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MAID TALK with Uche Okoli

Many of us are scared of hiring a maid because of the endless negative stories that keep pouring in from all corners, but reading from Uche who was brave enough to hire not just one but two maids, will make you feel like there is nothing to be worried about. She is the COO of Hairbox.  I asked her what it is like to have two maids, how she manages them, her spouse’s reaction to her hiring them and so much more. She is an entrepreneur, who is married with two kids and lives in Lagos.
Read our brief chat below.

  1. Maintaining Balance
    Balance is relative. However I am able to identify the needs of both work and family and design my lifestyle to be able to suit both sides. I’m privileged to outsource as well as supervise some roles where necessary.
  2. Her husband’s reaction to her hiring two maids.
    He didn’t object. He has been fully supportive.
  3. How long have you had your maids? 
    My current maids have been with me for a time frame of about 6 months.
  4. When did you decide it was time you hired two maids?
    When the pressure of my work could not enable me give proper attention and full concentrations to all the domestic demands.
  5. Did you do anything special when you decided to hire? Questions asked, agencies?
    Yes! As always I engaged a professional and agent for the search. I also developed a work guideline to assist my one-on- one interviews with them… I also rely A LOT on my intuition based on my previous experience with domestic staff.
  6. On managing two maids and making it work...
    I have a strict yet flexible work schedule for each maid. I also meet weekly(every Sunday evening) with them for about 30 minutes to draw a list for the coming week and discuss domestic matters that may have occurred the previous week.
  7. Challenge(s) that comes with having two maids
    Scheduling house chores to get the best out of each of them (i.e knowing the best task for each maid per time.
  8. The best part?
    There is speed with getting house chores done. I am better organised and I’m able to create ample time for me to get other things done. The list is endless…
  9. The most important characteristic to look out for in a maid?
    Character/Attitude, INITIATIVE and Efficiency.
  10. What advice do you have for any mom who is scared of hiring a maid?
    Understand that there are limitations to personally balance your family life and career/business. Be open and flexible enough to make the changes that will enable you have a more productive on a daily basis
    .
  11. How did you discover MaidforMe?
    While looking for a credible maid agency to hire from.ion important to me And I had to ask a question important to me *wink*
  12. What have you learnt from MAIDforME so far
    Maid For Me has given me a better disposition(with domestic staff related issues) to things I thought were exclusive to me. Tips and resources on how to better manage my maids… A reference point forgetting solutions on maid related solutions.

That brings us to the end of our chat. I like the part where she said one of the most important attributes a maid should have is “INITIATIVE” and she put it in caps. I also see it as one of the most important attributes to look out for or cultivate in your maid. A maid who has a wise initiative is a plus plus. You never have to say everything explicitly…. 
So what part of this brief interview rang a bell for you?
This is the first of many MAID TALKS I’ll be sharing on the blog, so if you care to share your stories with our community to help others who may be at their crossroads or encourage them, please send me a DM on Instagram or a mail.
MAID TALK is all about Real people, Real conversations, Real experiences and Real solutions.

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