The INA has given me a sense of community.
When I first joined the INA I was a one-woman show with a cell phone that slept by my head. I had a full-time nanny and part-time office help. I felt alone in the daily struggles of running a business. I had a feeling of drowning in endless demands from clients and tough business decisions to make with seemingly no right answer. Unsure of who to turn too, I would vent to my husband who did not understand the business and whose answer to every problem was “just fire them!” This was not productive for a growing business.
Through the INA, I was able to see outside my own little world. I met other agency owners who were going through the same struggles of finding work, such as life balance or recruiting for the best candidates. We shared tips and tricks with one another and stories of headaches and successes. I began to build a sense of community and made friends that I could lean on who would never suggest “firing them” unless there was a real reason.
The community the INA presented me with helped me see how much bigger my work was. The nanny industry spanned from coast to coast, across countries and even across the world. It has helped me make incredible friends who I enjoy outside of industry events. The people who make up the INA are “my people” and conference week feels like a family reunion. I plan my entire year around that weekend in May and am forever thankful to have my community.
The INA has pushed me to help elevate the industry.
As a true entrepreneur and small business owner, who designed Preferred ChildCare from just an idea and demand, there was not a playbook to go by or a rule book to follow. Most of what I created in my agency was based on the very scientific method of “try it and see what happens.” I was faced with many decisions that could have had drastic consequences. Luckily, I never accepted cash for services or skipped steps in screening candidates, but when the money was tight and the nanny didn’t mind being paid in cash it was hard to say no to the placement.
Joining the INA meant agreeing to the INA’s mission and commitment to elevate our industry. I agreed to properly educate families and nannies on topics such as fair pay and legal taxation. I stood taller and stronger against the offers that were a little too low and became an advocate for nannies in our area. I would lose a sale before allowing a family to pay a nanny cash for overtime or refuse to give paid sick days or vacation. The INA helped me see how important it was to maintain industry standards. It helped me become a better business owner knowing what I was doing had a greater impact than just my own P&L.
The INA has encouraged me to give back.
As a new conference attendee, the INA seemed to be a group of people who have known each other for years and seemingly “have it all together.” I was slightly intimidated and intrigued to learn more about the individuals that made this association run. I sat in on a board meeting comprised of vaguely familiar faces and was impressed at their ability to discuss sensitive topics with a calming presence. They make decisions as a group effectively despite varying opinions.
When I was asked to serve on the Board of the INA, I immediately said yes. I was later intimidated and unsure what I could give to this great organization. I quickly realized these incredible group of Directors all had a common goal, which was to elevate the industry and the INA. The mission inspired me to dive in head first. I proudly took on the responsibility as a committee chair, to accept the nomination to the Executive Board, and continue to speak to share knowledge with others. I give time, talent, and sheer passion to the INA and not once have I regretted it.
The INA has helped me find my passion.
I was one of those individuals who had their life planned out by 20. I was graduating with a business administration degree with a concentration in training and development. I had planned to attend graduate school and receive my MBA and then become an executive trainer for the Center for Creative Leadership. I would have 2.5 kids, a dog, and a two-story house with a white picket fence.
God had other plans though when the opportunity to take my hobby of helping families find sitters became a true business my senior year. I spent over a decade growing Preferred ChildCare and feeling mostly satisfied with my work. My desire to train was still there and with the opportunity to speak and teach at the INA conferences, I felt an outlet for that passion. I founded a consulting business, Megan Metzger Consulting, in 2016 and have discovered that my true passion for teaching has become a reality. Through the connections I have made with the INA, I have been given the opportunity to mentor and consult with agency owners across the world. Every week I work with agency owners helping them start, grow, or streamline their businesses. I guess you could say it was God’s plan all along for me to teach. He just wanted me to know my craft intimately so I could relate to those in the highs and lows of this industry.
For me, the INA has meant so much more than a fancy logo on the bottom of my web page. It has given me a sense of community, driven me to be a better business leader, helped me better the industry by giving back, and find my true passion for work and life.
I will always be a member of the INA and cannot thank them enough for all they have done for me. I hope you will get involved more and see how the INA will impact you. I am confident it will be all good things!
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 9, Lily age 6, and Emma Grace, age 3 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 Executive Board of The International Nanny Association. 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.