The Estate Management Systems Blog
The EMS team is here to help you navigate the ins and outs of managing luxury properties and lifestyles — from anywhere
Are You a Unicorn Employer?
The sooner you start climbing the Unicorn Employer ladder, the faster you’ll reap the many associated benefits.
Family Secrets and Household Staff
How to keep secrets from being divulged to your household staff — and why this is so important.
Are You Prepared for a Power Outage? I Was Not – Here Are 10 Things I Learned
Even though I had lists of emergency preparedness procedures and supplies for this exact situation, living through it gave me a different awareness.
Top 7 Tips for Hiring a Household Manager: Seasoned Pro vs. Newbie Hire
In private service, experience matters. In addition to saving a life, understanding HR practices, and having the skills required for high-tech homes, private service differs from almost any other industry due to the broad range of experience needed and the personal nature of working inside someone’s home. Here are 7 factors critical to an employee's success and longevity.
Really? Another Year Without A Household System?
We are all creatures of habit and get stuck in our ways, but when we get thrown sideways by daily “emergencies,” important tasks get dropped, and essential duties fall through the cracks, something’s got to change.
Expect Royal Treatment? Equip your Staff!
Although most seasoned estate managers have the skillset and experience to perform a broad range of services, including almost every aspect of luxury home management and care, they can’t do all these jobs effectively simultaneously. They might have the skillset, but they need the right resources to make magic happen.
Do Paper House Manuals Still Have Value?
For the past week my kitchen has been converted into a print shop – messy with all of the pieces of producing a 3-ring binder landscape manual for a garden that I first designed 20 years ago. Since the majority of my work has evolved into creating digital systems, this has been a nice shift from my normal computer-focused daily routine.
The Fine Art of Working with Wealthy Families
How to train our staff to be successful in this unique work environment.
The Biggest Lesson I Learned as an Estate Manager
I haven’t told many people this, but I was fired TWICE in estate manager roles. OUCH!
How To Complete Your House Manual In 6 Months
8 Pro tips to help estate managers complete it this year.
Manage Hard Conversations With Your UHNW Principal
You don't need to be a passive participant.
Mastering The Art Of Household Inventories
Here are my lessons learned from a recent full-household inventory client experience.
Must-Have Apps and Devices To Manage Multiple Properties From Anywhere
Here are my go-to tech devices and software for doing business from Ethiopia to Tulsa, OK and parts in between.
Let’s Talk About Personal Service and Mental Health
It’s easy to burn out in our profession. Here’s how to stay sane.
Underperforming Staff Member? Let’s Set Them Up for Success
Learn from my plan designed to improve a client’s gardener
Five Steps to Gain Power With Your Domestic Staff
Here’s the best way to onboard yourself in your new position
Three Steps to Equip Yourself to Manage Multiple Properties
And multiply your value at the same time!
Top Recruiters: What Principals Want Their Estate Managers to Know
Here are 6 tips from top recruiters + 10 more from me!
Eight Quick Tips For Creating Really Great Checklists
Improve communication and your staff’s work performance
Not Sure If You Need A Digital House Manual? Take This Quick Test
Here’s how to tell if you’re ready and what systems might be right for your level of service.