Nanny Employer Blog

Last weekend, I attended a conference of the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) in Philadelphia. It was my first meeting as a member of the board of directors. I have been a member for many years and I am honored to now have a more participatory role, serving on the board. APNA is an organization that represents the best and brightest agency owners from across the country who have averaged at least 10 years in the business, many closer to 20 or 30. Keynote speakers included Alyssa Dyer who gave us some great marketing ideas from her book, No Time Marketing, and Deborah Smith, queen of social networking, who shared with us all the ins and outs of Facebook, Twitter, and more.

The conference format was a “Apprentice” style case study on a fictional struggling agency (whose P&L’s were in need of serious help) which was given $5k in marketing funds to spend on generating additional clientele most effectively. Attendees were divided into 5 groups and given a few hours to compose the most convincing PPT presentation. Some interesting ideas were inspired from this creative group of entrepreneurs.

It seems very apropos that such originality would flow in a city with such rich history and the origin of such creative genius as the Declaration of Independence. The beautiful architecture and historical significance of the location were not lost on this group. I look forward to getting more involved in the running and management of this important organization whose mission is to “establish and enforce standards of professional industry practices.”

Over the last 15 years, it has been my privilege to see some amazing nannies come through our doors seeking placement. Every fall, we hold an event, in conjunction with the Association of Professional Nannies‘ National Nanny Recognition Week, to celebrate such inspiring talent and commitment to the nanny vocation. Despite the inclement weather, we celebrated our local Austin talent with music, crafts, food, festivities and fun! Five caregivers who were nominated by their employers were recognized and two were presented awards for part-time and full-time Austin Nanny of the Year, respectively.

These two outstanding nannies received a basket which included a membership to the International Nanny Association and a massage courtesy of Breedlove and Associates. The profiles of our two winners, and many others, provide a small glimpse into the type of top tier caregivers that Mom’s Best Friend continues to attract, from word of mouth referrals and returning caregivers seeking placement, after so many years in business and its solid reputation for quality.

Patricia Kinnie, nominated by the Keen Family, won our award for outstanding full-time Austin Nanny of the Year. Patricia is a very experienced nanny and worked for over 6 years with a family while she initially cared for their premature newborn. Families have noted that she is “very invested in seeing the baby achieve developmental milestones.” Patricia is very easy-going and is very nurturing towards the baby, and the entire family as a whole.

Mandie Hull, nominated by the Cook Family, won our award for outstanding part-time Austin Nanny of the Year. Mandie is a graduate from UT and studied History/ Women and Gender. She recently spent a year and a half in Australia, teaching children education and self-empowerment. She is very good at interacting with children and getting on their level and has been described as fun, outgoing, positive, and educational.

Congratulations to all of our winners and nominees!

Last week, I attended the Alliance of Premier Nanny Agencies conference in Las Vegas, along with 100 of my colleagues who own and work for professional nanny agencies all over the country. We enjoyed a great time of collaboration and idea generation. On Friday, Lisa Vines (VP of Sales Operations) and I spoke to the group about how to enhance your on-call (sitter) services. We shared ideas about how to exceed client expectations, reward your nannies, and provide corporate backup child care (as we do for many Texas businesses). I am also proud to say that we were recognized as a top 3 nominee for Nanny Agency of the Year at an award dinner on Saturday evening.

Attendance at events like this conference help us to stay on top of the latest background checks, providing top notch customer service, and general ways to improve our offerings to our valued, loyal client families. Belonging to one or both industry associations (the other being the International Nanny Association) signifies an adherence to stringent industry standards, ethics and expectations in the running of your business. Mom’s Best Friend has been a member of both associations for many years and helped with planning conferences, speaking at conferences as an industry expert, and working on various committees to help make improvements.