mentality”;

• Strong computer and internet skills

Critical Competencies for Success

• Sign Confidentially Agreement - What happens @Balance InStyle STAYS there!

• Clean Police record;

• Action Orientation;

• Highest level of discretion and trustworthiness - This is KEY!;

• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral);

• Creative;

• Client Focused;

• Highly collaborative;

• Problem solver;

• Attentive to detail;

• Priority Setting;

• Self Starter, requires little direction can innovate and think on their feet.

Personal Characteristics

• This is a no ego role. Our number one mandate is to serve our clients. Must be passionate about serving others.

• Has superior communication skills and who can present their ideas in a clear, concise manner; 

• Unquestioned integrity and values that the organization can trust without reservation;

• Consensus builder with strong persuasion skills;

• A highly motivated team player who contributes to an atmosphere in which people work together, enthusiastically and effectively, to produce results;

• A good listener with a strong sense of self;

• Self-confident with a service orientation;

• Must be flexible with the ability to change, adapt and grow – patience and diplomacy skills are critical to success;

• Exhibits passion for the mission of the company – To serve our clients at the highest level no matter how menial the task is.

Tools and Tech

•  Google Suite: Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, Drive, Plus, Hangouts, Voice;
•  Microsoft Suite: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook;
•  Online productivity tools: LastPass, Time Tracking, Freshbooks; 
•  Personal computer;
•  High-speed Internet connection;
•  Personal telephone

If this sounds like you or someone you know we would LOVE to hear from you.

Please send your resume with a cover letter outlining why you think you would make a GREAT VPA. If successful, must be available for 1 week mandatory training at InStyle HQ. 

Are you interested in becoming a preferred partner of Balance InStyle?

Balance InStyle is a local Concierge company operating in Ottawa since 2006. As we continue to grow, so does our need to find honest, reliable ethical trades.

Our database of suppliers and service providers is second to none.  To become a preferred partner of Balance InStyle, there are a few hoops you must jump through…

Our clients rely on the promises we make. By association, Balance InStyle’s preferred vendors are an extension of our company, and as such are similarly bound by those same promises. In view of this, our preferred vendors must adhere to strict performance standards.

Balance InStyle is strict in regards to compliance; many who apply for preferred partner status simply do not make the cut. However, if you strive for consistent excellence in your field, have the ability to handle added capacity, and are dedicated to personal service and attention, you may be interested in becoming a preferred partner of ours. 

THE ADVANTAGES ARE CLEAR

Increased volume in customers by our referrals;
Direct positioning from our marketing efforts;
Special features in weekly and quarterly email newsletters and option to offer discounts or  highlight upcoming events;
We take care of the networking and marketing that you just don’t have time for.

WHO WE ARE

Balance InStyle has a wealth of experience in lifestyle management.  We are Ottawa’s First Premier Personal/Corporate Concierge Company. We are select, discreet, unfailingly earnest in our efforts, and dedicated to our mission statement. We are the perfect butlers: unobtrusive, highly capable with impeccable manners and background. Discreet, efficient, and invisible because the last thing our clients need is another intrusion.

WHAT WE DO

Most folks just want serenity, happiness, peace—an absence of irritation, and occasionally—access to a great meal or night out on the town. Life, well lived, demands Balance, rhythm and equilibrium.  At Balance InStyle, it is our goal to advance this principal. Balance InStyle recognizes that busy people benefit when time accrues to the personal side of the ledger.

HOW WE DO IT

Balance InStyle provides a wide range of services that improve, affect and enhance the quality of client’s lives. There are no limits—so long as it is legal, moral and ethical—if you can imagine it, you can consider it done!

Balance InStyle’s list of services is infinite.  Our resources are limitless. We will deploy a virtual army of diligent—outstanding staff, or, when appropriate, enlist a strategic partner to accomplish the task.  Our global database of suppliers and service providers is unparalleled. Vendors applying to be InStyle approved undergo a rigorous review and selection process. 

Our InStyle approved partners must comply with strict performance standards. Partners include industry icons as well as innovative newcomers—the common denominator a single characteristic: excellence in their field. This is the defining difference:  Balance InStyle’s absolute insistence on quality.

                                               

We would like to refer your business to our clients. We would like to be able to call upon you at a moment’s notice and secure a reservation, book a car, hire a plumber, find an outstanding cleaning company, plan a romantic evening on a dime with private massage therapists, filled hotel suites with hundreds of flowers. We would like to refer our elite clients celebrating milestone events to your establishment. We would also like to work closely with you to learn about “what is happening” in our great city and let our clients know about it!

If you are interested in being a part of our InStyle approved network, please email us info@balanceinstyle.com we'd love to learn about you! If you would like to learn more about us - you can visit our website www.balanceinstyle.com or find us on social media - Facebook, Twitter or Linked In

Avoid the Holiday Stress this year!

The holidays are already stressful enough with family, out of town guests, entertaining, cleaning up not to mention all end of year deadlines at the office.

If you dread Christmas shopping you can now breathe a little easier as we're here to rescue you from the anxieties of crowds, too many choices and too little time. Let us fight the crowds, search for parking and stand in the never-ending line-ups.

