As you may have guessed, the nanny agency industry is a slightly niche group of entrepreneurs – so it is rare that agency owners and staff members have a chance to connect, get together, and catch up on what’s happening in the agency world and how we can all continue to advocate for our candidates, and educate and help the families who choose to partner with us on their searches.
The Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) provides resources for agencies across the world, and is the only organization that provides and regulates ethical and legal standards for agencies. You may have heard of APNA before when we wrote this blog about three years ago when we were elated about getting accepted for membership!
This year’s conference was especially memorable because Adventure Nannies also took home not one, but TWO awards: the Excellence Award and the Innovation Award. As our founder Brandy said on Instagram, the APNA Honors are the nanny agency equivalent of the Grammys and it is a tremendous honor to be recognized in this way by our community.
The awards were only one highlight of the conference – Shenandoah (our CEO) spoke on a panel about setting up a virtual office, and Christina (our placement director) spoke on a panel about conflict resolution and staying calm in moments of crisis. We also got to enjoy some truly stunning views at the Ritz Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, talked about waking up for sunrise yoga and then didn’t, got a tiny bit sunburned by the pool, and got to hang out with some of our very favorite agencies from across the country (and Australia – we’re looking at you, Louise!) There may have even been an impromptu sing-a-long around a grand piano in one of the hotel’s rotundas where about 20 agency owners serenades a pair of newlyweds who wandered into the party in their wedding garb…
A very special thank you to APNA, as well as to our friends at HomeWork Solutions who nominated us for the Excellence Award, saying “they pride themselves on finding unicorns, but what they don’t realize is that they ARE the unicorns.” It is truly an honor to be part of this industry and we are so appreciative of the many leaders and friends we have met and learned from since launching Adventure Nannies in 2012.
As a gentle reminder to families who may be looking for an agency to help them with a nanny search – if you are looking for an exceptional nanny or private educator, get in touch!
Are you an experienced, professional nanny? Do you have what it takes to be an Adventure Nanny? Apply Now!