Today we’d like to introduce you to Marta Perrone.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
From a very young age, my mother taught me how to keep my room clean and orderly.
While that may have seemed a bit abusive to most American families, I was born in Madrid, Spain and Europeans mothers thought differently. At age 10, she would go off to work on Saturdays and leave me a long list of household chores that included cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming and cleaning the kitchen. Needless to say, I learned more about housekeeping than most little girls I knew. After college, I started to work for various companies as an Executive Assistant but quickly got bored and wanted to pursue my dream to own my own business. I grew up watching my mother who spoke little to no English build her own Floral Arrangement business called “Juliana Designs.”
She has tremendous style and talent. I tried thinking about where my best talents could be applied. My husband at the time expressed to me that I would be excellent at staffing homes because I knew everything about household maintenance and was a very good homemaker. Additionally, he reminded me that many of the workers in California were from Central American and Mexico. My language skills – majoring at UCLA in Spanish and Linguistics – would be most helpful in communicating to the domestic workers. Quickly I began the business and 6 months later quit my job. For 20 years, I ran a domestic agency entitled “Domestic Connections.”
In 2010, recognizing the need for people to learn how to be better employers and staff to learn their jobs better, I began writing books on the subject. From there, I traveled the country doing training seminars for Hispanic Resource Centers.
Agencies would gather their pool of candidates and invite me to train them so they would be more marketable. Currently, I have turned my videos and training materials into an online training school.
Most recently, after closing the agency in 2013, my work is devoted to creating “Personalized Training Manuals” for estates ranging up to 30,000SF. The process begins with organizing the home properly, documenting all procedures and household standards, choosing appropriate products for home and then followed by intense training sessions with the staff. I spend up to 3-4 weeks at each project.
What I find most rewarding is providing the tools and creating the management guidelines so staff are better equipped and accomplished in their jobs and by doing that providing my clients with the homes and lifestyle they so richly deserve.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Drawing the balance to find people who could fill my client’s needs and expectations was the most difficult part of running my agency. People who came to this country as immigrants seeking a better life fell into these positions with little to no training.
Language barriers caused other problems. Ultimately, this very struggle was the impetus that brought me to creating training videos and books. Each weekend, I would ask anyone who wanted to attend to come to my offices and take my training courses for free so that they would attain better skills. Those that did found jobs easier and longevity in their positions. Prior to developing this training program, it seemed so difficult to make solid long term matches for families seeking experienced workers.
Please tell us about The Professional Housekeeper.
There are few people in the country who perform the work I do from A-Z for homeowners across the country.
I’m known for helping families establish the management style they seek while creating the guidelines and standards for their staff.
What also sets me apart is the years of being in the domestic service industry that gave me the initial understanding of the “needs and wants” from clients. What also sets me apart is that I have training materials (both in Spanish and English) and an online school to support workers before, during and after I leave a client’s home.
All of this is what makes me most proud of as a company!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Frankly, nothing. I love the way I transcended from a staffing company to an Estate Management Consultant and Expert. I am thrilled that I was able to recreate myself when I became tired of working in staffing and that I turned my expertise into a service that tremendously helps people improve their skills and have a better understanding of their jobs. I’m thrilled that at age 61, I am still so passionate and excited about my work.
Perhaps the only thing I would have done differently would have been to do what I’m doing now earlier in my career because it has proven to be the most rewarding of all!
Pricing:
- Manual costs depend on square footage, number of staff members and number of modules included. The costs range from $7,500 up to $30,000
- Training Fees range between $1,200 to $1,500 depending on number of staff members.
- Consultation fees are $500 for 1-2 hours.
Contact Info:
- Website: MartaPerrone.com
- Phone: 818-6188129
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMartaPerrone/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/martaperrone
- Other: http://www.linkedin.com/in/martaperrone
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