Julie Subotky of Consider It Done Talks About How to Do Just About Anything!

Consider It Done now holds a prominent place on my shelf of go-to resources, so next time I need tickets to a sold-out event or to get the best seats on an airplane, I’ll know exactly where to turn. Just reading that author Julie Subotky was able to sneak an elephant into a public park and get valerian root to Kuwait is empowering enough to make me get off my butt and accomplish the mundane chores on my to-do list like picking up the dry cleaning and buying dog food.

Julie is the founder of a lifestyle management company, also called Consider It Done, which can pretty much take care of anything for you, and she’s the kind of person you want as your best friend. I was excited to get some tips from her — especially since I had a personal task or two I needed help with! True to her word, she had answers for me in less than a day. Wow, the woman is organized! I’m resolving to listen to her advice, and suggest you do, too …

Why did you decide to write this book, and how did you decide which tasks to include in it?

This book is a compilation of things I’ve done over the years as well as a few things that people have said they wanted to know how to do added in as well.  People were constantly asking about the things that I do every day.   I thought that by relaying stories of the various things that we’ve gotten done, the book would be an opportunity to teach and inspire people to get their own to-do’s done.   I show by example how anyone can learn to be unstoppable.

What is the most challenging task you ever had to do?

I love the challenging tasks – that’s where I get to be creative and figure things out!  Usually it’s the simple tasks that become the most challenging.  Things like renting bean bag chairs for a party the next day – who would have thought it would be difficult to find?!

What is the weirdest task you were ever asked to do? (I’m not assuming this is the same as the most challenging task!)

Again, it’s all relative, but is finding a snake dancer considered weird?  A boob cake (for someone who got implants, not for a bachelor party!), a purple limo?  Two of the odd requests that stand out were leaving a frying pan in a drawer in a hotel room, and dropping off bananas and persimmons at someone’s office with no note.  Neither one was difficult, and to me they were just part of a day’s work, but some might label them as weird.

What’s the first step you take when you don’t know where to start with a task?

The first step is to get clear on the bigger vision.  I always want to know what the goal is because often times the route to get there doesn’t look the way I first envisioned it would.  If I know what the end result needs to be, I can take another road if I need to and still accomplish the task.

What are the most common tasks people call you for?

Moving, organizing (files, closets, desks, basements, email, etc.) and odd requests (things they can’t figure out).

Are there tools you can suggest for people to accomplish those basic tasks themselves?

Call in experts.  I use experts all the time.  Figure out who the experts are in your own life and call them up.  You may be overwhelmed wondering how you can bake cupcakes for your kids’ classes, but if you ask someone who loves to bake, it becomes easy.  Remember that the person you helped will likely need something from you in the next few weeks.  And if you don’t know anyone, hire someone for a nominal fee — there is always someone looking for work. What is your time worth?

Keep lists – they make everything clear and manageable.  Be sure to be diligent and review it at the same time every day.  Choose three things on your list to accomplish every day — no matter what — and stick to it.  By the end of the week you will have accomplished 15 tasks!

Get an accountability buddy.  Make your task list and have a friend make hers.  Make commitments about what you are going to get done each week, then check in with each other and hold each other accountable.  Don’t let each other off the hook!

Has any task simply been impossible?

One way or another it always gets done.

Is anything possible with money?

Yes.  But it’s usually possible on a budget; it just may take longer or look a little different.  It’s another opportunity to get creative.

What’s your background? It seemed like you found a void and naturally filled it. You have made life easier for so many people.

My background is being resourceful.  I have always looked to find solutions rather than wait for the answer to appear.  I keep my eyes and ears open and look for opportunities.  After graduating from school in Santa Barbara, I moved out to a ski town in Colorado.  I  found that people would come into town and leave their assistants at home.  They needed things so I offered to help.  When I moved to New York, I found even more busy people with more things to get done and no time to get to them.  I realized I found a need and started Consider it Done.

What are the skills necessary to do your job well? I would think tenacity is a big one.

Sure tenacity is big, but I would say that resourcefulness is the biggest one.  Figuring things out and then sticking to my commitment to having it turn out — no matter what.

Getting things done is about thinking big and finding solutions.

What’s on your own to-do list? Is it easier to accomplish someone else’s tasks than your own?

Of course!  It’s much easier to do someone else’s list than your own! There are reasons that we don’t do the things on our list and when it is someone else’s item there is usually nothing holding us back.  My own to do list includes: learn Greek,  writing a new computer program, and of all things – moving!

Let’s pick a specific scenario so you can show us how you would handle it! I just happen to have a good one! My husband and I are thinking about a trip to Paris in April. How do we find great fares, a hotel we can afford with a view of the Eiffel Tower from our room and activities that are off the beaten track that the locals swear by? (We did most of the tourist attractions when we were there last winter when it was off-season, so we won’t have to fight the crowds at the museums.) If you can help me figure this out, I’ll bring you back our favorite macarons!!

Great!  I love a challenge (and I love macarons!)  The first thing I would do is reach out to people you know who are either from Paris, from France and spent time in Paris or travel to Paris often.  These are the people who will be in the know about hotels and activities off the beaten path.  If you rack your brain and can’t think of anyone, think about the people you know who are well-travelled and ask them if they know anyone.  If you still can not come up with anyone, find a local French restaurant in your town and head there to see if anyone is from Paris or knows anyone from Paris.  Also consider colleges.  Do you know any French students or students who have lived abroad?  Students often know the best deals around.  Remember this:  you want the locals – they can put you in touch with all things off the beaten path.

If you’re a bit more adventurous, head over with few plans, just have your hotel booked and look to hang out at the local places like coffee shops or bars.  They are easy to find — taxi drivers, hotel concierges, waiters can all point you in the right direction. There you can listen to what the locals are up to or strike up a conversation with someone there and get the real scoop.  If you speak French, even better, but most people know a bit of English, so you’ll be fine as long as you can muster up the courage to strike up a conversation.

Have a contest on your website (or among your friends) and offer something (the macarons?!) as a prize for the person who provides the best insider tip.  You’ll get many great answers and have some fun in the process!

Of course, the Internet is a great resource for you – check out blogs about Paris and interact with the writers. For travel,  if you want to go farther than just a search on kayak.com,  definitely take a look at the Art of Non-Conformity – he has a special section on travel hacking and cheap tickets.

Another thing to consider is homeexchange.com, where  you can trade your place for an apartment in Paris (request something with a view of the Eiffel Tower) —  and it also puts you in touch with someone lives there so they can let you where to go and what to do!)

Are your services available to people anywhere in the country? How do you charge – by the hour or by the task?

Our main office is in New York City, but we work on projects all over the world.  Our clients purchase packages of time and are charged based on the time spent.

Can you please move in with us?

I come with a husband and a one year old baby, so you may want to re-think that request.

I am taking Julie’s advice and offering a box of our favorite French macarons, from Laduree on the Champs Elysee, for the best insider tip to Paris. We’re talking places off the beaten track, local favorites — hotels, restaurants, markets, whatever! You can either comment below or email me. Winner(s) will be notified by return email after our trip.

This post originally appeared on my former blog, StyleSubstanceSoul.