Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Rynerson.
Hi Heather, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
During the pandemic, my life took an unexpected turn. My husband had just retired on medical disability after his second career with the military. Having served 23 years in the Navy followed by 16 years with the Department of Defense, his retirement meant we were facing a significant pay cut.
One day, he suggested I consider shopping for one of the popular grocery delivery platforms. He’d heard from a friend at Bible study that it was a good way to supplement income. Anyone who knows me knows that grocery shopping was never my favorite activity—not even close! But I decided to give it a try to help ease some financial pressure.
I signed up for Instacart and Shipt and placed a few orders myself to understand the customer experience. During one of these orders, I encountered a shopper who sent thoughtful messages before, during, and after completing the shop.
When I began shopping, I made it a priority to personalize each experience. I’d ask customers how they preferred their avocados and bananas, inquire about potential food allergies, and take time discussing substitution options. Did this approach take longer? Absolutely. Did it reduce the number of orders I could complete in a day? Yes. But the quality of service was worth it.
I observed other shoppers rushing through orders, handling grocery items carelessly & not taking time to maintain temperature of items with cold or hot bags. In contrast, my attentiveness to quality and professional communication led customers to request me specifically, even before the platforms offered shopper selection features.
To my surprise, I discovered that I truly loved this work! I found joy in locating every item on a customer’s list. I often thought about how frustrating it would be if someone needed an ingredient for dinner and I showed up without it because it was out of stock. Unfortunately, the existing platforms didn’t allow shopping at multiple stores to complete an order.
Everything changed when a friend texted me about a website that allowed business owners to run their own shopping services. I signed up immediately and named my business “Your Shopper Heather,” serving residents in East County San Diego. I marketed directly to clients and officially became an LLC a year later. My business now allows me to make purchases for clients at any business that takes Visa.
Shortly afterward, I heard about a shopper in Florida who served vacation clients. He would stock properties on an island accessible only by ferry before guests arrived. This sparked an idea—thousands of people travel to San Diego yearly who would appreciate arriving to fully stocked accommodations, maximizing their relaxation time. Why couldnt I market to these clients as well. I started spreading the word through family and friends and social media.
A year after establishing my LLC, I got fingerprinted and I created a DBA for my pre-arrival vacation business called “Elite Concierge Grocery Services”.
What began as a reluctant attempt to help our financial situation has blossomed into a fulfilling business built on exceptional service and personal care. Sometimes life’s most rewarding paths begin with saying “yes” to the unexpected.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey as a business owner has been anything but smooth. When I first established my LLC, I entered a completely unfamiliar world. Having never owned a state-licensed business before, I faced a steep learning curve with paperwork, regulations, and legal requirements.
Just as I was beginning to find my footing—still shopping for other platforms while building awareness of my own business—disaster struck. I was involved in a hit-and-run accident during a police chase in East County. While stopped at a traffic light on my way to an early morning order, a driver fleeing from approximately eight police cars clipped the back of my vehicle to push through the intersection. The impact left me with neck and back soft tissue trauma, a totaled car, and PTSD symptoms that affected my driving for months.
This accident sidelined me for nearly four months. This accident significantly delayed my business growth and marketing efforts as well as created a halt in income while I got my physical and emotional bearings again.
I faced the challenge of connecting with vacation property owners and management companies. I had to learn how to create eye-catching advertising materials that effectively communicated my services and their value. Finding decision-makers was particularly difficult as many were still working remotely part-time due to the pandemic.
Trust is fundamental in this business. Vacation home owners and management companies need absolute confidence that I’ll care for their clients and the properties entrusted to them. They need assurance that my service will enhance their guests’ experiences rather than complicate them. Learning how to connect and be able to convey this trustworthiness presented another significant hurdle. Networking at events and building relationships with current clients & the community has been key. Once people know who I am the the level of business I provide, they are more than willing to organically refer my services.
Despite these challenges, each obstacle has taught me resilience and strengthened my commitment to building a business based on exceptional care and service—values that matter deeply to me regardless of the difficulties encountered along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of Elite Concierge Grocery Services. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What We Do
Your Shopper Heather and Elite Concierge Grocery Services operate as two complementary branches of my personalized shopping business. I specialize in providing exceptional grocery shopping and delivery services tailored to two distinct markets:
For local East County residents & business owners through “Your Shopper Heather LLC,” I offer comprehensive grocery & event shopping with a level of personalization that large platforms simply cannot match. Unlike major delivery services, I’ll visit various types of stores/businesses, if necessary to complete a single order, ensuring nothing is missing from your list.
Through “Elite Concierge Grocery Services,” My team & I provide pre-arrival Concierge services that include Shopping & stocking for vacation properties. Visitors to San Diego can arrive at their accommodations to find their property fully stocked with everything they need for their stay, allowing them to maximize their vacation or business trip time rather than spending precious hours navigating unfamiliar grocery stores.