If you are time crunched and looking for ways to minimize the stress and hassles of the holidays without minimizing the holidays itself, we are here to help! If you are unable to deck your own halls due to time constraints let us chop the tree, trim the banisters and mantles and get your home holiday ready. Now is the time to book our services as our Elves are in high demand Blitzing around the city.

• Christmas Shopping
• Gift Wrapping
• Stocking stuffers
• Christmas Home Décor
• Office Christmas Décor
• Grocery Shopping
• LCBO
• Gift Baskets
• Christmas Baking
• Catering
• Rentals
• Staffing
• Floral Arrangements
• Travel and Hotel bookings
• Cleaning Services 

Time is precious. Spend it doing and enjoy doing what you love. Leave the rest to us!

Remember: Even Santa has helpers. Let us be our very own secret elf!

Wine for under $10 a bottle

With the holidays fast approaching, we at Balance InStyle are always looking for ways to save you time and money.

We came across this article written by rod@rodphillipsonwine.com and thought it worthy of a share. 

He showcases 4 bottles of wine, 2 white and 2 red, all under $10.00 and available at the LCBO.
If you are thinking what I am thinking - decent wine for under $10? and I don't need to drive across the border to buy it? really? 

I'm Italian so it’s no coincidence that these four are Italian, as Italy offers some of the best buys in inexpensive wines. 
If you aren't convinced just yet, there is still time to try them yourself before you bring to share with guest, but for $7.45 a bottle why not?

Citra Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2013

This is an attractive, dry white you can drink on its own or pair with lighter poultry and white fish, or with a creamy dish like fettuccine Alfredo. Look for solid, reasonably complex flavours from start to finish, and a supporting seam of refreshing acidity. 12-per-cent alcohol; $7.45 (522144) or $12.95/1500mL (79046)

Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio 2013

This popular pinot grigio from Sicily delivers value, vintage to vintage. The flavours are quite vibrant and fresh, and the acidity is fresh and clean. With good body, it’s a white that’s easy to pair with roast or grilled chicken, seafood and white fish. 12-per-cent alcohol; $8.95 (73148)

Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2013

This lovely red is very good value. The nicely layered flavours hold true right through the palate, and the acidity gives the wine a tangy, refreshing texture. It’s dry and medium bodied, and an excellent choice for hearty Italian dishes. 13-per-cent alcohol; $7.45 (446633) or $12.95/1500 mL (78840)

Luccarelli Negroamaro 2012

From the region of Puglia, in the heel of the Italian boot, this is a quite concentrated and full-flavoured dry red. The flavour are consistent and they’re supported by well-balanced acidity. Drink it with full-flavoured Italian food and many red meat dishes. 13-per-cent alcohol; $9.95 (380972)

Cheers!

Holiday Entertaining

To some degree, we all find party-planning or entertaining a little stressful - even the pros so fret not. With the holidays just around the corner we thought we would share some  of our favourite tips for  stress-free entertaining.

The first thing to do is to decide what type of party you want to throw. Whether it's an ugly sweater party, a pot luck or an office party, the key to a successful event is knowing your desired outcome and planning ahead.

What's hot this year? Cookie Exchanges, The Ugly Sweater Parties are still going strong, Gift Wrapping & Stocking Stuffing parties and of course our favourite Mingle & Jingles. What's out - The Secret Santa or under $10 Chinese Gift Exchanges.

Now that you have your theme - choose your invite. There are so many avenues for sending invites these days. We like Celebrations as they offer a variety of both free and designer styles that you can customize and track your RSVP's with. There are plenty of options out there to suit your style and budget. Remember: Your invite sets the tone for your event. Start the event off on the right foot with an invitation that truly invites your guests.

Helping Hand

This depends on your budget, and there are many options available to you depending on where you want to spend your time and your money. 

One thing that we find invaluable is rather than rushing out to buy expensive new china, glasses and silverware for a holiday get-together, consider renting it. – Less clean up. Just put them back in their crate dirty and put them by the front door for pick up.

Food - If you have it in your budget you can hire a caterer to prepare and serve and take a major load of the stress off your shoulders. Some caterers offer a drop off or pick up service as well, then all you need to worry about is warming up and serving.

If you really want to make all the food yourself maybe consider hiring a bartender or a server to help. This way you can task them to keep the drinks flowing and the dirty dishes disappearing and you can have a little extra time to focus on your guests in-between trips to the kitchen.

While we are on the topic of food, it is always great to carefully consider your menu selection well in advance. Is anyone a vegetarian? Do they have food allergies? Are they on a restrictive diet? Asking ahead will prevent you from serving something your guests actually cannot eat. They will really appreciate that you cared enough to do your homework.

Drinks - A signature drink is always a welcomed thing at a holiday party. It also keeps the cost of alcohol down and eases your to-do list should you be trying to do it all yourself. One of our favourites of the season is Sparkling Wine. As seen in Food & Drink Magazine on page 266 is fruit infused sugar cubes. 

Recipe:

Give your favourite bubbly a boost with jewel like flavours such as cranberry, pomegranate and apricot.

