As we continue our series spotlighting your INA Board Of Directors, we are getting to know a little more about Megan Metzger. As a member of the Board, she along with the other Board Members work to support our association and industry.
What is your board member position?
2nd Vice President and Chair of the Agency Conference Track
What is your job?
President of Preferred ChildCare Inc. and Chief Consultant of Megan Metzger Consulting
What brought you to the nanny industry?
I grew up as an only child and always wanted a younger sibling. I began babysitting at the age of 11 years old. I babysat dozens of families throughout my teens and created some wonderful relationships. When I began college, I realized there was no way I could continue to care for all the families I worked for and maintain my coursework. I began running up and down the halls of my dorm yelling “Does anyone babysit? Does anyone like kids?” I met some very interesting people this way. I started to compile a list of names of sitters that I would send to my families’ homes when I was not free. I would call the family after the “sub sitter” worked and asked how they liked her. I would remind them to call me first next time and if I wasn’t free, I would send a sub sitter.
In my senior year, one of my clients asked how many sitters I was “farming out.” I told him 20-30. He suggested I incorporate this business and make it a profitable idea. I couldn’t believe someone would PAY me to find them a sitter. The next week one of my favorite clients was very exasperated and voiced how she wished she had one number to call to be guaranteed a sitter. I thought that’s it, that’s the million-dollar idea! I incorporated Preferred ChildCare in 2005 and now employ over 180 on-call babysitters and part-time nannies to serve families, churches, businesses, and schools. We also place families with full-time nannies, pet sitters, household managers, night nannies, after school nannies, and so much more.
What brought you to the INA?
I attended an APNA conference in 2011 and was referred by many of the participants to the INA. My first INA conference was in 2013 in Kentucky. I learned so much and met incredible people at that conference. I was hooked!
What do you find most beneficial about the INA?
The network of support that you build. The INA allows business owners, nannies, and Newborn Care Specialists to get out of their individual day to day duties and see how much bigger our industry really is. I have met two of my very best friends from the INA. One was my support system when I welcomed my third baby into the world and was up-all-night breastfeeding. We would text back and forth about life, business, and more.
What do you feel you bring to the INA?
I am passionate about the in-home child care industry. I truly feel in-home caregivers provide an incredible upbringing for children. I could not have done my life without my nannies and I want to help educate the world on the value a true professional can bring to their children and home life. I am also passionate about helping other agency owners grow their business, streamline their processes, and enjoy being a business owner! I am an open book and always happy to share my stories, tricks, and tips to help others on their business journey.
What are some goals you hope to accomplish while on the board?
My favorite month of the year has become May, conference time! I want to make the INA Conference an incredible experience for all attendees. For 2018 we are looking to really ELEVATE the conference experience. We have selected an incredible venue and I am personally committed to working with the local Tuscan agency, Trusting Connections, to bring in dynamite speakers. The INA Conference is a chance for all of us to learn, grow, and network with one another. I am proud of the event we put together last year but know this year will be even better!
Do you have a message you’d like to share with INA members and the nanny industry community at large?
It is important to be involved and be aware of the resources available to you through the INA. There is a lot to gain by becoming a member of the INA, but there is also a lot to give. I have walked away from Board meetings with my head spinning from the list of things to do, but I would not trade my time on the Board for the world. This industry and these people are incredibly special. Get involved, meet others, learn and grow to become the best person you can be not only for yourself but for those you meet and impact every day.
Megan Metzger, Founder, and President of Preferred ChildCare, turned her hobby of babysitting into a successful business with one of the largest temp. divisions in the nation. Today she employs over 200 on-call and part-time nannies as well as places traditional full-time nannies. Megan is a mom to three children, Hunter age 8, Lily age 4, and Emma Grace, age 2 and finds her business more useful now than ever. Megan is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she previously acted as Vice President of the Alumni Board. She is a founding member of the North Carolina Board of Entrepreneurship and serves on the International Nanny Association Board of Directors. Megan also owns Megan Metzger Consulting and provides consultation services for numerous nanny agencies and other entrepreneurs, she is passionate about helping others grow their businesses.