Dear Billionaire

When I think of a successful, live-in staffing scenario, I can only come up with Alice from The Brady Bunch. Fast forward to today and real-life situations…I’m not sure live-in situations are a good idea. I’ve seen many bad examples lately of House Managers losing their livelihood and housing – and not being prepared with a Plan B. If you think about the most stressful situations in life, aside from death and divorce, a new job and moving are at the top. In this episode I share: - How the employer and employee/tenant relationship can be tested - The upsides for homeowners - Real talk when it comes to the selling point of "free housing" - My best suggestions for live-in employment - An alternative arrangement for homeowners whose focus is rental income PLUS: When it comes to private service professionals, I also share things to look out for in these employment + housing arrangements. Thanks for listening! Here's the blog post Kelly mentions in this episode, on setting healthy boundaries with household staff: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/blog/when-staff-become-family-here-is-how-to-set-boundaries For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

In the past, I have written and spoken a lot about Unicorn Employees (i.e., required tech skills for house managers, world-class service goals, leadership requirements, system-building skills, and team building). If you Google Unicorn Employee, you’ll find numerous articles that outline the ideal candidate or employee. But, if you Google Unicorn Employer, you’ll come up with NOTHING. Let's change this. In this episode, I define a Unicorn Employer, share the associated benefits of reaching this status for the homeowner and what it takes to reach it, and outline 9 Red Flags that an UHNWI is not on the path to becoming a Unicorn Employer. The sooner you start climbing the Unicorn Employer ladder, the faster you’ll reap the benefits of better candidates, longer staff retention, and world-class service from those committed to serving you and your family. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

I did a Coffee Talk about a month ago on what private service professionals need to do to keep a principal’s secret as a secret. Today I'm going to talk about what the homeowner – the principal, the employer – needs to do so that their secrets aren't divulged to their household staff. We keep secrets from other people. But if a homeowner is constantly pressing their staff with statements like, “What do you know about this?”, and they're constantly needing to process their words before they say them so that they don't divulge the secret, that can cause within your staff members: - anxiety, - depression, - eating disorders, - sleeping disorders, - overspending, and - all sorts of addictions to cope. So it's not just a simple thing like, “Hey, I've got a secret. My housekeeper knows it. What's the big deal? She's got a non-disclosure agreement.” That's why we're talking about this – it goes so much deeper than that. Don't push the boundaries of your housekeeping staff's professionalism to put a secret in their lap. Realize that they're going to listen. They're going to smile. They’ll say that they're going to hold that secret. And a little part of them is going to die inside knowing now that they are burdened with that information. Do not take that as loyalty. Take that as fear. And that's not a good situation. Remember, we're here to build long-term, sustainable, win-win relationships. Some of the framework for this episode is based on Michael Slepian's book The Secret Life of Secrets. Find it here on Amazon. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

Dear Billionaire, You need an ORG CHART for your household team. Yes, you do! I know you're rolling your eyes, but listen up.... Whether you have a small housekeeping team or a family office, in this episode I explain the benefits of this important one-page document. (Or use Post-It notes!) And...drum roll, please...I have a free org chart template to make this task a little easier. You can get it here: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/household-staffing-organization-chart-template-optin Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

This week I thought I would walk you through a property assessment and why these are so important to any homeowner – but especially if you're new to the property. I was on a site visit last week at a house where the homeowner had purchased it within the last 6 months to a year. They have had full blown renovations happening since they purchased it, and they purchased it as is. However, nobody did a full inspection of the property. In this episode I share what I found, what's critical, and how I put this property assessment together. Thanks for listening. Get your FREE Property Assessment Report Template here: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/property-assessment-report-template-optin For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

At midnight on Sunday, I was awakened by my phone vibrating. Not in a standard, silenced phone call way; more like an Amber Alert. Without my glasses on, I dismissed it and went back to sleep. Minutes later, I heard one of many tornado sirens blast – longer than their average weekly testing. After the third or fourth round, I couldn’t ignore them. I got out of bed to look outside and check the weather; dead stillness. However, there was a hazy yellowish glow in the sky. The American flag that flies over the nearby bank’s rooftop – my visual form of a weather vane – was utterly still. Sirens were still blaring. I checked the weather app on my phone. High winds were headed our way. I checked Tulsa Weather on Facebook, which confirmed exceptionally high winds were expected. What happened after this was truly amazing. And even though I had long lists of emergency preparedness procedures and supplies for this exact situation, living through it gave me a different awareness. In this episode, I share 10 things I learned from this experience that will help you prepare for emergencies. To implement your family plan, check out our How to Manage a Mansion™(HTMM™) Emergency Preparedness module: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/shop/p/htmm-emergency-preparedness Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

