Katie Provinziano of Beverly Hills on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Katie Provinziano. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Katie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
A common misunderstanding about our business is that what we do is easy. There are tons of DIY options when it comes to hiring domestic staff, whether it be a nanny, a housekeeper, a personal chef, or one of the many other roles that we staff. Between referrals from friends and neighbors to self-hiring options available online, a lot of people assume that what we do is simple. In reality, finding exceptional support that you can truly trust and doing the due dilligence required to confidently welcome them into your home is a huge undertaking.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Katie Provinziano, the founder and CEO of Wilshire Agency and Westside Nannies. Making exceptional matches between families and top-notch professionals is more than just a job; it’s a passion. My team and I have spent the past two decades working with some of the world’s most accomplished families, from Sillicon Valley CEOs to award-winning artists to A-list celebrities, and we are so proud to have helped these families find household support that they can trust and rely on with full confidence.

Before I became a founder, I myself was a nanny, balancing school and a job that I loved from the beginning. As I stepped into entrepreneurship and transitioned from the one providing the care to the one helping families find caregivers who felt like a perfect fit, I knew it was crucial that I build a team of people who got just how important what we do truly is. Our women-owned-and-operated team is comprised of former nannies, educators, mothers, and caregivers all with the same goal in mind: to create lasting partnerships that bring calm, order, and trust to our clients homes.

Westside Nannies began over twenty years ago as a boutique agency rooted in one simple belief: exceptional childcare changes lives. And it began because there was a problem parents consistently ran into that had yet to be solved: how do families find trustworthy, reliable childcare in an age where the “neighborhood nanny” no longer exists? What started as a uniquely personalized approach to nanny placement in Los Angeles has since grown into one of the most respected and trusted agencies in the country. Our success with Westside Nannies (and an effort to meet our clients’ ever-evolving needs) led to Wilshire Agency, a service dedicated to all household staffing needs.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
When I was in college, I had gained a reputation on campus as someone who instinctively understood children, family dynamics, and the common sense required to support a household. And at the same time, I was pursuing an education to become a lawyer. But I reached a crossroads: I had to decide whether I would pursue law school and go down the path I’d envisioned for myself, or whether I would explore a new path that had just become available to me and become an entrepreneur, starting a company that had begun to bloom throughout my years at school. I was incredibly torn, and I sought out advice. I ended up having a conversation with my dean that truly changed my trajectory. He asked me to consider the path I hadn’t considered to be an option and to imagine what would come from exploring a job that had turned into a passion. In hindsight, I think he saw what I was capable of outside of the scripted life I’d prepared for myself at a time when building something new felt too big to comprehend.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I used to feel insecure because I was so young in an industry full of veterans. I even lied about my age for years. Over time I realized that what I saw as a disadvantage was actually my greatest asset. My youth made me adaptable, tech-forward, and willing to innovate, which ultimately allowed me to be a welcome disruptor in a field that had done things the same way for decades. Sometimes the thing you are most insecure about ends up being the thing that sets you apart.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
There are a lot of stigmas in our industry. Our society has started to give domestic staff the credit these invaluable professionals so deeply deserve, but we still have a ways to go. In our modern world where so much is asked from parents, particularly parents who are splitting their time and attention between their careers and their home lives, the professionals who keep households running and children well cared for are the glue that hold it all together.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I can confidently say that I am doing what I was born to do! Over 20 years after choosing this path, I am grateful I didn’t pursue a career in law—I’m actually married to a lawyer, so I see what goes into it every single day!—and I find so much joy in what I do. At the end of the day, we’re changing families’ (and kids’!) lives. Is there anything better than that?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wilshireagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidenannies/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieprovinziano
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestsideNannies/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/westside-nannies-beverly-hills
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@westsidenannies

Image Credits
KAYSHA VAN DER HEYDEN