YOUNG ENTREPENUER SHERI MACLEOD

SHERI MACLEOD:

Stepping into Her Truth

by Rachel Braun

When I think about “doing it all” – career, health, relationships, hobbies – I confess I never think about the errands that keep “it all” running. I think about how I’ll feel when I do good work, achieve that goal, or finish that project, not that I’ll need to eat every day, that life is (literally) messy, or that things will come up. Some weeks, planning my meals, vacuuming my apartment, and delivering a care package feel like overwhelming add-ons to an already overflowing to-do list. When I met with Sheri MacLeod over Zoom, I was struck with a sense of relief that I am not alone. I was also inspired by Sheri’s savvy small business, Urban Errands Inc., created to support others in harmonizing the parts that make up the whole of daily life.

School of life

Sheri was born in Grande Prairie and moved to Central Alberta at age 2. Growing up, as a friendly ear and confidante to many she was intrigued by anything to do with psychology. “When I went to college, my vision was to get my degree in Psychology and practice as a clinical psychologist”, Sheri remembers. But life offered a different vision. As Sheri broadened her academic interests, she decided to switch to International Relations. However, as her high school and college years fell during a major shift in the Alberta curriculum, she was short a required math class. Sheri recalls, “I didn’t give up on my dream. I took extra classes to make up the course, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around the materials. One day, I applied for a temporary position at the Government of Alberta while continuing to take classes in the evening. By the time it was evident that this one class was preventing me from continuing my (preferred) degree, I had been promoted (multiple times) in my government job. I felt I was achieving a level of success with possibility for growth. There was no comparison between my student lifestyle and my new one. I was enjoying what I was doing and decided not to pursue my degree”.

Sheri thinks back to that decision to this day. With strength and vulnerability, Sheri states, “I truly believe that your experiences in life make you who you are. They build character and give perspective and strength, but I have to say, the decision to not pursue my degree at that point in time, has probably been the one thing that has haunted me for the rest of my adult life… This week, I’m celebrating 15 years at my corporate job. I am so fortunate, and I’ve worked hard to get where I am… but I wish I would have stuck it out and got my degree. It’s always been in the back of my mind.”

Everyone can think of a decision we wish we could revisit with our younger selves. For those in Sheri’s shoes, she shares the following wisdom: “I think it’s important to know what’s driving that desire. A postsecondary education can embody a sense of accomplishment and open doors, but if that credential isn’t going to further your career, it’s important to ask who you are doing it for and why. In the end, you have to decide for yourself”. Today, one of the many places Sheri achieves a sense of accomplishment and engages in continuous learning is through her business, Urban Errands Inc.

“Friends, no one has time to do it all, so let us help!”

The inspiration for Urban Errands Inc. came from an unexpected time and place. On a Christmas trip to Cabo following a very hectic year, Sheri and a fellow vacationer, turned friend shared stories of overwhelm. Hearing about her new friend’s au pair and household management background sparked her interest and led her to explore how what she had learned could be adapted to their own lives. “Our parents love being involved in the raising of our children. I could not have had the career I’ve had without their support. However, I could see that my mom had her own juggling to do. | 25

“Stepping into your truth,” Sheri states without pause. “I feel strongly that when you allow yourself to really embrace the opportunities that are presented, you can step into your truth without fear. I believe that the desires we have are in us, because they are for us, and every step in pursuing those desires are opportunities to grow. I’m a planner; I like to know where I am going and how I am going to get there but I am getting better at accepting that the path isn’t always clear or straight and that I don’t have to have it all figured out. Living your life on point is recognizing that deviations from your planned path aren’t necessarily a bad thing but instead is the universe’s way of enriching the journey. I think when we look at life like that, we can live it more fully”.

She supported both my grandparents and us, but where was time for her? I just thought, there must be a better way… This idea continues to evolve. Home Watch is the basis of what we do, but the concierge service of Urban Errands Inc. is what truly connects us to people every day”.

“Red Deer is quite a transient city”, Sheri explains. “A lot of people in Red Deer are not necessarily from Red Deer. As a result, they don’t have a support network, which creates stress because they don’t know who to reach out to for help. I’m so excited when I tell people about our business. They’ll say, ‘Really, you’ll come and clean the house and do my laundry? And you’ll pick up groceries on the way?’ For people who have the discretionary income, they are quite happy to have us do it. It allows them to spend time with their family, or go to that spin class, or do whatever that they want to do. And they don’t have to feel guilty, because they come home, those errands are done!”

Sheri’s commitment and care to her clients’ needs is palpable. “My ‘permission to shine’ moment happened a few weeks ago”, Sheri shares. “A client called us out of the blue. They started as a Home Watch client and over time, added on services like snow removal and yard care. The last couple times we went in, we noticed their cleaner was not doing a fantastic job; the alarm wasn’t set, the cat was locked in the bedroom… and I mentioned in passing that we offer residential cleaning services as well. After the first time Andrew (my husband) went in, they were so thrilled. Their call was to say, ‘You make our lives easier. If we need anything, we know we can pick up the phone and call you’, and that right there is exactly what we try to achieve for all our clients. We want to establish a relationship and build that trust so that when clients have a need, they don’t even think about who to call, they just call us. I was thrilled!”