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Each month we highlight one of our agency partners, and get to know a little more about them and their insights into the household employment industry. This month we spoke with Stuart Dupuy, owner of Mom’s Best Friend.
Agency Vitals
- Founded in 1994
- Serves the greater Austin, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and San Antonio areas of Texas, along with Chicago and Vale, CO.
- Offers long and short-term care services, along with corporate backup care.
How did you get started?
I was attending law school at the University of Texas, and Kathy and I with our close friends Wendy and Jon Petersen decided to start a child care agency. Wendy had worked as a babysitter through an agency in college, and she and Kathy saw the value of creating an agency. We started doing so well that we expanded into Dallas with our business partners Kim and Jim Winblood. We acquired another agency in Houston in 2005 and then the Winbloods acquired one in Fort Worth, and last year we acquired a Chicago agency.
What is your biggest challenge?
Finding and recruiting good people is our biggest challenge. Low unemployment, while overall a good thing, means there are less candidates to choose from. Plus the popularity of online job sites hinders us, as they make it easier for families to find caregivers on their own.
How do you advertise or market your agency?
Word of mouth is our number one way of getting business. We also use pay-per-click ads on Google, and have found success finding candidates by placing ads on Indeed.com.
How do you help families understand paying their employee legally?
We use GTM’s materials and refer families to their website. We provide information on the Massachusetts Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, discuss what laws are relevant, and go over overtime obligations. Our nannies expect to be paid legally, which makes it easier to bring up with our families. We also discuss the importance of having workers’ comp insurance and using GTM’s tax calculator for salary negotiations.
How do you distinguish yourself from online agencies and show your value?
Having great customer service is a key factor in demonstrating our value, particularly when it comes to responsiveness and efficiency. We provide a quick, positive experience. Online sites can’t offer the high-touch service an agency provides. Quick responses and quality services mean a better value for families over online sites.
What changes have you seen over the years in the household employment industry?
The biggest change we’ve seen is the ability of people to connect online. We used to need to use the Yellow Pages and classified ads to solicit families and recruit caregivers. Now Craigslist and other online job boards have made candidates a more valuable commodity as families have an easier time finding them.
How has GTM helped your families and your agency?
We include payroll discussions as part of our customer service with our families. We help them become an employer and then rely on GTM to help them be a good employer by paying legally. Personally I use GTM for my own household employees’ payroll, so I know first-hand the quality service our families get, which allows us to feel completely confident in recommending GTM to our families.
What are some fun facts about your agency?
I’ve found it interesting that we do best in markets where there are a lot of new families moving to the area, as opposed to the “old money” that’s been in a city for a long time. A large part of our business comes from the suburbs of old cities; in our experience, families in those cities who have been there for generations tend to hire caregivers that they already know. We thrive in the suburbs where families need a network of people to make connections with service companies like ours.
