Emotional Professionalism with Rebecca Pearcy of Windsor House Nannies

Danny – Enginehire:
Hey Rebecca, thanks so much for joining me on the podcast. How are you doing today?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Good, good.

Danny – Enginehire:
I’m doing well, thanks for asking. I’d love to jump into it. I remember the first time I saw you at a conference, and one of my goals was to speak to you. I’ll be honest—you won’t remember this because I didn’t approach you. I was too nervous. You’re a big deal to me in this industry—really to a lot of people.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Why didn’t you talk?

Danny – Enginehire:
I froze. I was too nervous to say hi.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Danny, you are so sweet. But listen, come and say hi to me all the time. I love people who come up and say hi and have a good old chat. But that’s so sweet of you. Why couldn’t you come up? You didn’t feel it?

Danny – Enginehire:
You just crush it. You’re someone people look up to in the nanny agency industry. You look exactly like your LinkedIn profile. You’re so well put together. I was just intimidated.

Rebecca Pearcy:
You are so sweet. My gosh. Please don’t be intimidated. I’m all over the place.

Danny – Enginehire:
That’s why I love having you here. You’re a real person and super nice. How did you get started in the nanny industry?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Like a lot of nanny agency owners, I was a nanny. I worked as an on-call nanny for about 25 families in Austin. I kept hearing the same feedback: “We can’t find reliable caregivers with experience.” I also had trouble finding jobs myself, even with other agencies. So I fulfilled a lifelong mission—I always wanted to start my own company. I banded together with a friend and we started Windsor House Nannies.

Danny – Enginehire:
How hard was that when you started?

Rebecca Pearcy:
It was so hard. We were both theatre practitioners with no background in business. Everything was learned from the ground up. We’re still learning. One of the best pieces of advice is to rely on your gut and lead from your heart.

Danny – Enginehire:
If someone came to you today and said, “Rebecca, how do I start a nanny agency?” what would you tell them?

Rebecca Pearcy:
First, ask yourself why you want to start it. The journey can be overwhelming. Get a good legal team. Join business groups to meet professionals—lawyers, insurance reps, etc. Make sure your contracts are solid and that you’re following licensing laws. Also, think about your company values, branding, and marketing. We started with almost no money—doing everything ourselves. But make sure the foundational legal and operational parts are in place.

Danny – Enginehire:
How do you know when you’ve found a good lawyer?

Rebecca Pearcy:
For me, it was about the connection. If I can have a good, real, transparent conversation and we click—that’s who I want to work with. It’s about relationships and communication. As you grow, you might need bigger companies, but early on, that personal connection matters.

Danny – Enginehire:
That real connection—banter—is so important. Is that something you talk about with your clients and candidates?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Yes, personality fit is crucial. Agencies get to know families and nannies to a degree, but the real test is in the home. That’s why we now tell families to skip interviews and go straight to trials if they’re comfortable. Nannies shine more during one-on-one time than interviews. Multi-day trials help ensure it’s the right fit.

Danny – Enginehire:
That also helps weed out people who interview well but can’t follow through on the job.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Exactly. It goes both ways.

Danny – Enginehire:
What are some common emotional traps that caregivers and families fall into?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Emotional professionalism is critical. Nannies work in homes—it’s personal and professional. Lines can get blurred. You might feel like you’re friends and say what’s on your mind, but that’s often not helpful. There needs to be professional boundaries.

Danny – Enginehire:
What techniques do you suggest when someone’s in the heat of the moment?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Start by recognizing your emotions. That’s the foundation of emotional regulation. It’s okay to say you’re having a bad day—but own it professionally. Passive aggression, stomping around, or skipping responsibilities is not the way to go. Instead, say, “I’m feeling frustrated. I’d like to come back to this later.”
Also, practice your “game face.” Stay composed so others around you remain calm. If you mess up, own it and apologize. We’re all human.

Danny – Enginehire:
That was amazing. You even gave us a script to handle tough moments. Do you have a really good game face?

Rebecca Pearcy:
It depends. I practice constantly. In professional settings, I remind myself to breathe, pause, and stay focused. I also remind myself that whatever someone says might not be about me—it could be about their bad day. And if someone’s being disrespectful, calmly set boundaries.

In personal life, it’s harder. I often lose my cool with people closest to me, like family, even though they deserve the most grace. But in professional spaces, the game face helps. On phone calls, though, my face says everything!

Danny – Enginehire:
That’s such a great point about giving your best energy to those closest to you. And about vocalizing how you’re feeling so people know what’s happening with you.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Yes—and even if the other person doesn’t respond well in the moment, they will likely remember later how you handled yourself. That earns respect. It shows emotional maturity. Relationships can deepen from that.

And always practice grace. You don’t know what someone else is going through. I’m not excusing bad behavior, but being mindful of that can help in tense situations.

Danny – Enginehire:
It’s also so helpful to remember you can go back and own a mistake. I love your example of entering a meeting thinking, “This is a good person having a bad day.”

Rebecca Pearcy:
Right. And another thing—being emotionally professional requires vulnerability. You’re showing someone how you feel. That’s not easy, especially in a professional setting where we’re told not to share too much. But emotional professionalism isn’t about being emotional—it’s about regulating emotions and communicating clearly.

Danny – Enginehire:
So how did you learn all of this? And why did you realize it mattered?

Rebecca Pearcy:
Because I used to blow off all the time. I was a loud, opinionated little girl who would say exactly what I thought. Over time, I realized that didn’t always have a positive effect on people or situations. I started observing reactions and learning how to communicate more kindly.
It’s been a lifelong practice. And also—being angry all the time is exhausting. I’d rather cuddle my dog and read a book than deal with drama!

Danny – Enginehire:
Rebecca, I could talk to you all day. You’ve given me so much to think about. I was sitting here going, “Wow,” and also trying not to let my face show it!

Rebecca Pearcy:
That’s totally fine! I’m a physical person too—hands flying everywhere when I talk. So I understand!

Danny – Enginehire:
Where can we learn more about you and Windsor House Nannies?

Rebecca Pearcy:
You can visit our website: windsorhousenannies.com.
We’re also on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn—just search “Windsor House Nannies.”
And feel free to reach out. If you have questions about emotional professionalism, I’m still learning—but I’m always happy to talk about the industry and connect.

Danny – Enginehire:
Thank you, Rebecca. You’ve been amazing. I appreciate your time and insights.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Thank you, Danny! You’re so sweet and complimentary. You make the other person feel so great about themselves.

Danny – Enginehire:
A lot of people don’t give themselves enough credit. Do you ever stop and think, “Isn’t it awesome that I get to do this?”

Rebecca Pearcy:
Yes, I do. But I also think we’re all small fish in a big pond. It’s not about building an empire—it’s about contributing to your community. I love what I do. I feel fulfilled. And I’m grateful for the chance to do this. Not everyone gets those opportunities.

Danny – Enginehire:
You’re building your community. That’s powerful. You’re providing jobs and making a positive impact. That’s amazing.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Thank you. And none of us can do it alone. We rely on our nannies, our families, and amazing partners like Enginehire. I swear I’d lose my mind without Enginehire.

Danny – Enginehire:
Thank you! This is going to be a phenomenal episode.

Rebecca Pearcy:
Thanks, Danny. Always a pleasure chatting with you.