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 Sharon Maloney, owner of Nannies on the Go.
Agency Vitals
- Founded in 2007
- Serves the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area
- Specializes in overnight newborn care, long and short-term placements, after-school care, and hotel and event child care.
How did you get started?
My three children and I moved from Alabama to Dallas when I was relocated by my employer at the time. It became a challenge for my family as I was traveling four days every week, and I heeded some advice from my executive coach to start a business that involved something I was passionate about and would allow me the flexibility to spend more time at home. I had personally hired nannies for 16 years and had a nanny at the time. With her knowledge and insights about being a nanny, combined with my business experience, we decided to open an agency.
What is your biggest challenge?
People perceive your agency based on the quality of the nannies you provide. Recruiting those high-level candidates is our biggest challenge. Finding nannies that families want is the backbone of our business, so it’s sometimes tough to maintain a robust pool of high-quality candidates.
What strategies do you use for recruiting candidates?
We rely heavily on referrals from our nannies, and we know that if one of our high-level nannies is willing to offer a friend to work with us, it’s generally a successful relationship. We also recruit through church groups, mom groups, and places where nannies gather, like our local parks.
What do you look for to make successful placements?
We use an 8-step screening process to ensure the candidates we hire are nurturing and professional, with solid references. Then we match the needs of the family with the appropriate nanny personality. Sometimes a family is just looking for a little help around the house and not full-time child care, so we take everything into consideration to find the best fit.
How do you advertise/market your agency? / How do you find new families?
We advertise in local magazines and online sites, along with having a strong social media presence and advertising in mom group newsletters. We also work with real estate agents to find out about new residents in the area. We set a goal of reaching out 10 ways per month through various channels, and we are always open to trying to avenues.
How do you distinguish yourself from online agencies? / How do you show your value?
Many families have reached out to us after becoming frustrated with the online job sites. Nannies don’t show up, they quit early on, and finding replacement care is difficult. We do all the homework for families, and we back up our commitment with a 6-month guarantee, including free backup care services. Families can see the value in that over what they get online, where they can feel like they are wasting their time.
How do you help families and nannies understand paying their employee legally?
This has changed so much in the last 10 years, becoming such an important part of the business. We bring up this topic in every discussion we have with new families, we refer to GTM’s materials for advice, and include those materials in welcome packets. Our nannies are on board with this as well. They are well aware of the benefits of being paid legally, and it’s in their contracts to discuss it with their families.
What changes have you seen over the years in the household employment industry?
The biggest change I’ve seen is that families are more and more looking for their nanny to set a curriculum of age-appropriate activities. They want their children to be socialized and educated; it’s not just about nurturing, it is about emotional IQ as well. I think there are clearer expectations from families about what they want from their nanny. Technology has also become a bigger issue lately – texting allows faster communication between nannies and families, and 90% of our families have nanny-cams now.
How has GTM helped your agency and your families?
GTM’s brochures and flyers are always useful, but our favorite tool you provide is the nanny tax calculator. We use it with both our families and nannies to manage expectations when discussing salaries. Our nannies also love the How to Hire a Nanny book! It’s a great resource; I keep it on my desk and refer to it often in discussions with families.
What are some fun facts about you or your agency?
We have a recurring event called the “Sitter Soiree,” which is like a speed networking event for families and nannies. We have a group of parents meet individually with nannies for a very quick introduction, and then the families can meet more extensively with the nannies they are most interested in. Plus we provide champagne and chocolate, so it’s always a well-received event!
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