A Conversation With ONICKA DANIEL

By Leslie Quander Wooldridge, Writer

Onicka J. Daniel (MPA ’07) co-founded LifeStyle Management Life Outsourcing and Concierge Service, a company that provides services for time-crunched individuals, families and businesses. From her location in Virginia Beach, Va., Daniel works with two friends to help solve the busy person’s dilemma—how to manage tasks when there’s too little time.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a co-founder of LifeStyle Management, a new and rapidly growing business that offers services such as senior care, home and office cleaning and organization, corporate and condominium concierge services, party and event planning, and much more.

What was the inspiration for your business?

My friends and I needed lifestyle management. We actually saw a need for it in our own lives, and we said, “You know what? This is something other people can use, too.” We decided to make our dream a reality. The company’s president and CEO, Deborah P. Whitfield, had the original idea about five or six years ago, and it just so happened that I had a similar idea more recently. It was just something that we kind of felt in our hearts—this was something that we wanted to do.

Since you saw a need in your own lives, was it easy to set up the business?

There really were no other business models that were similar to ours. We came up with everything on our own, including our business plan. We’re not just an errands service; we try to help people with their lifestyle issues. At the end of the day, you want to be with your family—not running errands.

What is your role?

I’m the vice president, and I work with the president and executive vice president of operations, Opal A. Cooper. All of us, we kind of work together, but we have our own specialties. For example, I work on media and outreach.

How does the business work? What’s the process?

We have initial consultations with clients to figure out what they need. We hire people with specific talents to fulfill our customers’ needs. Employees get their schedules, pick up their supplies and go to their assignments. They check in with us so that we know their status, and Deborah, Opal and I work in the office.

What are some of your most popular services?

The senior companion service, home and office cleaning, errand running and corporate concierge service. We also offer recuperation assistance—just because the doctor sends you home doesn’t mean that you’re able to do everything. We’re licensed, bonded and insured. Clients buy time by the hour, and then they tell us what they want us to do with it.

Why do you think your services are so in-demand?

It’s hard to be in two places at once. It’s hard to be happy when you’re stressed. We don’t tell people how to run their lives, we just help them run it better. Once people realize that they need the service, they accept it—they keep coming back.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

Before this, I was going to school. I was a career student, working at jobs where I was never really fulfilled. You know when you find a job that you really love? You’ve found your niche. Now, we help people manage their time so that they can spend time on things that they truly love. I’m doing something that I love—being able to help people.

Do you think your Strayer degree has helped you as a business owner?

We opened our doors in 2006, and I received my degree in 2007. My classes gave me confidence that I could actually make a difference. I started meeting new people [through school] and learning more about the world. I had a great professor in economics who forced us to think outside the box. At our company, we’re always trying to think outside the box. We’re always trying to think of new ways to make other people’s lives easier. My education changed my life, honestly.