Private Families · Principals · Family Offices

Private Household &
Estate Staffing.

Who you hire shapes how your home operates.
We find the person who gets it right.

Placing career private service professionals with discerning families, high-profile principals, and family offices across Chicago, Palm Beach, Miami, and South Florida.

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Chicago · South Florida · And Select Locations Nationwide
Chicago · South Florida · And Select Locations Nationwide

Looking for household employment rather than staff?

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Private Families · Principals · Family Offices

You are not simply looking for
domestic staff.

There is a particular kind of frustration that comes from inviting someone into your home who looked right on paper and wasn't. Who interviewed well and couldn't hold the standard. Who came with references and left within months. You have learned, perhaps more than once, that a resume does not tell you what you actually need to know.

The principals we work with have stopped looking for shortcuts. They understand that who is in their home shapes how their life operates — the pace of the morning, the quality of the evening, the seamlessness of everything in between. They are not filling a position. They are making a decision that will affect their home for years.

That is exactly the kind of search we were built for.

Begin your search

3%

Of candidates are accepted

Every candidate you meet has already cleared our full screening process. Our network acceptance rate is 3% — which means by the time you're in a room together, the hard work is already done.

15+

Years inside private homes

Our founder worked in private households before placing anyone in them. That is not a marketing statement — it is the reason our process evaluates candidates the way a principal would, not the way a recruiter would.

99%

Placement success rate

Our placements hold. Ninety-nine percent of the candidates we place remain in the role long term — a reflection of how thorough the process is before an introduction is ever made.

What We Do

We work like a recruitment firm.
We think like someone who has been
inside private homes.

We handle the entire search.
You make the final decision.

From sourcing through placement, every stage of the search is managed on your behalf. Candidates are sourced, screened, referenced, and evaluated before you ever see a name. By the time we make an introduction, the work is done — you are simply meeting the right people.

Our network goes where
job boards do not reach.

The most experienced private service professionals are not applying to posted roles. They are working in established households and move through trusted relationships. Ours have been built over fifteen years inside private service — which means our candidates are accessible to us in ways they are not accessible elsewhere.

Every introduction is made
for your household specifically.

We do not match on job titles and years of experience. We match on working style, household culture, standards, and the texture of daily life inside your home. That understanding comes from having worked in private households ourselves — not from a checklist.

Begin Your Search

The first step is a confidential conversation — no commitment required.

The wrong hire costs more
than the search ever will.
We take that seriously.

Every introduction we make is the result of a process that most families never see — and never need to. That is exactly how it should work.

Begin Your Search
Roles We Place

Every household role.
One standard.

The depth of the search does not change based on the title of the role. Whether you are hiring an estate manager or a private housekeeper, every candidate has cleared the same process — private household staffing done at the highest standard, for every position we place.

Estate Manager

Senior oversight of full estate operations — staff management, vendor oversight, financial administration, and the infrastructure of a complex or multi-residence household.

House Manager

Day-to-day management of a private residence — coordinating staff, vendors, schedules, and the daily logistics of a well-run home.

Butler

Formally trained household professionals delivering refined personal service, event coordination, and white-glove hospitality for principal residences and their guests.

Domestic Couple

Husband-and-wife household teams combining estate management, housekeeping, cooking, and property oversight — for residences requiring full-time comprehensive care.

Nanny

Full-time private household nannies placed for long-term positions — experienced in the standards and discretion of a private family home.

Family Assistant

A combined nanny and household management role — childcare plus household coordination, errands, and scheduling for families who need one person to do it all well.

Governess

Educated childcare professionals offering academic support, structured curricula, and thoughtful developmental guidance that goes beyond standard childcare.

Newborn Care Specialist

Specialists supporting families during the newborn stage — experienced in infant care, sleep training, and structured support during the first months of life.

Executive Housekeeper

Private household housekeeping to the highest standard — fine textile care, wardrobe management, and meticulous upkeep of a formal private residence.

Private Chef

Culinary professionals for daily family service and formal entertaining — with experience in dietary-specific programs and the standards of a private kitchen.

Laundress

Specialists in the care of fine clothing and household linens — washing, pressing, wardrobe organization, and the handling of delicate and couture fabrics.

Houseman

Versatile household support — general maintenance, assistance to senior staff, and the behind-the-scenes physical work that keeps a private home running smoothly.

Personal Chauffeur

Professional drivers who understand the discretion, polish, and reliability expected in a private household — experienced with principals and their families.

Property Manager

In-house residential property managers overseeing exterior operations, vendor coordination, seasonal maintenance, and the physical upkeep of a full estate or grounds.

Personal Assistant

Scheduling, correspondence, travel logistics, and the daily administrative management of a principal's personal life — trusted professionals who anticipate and execute.

Executive Assistant

Senior administrative professionals managing high-level coordination, business communications, and the operational demands of a principal's professional and personal life.

Other Roles

If the position exists within a private home, estate, or family office, we place it. Contact us to discuss roles not listed here.

Personal Trainer & Wellness

Personal trainers, fitness instructors, nutritionists, and personal spa therapists available through our extended lifestyle professional network.

Flight & Yacht Crew

Access to our extended network of flight crew and yacht crew professionals for principals managing aviation or marine assets as part of their residential portfolio.

Personal Stylist

Personal stylists and wardrobe consultants available through our curated lifestyle network for principals and family members.

Not sure which role fits your household's needs? We advise on role structure as part of every consultation. Start the conversation →

Common Questions

What families ask
before they begin.

How do I get started?+

The first step is completing our client inquiry form, which you can access here. Once we receive it, we will reach out to schedule a confidential Discovery Call. That conversation is designed to understand your household and confirm we are the right fit — not to sell you on anything. There is no commitment at that stage, and no pressure to move forward.

