Our Story
Both of us had spent years managing homes, families, schedules, projects, and competing priorities. We loved helping others, our strengths naturally complemented one another, and we knew how well we worked together.
So we began asking a different question: What if families had someone they trusted to help carry the responsibility of running a household—not just complete another task?
That idea became TaskHaus.
We created TaskHaus to give clients thoughtful, proactive support that lightens both the to-do list and the mental load—because ultimately, what people want most isn't simply more help.
It's more time for the life happening around them.
Why TaskHaus Exists
TaskHaus began with a simple observation made over years of conversations with families in our own community: everyone wanted more time.
Between raising our own families, working together on the PTO, and building relationships throughout the Twin Cities, we saw firsthand just how much people were carrying—careers, children, schedules, home maintenance, errands, projects, and the endless mental list of things that still needed to get done.
These households weren't lacking capability. They were filled with incredibly capable people who simply didn't have enough hours in the day. We understood that reality because we were living it, too.
How It Began
Long before there was TaskHaus, there was a school PTO board.
Although our kids attended the same school, our paths hadn't really crossed until we both found ourselves volunteering—Shadia as President and Kathleen as Treasurer. We quickly realized we operated on the same wavelength: identify a gap, build a streamlined plan, and make it happen. We’re energized by big ideas and obsessed with efficiency. But most importantly? We thrive on getting things done.
Our personalities, however, couldn't be more perfectly complementary. We bring different perspectives, strengths, and approaches to a challenge, and over the years we've learned when to push each other, when to trust the other's instincts, and when the situation calls for making fun of each other—which happens with considerable frequency.
Kathleen still remembers the first time Shadia introduced herself to a room full of people and helpfully explained the pronunciation: “It's Shadia, like GLAD.”
As it turns out, Kathleen is pretty glad they found each other.
What began as a PTO partnership grew into a friendship, and eventually into the foundation for TaskHaus: two women who believe good ideas deserve action, better systems can change people's lives, and life is a whole lot better when you don't have to manage everything alone.
Shadia Tobkin
CO-FOUNDER + CHIEF TIME CREATOR
Shadia has built her career around making complicated things look effortless. As a seasoned Event Producer, she has managed everything from private social gatherings to large-scale corporate events for brands like Target and Delta —some with up to 20,000 attendees. Her work requires her to see the big picture while managing countless details, communicating closely with clients, and ensuring every element meets the high standard she envisioned.
That ability extends beyond her professional life. Shadia balances a career with raising two daughters alongside her husband in Orono, where they have lived for the past decade.
Her commitment to others extends beyond her career. In 2017, Shadia helped found a nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls who have lost their mothers and helping them build meaningful connections within their community.
At TaskHaus, Shadia brings the vision to see what could be, the experience to orchestrate the details that make it happen, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional care and quality.
Who We Are
Kathleen Vossen
CO-FOUNDER + CHIEF TIME CREATOR
Kathleen is a natural organizer, problem-solver, and self-described doer who has spent much of her life figuring out how to make things work better.
Her background includes education and experience in finance, but some of her most valuable training came during her years as a stay-at-home mom raising three boys—an experience that turned organization, efficiency, multitasking, and anticipating what comes next into something of a survival skill. Her hands-on experience extends to the home itself. Kathleen regularly puts her handyman skills to work on home improvement projects of her own. She has lived in Orono with her husband and sons for 12 years, and as a result has developed meaningful partnerships with a large number of local service providers and contractors.
Kathleen has volunteered with organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Junior Achievement and has served in leadership roles where she became known for questioning outdated processes, introducing better systems and technology, and turning ideas into action.
She brings that same energy to TaskHaus: see the big picture, figure out the details, and don't stop until it's done well.