We had the good fortune of connecting with Beth Heyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beth, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was a mom in a new city, with 0 family and 0 friends. I had moved from Columbus, OH where I had a great network, support system and roster of babysitters available. I had been a SAHM for several years and was ready to get back to work and knew I wanted to start my own business. I realized that Austin was full of transplants, and there were so many parents in the same boat as me. I saw the demand and I went for it.  

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own Babysitting Connection of Austin!  I match top notch sitters to families from Georgetown to San Marcos and everywhere in between.  I personally interview each sitter, background and driving record check them, ensure CPR Certification, a valid drivers license and at least 18 years old.  We opened in January, where we were primarily a date night and weekend sits business.  After COVID, we have transitioned to move of a consistent care service, where we can match families to a consistent sitter 15-30 hours/week.  We offer a variety of monthly membership packages from 3 sits a month to unlimited sits a month to fit all different families needs.

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?
Honestly, it’s me. Nearly every other babysitting agency you find, there is no “face” to the business. Care.com and Bambino are simply apps. Even most of the smaller more local agencies it’s hard to find a direct email or owners face on their websites. My members and my sitters know that my door is always open, if they have questions or concerns or anything at all, they know how to reach me directly anytime day or night. Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career? Big Fan. My personal motto about a year ago became “Make No Small Plans” and I really try to live by it. My husband decided on a career change about a year ago, we decided instead of diving into it, we would take a mini break. We traded in our sedan for an F150, bought a 30ft travel trailer and hit the road for 70 days, visiting 8 National Parks, 9 states, multiple relatives and friends. It was just an absolutely incredible experience, one not many people have the chance to take and we are so thankful we took that risk, despite our friends and family thinking we were completely insane. When it comes to my business. I love the flexibility and ease of taking a risk as the business owner. I can easily give something a try, whether it be a new program or new process and see if it works. If not, no biggie, back to the drawing board.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I love Hill Country in Austin. There are so many amazing breweries and wineries I would take them too. Revolution Spirits, Vista Brewing, Treaty Oak, Jester King. So many with such great drinks and such beautiful scenery. I would also probably take them to one of our great watering holes. I love McKinney Falls State Park take them on a hike around Barton Creek.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Moms. Badass Women. Female founders, female entrepreneurs, female leaders. It’s not a secret that the weight of the family’s responsibility falls more on the mother’s shoulders. To see so many amazing and talented mothers turn something small into something incredible is so inspiring.

Website: https://babysittingconnection.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babysittingconnection/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babysittingconnection
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/babysitting-connection-of-austin-austin

Image Credits
Jessica Rockowitz

Nominate someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.