This Episode
Alison Ganko, owner of My Household Managed, is changing the game and leveling up how an agency works. Alison became an instant leader because she isn’t afraid to speak up and ask questions. She began connecting with other owners, got a coach, and made sure she took the time to build client relationships on trust.
Let’s dive into this episode so you can start hearing how Alison and My Household Managed is Thriving.
Guest Bio
As an experienced house manager, nanny, and former recruiter, Alison Ganko founded My Household Managed with the rights and well-being of household employees in mind.
When I first began working full-time as a nanny I quickly realized that the domestic staffing industry lacked education on matters like rights as a domestic employee & contract negotiation. After speaking with other nannies, families, and household staff I discovered the wide range of misconceptions about the industry and I saw a need for education on these topics.
Today, I have made a career out of connecting families with dedicated, discreet and distinguished private service professionals that not only fit their unique requirements, but exceed their expectations.
Important Links: www.myhouseholdmanaged.com
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In This Episode
Danny: [00:00:00] Allison, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast. I’m so glad you’re here. Thanks for doing this.
Alison: Hi, Danny. It’s so nice to speak with you. Thank you so much for having me.
Danny: Yeah, absolutely. Well, you’re truly, you truly are a leader in this industry. And I think you like kind of poke the reins of like having a nanny agency and like, you know, domestic staffing and Just kind of like really skyrocketing from like your innate I think like business acumen I mean, could you tell us a little bit about like You and your company and how that got started.
Alison: Yes, of course. Thank you so much for the kind words. That means a lot. I always love a compliment. Thank you. Yeah, a little bit about me. My name is Allison Gango. I’m the owner and founder of My Household Managed, and we are a domestic staffing agency. We currently serve Chicago and have recently expanded to Palm Beach and Miami as well.[00:01:00]
Our personal connections have brought us down there, so it’s really an exciting time, it’s been a great journey. I’ve really enjoyed working as an agency owner. There’s been a lot of things I’ve learned coming into it. I have a background working with children. I studied child development in college.
I always wanted to work with children. I just didn’t know what exactly I was going to do. And I think I secretly always wanted to start my own business as well. didn’t know how that was going to happen either. But I think sometimes the universe just conspires and things work out if you just follow your instincts.
So was working in corporate America, started babysitting, love that, became a nanny. Then it was promoted to house manager and realized I could really make a career out of doing something that I was passionate about, where I was able to Be of service to people and add value to someone’s, you know, personal life.
And that’s when I discovered agencies. And [00:02:00] in my job search, I found Engine Hire as well. And it all came together and I realized Engine Hire was a great tool for, that would enable me to start this agency that I had been kind of thinking of how can I fill a need in the market? And so it just, it all came together and I, But might as well start my own agency, see how it goes.
And worst thing that could happen is I fail and it’s been going great. And I’ve been loving it the whole process.
Danny: I mean, what even started you going like, Hmm, I should start a nanny agency or I guess domestic staffing. How, what do you, how do you categorize it? I don’t want to just call it a nanny agency.
Cause I think you do like so much more.
Alison: Yes. So that’s a great question. So there’s, from what I noticed, at least starting out, there’s a gap, there was a gap in the market where there was a lot of nanny agencies, and then there was domestic staffing. And Chicago at that time didn’t have its own domestic staffing agency.
[00:03:00] And so I felt that there was a lot of job seekers looking for roles where they wanted to be more than a nanny. They had those skills, they were proactive, autonomous, they wanted to provide more value. And they wanted to make this a career where they could actually progress and grow and, you know, work for high net worth families, maybe one day become an estate manager or a personal assistant.
But there wasn’t really a resource for them to apply for those jobs. That’s what I was experiencing when I was looking for roles as a house manager. And so in speaking with families as well, they wanted to find a qualified exceptional staff that had those skill sets, but there wasn’t really a way for them to identify that top talent.
So that’s really where the niche was in Chicago. And then after finding that need there, learning more about the needs of families and how this wasn’t just a Chicago issue or predicament that other families, other cities, or people with multiple homes needed staff. Across the nation as well.
Danny: Yeah, [00:04:00] that’s amazing.
And so really did like you identified like that market need and I mean, I’m so honestly, and I’m like, okay, you’re going to love this because you love compliments. But like, I can’t believe how quickly you started your agency. And to me, it’s just soaring. Like you were so like it just seems like it’s natural.
