Good Neighbor Podcast South Charlotte
Bringing Together Local Businesses and Neighbors of South Charlotte.
Good Neighbor Podcast South Charlotte
Ep. # 114 Navigating Child Care Choices with Oliver's Nanny Services
In this enlightening episode, we explore Oliver's Nannies Services, a child care agency designed to meet the diverse needs of families in Charlotte. Kevin Drudge, the owner, joins us to discuss the comprehensive offerings available to parents seeking reliable and personalized child care solutions. From full-service nanny care to their innovative FlexCare membership program for those who need last-minute assistance, Oliver's Nanny Services is breaking down barriers in the search for dependable child care.
Our conversation delves into the rigorous selection processes that ensure every nanny is not only qualified but also a perfect match for each family and their unique needs. Kevin addresses common misconceptions about affordability and availability, assuring listeners that quality nanny care is within reach for everyone.
Whether you're a parent in need of childcare support or an individual interested in becoming a nanny, this episode offers valuable insights and resources. Join us as we uncover the benefits of Oliver's Nanny Services and empower families to thrive. Don't forget to share this episode and leave a review to support our community!
Oliver's Nannies Services
Kevin Drudge
10130 Perimeter Pkwy Ste 200 Charlotte, NC
(704) 840-9599
kevin.drudge@oliversnannies.com
northcharlotte.oliversnannies.com
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Regina Lee.
Speaker 2:Well, hello everybody, and welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. I love to talk to business owners in the local Charlotte area and today I'm excited to speak with Kevin Drudge. He is the owner of Oliver's Nannie's Services. Hi, kevin.
Speaker 3:Hey Regina, how are you?
Speaker 2:Wonderful Nice to see you again. We chatted some time ago and I'm excited to have you on the show. I this is a really cool business model, so why don't we just start with telling us what Oliver's Nannies's does?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, I'm glad to be here, regina. So Oliver's Nannies you know we are a full service nanny and child care agency, so our goal is really to provide families with an easy solution to their child care and we provide it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So we have a couple different service lines that we offer to families. So we have full-time and part-time nanny care, that we offer full placement and management of nannies for. This is great for families that have a weekly need, whether it's, you know, on a part-time or a full-time basis. So the types of things that we staff for are before and after school care, overnight newborn care, school drop-off and pickup, facilitating after-school activities, homework, meal prep, light housework, that kind of thing.
Speaker 3:And then we also have a FlexCare membership program and that's really more for families that don't have that weekly need but they still have childcare needs.
Speaker 3:They need, you know, last minute care, date nights, they wake up their child's sick, they need backup care for their current, you know, childcare provider. So our FlexCare program is a membership-based program where families pay, you know, a monthly fee, a six-month fee, and they have unlimited use of our nannies whenever they need them. So all of our nannies, you know, at all of our nannies they pass a multi-level interview process includes background screening, reference checks. It's interesting because we're one of the few agencies here locally that provide all of our nannies our W-2 employees of our company, so they're insured, bonded. You know, we have the utmost with safety in mind when it comes to families. We provide individual care plans for every single child, for every family we work with whether it's flex care or nanny care, which includes a matching process to determine that we provide a nanny that's going to fit the needs of whatever their child needs. So if it's special needs or anything, we can handle all of it.
Speaker 2:So if you get a nanny, you get the same one all the time.
Speaker 3:You can. Yes, with nanny service. You know our goal is to place a nanny that'll be with that family, but since they're W-2 employees, they get, you know, paid time off, paid sick time. So we have a pool of nannies always available to provide fill-in care. So, and that's you know. Families don't have to worry about that aspect of things. They'll always have somebody in their home and, with the customized care plan, whoever shows up at the home knows exactly what the family's needs are and what they should be doing, without having to be told.
Speaker 2:So talk to us about how family qualified you know to be a client. It sounds like there's a process there as well.
Speaker 3:There is. So, for families, you know, we offer free consultations, so we'll come out to their home so they're in their own environment and not having to go anywhere, and we actually want to get to know the people that we work with. It's, you know, it's a family environment. We want to provide, you know, an adequate resource for whatever it is that they need. So, but with with the two different options the flex care and the nanny care we really can serve any family with with, you know, any need. It's just a matter of what's going to be the best fit for them. So, but it's, you know, for, for nanny care, you know, it requires a minimum of about 16 hours a week and then if they don't, if they don't meet the 16 hours a week, then we can just plug them into our flex care program and they can have an as needed nanny whenever they need it.
Speaker 2:What do you run into as misconceptions as you're meeting with families about what you guys offer?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think the biggest misconception I think what people struggle with more so than a misconception is it's not easy to find good quality care and to retain nannies once you staff them. So things come up, they leave and then the families are left to have to go interview, and so that's one of the differences with us know, with us having a pool of nannies always available, you don't have to worry about that A lot of times. Some other misconceptions is it's too expensive. You know I can't afford someone to provide care. And that's where you know we are budget conscious. You know we want to try and work with families and put together something that's going to work for them, you know, and fit within within their budget.
