THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408250196
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 53 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY McWILLIAMS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
FOR MOTHERS Karen Thor and Laura Engel, a vacation isn't a vacation without some time to yourself.
That's why the longtime friends and Outer Banks vacationers founded Sunsational Sitters, a professional baby-sitting service targeting tourists.
``We never could get sitters,'' said Thor, 39. ``We weren't local and we didn't know where to get them and who to trust.''
Hoping for a night out without the kids a few years back, Thor once searched the local phone book for a baby-sitting service. When she didn't find one, she threw the directory down in disgust.
Next thing they knew, Thor and Engel became seriously interested in starting a service themselves.
While on business in Florida, the women hired a hotel baby sitter for their children. From that experience, they began researching what it would take to succcessfully run a child-care service in a resort area.
Thor and Engel spent a year researching and planning their strategy, and when they were satisfied they could do it, they opened Sunsational Sitters around 1992.
``There was a lot of legwork in the beginning,'' said Engel, 35.
Because Thor lives in Durham and Engel in Pittsburgh, the logistics may be the most difficult aspect of running an Outer Banks business. The women spend summers in Nags Head and operate their service from May to September, hiring up to 40 baby sitters.
Sunsational sends sitters from Corolla to Manteo, placing the caregiver in the home with the children. Customers pay $10 per hour for up to three children, and there is a four-hour minimum.
The sitters are paid from $4.75 to $6.25 per hour, and many receive tips from satisfied customers.
And the entrepreneurs say there are a lot of satisfied customers.
``I was amazed we did the business we did in the first year,'' Thor said. In their second year, they increased business 45 percent, and in their third year it has grown between 25 and 40 percent.
``The business is built on reputation,'' Thor said. ``We've made sure to let rental agents and Realtors know what kind of business we are. They're more likely to refer us.''
The women have done this by personally meeting with the agents and distributing their brochures in as many rental offices as possible.
Because they call every client the day after the baby-sitting is done, the women feel they have built their trust level. They have also sent out customer satisfaction surveys, and the only suggestion for improvement was that the service be offered year-round.
Thor and Engel aren't quite ready to take that step, but they are considering taking in a third partner, someone local who could carry on the business all year.
Thor and Engel are proud of their track record. They haven't had any problems with their troupe of trained sitters.
Sunsational's sitters are 18 or over and each has a driver's license and a vehicle. The company performs police record checks on every applicant and calls every former employer and three references.
``We check these girls out like there is no tommorrow,'' Thor said. The sitters are then bonded and insured.
Engel, formerly a medical records clerk, trains all sitters in CPR and first aid. As an added precaution, the sitters don't ever take the children away from their cottage or hotel room.
Thor, mother of two, and Engel, mother of three, said they wanted to provide customers what they would be satisfied with for their own children.
``Our most important background is we're mothers,'' Engel said.
Sunsational insists on a list of rules and regulations. Sitters cannot smoke or bring boyfriends over, and they must clean up after themselves.
``And we encourage the girls to play with the kids,'' Engel said.
``Our best sitters are perky, energetic, outgoing, extroverted people,'' Thor added.
The partners have visions of their company's future, including expansion to other areas, a drop-off care center, even franchising.
``There are a lot of options,'' Thor said. ``We're really giving a needed service. People seem so thankful when you give them a sitter.''
As for those lazy vacation days, Thor and Engel still seem to squeeze in a few while they're here. They have an office manager to handle the day-to-day activities, but both are on call every day.
``It's different when the business is yours,'' Engel said. ``It's invigorating.''
The women's friendship has remained intact throughout their business association.
``We separate the friendship from the business,'' Thor said. ``If it starts to interfere with our friendship, we close it down.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Sunsational baby sitter Teresa Holland of Kill Devil Hills is one of
40 people employed during the summer as sitters for the children of
Outer Banks vacationers.
by CNB