We recently connected with Meghan Phelan and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Meghan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?

In the beginning, it was just me and my former business partner’s mom. She had been retired for seven years, but she believed in what I was doing and offered to help out. Those early days were a whirlwind. She handled the phones and caregiver applications while I was out pounding the pavement, telling anyone who would listen about Granny NANNIES. I was doing it all—caregiver orientations, client onboarding, scheduling, staffing, quality checks, billing, payment processing—you name it, I handled it.

After a couple of years, I finally brought on my first real team member: an office manager who ended up staying with me for seven years. As we grew, we began working with a business coach who taught us a completely unconventional hiring method—and honestly, it worked. We’d post a short ad on Indeed—just a few lines designed to catch the attention of the kind of personalities we wanted. Applicants had to call a number and leave a voicemail. From there, we invited only the ones who followed directions to a group interview. It naturally filtered people out, and by the end of the process, we usually had one or two solid candidates—often the ones who stayed with us the longest.

Looking back, I wouldn’t change much about how I started. Sure, we have more automation now, and I’ve fully embraced that, but the core principles of building this business—relationships, resilience, and doing the work—are still the same. Interestingly, the industry is circling back to grassroots marketing and client-to-client contact, something that got lost during COVID but is now making a real comeback.

If I had to do it all over again, though, I’d be more selective about the clients I took on. Not every bit of business is worth it—some clients cost more in stress and disruption than they bring in revenue. That’s a hard lesson you only really learn with time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration, proudly serving as a four-year varsity cheerleader. Right after college, one of my professors encouraged me to explore the long-term care field, and I took that advice to heart. I began my career as a sales assistant at a luxury assisted living facility in Orlando, Florida—a role that sparked a passion in me and ultimately led to opening my own Granny NANNIES franchise in Miami.

Now, 18 years into my career, I can confidently say that my most rewarding title is “Mom” to my three children. This journey has given me the ability to travel the world, show up for my kids, and give back to the community I care so deeply about. Honestly, there’s not much more I could ask for in life. I still wake up every morning excited to work, and I’m committed to creating that same sense of balance and purpose for my team. At the end of the day, time and presence—those are life’s most valuable assets.

At Granny NANNIES Miami, we provide boutique-style home care for older adults who choose to age in place, whether at home or in a residential living facility. We don’t just staff caregivers—we thoughtfully match pre-screened, vetted professionals with families based on their specific needs. But our role doesn’t stop there. We stay involved to ensure quality care is being delivered, and we support both our clients and caregivers every step of the way. Our mission is to connect our registry of care providers with meaningful, lasting employment opportunities, while ensuring the elderly in our community receive compassionate, timely care when they need it most.

What sets me apart is that this isn’t just a job—this has been my life’s work. For 18 years, I’ve poured everything into growing, evolving, and becoming a trusted resource for elder care in the community I serve. As a single mom, this business is how I support my family, so every client relationship matters deeply to me. I take every experience to heart and make it my mission to ensure families get the care they deserve.

I’m especially proud of the presence we’ve built here in Miami and the way we now give back—particularly through our involvement with the Alzheimer’s Association, monthly support groups, and community education events. Even if someone doesn’t become a client, they’ll never leave a conversation with us empty-handed. We’re always here to offer guidance, support, and resources—because that’s just who we are.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I opened the doors to Granny NANNIES in 2011 as the youngest franchisee the company had ever seen. I was just 27, in a brand-new town, and starting from scratch. It was an exciting leap—but also a lonely and uncertain one. Around that same time, I got married and soon after welcomed two children, in 2013 and 2016. Those early years were a blur of diapers, midnight feedings, and growing a business from the ground up.

Most of my salary in those first few years went straight to nanny care so I could focus on building the business. It was a sacrifice—and I questioned it often. Was I doing the right thing? Was I chasing the wrong dream? But something deep inside kept whispering, “Keep going.” I listened to that voice. By 2020, I had built a business strong enough to provide my children with a comfortable life and give me the freedom to be present as a mom.

Now, as a mother of three, I deeply value the flexibility I’ve created—being able to choose my schedule, show up for school drop-offs and sports games, and just be there. That kind of freedom is priceless.

COVID was a turning point. My ability to adapt and stay resilient was tested like never before. Practically overnight, I had to transform my business into a fully remote, automated operation for onboarding both caregivers and clients. We moved fast—faster than most—and because of that, we were able to grow rapidly at a time when many other home care agencies were pulling back. From 2020 to 2023, those became our most profitable years. While others turned away business, we had systems in place that allowed us to take more on—and serve more.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Staying connected with our clients is at the heart of what we do. We reach out regularly through phone calls, emails, and even handwritten notes—because we truly care about how they’re doing. Our scheduled quality assurance calls and follow-up emails aren’t just routine—they’re opportunities to hear directly from our clients about how we can improve and serve them more thoughtfully.

We never miss a birthday or holiday without sending a card, and when someone is ill, we make sure they know they’re in our thoughts. Every referral we receive is met with a personal thank-you, because we genuinely appreciate the trust it represents. And when we lose a client, it’s felt deeply. We send sympathy cards and, whenever possible, attend memorial services to pay our respects and honor the lives of those we’ve had the privilege to care for.

For us, it’s not just business—it’s a calling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://grannynannies.com/Miami
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grannynannies_southflorida/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grannynanniesmiamidade/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/granny-nannies-miami/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@grannynannies_southflorida
• Other: https://blog.miami.grannynannies.com/