Start Up

San Luis nannies

Things have a way of just sort of happening for Ashlee Leonardo. So it seems logical that her new venture, San Luis Nannies, will just sort of happen, too.

Last September, almost immediately after taking a “leap of faith” and deciding to move from Seattle to San Luis Obispo she met a couple from San Luis Obispo that wanted to take a year-long sabbatical to - you guessed it - Seattle. “They wanted someone to take care of their beautiful, amazing home while they were away, so it worked out perfectly and has allowed us to get a foothold here,” says Leonardo.

Another example of Leonardo’s synchronicity: she first met her husband, Tony, when his parents moved from San Luis Obispo to her hometown of Hamilton, Montana when they were just eleven years old. After Leonardo studied Psychology and Child Development at the University of Hawaii, the couple relocated to Seattle so that she could pursue a career in childcare and her husband could train to become a commercial pilot. She confides, “I was losing my spirit a bit in the big city, and really wanted my daughter to grow up in a small town.”

Leonardo continues, “We want to be here, this is where we belong, but I knew we had to get creative to make it work. I am passionate about childcare - it’s just so important - and I started talking to local moms and asking them what they thought of this idea (a nanny agency), which is not a new one, this is how it’s done in all the major cities. The difference here is that it will be much smaller and more personal, of course.”

And it does appear that nanny agencies, such as San Luis Nannies, are tried-and-true businesses in larger, metropolitan areas. The concept is simple: prospective nannies are prequalified, screened, and profiled for an ideal match with a local family. The family can set up a work schedule, according to Leonardo, “It may only be a few hours a week that a family needs help – maybe during the ‘witching hour,’ say 4 to 6, each night before dinner.” The agency then looks at their current roster of nannies and arranges for an interview with the family. Once a match is made, the family pays a fee to the agency for establishing the relationship and the family employees the nanny directly, usually at an hourly rate ranging from $10 - $15 per hour.

The benefit to the family is that they get a professional, qualified nanny (San Luis Nannies runs extensive background checks and is insured for the work they do) who has been specifically matched to suit their style and personality. According to Leonardo, “There is nothing worse than having a nanny who encourages the kids to stay inside just because she would rather read books with them, when the parents prefer to have them outside exploring or vice versa. Family culture really does matter a lot in the placement.”

So far, Leonardo has created a business plan, worked out the extensive licensing and insurance requirements, launched her sanluisnannies.com website, and has begun interviewing nannies. “For me, as small or as big as it grows, I’m okay with that, I just really want to provide a valuable service to the community.” SLO LIFE

nan·ny [nan-ee]

a person, usually with special training, employed to care for children in a household.

ASHLEE LEonArdo San Luis nannies