What Sets Us Apart
The cornerstone of my business is an unwavering commitment to personalized service and attention to detail. I prioritize quality interactions and perfect execution with every order. I like to say we are SO MUCH MORE THAN GROCERIES. Some distinctive aspects of my service include:
– Detailed communication about preferences
– Multiple store shopping, flower shops, pastry, custom cookies or charcuterie boards, decorations, restaurant
food orders or catering.
– Temperature-controlled, careful handling of groceries from shelf to delivery
– Building genuine relationships with clients through consistent, reliable service
– Extensive concierge services for clients. Working with families, Event Planers for special events; weddings, holiday travel, and personal assistants making arrangements for executives visiting San Diego—all while supporting local small businesses by offering guests connection of local bike rentals, Catamaran experiences, in-home massage therapists, professional photography, private chefs, beach bonfire services, and many more.
For vacation properties specifically, I coordinate seamlessly with property managers to access locations before guests arrive, ensuring a welcoming, fully-stocked environment from the moment they walk through the door.
What I’m Most Proud Of
What brings me the greatest pride is the transformation of what began as a financial necessity into a business built on genuine care. I’m proud that I’ve created a service that truly enhances people’s lives—whether by giving busy families back their time or helping vacationing guests enjoy a stress-free arrival.
I take immense satisfaction in the relationships I’ve built with repeat customers who now consider me their personal shopper rather than just a delivery service. The trust they place in me to select their family’s food with the same care I would for my own family is something I value deeply. I’m equally proud of the strong partnerships I’ve developed with individual vacation home owners and management companies such as BlueWater Vacation Homes and others who regularly refer my services to their guests. As well as the many small businesses that I take extra efforts to refer their services & experiences to visiting guests. All this makes our community stronger and provides beautiful San Diego Moments.
It’s truly an honor to represent these companies and create exceptional experiences for guests.
What Readers Should Know
Beyond the practical aspects of grocery delivery, my business represents a philosophy: that personal touch and exceptional care still matter in an increasingly automated world. When you work with either of my services, you’re supporting a local, woman-owned small business built from the ground up during one of the most challenging economic periods in recent history. Clients pay store prices with out markups like the other platforms. The other platforms are adding up to 20% to each item which is why those customer DO NOT get their receipts. My clients get every receipt and a DETAILED report of purchases and my shopping and stocking fees. Everything is transparent.
What started as a way to supplement income during a difficult time has evolved into a passion for service that I bring to every client. Whether you’re a local family or a visitor to our beautiful San Diego area, we are dedicated to providing a shopping experience that exceeds expectations.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Mentors are absolutely vital to business growth and development. When I first considered expanding into the vacation property market, I took a proactive approach by reaching out to someone already successful in this niche. I connected with Antionne Good, the CEO of “A Good Grocery Delivery” in North Captiva, Florida, who has provided invaluable mentoring advice over the past few years. His guidance helped me navigate the specific challenges of serving vacation properties and accelerated my learning curve significantly.
Having a mentor who has already walked the path you’re considering can help you avoid common pitfalls and provide insights that might take years to discover on your own. Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone you admire in your field—even if they’re in another geographic market. Many successful entrepreneurs are willing to share their knowledge with others who demonstrate genuine interest and commitment.
Chamber Connections
I cannot overemphasize the importance of getting involved with your local Chamber of Commerce. My participation in both the East County Chamber of Commerce and the new San Diego Christian Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental to my business growth. These organizations provide structured opportunities to meet other business owners in various stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
Chamber events allow you to:
– Learn about the needs of local businesses and how you might support them
– Receive the same support and encouragement in return
– Build relationships that extend beyond simple transactions
– Gain visibility within your community
Many of my clients have come through referrals from local business owners I met at chamber networking events—connections that simply wouldn’t have happened had I remained isolated.
Effective Networking Approach
What has worked best for me is approaching networking with a genuine desire to help others rather than focusing solely on what I can gain. I take time to listen to other business owners’ challenges and look for ways my services might address their needs or how I might connect them with someone else who can.
This relationship-first approach has created a supportive network of fellow entrepreneurs who actively recommend my services because they trust that I’ll provide the same level of care to their contacts that I’ve demonstrated to them.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your business, finding mentors and building a strong network should be among your top priorities. The knowledge, support, and opportunities these connections provide are truly priceless assets on your entrepreneurial journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eliteconciergegroceryservices.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliteconciergegrocerydelivery
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-rynerson-1b786419
Image Credits
Home Properties Managed by BlueWater Vacation Homes https://www.bluewatervacationhomes.com
Head Shot and Business Bag with Groceries and Myself taken by Silvergirl Photography.
The rest of the photos taken by Heather Rynerson
