Inside the Extremely Competitive World of Household Staffing
Plus: the possible end of the Gazebo mudslide on Nantucket, backlash over salaries at Manhattan’s elite private schools, East Hampton’s six-month permit backlog, and more...
The dog nanny is having a moment. Not a dog walker, a dog sitter or a Rover booking — a full-time, dedicated caregiver who knows your dog’s routine better than you do, travels with the family when needed, and can earn more than twice the minimum wage. It’s one of the more visible signs of what’s happening at the top end of the household staffing market right now. And domestic staffing is an industry that has gotten more competitive, more professionalized, and significantly more expensive since COVID.
I reported on the dog nanny trend for The Times UK, with my story coming out yesterday (“A New Must-Have for the Super-Rich: A Live-In Dog Nanny”). The agency that inspired it — Household Staffing, out of Philadelphia — found its way into my social feed via a series of viral Instagram posts.
For today’s letter, I spoke with their Director of Operations, Olivia Fountain, who started as a nanny at 18, ran her own agency, and has worked every side of the industry. She told me that beginner nannies are now commanding rates that top nannies couldn't get a few years ago, that families are requesting D1 athletes to play tennis with their kids, and that the nanny poaching happening on the Upper East Side makes dog nanny poaching look like nothing. Some of the jobs we talked about I didn’t even know existed (who knew wardrobe managers were a thing?). Her very enlightening conversation with RPS after the jump.
Also in today’s letter: the possible end of the Gazebo mudslide on Nantucket, backlash over salaries at Manhattan’s elite private schools, the startup-style high school promising students $1 million businesses by graduation, what everyone is saying about the Gucci show, East Hampton’s six-month permit backlog and more…
A little housekeeping: I upgraded a handful of free subscribers. No rhyme or reason — just people I noticed opening every single letter. Loyalty pays off. It's temporary, but enjoy it. And if you’re happy, feel free to convert to paid.
