Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Gelinskey.
Hi Abigail, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started my agency after feeling exhausted with the lack of quality care available for my children and also the lack of quality opportunities available to nannies and educators. I had been a teacher for many years, opened and ran a couple of my own businesses, and after Covid has affected both of those, I felt that I was ready to open an agency of my own that solved the problems that I was facing and was able to cultivate change for families and for nannies/educators. There have been more sleepless nights that I can count, many hills and valleys and also many employees that have come and go. Through it all, I have been able to build my company quickly and have created a team that works with a passion and drives to fulfill our mission revolving around safety, love, and education. We have been open for a short period of time but I am able to help a lot of people, and I am also able to expand into helping children and families in need through my agency and that in itself is truly beautiful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. I feel that in any business start-up – it is what you make it. You can choose to get knocked down by the struggles and walk away defeated. OR you can choose to catch the struggles, allow them to pass through, and push forward with adaptation and growth. My company has been pushing through the great era of people not wanting to work, applying just to gain unemployment assistance, and the wonderful Covid “pandemic” that has yet to disappear. I’ve gone through a small turnover with some of my corporate people and that led to me losing families, income, and also time with my own family due to me running every department on my own. At the end of the day and to this very moment – I am thankful that everything played out the way that it did. It gave me new insight, new strategies, connected me with new people, forced me to utilize apps and programs that resulted in a more streamlined process, but also opened up room for the members of my team that I can’t imagine running my business without.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Safe Haven Nannies is a nannying agency that revolves around finding exceptional nannies for busy families with a focus on safety, love, and education. All of our nannies are fully vetted, go through multiple screenings and interviews, and truly embody our mission and culture. We are known for being helpful, kind, patient, and we are mothers and educators that truly understand the perspectives of both sides. We are proud of our culture, our backgrounds and experience, and our ongoing ability to match families with wonderful nannies. We are currently working on two expansions that we are very excited to be launching in the coming months! Our agency will be launching an education department that will offer courses designed to educate parents and nannies on educational and developmental topics. We will also be launching a program that offers Montessori subscription boxes that will aid in helping families and children in need!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
YES! My goodness, I would definitely not be where I am today without my team. Morgan – my right hand and absolute go-getter. This woman has helped my agency grow through hard work and dedication at the same level that I have. She started as a recruiter for my company and has moved into the HR/Business Manager position taking over a large portion of the company’s needs. She is always available, has a true passion for education and a heart full of compassion when it comes to helping the families of our agency. Jenny – an absolute sweetheart and so driven. She jumped right in when we needed her the most and ran with all of the tasks that we gave her! She was trained and flying solo after just one week and is now our head recruiter! Jenny comes from an education background as well and loves being an advocate for our nannies while also ensuring that she is only accepting the highest quality candidates for our agency and truly works from her genuine love of education and drive to grow with us as we expand! And finally, I couldn’t manage the chaos of running my business and my family without my other half – Josh. Thank you for keeping me grounded and driven when things get hectic! He has always been willing to help where needed and to carry the extra weight when I am struggling. We’ve had countless sit-downs bouncing new ideas off of each other with visions, plans and how to execute them both. To all three of you – I love you all, appreciate you all, and there are not enough words that I can put in here to express my gratitude for you all!
Pricing:
- Agency Placement Fee: $750 including a 2 week trial period and a 4 week guarantee
- Payroll Services/Taxes: $50/month (optional)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.safehavennannies.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/safehavennannies
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/safehavennannies