Who do you typically work with?+

Our clients are private families, principals, and family offices who are ready to employ their own household team and want it done with real care. Many have tried other approaches first — posting roles, using platforms, working with agencies that sent resumes without context — and found that none of it produced the result they were actually looking for. They come to us because they are finished with that process and ready for something different. Some are making their first private hire. Others are rebuilding a team or replacing a single long-tenured staff member. We work with all of them.

What does the placement fee look like?+

Our placement fee is typically structured as a percentage of the placed professional's gross annual compensation. A retainer deposit is collected at the start of the search, which is applied toward the total fee at placement. The full fee structure is discussed during the Discovery Call and confirmed in writing before any work begins. We do not charge hidden fees or add-ons — the structure is straightforward and transparent from the start.

What is included in the placement fee?+

The fee covers the full search — candidate sourcing, multi-stage screening, reference verification, background check coordination, interview coordination, offer support, and a customized work agreement. It also includes our four-month placement guarantee. You are not paying for access to a database of resumes. You are paying for a managed, consultative search conducted by someone with firsthand private service experience who evaluates candidates the way a household principal would.

Can I review the agreement before committing?+

Yes. The client agreement is provided before any search begins and can be reviewed with your counsel or team. No work is initiated until both parties have signed. The agreement outlines the full fee structure, guarantee terms, and scope of the engagement — there is nothing that is not documented in advance.

What does your guarantee cover?+

Every placement is backed by a four-month guarantee. If the placed professional does not work out within that period for reasons within our scope — meaning the placement fails due to issues with fit, performance, or circumstances that a more thorough search process could have identified — we will conduct a replacement search at no additional placement fee. The guarantee does not cover circumstances outside our scope, such as changes to the role, household, or compensation after placement. The specific terms are outlined in the client agreement.

How long does a search take?+

A well-structured search typically takes four to six weeks from consultation to placement. More specialized roles — positions requiring relocation, bilingual professionals, or positions with very specific experience requirements — may take longer depending on the depth of the candidate pool. We will always give you an honest assessment of timeline at the start of the engagement. Rushing a search to meet an arbitrary deadline is one of the most common reasons placements fail, and we will never do that at the expense of the quality of the outcome.

How many candidates will you present?+

We typically introduce two to three candidates per search — sometimes fewer. We are not sending a stack of resumes for you to sort through. Every introduction is the result of a completed screening process, and each candidate has been evaluated specifically for your household. If we do not have the right person, we will tell you that rather than present someone who is close but not right.

Do you work with clients outside of Chicago and South Florida?+

Yes, selectively. Our primary markets are Chicago and South Florida — including Palm Beach, Jupiter, Wellington, Miami, and surrounding areas — where we have the deepest local networks and direct market knowledge. For clients in other cities, we accept placements where the search warrants it and where we are confident we can deliver the right outcome. If you are outside our primary markets, we are happy to have a conversation about whether your search is a fit for us.

Do you place staff for households that travel or have multiple properties?+

Yes. We regularly work with principals who maintain multiple residences — across Chicago, South Florida, the Northeast, and beyond — and who need staff who are either willing to travel with them or who can be coordinated across properties. If your household moves between addresses seasonally or requires a professional who travels with you domestically or internationally, we factor that into the role structure and the search from the beginning so that only candidates with the relevant flexibility and experience are considered.

How do you find candidates that are not on job boards?+

The most experienced private service professionals are rarely actively applying to posted roles. They are working in established households and move by word of mouth, through trusted industry relationships, or through agencies they have worked with before. Our network has been built over fifteen years through firsthand industry experience and through Alison's role as Palm Beach Chapter President of Private Service Alliance — the leading professional association in private household staffing. Many of the professionals we place are not visible anywhere publicly. That access is a meaningful part of what we provide.

What compensation should I expect to offer?+

Compensation varies significantly by role, experience level, location, and scope. All private household employees are hourly workers subject to overtime under federal and state labor law — including housekeepers, nannies, house managers, and estate managers — and legally compliant employment includes payroll taxes, overtime, and standard benefits such as guaranteed hours and paid time off. We provide current market compensation benchmarks for every role during the consultation, so you have accurate data before the search begins and are not losing strong candidates to an under-market offer.

What is the difference between a house manager and an estate manager?+

A house manager oversees the day-to-day operations of a single residence — coordinating household staff, vendors, and the daily logistics of a well-run home. An estate manager typically oversees a more complex operation: multiple properties, larger staff teams, financial and administrative oversight, and the full infrastructure of a principal's residential portfolio. The right hire depends on the size and complexity of your household. We advise on this during the consultation so you are not over- or under-hiring for what your household actually requires.

How confidential is the search process?+

Completely. We do not share the identity of client households with candidates until a mutual interest has been established and appropriate discretion can be confirmed. We do not post identifying details publicly. Candidates sign confidentiality agreements as part of our screening process. The same discretion you expect of the staff you employ is built into every step of how we work.

Can you help us structure the role before we begin the search?+

Yes — and this is one of the most valuable parts of working with us. Many families come to us with a job title in mind but without a fully defined role. Getting role structure right before the search begins — scope, schedule, compensation, reporting lines, and household expectations — is the foundation of a placement that lasts. We build this with you during the consultation, and we will tell you honestly if what you are describing needs to be adjusted to attract the right caliber of professional.

How do you screen candidates before introducing them to a client?+

Every candidate in our network has cleared a multi-stage evaluation before a client ever sees their name. This includes an in-depth application and experience review, multi-round behavioral and situational interviews with our team, professional reference checks, social media and web presence review, certification verification where applicable, and a premium-level background check. Beyond credentials, we evaluate for judgment, discretion, household fit, and long-term suitability for private service — not just qualifications on paper. The 3% acceptance rate is the result of that standard holding without exception.