Like it doesn’t having the business, like, is that natural for you? Or like, cause you really do make it seem like. You always know exactly what you’re doing and the challenges don’t seem like hard for you. Like. Is, is that just like I’m pretending or like think I’m seeing that or like, is it, is it really that easy for you?
Alison: That is so funny. I would say that that’s great that you view it that way. And I love that. But like anything everything has its challenges. Everything has its learning curve. And I’m just a very [00:05:00] growth. I’m not like oriented person and I’m always finding ways to improve and for me like I’m very intentional in the things that I do and when I’m going to do something.
I, I really take my time to do it the right way. And so before I execute something, I do research, I collect data, I analyze, and then I find the best course of action and I really go full force. And I think that makes the difference for any, any sort of goal you’re trying to achieve, whether it’s work, personal life, anything.
And so I think that is something that’s helped me a lot is just being that type of person. I feel like Yeah, I’m always a student of the world. And so I’m always trying to be a better human being, a better business owner, a better friend. I just optimize everything that I can. And I think just that little like hacking away every day has really helped to really excel, whether it’s writing a blog post, creating something on social media.
crafting a job [00:06:00] description. It’s those little things that really add up.
Danny: Yeah. Oh, you’re totally right. And I love how you kind of framed like, you know, doing it every day. You have like focuses that you research and stuff like this. I would like, love to learn like what your new year’s resolution, like resolutions are.
Cause you just like must kill it. You’re like, okay, end of January, knock those out of the park. What do you think it is that like holds people back when they have like a nanny agency from like Doing it well because and I will point this out they’re like within engine hire and this is not supposed to be like an engine hire thing but like You use like all these features and you’re like very diligent in it And then you ask all the time, you’re like, where is this feature?
We’re like, Oh, that doesn’t exist yet. And then you’re like, you should make that one. And then you’ll be like, here’s another one because you notice these like gaps to make things better. So where do you think like that gap is for a lot of [00:07:00] people when they’re starting a nanny agency, or even maybe thinking about it, that it’s just like, there’s this missing piece.
Alison: Yeah, well, I’d say like starting any business, you know, sometimes people start a business when they are currently working full time, because it’s just an idea at first, you just have to slowly build the framework, and there definitely is a reason to do it that way. And I think sometimes people doubt themselves, or they question or it feels scary, and they don’t really take the leap.
And so they’re having one foot in one foot out, and they’re not really able to give their full attention to something or really. Like have it be able to go wrong or really trust in this process. And so because I was able to just take the leap, I think that was really helpful because something that I noticed is a lot of agency owners, they’re doing a fantastic job, but it could be their part time job.
And sometimes life gets in the [00:08:00] way. And you wonder when you have a plan B, you know, you’re, you’re going to be a little bit more cautious and because when you’re just all invested in something, you are more likely to give it a hundred percent effort because you have to depend on that. That’s your livelihood.
Danny: That’s so scary that you know those agency owners out there like yourself where you’re like, this is what I do. I think that that is a really hard part of doing it. Is there, do you have, I suppose, is there any suggestions that you’d have for anybody if they’re like on the fence or like worried about doing that?
How did you convince yourself?
Alison: Yeah, having a mentor or a coach is really helpful. I started working with Megan Metzger consulting early on, and that really gave me the confidence because everyone has imposter syndrome when you’re starting out [00:09:00] and you’re thinking, you know, what do other people know that I don’t know?
What are some things I should anticipate? Is this normal? Is it just me? And then having someone in your corner that can help you have the right mindset about something. helps you to overcome those challenges and realize it’s just par for the course. And then you also have a network of other people that you can consult to gather information about best practices.
So you’re not just living in this silo.
Danny: Yeah. Is there anything like business wise that like outside of the nanny industry is something like, I know you’ve said you worked in corporate America, which I think is Really helpful because I think a lot of people that start nanny agencies come from being a nanny and might not actually have any of this.
Like what is business 101 things I should do? And they like kind of have to like, figure it out. Is there anything that like you just learned about business in [00:10:00] general? That was helpful.
Alison: Yeah, I would say working in a corporate role, you kind of see the structure of an organization. You see your boss and how they manage a team.
You learn those skills or what are some things that I admire about this person? How would I like to be as a boss? How do they delegate? And you can even learn this from the, you know, your nanny boss as well. I learned some amazing things about leadership from the people that I was employed by as a nanny and house manager.
