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 Michelle LaRowe, Managing Partner and Co-Owner of Morningside Nannies.
Agency Vitals
- Started in 1992
- Serves the Houston, TX area
- Services include long-term nannies and corporate back-up care
How did you get started?
The original owner had four daughters and was disappointed in the area’s existing agencies, so she decided to start her own in 1983, and it became Morningside in 1992. I was very involved in the industry as a Nanny of the Year and Exec. Director of INA. When Ken Myers bought Morningside in 2012 I became the managing partner and co-owner.
What is your biggest challenge?
Finding nannies to fill non-traditional part-time slots, like afterschool hours. We don’t have entry-level nannies, we require 2 years’ experience before working for us, and so it’s hard to find highly qualified nannies willing to take a part-time position.
How do you distinguish yourself from online agencies?
We specialize in placing the right nanny with the right family. We follow best industry practices and hand-pick each nanny for each family. Online agencies are do-it-yourself; with us, we do all the work to ensure a successful placement. We also offer an in-house nanny training program.
How do you help families understand paying their employee legally?
Empowerment by education. From the first interaction with a family, we lay out the expectations. We provide a welcome guide that includes info from GTM on household payroll, we talk about salary in gross wages, we help families calculate their expenses using GTM’s calculator, and we keep the messaging in front of our families in every email we send. We also let them know that our nannies negotiate in gross wages terms; our message is that paying your employee legally is the norm, not the exception.
What changes have you seen over the years in the household employment industry?
We’ve seen a big push for continuing education and training for nannies. Nannies are investing in themselves more, becoming aware of their marketability and increasing their skill set. Families have higher standards these days as well; they want educated, career-minded nannies. The online agency trend has certainly been a big change as well, with more families hiring on their own.
How has GTM helped your families?
GTM provides our families what they need to make informed decisions about paying their employees, working for their best interests and helping them avoid headaches.
How has GTM helped your agency?
GTM provides the tools we need to message our families about their payroll responsibilities. We aren’t obligated to provide the payroll information that we do, but we do so because we have our families’ best interests at heart, and GTM helps us demonstrate that.
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