Today we’re continuing our conversation with Kristen + Sheri of The Nanny Whisperer. Recently featured in our Nanny Spotlight column, we had so much to chat about that I just couldn’t help but get them back again on the blog. Kristen + Sheri are Orlando (Florida) based and own TNW; a nanny matchmaking service.
Kristen Lockaby
Co-owner + founder,
Kristen works as a special education teacher in Orlando (recently relocated from San Francisco). In her free time she loves exploring Florida and beyond and is an avid traveller. She loves tending to her herb and vegetable gardens and going to the local Farmer’s Markets. She has a passion for working with children. Whether it be in the classroom or through a nanny placement, she is dedicated to helping children.
Sheri Wantuck
Co-owner,
Sheri is an Orlando local. She currently is a certified behaviour analyst working with children in homes and local schools. When Sheri is not working, she enjoys you, visiting local spots such as Lake Eola and the Winter Park Farmers Market, and spending time with her husband and retired greyhound. She is looking forward to helping fellow locals find the best matches between nannies and families to create positive nurturing relationships.
The decisions + push to become a nanny:
I was always drawn to working with children, for me there was never one moment in my life when I thought to myself “I should work with kids”. It is ingrained in me, my parents are social workers and my mom works at a school so I think you can say it runs in my blood. I’m also a school teacher. Doing both jobs keeps me very busy. I absolutely love both my jobs so much that I am constantly motivated to keep working on both. Being the owner of a nanny matchmaking service and a teacher is a very symbiotic relationship in my mind. By doing both I am able to service my students and their parents better as well as my clients.
On being a game changer + adventurer:
I’ve always had an adventurous spirit. I was the child who needed to find the highest diving board at the town pool and be the first to jump. As an adult I took off backpacking through South East Asia. It was there that I got the inspiration and courage to see my dream become a reality. Sitting on a beach in southern Thailand, I realised that starting my own business was a passion I needed to follow.
On starting a nanny business:
Starting a nanny business was always my dream. I got a taste of nannying at the age of twelve when I watched a neighbour’s baby for summer vacation. Since then I have kept a notebook with ideas for my one-day-to-be nanny business. I was passionate about being a nanny and developed skills to be the best nanny I could. Having worked with nanny agencies, I felt that they left something to be desired. I found that many agency owners never worked as a nanny, so they don’t know the intricacies necessary in making a match work. For me, I have had amazing relationships with families that I’ve kept up with ever since and relationships where the dynamic and personality did not match my own. this made me thing about what was necessary for a compatible nanny match and my conclusion was that having someone facilitate the process, who has been in the trenches and knows what it takes to work with a family long-term, is needed.
The TNW business values + “matchmaking” qualities:
To me, I felt that nannies were not the customer but the product and that seemed a disservice to both the family and the nanny. I knew I needed to change this. What I developed from working in the industry was a method to help families and nannies choose one another with personality matching provided in order for both parties to have a basis for their match. After the initial match, I realised how important it was to provide further assistance such as help writing a contract and counselling services. Having someone who understands personally matches and the psychology behind a relationship is the best possible combination.
>>> What’s your take on personality + value matching for nanny & family relationships?
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Kristen + Sheri – thanks so much for taking the time to chat with NANNY SHECANDO and for participating in the Nanny Spotlight column. Was a pleasure to have you and good luck with The Nanny Whisperer!
See The Nanny Whisperer Spotlight column here.
Photo Credits: 1 + 2 + 3
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