Meet Your Neighbor

Rick Held

March 11, 2007

Owner
The Gofer Guys

For many young couples, Parenting magazine is a great read for tips and ideas on raising kids. But for stay-at-home-dad Rick Held, it's also the inspiration for an idea he turned into a business.

Rick is the owner of The Gofer Guys, a professional chore and errand service. Simply put, he's a "doer" of the stuff for which people don't have the time, energy or desire.

While reading Parenting magazine, Held came across ideas for stay-at-home moms and dads. Someone in New York was doing a similar business, so he researched it and worked with a marketing expert to develop his business plan. The Gofer Guys made its debut last summer at the Token Creek Fourth of July Parade.

Held and his wife, Sarah, moved to Sun Prairie in 2004. They have three children, including 16-month-old twins.

The home-based business allows the Helds to be home during the days with the kids, while Sarah works as an information technology specialist at Alliant Energy. Sarah also designed The Gofer Guys' logo and Web site.

"A lot of people see my truck around town and wonder who I am," said Held, who works his jobs around the schedules of Sarah and the kids.

With the help of a few family members and friends, there isn't a whole lot The Gofer Guys won't do. Deliveries, oil changes, yard work, house sitting, groceries and, yes, even windows, are on the list of services.

"As long as I can physically do it, I will," Held said.

He's bought groceries for an elderly woman with back problems and taken down a swimming pool for a family with a new baby. For a family moving to a new home, he transported a giant entertainment center across town. Recently he won a contract to plow snow at the Sun Prairie's Verizon facility.

"One of the only things I can't do is transport people or haul items that are very expensive to transport," Held said.

Recently the friends of a woman who lost her husband created an account with The Gofer Guys.

"They're all putting money into the account so she can call me when she needs something done," Held said. "This is a great service for people with grandparents or elderly parents -- we can help take care of their errands."

A member of the Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Held said he hopes to expand his services to businesses looking for help with package and document delivery or getting oil changed on vehicles.

"They can pay me $12 an hour to do these thing," rather than sending out their employees, he said.

In his spare time, Held said he enjoys attending local festivals with his family, and always looks forward to a weekly date night with his wife.

Individual errand stops by The Gofer Guys range from $6 to $11. Larger jobs are $12 per hour.

More information about services and rates is available online.