If you employ staff in your home, you are likely already using a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). And if you do, you probably have stipulations in it like the following, to which your staff have signed their understanding: - They will not be involved in the preparation of a book, article, story, video, or film about the homeowner, their family business, their business interests, or their personal lives, interests, assets, or properties. - And they will not disclose confidential information on blogs, Wikipedia, social networks, virtual worlds, or social media. The problem? Even with specific language like this, your NDAs can have "gray areas" which, if they are not addressed, can lead to questions and conduct from the private service professionals you employ that go against the privacy level you expected when staff signed your agreement. This episode of the Dear Billionaire Podcast sheds light on some NDA gray areas to look for to best protect both your family and your staff. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

When it comes to hiring new staff, does it ever feel like you’re jumping off a cliff into the abyss? Like you and a private service professional are getting married without knowing each other really well? I can tell you from experience as a former estate manager, and from the estate managers and house managers I speak with, that this feeling goes both ways. The solution to this for both parties: a 90-day trial period Use a 90-day trial to: - Allow everyone to see each other when they're tired. - Flush out some stressful situations. - Reveal everyone’s truest personalities, allowing you to see if they work together, or don’t. - Ask your estate manager to outline what you're going to receive in the 90 days - Have them walk all of your properties so that, later, they can be effective in answering your questions as well as questions from other staff and contractors, and in making decisions on your behalf. - Have them conduct both one-on-ones with your other staff members as well as team meetings so they can understand how staff interact with each other. - Have them gather key contractor information so they are set to react efficiently while minimizing your risk if something goes wrong, is not on schedule, or is over budget. - Write staff and contractor memorandums of understanding and have all staff and contractors sign them. - Have your estate manager start providing weekly property summaries, one-page documents detailing what was completed, what's ongoing, what's coming up next week, stuck projects, and any staff updates. - Have them capture all the above information in a system, preferably a project management system with a phone app, so that, in the event that this person doesn't last beyond 90 days, your next candidate won't have to dig so deep -- saving you time moving forward. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

It’s time to look at household staffing differently When a homeowner decides they need staff, they: - hire people, - sign the paychecks, and - assume they’ll get the service they need from those employees. Then, when staff questions overwhelm them – when the homeowner doesn’t get the service they desire, and they feel frustrated with the lack of control over their day and the lack of privacy within their homes – they often reduce the number of staff and ask fewer people to maintain their homes and provide personal services. But… When systems fail, or if there’s an emergency that no one is prepared for, the household staff gets deemed inadequate, often labeled “not a good fit.” The staff gets fired, and this cycle repeats itself with new staff. The frustration with training new staff and them not “getting it right” continues to the point of the homeowner wanting to downsize. If this sounds correct, we’ve got answers. My team created an eBook to address these issues related to: - Why you want to become a good employer - Knowing all that it takes to maintain your property and provide service to your family - Capturing your preferences and pet peeves to share with everyone who works in your home - And addressing whether you need a house manager We’ve entitled this book The Ultimate Guide for Hiring Staff and Maintaining Your Luxury Home. This 16-page document provides quick and actionable solutions to your toughest domestic staff challenges. This eBook is free if you schedule a call with me (https://calendly.com/estate-management-systems/demo). Or, for a very small fee, you can download it from our website at https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/shop/p/ebook-the-ultimate-guide I think you’ll find that it will address 99% of your household staffing challenges. And we think your staff will thank you, too. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

From the first day I stepped into my role as an estate manager, I had an idea of how I thought it should be. I had been working on luxury properties for more than 20 years, but not in them. And I felt like I had hit the jackpot when I was hired for this very demanding role. One that I felt I was 110% suited for. I thought that by being employed by a high-tech giant that I would walk into a world of professionalism and sophistication that I hadn’t experienced in the landscape construction world (and I worked with the best contractors available). But, I was wrong. Thanks for listening. Find out the full story, plus details on what an ideal day for an estate manager looks like, here: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/blog/ideal-day-in-the-life-estate-manager For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