And my background in recruiting, of course, was helpful sales, all these things kind of tie in. I think I took bits and pieces from all the different industries. I worked in in college. I worked in hospitality. And so that service background as well. I studied HR as well in college. And so it’s, it’s helpful.
It’s funny how it all came together and all these little things that were seemingly insignificant all tied together to one neat little package that I’ve been able to draw from every day.
Danny: Yeah, that’s [00:11:00] fantastic that, that you, that you have all of those pieces pulled from. It made me think though, because you said like your background, like in sales, and I’m wondering when you, a client, a possible client reaches out to you and like it doesn’t happen.
They don’t go with your services. Is there a reason that you’ve ever been able to point, like, your finger to, like, in general, why, or is there something to that, or you’re just like, eh, wasn’t a good fit? Is there anything like that?
Alison: I’d say That sometimes it’s people make decisions based off emotions and trust.
And I know personally, when I’m reaching out to some sort of vendor for service for my personal life or business, you go into the call optimistic, you’re reaching out to a service because you need something and you want it to be a good fit. And you’re hoping they say the right things and you’re hoping you’re aligned.
And sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes you’re truly not the best solution for this [00:12:00] person. And so I think to be able to be consultative and honest and forthcoming and saying, listen, what you’re looking for is either unrealistic or here’s someone that can help you better. Or yes, I truly think that we are the best solution.
And if you actually honestly feel that way and can express that the person you’re speaking to understand or being genuine and Then it doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. When I worked in sales, I was doing cold calling and it was miserable. And so I never want to push anything on anyone. I’m not going to harass anyone.
And if you actually honestly feel that way and can express that the person you’re speaking to understand or being genuine and Then it doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. When I worked in sales, I was doing cold calling and it was miserable. And so I never want to push anything on anyone. I’m not going to harass anyone.
That’s just not my style. I, I understand the value of a good follow up, but I don’t think people like to be bombarded. It feels disingenuine. It feels irritating. So I’ve been trying to go the opposite route, which is if you need something, I’m here. You know where to find me. If you have any questions, I’m happy to chat
Danny: That’s fantastic. I know I keep saying that. That’s fantastic. I don’t know why that keeps coming out of me, except for that. I honestly think that [00:13:00] thank you for sharing all of that. I want to go back to where you said that, like you use like mentorships and you know, you have a community around that to help you.
It makes me remember how I always like try that imposter syndrome part where when someone just told me like, Danny, this is going to happen to your business. And then they’re like, this is what I wish I had known that. And then you get into that spot and you naturally do what people naturally want to do.
And it’s like, you avoid that. Unfortunately, you like, you do the thing that like that person was like, I wish I hadn’t done that. It’s like those, there’s natural things that you’re like, Oh, I don’t know how else to do this. And so I always try to pretend that I got, that was my experience too. I think like you do everything at such a professional level outside of the gate.
And maybe that’s because of the community ness that you have and the mentorships, or maybe like you’re just like, [00:14:00] instinctively know like, if I want people to take me seriously. I need to be at the top of my professional game and you’re smart enough to know those insights of like, here’s what a good website looks like, here’s how scheduling should work, here’s how you send this email.
Is there any of those things that, like, you could point to that, like, really helped, like you feel like you were on the track to success?
Alison: Yeah, I think it’s all the little things. Like when I want to work with a business, I think about what do I value? What do I look for? I make sure, like, does this business have a presence on social media?
Are they providing valuable, helpful information? Is it easy to find the answer that I need? And so I think about that. I think about visually, like a website should have this sort of feeling that it evokes. You should be able to easily navigate and find the information that you need. It should tell a story.
You can read, you know, countless sales books and marketing books and all these [00:15:00] things. They can be really helpful to inspire you, but I think deep down, we all know. intuitively what makes us want to work with a certain brand. And so just being able to parse those things out and you think, what’s my story?
How do I want people to perceive me? And those things can help you. And it’s going to be different for everyone. Everyone has their own unique flavor and just being able to put your own spin on it so you can differentiate yourself.
Danny: You have such a vision for things. Are, how do you, and I imagine you have to be like, as a business owner, like equally like a doer and not just like a thinker.
Like I’ve thought of myself hundreds of millions of times, probably. Okay. Maybe that’s like thousands and thousands of times been like, if I went on Shark Tank, here’s a great idea, everyone would want to invest. But I would never, ever actually do it. How, how do you like split that like that vision that keeps you growing and like [00:16:00] getting the work done?