Speaker 3:So the other thing too is that I mean there's such a need for this service. I mean daycares and schools are on waiting lists and people are still having children and they need somewhere to, you know, need someone to help with child care for that new baby or young child, and so that's where you know I don't think I think the biggest misconception is they don't realize what all we can do with our program. You know we can fill in, we can, you know, provide care on the fly. You know, we had a mom call this morning and literally she is in Waxhaw and needed her nanny. Just left, totally just didn't show up and they can't get a hold of her and they need you know, they need reliable care.
Speaker 2:So we're in the process of staffing them with a nanny as soon as possible staffing them with a nanny as soon as possible In a situation like that where they had, like, this, immediate need. Are you able, then, to kind of make that happen and ramp it up a little faster?
Speaker 3:We are Yep, so we have nannies on staff already that we can put in the home while we look for a more permanent solution, because they are a full-time family.
Speaker 2:So, and that's again one of those benefits, Well, maybe one of our listeners is intrigued by becoming a nanny, so talk to us about what you look for, what the requirements are.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so, for, you know, nannies that want to join the Oliver's Nanny's family. Basically we look for a minimum of two years of direct child care experience. For nanny services they're either senior or junior level nannies and we require a minimum of for junior nannies it's two plus years of nanny care with at least two different families, everyone's background and reference checked. And then for senior level nannies that's three to four years or more of direct nanny experience, again with multiple families. So it can't be you know I nannied for my sister's kids it's got to be, you know, someone outside of immediate family. And then for our flex care nannies they can have child care experience, background, not necessarily direct nanny experience because it is more of a babysitting service, but there are still two years minimum of experience. Everybody is MMR, vaccinated, you know driver's checks, criminal background, history, reference check, the whole nine yards.
Speaker 2:So oh, that's, that's amazing. You know, I think a lot of people that I know that have nannies and just somebody that they've said hey, can you become my nanny, I need this and this and that so, with everything you provide, I would guess that it just puts their mind at ease, knowing the background check and everything's done.
Speaker 3:It is, you know and so that's one of the big differences with our program as well is, since we hire the nannies directly, we have more control over their scheduling, over where they go, who they're placed with, and then, since we provide, you know, other benefits to the employees, it's a benefit to the families because they don't have to worry about paying the nannies, they don't have to worry about what if the nanny doesn't show up. We handle the payment of the nannies, the families pay us directly and we pay the nannies and take care of all the year-end tax and you, you know paperwork and filings, the whole nine yards. We also provide a very comprehensive insurance package that makes sure that everybody's bonded and insured.
Speaker 2:That's going to be in a family's home, so so if the nanny is picking the kids up from school and doing some driving, whose car do they use? That's up to the family.
Speaker 3:So if the family would prefer for them to use their vehicle, they can do that, or they can use their own vehicle.
Speaker 2:Well, that's good to know. So what is something you wish our listeners knew about you? That may not be obvious.
Speaker 3:You know, I think the biggest thing is you know our initial. I have two franchises that basically cover all of greater Charlotte and we started with North Charlotte. I have a second one that's South Charlotte, but we still are able to cover the entire Charlotte metro area and all the surrounding communities. So don't let the name fool you. We're here for all Charlotte families, not just North or South Charlotte, but everywhere. So I'm excited to continue to grow and expand the business into all the local communities that we can. You know that we can help, so everybody needs help and everybody needs resources for reliable and affordable child care. So that's what we want to provide.
Speaker 2:And you just nailed something earlier about, you know, getting your child into daycare. I heard you have to almost before you get pregnant. Put your name on the list. It is so tough to get here in this area because of all the growth.
Speaker 3:That's absolutely right. I mean, we have a list of five to 10 people right now that have called in that need care starting in June and September when their babies are due and after their maternity leave is over. And you know, it just keeps growing and growing and growing.
Speaker 2:So well, fantastic. It sounds like a great business model. So, whether they're needing a nanny or interested in becoming a nanny with you, how do our listeners reach you?
Speaker 3:reach you, so they can call our office anytime. Our number is 704-840-9599. They can also email us at northclt at oliversnanniescom, or they can visit our website northcharlotteoliversnannies. com.
Speaker 2:Is there anything you need to add to what we've talked about?
Speaker 3:I think we've covered the full gamut. I just appreciate the opportunity to be here and talk with you again, regina, and I look forward to helping Charlotte families.
Speaker 2:Well, it's a growing area. The word is out Charlotte is hot.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for joining us today, kevin. Thank you, thank you for much for joining us today, Kevin.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPSouthCharlotte. com. That's GNPSouthCharlotte. com, or call 980-351-5719.