One of the most important tasks you should complete before hiring staff is this Master Maintenance Task List. You can create this yourself in Excel. There are only (5) columns. They are: 1) Item or Category 2) Who completed the task 3) Frequency that the task needs to be completed 4) How long each task takes to complete 5) What is the task The investment of time to create this task database provides information such as: -How many hours it takes to maintain your home and meet your service needs (thus, determining how many staff are required). -It helps determine if a staff member is assigned too many responsibilities, needs extra training to increase efficiency, or is underperforming. -How much time each system requires for maintenance. That will allow you to assess whether using staff or contractors is smart and whether to repair or replace older mechanical equipment. -How much time will your staff be required to work each week to keep up with their responsibilities. In other words, will they be required to work overtime frequently? If so, consider contracting out the service or hiring another maintenance tech to lessen your staff’s need to work overtime. This information helps proactively schedule preventative maintenance and develops a scope of work so your subcontractors can price their service. Create this document for each property you manage to track critical information. Then, create a free Trello.com account (or other project management software) to implement this information to track progress and communicate with your household team about each of these tasks. We sell this document in our House Manual Templates, available to download and edit for your principal, property, and personnel needs. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

King Charles’ coronation was an extraordinary experience filled with pomp and circumstance, gold and glitz, and all of the eye candy that we royal watchers can stand. But many who posted on social media this week – I’ll call them the lip readers – counted the times Charles said, “Thank you.” So, we all know that he was hyper aware of the millions and millions of people that were watching him during the coronation. But what a nice thing to focus on in his role, and at his stature. The coronation is a reminder that we’ve talked before about royal treatment and what it takes to get that in domestic staffing in your own home – whether you’re in 2,000 square feet or in a palace, it doesn’t matter. There are some essential experiences and lessons to be learned about how that is going to add value, security, and privacy to your life. So, I want billionaires and millionaires to stop doing these three things that prevent them from attaining the level of value, security, and privacy they deserve. 1. Creating unsustainable roles. 2. Assuming that your staff knows what you want. 3. Under-staffing your household. Take a moment to figure out how your entire life can become more peaceful, more secure, and more streamlined with the right staff, given the right information, and what it would take to just say "thank you" and let them feel appreciated. King Charles is doing it. Thanks for listening. Get our FREE Master Maintenance Task List, mentioned in this podcast, at: https://www.estatemanagementsystems.com/master-maintenance-task-list-optin For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

Recent job descriptions of estate managers have become a laughable list of unrealistic expectations and impossible deliverables. As with any job, an employee should have reasonable agility to adapt to ever-changing work environments. While the growing trend of homeowners wanting fewer staff in their homes is understandable, it shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for unethical behavior. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

Remember, staff won't leave employers or managers when they feel successful, well-paid, supported, and valued. The best candidates have options, and seasoned vets' salaries are at an all-time high. You’ll need to be an excellent employer to attract and maintain a trusted household team. Here are the top 10 ways to retain world-class staff. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

During April, our team has been diving into the nitty gritty nuances between Service and Servitude. Since watching Succession, I decided to go deeper into the different aspects of service available to families of wealth. If I had to describe a sliding scale of service, I would say that managing a 2,000-square-foot Malibu beach house for a wealthy individual with no children is Service Level 1, while running a 16,000-square-foot home on an 8-acre property in the Hamptons for a family of six – all having their staff, helicopters, and complex spousal relationships – is Level 10. Service expectations at all levels are high. However, the story of an implied “win-win partnership” that I dream about for all service providers – let’s be honest – doesn’t exist beyond my imaginary Level 3. To be clear, all levels of service are relevant. Neither is good or bad. But my arbitrary service scale allows us to think more strategically about what level of service you require. As a homeowner: - Are you expecting Level 10 service with Level 1 staff? - Are you paying for Level 1 service and frustrated with the outcome? - Have you hired the right staff for the level of service you require? In this episode, I look more closely at the needs and services to help you find your perfect fit. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

If you’re a millionaire or billionaire homeowner – if you have household management staff – here’s what no one will tell you: you have a superhero in your home. They aren’t your family. But they aren’t your servant, either. They are human. They have needs, but they’re there to serve you. And, yes, they receive a paycheck. But no one talks about your STAFF being born with a gift of service – or what we call a “service heart.” Used wisely and supported fully, this person can make your home and life easier and more fulfilling. What if you gave your staff enough information to implement your request right the first time? Wouldn’t everyone be happier, with less effort and less expense? What if you outlined expectations, communicated frequently, and empowered your staff to work autonomously? What would it look like if you respected their time off? Isn’t it in your best interest for your staff to avoid burnout? So, what’s the dirty word in Private Service? BOUNDARIES. No healthy relationship is sustainable long-term without them. These take much work to implement, especially in an existing relationship. But, set up the right way, you can enable nothing short of magic. When boundaries are not created and enforced, your staff will feel controlled over time and become resentful. Do you want to pay someone who might feel this way to work inside your home? I wouldn’t. In closing, here are some brief but highly effective tips to honor the obligatory “Yes” that you’ll hear from your staff while serving you and your family: 1. Allow them your time to confirm your expectations. 2. Honor their “No.” 3. Empower them with the autonomy to make decisions on your behalf. 4. Allow them to spend money within a limited budget to implement your requests. 5. Protect their time off. Finally, ask yourself: Isn’t this relationship based on the above reasonable parameters worth your investment – including time spent establishing and getting staff buy-in for appropriate boundaries? Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

