We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Foreman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?

I have made several monetary investments as a business owner. However, I have invested more of my time than anything. The best investment I have made in my business is time spent alone in my thoughts and actions, believing that all things can work for the best if I believe, stay consistent and trust the process! One of the worst investments I have made in my business is trusting an outside vendor that promised me a project that they couldn’t complete. Instead, they sent products I already had, reimbursed what they desired and pocketed the rest. Since then, I have asked for recent and previous projects to be verified and I ask for an agreement and a project deadline.

Another mistake I made was hiring too soon because of previous childcare experience. After attending the International Nanny Association Conference in May, I discovered the problem. In this industry, you can’t cut corners. Families need a nanny that they can trust and depend on with experience. And, nannies need families that they too can trust, match their care styles and pay them fairly. The placement process should be handled with care and can take weeks to match a quality nanny with a quality family. Things have to be done in decent order and legally. Although it is challenging to hire you still have to take the process slowly and never choose profit over proper placement.

The best investment I have made is turning my hobby into a business as a swim coach. Swimming is a hot commodity in Florida and many families are getting swim lessons! Swimming is one of my selling points and has attracted many families to my service or inspired them to learn to swim!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Shannon Natasha Foreman, professionally known as Natasha. I am the owner and operator of Natasha’s Nurturing Nest, a dual-service company providing elite Home Management/Nannying and Swimming services to high-quality families in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL, and surrounding areas.

I have worked with the youth majority of my life. It started in church after being nominated for leadership roles like secretary and treasure for the children choir. Then, I accepted my first professional role in youth development in 2016 when I relocated to Florida from Georgia. Since then, I have held several leadership responsibilities that have contributed to my success today.

In 2018, I worked for a private preschool with an amazing approach to early childhood education and immediately I was inspired. I remember saying to the owner that I would start a business supporting children and families, not knowing a few months later I would lose employment and forced into entrepreneurship. At the time, it was devastating but in hindsight, I am thankful for the valley because it encouraged me to work harder than ever for my dreams and to never look back.

Nannies with a special skill set, like a swim coach, is highly sought after. But, nannies are hired to solve problems such as helping a new parent get acclimated to parenthood, academics for school-age children, early development for the younger child, scheduling conflicts, behavior, organization of the home and much more. Many people will think of tangible ways to solve problems. Whereas, I resolve a lot of the problems by simply being reliable, professional, results-driven and trusting. Another problem I get to solve is teaching different life skills to the child. I understand that children need to enjoy their childhood, but they are growing older each day. So, they need to understand how to respect themselves and others, proper manners, practicing patience and delayed gratification, hygiene, cleaning and more.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Being a Swim Coach was a side hustle for three years before it became a business. The swim program’s mission is to, “Minimize Water Fatalities through Swimming Lessons.” I get to educate the parent and child on the importance of water safety– how to remain safe in, near and around any body of water. The true ability to swim is knowing how to survive in the water.

May 8, 2023 marked the 3rd year anniversary of Natasha’s Nurturing Nest! I never wanted to be a swim coach but the sport chose me. Yet, this has been one of the most rewarding skills I have obtained. I have collaborated with Pool Safely, a government agency, to help advocate and educate the community on the importance of water safety. I am so grateful for the partners, supporters, clients and families for making this possible!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

After attending my first International Nanny Association Conference in May, I realized that I knew some things but there were more important things to learn and implement, like policies that adhere to state and federal laws and conflict resolution skills on the job. The conference also confirmed my need to hire. I am working with my mentor to decide the best plan for my business. We are making the necessary changes to see this plan through. One of the most important points I want to make is that this is a process that I will not rush. I want it to be right when I present it, so I don’t have a timeframe as to when final changes will be available. Thank you so much for your time!

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @natashasnurturingnest
• Facebook: Natasha’s Nurturing Nest
• Linkedin: Natasha’s Nurturing Nest, LLC
• Yelp: Natasha’s Nurturing Nest