Working in batches, soak cubes in a bowl of fruit concentrate or puree until completely saturated. Remove with a fork, and place on a wire rack (don't let them touch); let dry overnight. Present cubes at a champagne bar, or serve them in passed drinks. The sweet, tangy taste will keep guests sipping long after the toasts.

Calculate Quantities 

Most guests will consume two drinks the first hour of your event and one drink during each following hour. That's provided that there are not driving. When planning an event where you are serving wine, beer and mixed drinks, the general rule of thumb is:

• 50% will drink Wine
• 30% will drink Beer
• 20% will drink Mixed Drinks 

Ice - Generally is one pound per guest, more if you are cooling wines/bubbly.

Mood & Lighting - Candles, Candles and More Candles.  

Tea Lights are cheap and can fit into a variety of "containers" to add atmosphere. You can get a bag of 100 from IKEA for $3.99 Candles are like magic. Nothing makes your house feel more festive and special. I use candles in the kitchen and powder room, hurricanes on the mantle and coffee table, and tall, elegant tapers on the dining table. Keep the overhead lights to a minimum. Bonus: EVERYONE looks better by candlelit.

Music

Music is key and sets the tone when you open the door and it carries you through the evening. Don't worry, you don't need to go and create playlists on top of everything else you need to do, as there are so many great free apps out there to set the mood. Check out Spotify or Songza for their latest holiday playlists. 

Have fun and remember,  good party  happens when guests feel like they're privileged to be invited. Spoil them, indulge them and they'll always want another invite.

Should you need any recommendations for great caterers, florists, rental or linen companies we would love to share our little black book with you. Just get in touch! By email info@balanceinstyle.com or by phone 613-440-4446.

Happy Planning!

Concierge services are on the rise in the workplace

Let's face it; work and life bleed into each other on a constant basis.

Parents travel for business, have doctors appointments, get sick, children have PD days (every month), March Breaks, Christmas Holiday, the car needs to go in for maintenance, winter tires, the dog needs to go to the vet, life happens. 

Has this ever happened to you? You arrive to work only to receive a phone call from your son or daughter at school saying he or she left an important assignment at home that morning and needs it right away. Then your boss stops by and asks whether you would mind taking over an upcoming fund-raising drive. And last night, your washing machine quit working, and you need to arrange for a repairperson to fix it as soon as possible.

Finding the time to run errands, have a home appliance repaired, take the car in for an oil change, or make vacation arrangements, much less do the grocery shopping and laundry or taking on an additional project at work, can be hard when you work full time. Employers realize that balancing work and personal life is challenging for their employees. Many employers today are looking for creative ways to make the work environment desirable to a diverse workforce.

Lisa Earle McLeod states quite eloquently in her article on HuffingtonPost.com “The reality is: If you want a meaningful career and a meaningful personal life, they’re going to bleed into each other. Constantly.” The only way to handle this is to accept that our work and life needs to blend, and it’s up to us to make it happen as smoothly as possible. “You don’t get a work life and a home life. You get one life. Don’t waste it trying to achieve balance.”  

In an effort to improve productivity and work-life-balance, some companies are turning to personal concierge services. The idea is to allow employees access to someone who in one phone call can plan their trips — both for work and leisure; find them a plumber, plan them a dinner party, take their car for an oil or winter tire etc... Concierge companies as opposed to call centres or VA's are local, on the ground in your city, and know how to make things happen on a moments notice.

Typically, the word “concierge” has a luxurious ring to it, but personal concierge services are not used only by 1% looking to charter private jets. Concierge services used to be associated with high-end hotels or celebrities, but the new concierge is more about saving time. 

Few would argue that time is one of the most precious commodities we seem to be losing. Making a living consumes the bulk of our days, leaving less time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. This complicates life, causing stress and lowering the quality of life.

These time constraints carry over into other areas of our lives, particularly our personal time for leisure and family. Extended hours are common in most professions, reducing personal time to pursue activities that enrich our lives. 

Studies have shown that concierge services render invaluable benefits to the employers as well as the employees. It provides corporations a variety of professional and personal assistance options that can be made accessible to employees through their employee assistance program or human resource division. These stress-reducing services have been proven to:

1.     Help employees achieve optimum productivity;

2.     Increase efficiency and reduce absenteeism;

3.     Upgrade benefit packages for attracting new employees, while complementing compensation packages;

4.     Provide fresh, affordable ways to enhance employee loyalty.

By offering a menu of services valuable to employees, concierges services can alleviate personal stressors that make working 40+ hours a week physically and mentally exhausting. Employees like not having to use PTO (personal time off) that can be applied towards their vacation. Concierge services, consequently, add value to the corporation, thereby improving employee retention and recruitment!

If you want to differentiate your organization by incorporating concierge services into your wellness program, or recognize your people with the “gift of time” gift certificate visit our website or call us @ 613-440-4446 to see how we can set you apart from your competition!  

With Christmas season almost upon us Gift Certificates are always a great alternative to gifting. Everyone uses their time differently and everyone is has the same problem of not enough time. Imagine the impact you would make in that employee, client, or colleagues life that shared with your some of their recent challenges.