Released on: April 10, 2008, 11:07 am

Press Release Author: Myers Ink -- Leslie Myers

Industry: Consumer Services

Press Release Summary: Greater St. Louis-based SittersLink was founded as the first
Missouri-based Web site to help people find sitters. It now is expanding into
Illinois and across Missouri. Sitters include nannies, babysitters, pet sitters,
house sitters and eldercare sitters.

Press Release Body:
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Almost everyone could use a baby, pet, house or eldercare sitter to
rescue their hectic lives. The hang-up is quickly finding someone you know all
about.
That was Debby Lenk's problem when rearing children, helping with grand¬chil¬dren,
having a menagerie of pets, and caring for both of her elder parents. So the
Silex, Mo., businesswoman founded SittersLink. The new Web business at
www.SittersLink.com is designed to help families find local sitters who are
qualified and trustworthy ⎯ fast.
For months, Lenk has been building the business to prepare for this major business
launch, in April 2008. "You can't launch a Web business by simply buying a domain
name," Lenk, 51, pointed out. "First you must build, test and upgrade your Web
site, as we have. We've also recruited sitters to sign up free from Greater St.
Louis, southwestern Illinois and across Missouri," she said. "Many families have
joined SittersLink ⎯ and their positive feedback has been an inspiration.
"Now, after investing about $50,000 in SittersLink, we're officially ready to launch
for 'the masses.' All Illinois and Missouri families or individuals may sign up now
as SittersLink members. We have all the services and the sitters they'll need
⎯ from their own neighborhoods ⎯ to hire great help for their homes,"
Lenk said.
SittersLink was founded as the first Missouri-based Web site to help families find
sitters. The business eventually will expand nationwide.
SittersLink sets high standards. Sitters sign up free, then fill out a detailed
profile about their education, experience and background, including two required
references that members may contact. Sitters post their varied hourly fees and
periods they can work. Most have their own transportation. They also choose extra
services they offer ⎯ from tutoring to light cleaning, from running errands
to taking people or pets to medical appointments, or from nursing care to dog
walking.
Web surfers may see all the sitters' profiles by using SittersLink's free search
engine, which lists sitters by proximity to the users' zip code. But people must
join SittersLink to see sitters' full names and contact information.
"Families told us that they waste about $50 when they hire a bad sitter, not to
mention their concern about having a poor sitter in their house," Lenk said. "So we
set our membership fee even lower than that ⎯ much lower. It's $39.95 for not
just one month, but for three months of membership with unlimited access to hire
sitters.
"Most of our families renew their memberships after three months, so we know we
have it right!" Lenk added. SittersLink's typical member is a family with children
and a pet. Many hire a nanny and backup sitters from SittersLink. "We have
numerous sitters who want to care for children, senior citizens, pets and houses,
when families are on vacation," Lenk added. "Other sitters just like to work in
one area, such as senior care, which can mean everything from cooking to physical
therapy."
SittersLink's policy, to which members must agree, forbids more than one household
using a single membership for access to sitters.
To prepare for the business launch, SittersLink just added PayPal payment services
to its secure site to make membership signup more user friendly. PayPal is used by
E-bay, Southwest Airlines, Barnes & Noble and 100,000 other Web sites. SittersLink
does not retain members' credit card infor¬mation and never will sell users'
information to other businesses, Lenk said.
A driven and dedicated business owner, Lenk answers SittersLink e-mails and takes
phone calls seven days a week.
As the adage goes, if you need something done, ask a busy person.
"On top of everything else, I run the family business," Lenk said of Castle's
Grocery & Café in Troy, Mo. Her husband of 30 years, Melvin Lenk, also owns and
operates Lenk Construction Co. in Silex, which is northwest of St. Louis in Lincoln
County. He helps with SittersLink's bookkeeping. Their adult son, Josh, also helps
run SittersLink.
SittersLink already is showing signs of sure success. Just about every time Debby
Lenk logs into www.sitterslink.com, she sees new members have signed up and are
hiring sitters. For her, it's an old dream come true for today's families and
individuals who need help.

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Web Site: http://www.SittersLink.com

Contact Details: For interviews or photos, contact: Leslie Myers / Myers Ink of
Clayton, MO / 314-863-1879 / MyersInk@gmail.com