The Household Help Who Make $300K a Year and Put out 10 Fires ‘Before Lunch’

Working for the right family, household staff can earn more than your doctor.

Earning a six-figure salary as a household employee may sound unlikely, but according to Rachel Zaslansky Sheer, it’s the reality for those working for the ultrawealthy. Sheer is the co-founder, along with Lori Zuker Briller, of the Grapevine Agency, a Los Angeles-based firm that places domestic staff with Hollywood A-listers, executives and other high-profile individuals. 

As one example, the duo recently filled a house manager position for a California family that pays $300,000 a year, not including the potential for a substantial year-end bonus. 

Along with house managers, the Grapevine Agency fills positions for personal assistants, nannies and chefs. Sheer and Briller built their network over the decade they spent in the entertainment industry—Briller in roles at various production companies, including Overbrook Entertainment, co-founded by Will Smith, and Sheer as an assistant to Kevin Huvane, co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, which has represented some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports, from Ariana Grande to Tom Hanks. 

Sheer said one of the challenges for many of the elite clients they came across was finding the right people to run their homes. “It’s not just about finding someone competent,” she said. “It was about finding someone they could trust and get along with, too.” 

Earlier this year, Sheer and Briller released a book, “Straight From the Grapevine: How to Crush Your Job Search,” a guide detailing the nuts and bolts of landing the ideal job. “We like to think of ourselves as matchmakers,” Sheer said. “Instead of love, we match domestic staff with families.”

In a recent interview with Mansion Global, she shared what makes a job candidate stand out, the skills clients demand and why even the most experienced hires don’t always last.

Mansion Global: When résumés cross your desk for these elite roles, what is the No. 1 thing that makes a candidate instantly stand out. On the flip side, what’s a red flag?

Rachel Zaslansky Sheer: The candidates who immediately rise to the top have résumés that tell a story of progression, longevity, leadership and measurable impact. They don’t simply say they “managed an estate.” They’ll say they oversaw three properties across two states, managed a team of 18 employees, reduced operating costs by negotiating vendor contracts, or coordinated a yearlong renovation while the family remained in residence. That’s someone who’s thinking like an executive.

The biggest red flag is when the résumé and the interview don’t match. I once interviewed a candidate whose resume described them as a highly organized estate manager, who ran every aspect of a luxury property. But during the interview, when I asked them to walk me through a typical Monday morning, they couldn’t explain how they prioritized vendors, staff, budgets or competing emergencies. It became clear they had supported the operation rather than actually led it. 

Another red flag is unexplained job hopping. If someone has worked for five principals in six years, clients immediately ask, “Why didn’t anyone keep them?” In private service, trust is earned over time. Longevity matters.

At the $200,000-plus price point, what is the most unexpected skill set clients are demanding right now?

The biggest trend isn’t one technical skill. It’s the ability to switch gears seamlessly.

One minute an estate manager might be walking a property with contractors discussing a multimillion-dollar renovation. Thirty minutes later they’re coordinating cybersecurity updates for the home’s smart systems. That afternoon they’re calming a stressed family member because a private event suddenly doubled in size and dinner for 12 just became dinner for 30.

Clients aren’t paying for someone who can simply manage a calendar. They’re paying for someone who can solve 10 completely different problems before lunch without anyone in the household feeling the pressure.

What is the No. 1 cultural clash that usually causes an estate manager to leave a high-paying role within the first six months?

The biggest reason placements fail isn’t capability. It’s a communication style.

I remember one placement where the estate manager came from a corporate environment and believed weekly meetings, detailed reports and formal updates demonstrated professionalism. The principal wanted the exact opposite. His philosophy was: “Only call me if the house is on fire.” Within weeks, the principal felt micromanaged, while the estate manager felt ignored.

Neither person was wrong. They simply had completely different operating styles.

How do the highest-paid managers set boundaries to not be available 24/7 and avoid burnout? 

The best relationships begin with transparency before the first day of work.

One estate manager I placed told the principal during the interview: “If you text me at 11 p.m. because the wine cellar alarm goes off, you’ll hear from me immediately. If you text me because you’d like to discuss next month’s landscaping ideas, let’s do that tomorrow morning.”

The principal laughed and appreciated the clarity.

The highest-performing estate managers don’t avoid being available. They define what actually constitutes an emergency so they can remain responsive without living in constant crisis mode.

What is the biggest myth people have about what it’s like to manage a high-profile home?

People imagine glamorous parties, luxury travel and celebrity encounters.

The reality is that the best estate managers are crisis managers.

I’ve seen days where an estate manager was simultaneously handling a burst pipe, coordinating an arriving security team, rerouting a private chef because a family member developed a food allergy overnight, and finding temporary housing for household staff after a power outage—all before the principal landed from an international flight.

When the family walks through the front door, everything feels calm.

That’s what they’re paying for. They’re not paying someone to supervise staff. They’re paying someone whose greatest accomplishment is making sure no one ever notices how many problems were solved that day.

Can you share anecdotes without mentioning names about some of the roles you’ve helped fill? What’s the biggest success story, and what’s the hire that went awry?

One of my favorite success stories involved placing an executive assistant with a fast-growing founder. Over the years, that assistant evolved into the company’s chief of staff and now helps oversee multiple departments, strategic initiatives and executive operations. Watching someone’s career transform like that is incredibly rewarding because it reflects the power of the right match.

Another memorable placement involved an estate manager who walked into what could only be described as organized chaos. The family had multiple residences, a major renovation under way, overlapping vendors, inconsistent household procedures and staff who had never worked together under one leader. 

Within six months, every vendor operated from the same playbook, budgets were under control, communication improved dramatically, and the principals finally felt like they could leave town without worrying that everything would fall apart.

Not every placement is perfect. I remember placing a candidate who looked flawless on paper—incredible references, years of experience, polished interview. But once they started, they approached every decision by asking for approval. The principal had hired them precisely because they wanted someone who would anticipate problems and make decisions independently. It wasn’t a lack of talent. It was a mismatch in leadership style. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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