Jocelyn, Angela, Ashley, Jordan, and Shenandoah during a candidate team retreat in North Carolina.

The tradition of themed anniversary gifts dates back to the Middle Ages, with specific symbols chosen for each year that correspond to the strengthening and re-investment required for the coming year. For the eleventh anniversary, a traditional gift is steel. Rather than using this momentous occasion as an excuse to shop for jewelry (although we’re not entirely ruling it out,) we are thinking of steel as a timely symbol for how the last few years have felt. The world has been facing its own set of trials, and we are by no means immune to them – but we are clocking this anniversary as a turning point and taking account of the pieces of our organization that have been forged by fire over the past three years and are stronger and more resilient than ever.

The last twelve months have seen us spending more time together, with our team and our community, than ever before. In January of 2020, there were nine full-time employees on our team – there are now fifteen of us collaborating with our network of families, nannies, private educators, and newborn care specialists around the clock. While we are proud of the community and camaraderie we’ve fostered as a company that has been operating fully remotely for 11 years, there is no virtual event that creates the same result as gathering around a table together. In the last year, we’ve been privileged to find and build these tables through a variety of conferences we’ve attended and small group retreats and forming the in-person bonds that make the needful work we complete flow just a little easier.

Our wonderful candidate team at their retreat in North Carolina.

Angela, Jocelyn, and Ashley meet new goat friends in North Carolina.

Angela, Shenandoah, and Danielle at the INA Conference in Las Vegas.

Danielle at the INA Conference in Las Vegas.

Shenandoah and Tonya (from Newborn Care Solutions) at the NCS Enrichment Retreat in Arizona.

Shenandoah with industry colleagues at the NCS Enrichment Retreat in Arizona.

Wonderful industry colleagues and Danielle at Nannypalooza.

So much fun at Nannypalooza!

While we have been focusing our efforts on strengthening our team and our process, we were also thrilled to receive accolades and profiles from Forbes and Fortune magazines – something we never imagined saying when starting Adventure Nannies eleven years ago! This past year also saw some new adventures taking form for us – our founder Brandy formed a non-profit, Sound Future, that is committed to accelerating climate innovation for the live event industry. Brandy is the CMO for Sound Future and is now (somehow) doing more travel in support of this mission than ever before. Our CEO and co-founder Shenandoah made the epic move from the Pacific Northwest to Asheville, North Carolina, and launched Invisible Consulting, an innovative consultancy firm focused on supporting small business owners in the childcare space.

We feel grateful to be among the companies who have made it through the last few years and are optimistic that the bruises and bumps along this path have led to a collective of hard-working and thoughtful individuals who are able to approach any scenario that may arise with confidence that we will always be able to land on a resolution that is in alignment with our values, and the best interests of the many families and professional caregivers who trust us with some of the most important decisions they’re facing. If you’re among these people, we know the last few years have held their own challenges for you. Your support and belief in us have fueled our commitment to continuously strive for excellence.

While this adventure, like any adventure, has had a few twists, turns, and surprises along the way, we are here for it, and endlessly thankful for all the individuals who have made this journey so fulfilling. Here’s to another year of growth, community, and most importantly, connecting nannies and families. Thank you all for being a part of our journey – we can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings.

With warmest regards and deepest gratitude,

The Adventure Nannies team