How have you like been able to manage that?
Alison: Yeah, I love that question. Time blocking is helpful, like setting intentional time to be creative, allowing yourself time to have downtime when you’re just Your mind is empty. You’re doing something physical, whether it’s going for a walk, working out being in nature, reading, even if you just want to stare at the wall just something where your brain can be creative.
So I think that can be really helpful for me is have times where I can hyper be productive and have my coffee and listen to some music in the background and have my headphones in and really like work and type out an idea or. Brain dump some information or really get some things done that are like high level or detailed building out systems and then letting that basically marinate.
And I would, you know, when I was really, really building, I would be asleep every night, but I wouldn’t really be [00:17:00] sleeping. I would still be thinking about the business and I would wake up at two in the morning, like, With a new idea that was like the best thing I’ve ever thought of, you know, and I think when you’re really in that zone, it’s stressful, but it’s like when you’re building the most and once you get that momentum, then you plateau and you can kind of relax and appreciate and see, wow, I’ve really actually come far.
And then you hit a point where you’re like, well, what’s the next step? Because that becomes the new normal. And then you build again. And that’s just. Anything, whether you’re growing as an athlete and you’re trying to become a faster runner, right? You’re always just setting the bar higher.
Danny: And you can’t just, you know, without ever having run in your life, make it to like win a marathon.
Like you have to start somewhere and realize that. Where do you think like our industry is headed? If you could put like a finger on that, like, what do you see? [00:18:00]
Alison: It seems that. I think a lot of the industry needs more educational resources. There needs to be more of a push for industry standardization about job titles, about best practices, about labor laws.
That is definitely something that more and more people are aware of and pushing for. And there’s a lot of organizations that agencies have joined or job seekers have joined to be able to be all on the same page about these things to improve and make sure that these are actual careers for people that offer competitive wages.
benefits, guaranteed hours, all these things that regular nine to five corporate jobs have. I think after the pandemic, people realized how important it is to have household staff and sometimes hard to find. And I think there’s going to be a big disparity between a let’s say a nanny that is just doing this as an in between job [00:19:00] and someone that’s just looking for extra hours.
They’re not really focused on career development. It’s convenient for them. It’s fun. It is what it is versus the type of employee that is. Is really going to thrive in a fast paced environment where they can really impress their employers, be that person that is the go to person for them. A lot of families are looking for that person.
They don’t, they don’t want just an average employee. They want the best. And it’s, it takes a lot of competition to make yourself shine as a candidate to be that person. So I think when candidates can focus on. developing their skill sets, you know, hashing out their resume skills, being able to present themselves well to agencies to have access to those jobs and getting amazing letters of recommendation, all those things.
I think there’s going to be a divide between the people that can really separate themselves in that way.
Danny: Is how do you know, like when [00:20:00] somebody like as to like, like when you’re like recruiting for some, for a position, how do you like know that like, I feel like it’s such a finite of people out there that actually can deliver.
Do you feel that? Or like, are they truly out there and you can find them when you’re trying to fill those hard to fill positions?
Alison: Yeah, I think it comes down to what, how people interact with you, not just in the application and what they say. and how they interview, but it’s in the subtle things. It’s how they write their emails.
Are they using professional language? Are they prompted their follow up? They feel genuine. And sometimes this is a matchmaking business. It’s kind of like dating. So a good agency owner has that skill to be able to read a person. And understand if they’re just saying what sounds nice, or if everything lines up and you get a truly good feeling for someone because it’s, it’s a high risk decision you’re trusting this [00:21:00] person is who they say you are and you’re presenting the best of the best to the families to invite this person into their home to, you know, meet their family and their children.
And so you have to be very careful about who you work with. And I think trusting your gut and knowing just from experience as well. Sometimes you’ll make the wrong decision and then you’ll learn from there and pivot. I think a lot of that expertise comes with time too.
Danny: I love how you said, like how, like they write their emails and if they’re prompt in responding, I always think about that stuff to like.
It’s so important because the interview isn’t just the interview. Every interaction needs to carry that same weight of professionalism. I should be wowing you at every moment when I’m, like, trying to work with, with Allison. Like, like, it, it, every, it all adds up. It all matters.
