By Eleni Kretikos, Staff Reporter
Jan 27, 2003 Updated Jan 27, 2003, 12:00am EST
Two years ago, Jerry and Susan Milwit needed a reliable caregiver for their daughter-to-be and also wanted to own their own company. Now, they have a nearly-2-year-old Molly and a nanny, along with a fledgling nanny referral business, Metropolitan Nannies.
Launched in 2002, Metropolitan Nannies was created by the telecom- and sales-trained couple who decided to make a change when Susan Milwit got pregnant. She planned to go back to work after the baby was born and began searching for a nanny. The couple couldn’t find a suitable agency.
“I started asking around to people I knew; no one could give us the go-to agency,” Susan says. “I really wanted a referral. People would say, ‘This one was OK; this one was pretty good.’”
They ended up using an area agency but were not impressed. “I remember thinking we could do much better.”
The couple’s frustration led to the idea of starting their own nanny referral service. A business plan began to take shape, and the couple noticed a growing demand for nanny services as more people they knew were having children.
Pat Cascio, president of the International Nanny Association, describes a similar experience. “I had seven nannies in my house the first year,” she recalls. “I found nannies with drug paraphernalia, I had a nanny that drank a bottle of Jack Daniels in four days—absolute horror stories.”
The industry has grown rapidly as birth rates climb and the demand for in-home child care increases. The International Nanny Association has even created an accreditation test for nannies to assess their skills and knowledge in child care.
Metropolitan Nannies offers full-time and part-time nannies, as well as other services such as babysitting or emergency child care. Parents seeking a permanent nanny fill out a $150 application fee, and the company charges a finder’s fee (typically 10% of the nanny’s first-year salary). If a nanny leaves or doesn’t work out within three months, the company offers a free replacement.
“We’ve never worked harder and never been happier,” Jerry says of their new venture.
Susan continues to work full-time as a global account manager for Cable & Wireless, where she and Jerry met. Jerry previously worked at Blue Ridge Networks before dedicating himself full-time to Metropolitan Nannies. The couple has set up offices in their home and in Reston Town Center, and they also built a website, www.metronannies.com.
The Milwits attend networking events, advertise in local parenting magazines, and promote their business through word of mouth. They have already met their six-month goals in just two months and expect to become profitable by the end of the year. They have about 20 families on their list and over 100 nannies available.
As demand grows, Jerry plans to take their services to corporations, offering nanny referrals as an employee benefit. Their long-term goal is to franchise the company nationwide.
“It’s nice to know everything you put into it you’re going to get out of it,” Susan says. “The fruit of your labor are yours and your employees.”