Business of the Week: A Smart Nanny
The changing economy for twentysomethings unable to get jobs in their chosen fields has given Lisa DeRienzo, the owner of a Westchester-based online nanny agency, the opportunity to help millennials find fulfilling careers as college educated nannies.
DeRienzo, 30, established ASmartNanny.com last February with the intention of filling what she saw as a niche market. Having had her own ups and downs securing employment, she figured there had to be ways of helping young women utilize the education they had earned and turn it into something worthwhile.
The online business provides Westchester families with nannies on a part-time, full-time or as-needed basis, in addition to providing help for the summer.
A New York State certified teacher with eight years of classroom experience, DeRienzo found it difficult to find a full-time teaching position even though she had worked as a substitute instructor in various schools across Westchester.
“The problem was I kept getting laid off,” said DeRienzo, who grew up in Yonkers but now lives in Hawthorne.
Children aren’t new to DeRienzo who worked for a Westchester family after graduating from college. Even when she was employed as a teacher, DeRienzo continued to serve the same family, helping the children with their homework and generally serving as their tutor.
When other families started asking DeRienzo if she could help them find a suitable babysitter, and then friends looking for nanny positions sought out her advice, DeRienzo knew the time was right to launch her venture.
Today, she has 10 women working for her serving families across Westchester. All job candidates must have college degrees to work for ASmartNanny.com. In addition, DeRienzo explained they must also have previous experience with children. If prospective employees meet those initial requirements, DeRienzo interviews them, conducts background checks and then contacts references.
“If I feel that a candidate is a good fit for a particular family I will recommend that person to them,” said DeRienzo, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pace University and a master’s in childhood education from Mercy College.
The demand for well-educated nannies is something that DeRienzo sees firsthand.
“A lot of the families I work with love the fact that most of my nannies have a New York State teaching certification, and a master’s degree is a big plus, too,” she added.
All of DeRienzo’s nannies have degrees pertaining to the welfare of children, whether that be education, psychology or some other discipline.
While most of them are required to care for school-age children, some families have requested care for infants or toddlers.
“I totally get it that parents want the best for their children,” said DeRienzo, who meets with and converses with families as often as it takes to secure the right nanny for their children.
“You can tell right off the bat if someone is friendly and good with children,” DeRienzo said of her interviews with prospective nannies. She looks for people who are compassionate and possesses a genuine desire to care for kids.
DeRienzo charges a one-time placement fee to families who hire her nannies.
For more information, visit www.asmartnanny.com or like the service on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ASmartNanny. DeRienzo can also be reached at 914-497-1235.
Colette Connolly is a copywriter and p.r. expert. She owns Connolly Communications, which is based in Bronxville, New York. Colette specializes in providing content-rich, SEO-optimized press releases, articles, newsletters, brochures, and customer success stories.