The 2018 APNA Conference – by Guy Maddalone
The Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and, as usual, I attended their annual conference in Atlanta last month. The conference kicked off with a welcome reception, sponsored by GTM Payroll Services, from the 27th floor of the hotel, overlooking downtown Atlanta with views of Stone Mountain. The reception set a spirited mood for the conference as agency owners were excited to see old friends and make new ones from all over the country. Here are some highlights from yet another successful APNA conference.
Speaker Sessions
Things got off to a great start with Barbara Kline from White House Nannies as she shared experiences on defining excellence for your brand. She told some great stories about the politics inside the Washington, D.C. beltway that the attendees found very entertaining.
I also attended the “Get a Grip on Your Business” session, which discussed ways for agencies to implement simple goal setting, planning, and task execution tools that could help them increase revenues. Many of the ideas discussed were similar to how GTM has operated for many years, and it was good to see these ideas now being introduced to the household employment industry.
Keynote speaker Lin O’Neill led a session called “The Power of Peers,” which I thought was very engaging and helpful to agencies. Challenges that agencies face were brought to light and practical advice and solutions came from other agencies who had experienced the same issues with successful outcomes.
“Keeping the Law in Your Corner” was another good session led by Angelo Spinola, an expert on legal issues with home care. He provided an update on home care employment, areas to look out for such as joint employment, and how to apply techniques from that industry to the agency industry.
Ryan Iguchi’s session on story branding really stood out for me, discussing how different generations – Gen X, Millennials, and now the Z generation – address and interact with technology. Ryan said that with the pervasiveness of social media, telling your story will help your agency promote its differentiators and stick out from the corporate competition in the customer’s mind.
Partner Dinner
Another highlight of the conference was our GTM partner dinner that GTM Channel Partner Manager Robert Lee and I hosted. In attendance were sixteen agency personnel including Melissa Schoonmaker from A New England Nanny. We shared some fun stories about running an agency and the APNA conferences over the last 25 years. It was great to meet some of the newer partners and we all learned a lot about each other!
Judi Merlin Memorial and Scholarship
During lunch on the final day of the conference, Denise Collins from Aunt Ann’s Household Staffing gave a heartfelt presentation about Judi Merlin, a friend and colleague of hers and mine as well as many in attendance, who passed away suddenly earlier this year. Denise shared many letters from Judi’s colleagues, which were both uplifting and sad. In Judi’s memory, a scholarship fund was created to be used for sending startup agencies to the APNA conferences, webinars, and Mastermind groups. On behalf of GTM, I volunteered to match the first $2,500 in donations to the fund and that helped get the ball rolling as other agencies and industry service providers donated as well. The fundraiser ended up with more than $15,000 in donations, something all of us in attendance felt great about.
Roundtable Sessions
As usual, there were a lot of great discussions from the roundtable sessions. Jessica Sjolseth from Mom’s Best Friend led a talk about wearing two hats – manager and co-worker. She provided quotes and shared photos from her agency that helped illustrate the techniques she’s used to be successful in both roles.
I personally enjoyed Robert Lee’s discussion on how agencies can bring up the topic of nanny taxes with their families. He offered some great tips and best practices and the agency staff members attending provided their own insights into making the conversation easier with families. These exchanges made me appreciate the value GTM brings to agency partnerships.
Closing Reception
Last month I told you about my trip to Australia, during which I visited Louise Dunham and her daughter Shannon at their agency in Melbourne. Louise and Shannon both made the long, 10,000-mile trip to Atlanta for the APNA conference as Louise won two APNA Honors awards during the closing reception. She won the APNA Excellence Award, which goes to an agency that continually exceeds the APNA standards and excels in the industry. She also won the APNA Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of Louise giving her time, sharing her knowledge, and helping pave the way for success. It was nice to see her in Australia and Atlanta within a month and to see her deservedly honored by our industry for all her work down under.
It’s been a valuable experience to be involved with APNA for so many years. Here’s to the last 25 years and the next 25!
Remember that GTM is here for you and your families as a resource for all things concerning household payroll. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or to request information.
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