What does "occasional pet care" on a job description mean? This responsibility is regularly thrown into household staff members' employment agreements, and everyone seems ok with this until they realize what this means. Homeowners probably have household staff who will love and care for their pets during the day, but let's discuss why this is a bad idea when you leave town. The money saved can be far outweighed by the emotional impact on everyone if something goes wrong. For your staff, it means additional work and immense responsibility. It's not in anyone's best interest if the pet experiences a health crisis during your absence. Should the pet die, naturally or otherwise, the memory of missing that pet connected to the pet-sitting staff member can linger and tarnish that relationship. In addition to missing your pet, you'll likely be finding new staff. Even if the homeowner inflicts no guilt, the self-inflicted guilt can be overwhelming and self-sabotaging. So many other options (independent pet-sitters, pet hotels, veterinarian clinics, etc.) make more sense. If you have no other responsible options, pay that staff exceptionally well (in addition to their regular pay), keep the frequency to a minimum, and be extremely thankful for the convenience. Please listen to the podcast where I share my story of keeping my principal’s beloved pet. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

It is possible to care for someone AND maintain professional boundaries and expectations. It is the most respectful way to protect and respect a relationship. Remember, good communication means BOTH parties win and evolve. In this episode, I share and discuss in detail six suggestions for successful boundaries, performance expectations, and accountability with household staff: 1. Build a house management system to outline, assign, and schedule all expectations. 2. Consult with an HR or family law attorney specializing in household staffing issues. 3. Hire an HR outsourcing company to handle employee benefits like long-term disability, retirement benefits, and health insurance as well as payroll. 4. Communicate with your staff often. I suggest addressing work schedules, new requests, and changed expectations weekly at a minimum. 5. Prepare a staff memorandum of understanding and update it when changes occur. 6. Realize that it may be time to move on when your staff’s abilities no longer meet your personal and property needs. Remember, healthy boundaries on both sides of this relationship are key. Keeping a friendly relationship with everyone who works in your home is nice, but keeping healthy boundaries about why they’re there is more critical. Your household and family needs change over time, as do your staff’s needs. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

Throughout the years, I’ve learned what my clients do to limit their liability. Here are a few suggestions – I discuss them in detail in this podcast! 1. Create a business entity under which your household operates, hires, and manages. 2. Hire professionals with industry experience instead of newbies transitioning into these positions. 3. Your contractors should provide valid liability and workers’ compensation insurance certificates. 4. Increase your own liability insurance and workers’ compensation in case contractors aren’t sufficient. 5. Everyone working on your property must sign an NDA. 6. Have two safes within your home – one for the principal’s personal and sensitive items and one for the household manager to protect staff-related items. 7. Ensure that master suits and no-go areas can be locked up. 8. Have a household protocol that outlines operating procedures for staff and contractors. 9. Install security cameras that are pointed at essential areas like gates and door entrances. 10. Have an external HR company manage employment contracts according to state and federal guidelines. Bottom line - as your wealth grows, so does your liability! Protect your household and estate portfolio by implementing proper protocols. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager

When your estate manager does their job well – they make it look easy. It’s often the case that, with a smile on their face, they’re working 60+ hours a week. At times, the lack of chaos may make it seem like you don’t need a house manager. When in fact, this is a sign that your EM is excellent at what they do. Remember, when your home is clean, organized, running smoothly, and staff is working efficiently, someone orchestrated that. When in doubt, require a weekly property report for every property you own. This one-page summary includes completed projects, upcoming and stuck projects, open proposals, staff updates (like days off & birthdays), and recognition of successes and milestones. Requiring this of your house manager every Friday will give everyone peace of mind about what your staff has done all week and prepare everyone for the week to come. Know what’s happening inside your home, and feel confident about knowing there’s a plan in place. Thanks for listening. For more information, visit our Linktrees: https://linktr.ee/dearbillionairepodcast https://linktr.ee/estatemanagementsystems #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes #uhnwi #domesticstaff #estatemanager #billionaire #millionaire #mansion #householdstaff #housemanager