As the former nanny for a couple with five children, Candi Wingate quickly learned about the needs of a modern day family. Her family’s daily routine began with getting the children up and dressed, feeding them breakfast, packing lunches, making sure all teeth and hair were properly brushed, and then shuttling them out the door to school. This was performed almost entirely before sunrise!

Then there was: grocery shopping, cleaning house, doing laundry, feeding the babies (newborn twins), putting them down for a nap, getting them up, running errands, and getting a jump on dinner before the big kids came home just…so…she…could…help with homework, help with dinner, wash the dishes (and the kids!) and, finally, place them securely in bed with lots of hugs and kisses. As a nanny, Candi gave these parents the support they needed to keep their children healthy and happy. She gave them the gift of stress relief, increased job performance, happy children…a happy family. And then another miracle, she says…“I became divinely inspired with the gift of match making, matching families with the right nanny or babysitter for their children.”

It was 1994 and Candi, now a wife, purchased her very own nanny placement agency. Soon after, Nannies4Hire.com was born. Based in Nebraska and serving all of the U.S. and Canada, this booming online database registry serves more than 500,000 families, nannies, and babysitters. “Years ago, families spent around $800 – $5,000 for an agency to place a nanny in the home. Now you simply go online, bring up your zip code, and find a whole list of providers looking for a position. It’s a huge money saver and, with the economy being what it is, having a nanny makes it easier for families to accomplish all of today’s demands.”

Mymompreneur: What was your biggest business challenge?
Candi: We started as a nanny placement agency and saw the need to expand to Nannies4hire.com and Care4hire.com.  We wanted to service families throughout the United States and Canada and meet all their needs including nannies, babysitters, pet care, housekeepers, elder/companion care, tutors, live-in, live-out and other misc. services.  Our goal is to find every family the right caregiver, not just any caregiver and offer caregivers an enjoyable experience.   We thrive our business on customer service.  A good amount of our business has been built on referrals and repeat clients.

Mymompreneur: What are you most proud of?
Candi: It was a great honor for us to be named to the Inc. 500 List of Fastest Growing Companies this year.  We were also very proud to work with TLC and their hit show Jon & Kate + 8.  We were an integral part of finding nannies for the Gosselin family’s sextuplets and twins.  And we’ve formed successful ongoing relationships with the Dr. Phil Show.  In fact, Dr. Phil has repeatedly recommended us to guests on his show.

Mymompreneur: Can anyone have a nanny or are they for wealthy families?
Candi: In these tough economic times, we’re all being cautious with our spending.  Parents may be worried about hiring a nanny, thinking it’s too “luxurious” in light of the current downturn.  What you may not know is that hiring a nanny can actually save families money over other childcare options. Many parents debate the merits of hiring a nanny versus putting their children in daycare.  If you have two or more children, it’s often more cost-effective to hire a nanny, as daycares charge per child and will be more expensive than paying a nanny to come to your home. With a nanny, parents don’t have to leave work – potentially missing a day’s pay – when their child is sick, like they would with day care. Your nanny can stay home with your children while you work.  As an added benefit, you may have healthier children if you keep them out of daycare and away from other kids’ germs. The economic downturn has everyone looking to cut costs whenever possible, so the concept of “nanny sharing” has grown in popularity this year.  There are several “nanny sharing” scenarios, including having one nanny watch kids from several families simultaneously or having one nanny work part-time for two different families, spending a few days with each family.  These options help reduce costs, while still providing the benefits of having a nanny. Nannies4Hire.com’s database provides a list of nannies with a range of salary requirements, and we’re confident that we can find you a wonderful nanny that fits within your budget parameters. Salary varies and depends on the nanny’ experience, duties, responsibilities, geographic location and more.

Mymompreneur: How do you find work life balance as a mompreneur?
Candi? I could not run the business without a nanny myself.  She helps us keep it all together.  Having 2 active children, she definitely helps simplify our life.  Following is a list of duties she helps us with: childcare, housekeeping, laundry, errands, carpooling, helping with homework, etc.

Mymompreneur: What advice would you share with other mompreneurs or women interested in working for themselves?
Candi: Every thing takes longer than you expect, be patient and work hard and it will come together in the end.

Related posts:

1. MyMompreneur Spotlight: Tish Davis, Elegant Event Sitters, Inc. My name is Tish Davis and I am the President...
2. Mompreneurs Don't Have To Be Super Hero's Are you trying to be supermomma but end up feeling...
3. Breast Cancer Survivor Vicki Tashman, Founds Pink-Link.org In 2005 Breast cancer survivor and mom entrepreneur Vicki Tashman,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.