This article is part of a new series profiling University of Wisconsin alumni contributing to Wisconsin’s growing innovation economy.
We all know the hassle of trying to balance a busy work schedule with the pressing items on our to-do lists. Some weeks, it can be a struggle to find the time to run even the most basic errands, like picking up dry cleaning, grabbing groceries or refilling a subscription.
What if your employer hired someone else to take care of those errands for you?
That’s the premise behind Errand Solutions, a company of approximately 50 employees that is run by CEO Marsha McVicker (BA ’90, MBA ‘99). Errand Solutions offers an errand-running service as a benefit for any employee in an organization. This benefit allows for diversification at all levels and is especially helpful for busy executives, making these high-stress jobs more harmonious with the demands of an employee’s personal life.
Though McVicker operates out of Chicago and has clients across the globe, the company has benefited from strong Wisconsin ties, including a new facility in Land O Lakes, WI and a recent investment by UW alumni via Bascom Ventures. “Not all money is good money,” says McVicker, so it is critical to find an investor who is “not just a wallet but a partner.” Bascom’s unique community has met this need through a rapid infusion of capital and increased connections.
McVicker considers the relationship with the community in Land O Lakes as one of the company’s best business decisions since its conception in 2000. She’s found that people in rural communities “will shine when given the opportunity.” As a bonus, the state installed broadband infrastructure for the facility. She hopes that more tech-related companies look outside Silicon Valley to find the best employees and opportunities, noting the high quality of life in the state as another major advantage.
The Wisconsin ties don’t stop there. The company has its origin in the University of Wisconsin's Business School. To keep her scholarship, McVicker wrote a white paper on difficulties in reaching economies of scale for a grocery delivery service. Her professor asked, “what would you do, instead?”, which gave McVicker the initial spark that eventually led her to develop Errand Solutions. Her mom was the first employee, operating out of a closet in the former, Madison-based Oscar Mayer facility. Thanks to the quick growth at that initial location and positive employee feedback, McVicker now calls some of the region’s largest corporations her clients, names like Kohl’s and Northwestern Mutual. Errand Solutions has even developed a new partnership with Cushman & Wakefield, a top 3 global real estate services company.
The path for McVicker has not always been easy. Although the company’s value proposition is the same (“people need more time”), the approach was “way overdue for change” and they are currently in the difficult process of self-disrupting. Along the way, McVicker has also encountered difficult scenarios with investors, which forced her to develop thick skin. She hopes investors will shift their approach as the industry morphs, continuing to provide honest feedback but in a positive rather than destructive manner. To entrepreneurs facing similar situations, she offers the following advice: “persistence pays.”
Next up for the company is an expansion of their services to friends and family of employees already engaged with Errand Solutions. The reason? According to McVicker, “everyone deserves peace of mind.”
About the Author: Andy is a 5th-year MD/PhD Candidate at the Medical College of Wisconsin with interests in medicine, biomedical research, the humanities, and innovation. He is also a member of the Golden Angels Advisors, MCW’s Postdoc Industry Consulting Organization, and a Community Engagement Fellow at Bascom Ventures