I suppose is there, is there something that you are thinking about with like your [00:22:00] agency that you’re like, that’s what we’re going to try to next? I guess you just expanded. So that’s probably a whole new thing for you. How’s your expansion going?
Alison: It’s going really well. Yeah, I think it would love to expand more in the future.
And I think it would be more of a strategic decision based on where our clients are based, where they a lot of them have other homes and That’s what it’ll be focused around. Also looking into finding more ways to create resources and connect qualified job seekers with training materials or other coaches or organizations that have certification programs.
That’s something that a lot of people have been asking for. And yeah, I’d love to work with anybody that can provide more. Standardization for the industry and make it a more professional standardized world.
Danny: That’s amazing. As I would say, that’s fantastic. That’s so interesting though, too, because like on top of [00:23:00] that, like you’re developing the candidates that you’re looking for by putting those resources out there.
You’re hearing from them like we need this and you’re going, I’m going to make that for you. I want you to be successful. This is. This, you’re leading in a way where like you’re shaping and that’s, that’s really why I asked you to be here because I, there’s a lot of many agency owners out there, but like you’re one that like your name comes up again and again for people.
And it’s because like, you were able to step in and you’re like leading which direction this industry goes. But I mean, if people. Like, anybody, I hope a lot of people are listening to this episode because I think they’re just being like, oh my god, like, they could soak this all in. Is there, and no might be the thing, but is there something I should have asked you?
Alison: I think you have some really amazing [00:24:00] questions, Danny. I think you’re a great podcast host. Thank you. You’re a great conversationalist, and you’re good at making people feel comfortable, which is one of the things that I admire about you. I think the other, only other thing I could think of is, I think you hit it on a nose when you said like investing in your people and giving them value because The good ones are really good and they deserve to be treated well.
The industry feels like it’s huge and there’s unlimited talent, but it’s actually quite small in some ways. And you never know who knows who. And I think sometimes, you know, job seekers are treated like a number. And that’s something that we’ve heard from a lot of candidates is they take a lot of time and energy and effort to applying to different agencies, they want to find their dream job and likewise, agencies and families are looking for qualified talent.
And so being able to meet in the middle and see them as people and treat them well. You know, goes all the way from the employer treating them with respect, but also the agencies as well. So something that we really value is [00:25:00] making sure that the candidates feel like their wants are being understood and that we understand their preferences and their ideal job.
And that, you know, that we always get feedback from them. Like, what can we be doing better as an agency and making sure that they feel respected because we need them as much as they need us.
Danny: Yeah, that’s a that’s a wonderful and insightful and just made me want to share and I know this is about you but I I definitely know that when I meet a great candidate and i’m like, I don’t have a job in this person But i’m like, why are you how how have you not been hired yet?
Right, and so i’m like send me your resume Like what are you sending people like there’s got to be something missing from this sometimes and sometimes there is and I think exactly like what you said is like Letting people know like that they need to be professional the whole time like is really so critical.
Like every, I ask a lot of nannies what makes you stand out in the industry? [00:26:00] Like candidate is a candidate. What makes you the best candidate? And a lot of them say patience and I’m like, okay, that can’t be what makes you stand out, unfortunately, because so many of you have said that. So that’s like one of those things of like you gotta dig deep and if patience is the only thing you’re bringing to the table that like makes you stand out that your patience is that incredible which it could be for some of them some of them their best and most outstanding skill could be patience but it’s like what you’re saying is like you’re working with people To not make the sale.
You’re trying to help them as a, as a family, as you know, a client, you were trying to make sure that they’re successful. And I can only say that that must be why you’re as successful as you are.
Alison: I really appreciate it.
Danny: Yeah, absolutely. Well, so Allison, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for giving us all of your [00:27:00] wisdom and sharing with us and Where should people learn more about you? I think people are gonna go. I need to learn more From Allison, where can people go to like just learn more about you and your agency?
Alison: Yeah, you can learn more about My Household Managed by visiting our website at myhouseholdmanaged. com. You can see our services, the positions we place, and how to get in touch with us. And we’re also on social media, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, we’re always sharing tips, best practices, and resources from our blog.
So we’d love if you could take a look there and feel free to reach out. We’d love to be in touch with other people in the industry.
Danny: Fantastic. Thank you. Thanks again, Allison, for sharing us, sharing your time with us. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for joining us.
Alison: Yes. Thank you, Danny. It was a pleasure.
Thank you so much.
