Tell us your name and a little about yourself.
My name is Ronnie Prassas and I am a private family butler and entrepreneur. I went to college at Lynn University in Boca Raton and graduated with a hospitality degree. Two days after graduating, I landed a position working with a multi-billionaire as their Jr. butler. I will never forget the day arriving at the very large waterfront estate for the interview and talking to the Estate Manager. He was from Barbados, so his accent was hard to understand, but I was sold when he told me that I would be driving and maintaining the large fleet of exotic cars. Whenever you enter any new industry, you need to have expectations around the initial compensation. You will need to pay your dues here but if you work hard – you can move up quickly within the ranks because this industry is very personal and so is your exposure.
I jumped on the opportunity and got the interview with the principal of the household. After my interview, he hired me on the spot because he knew I was a hard-working young individual and he saw my potential. I continued working with that very lovely family for over six years and worked my way up to the Estate Manager position overseeing a very large staff of housekeepers and maintenance contractors. I worked six days a week running the daily operations in the morning and in the evening. I was in charge of serving dinner to the family & their guests. After six years, I decided to leave the family and experience a new summer position working with Jerry Seinfeld. This was an opportunity to be closer to my family in NYC and get the chance to travel with him and his family. He supplied all my living expenses and travel, so this was a hard opportunity to pass up. This experience was unforgettable and led me to my current day to day position, supporting one of the biggest A list of celebrities in the world.
What exactly does your company do?
myEstateStaff.com is setting out to become the #1 private service job board for agencies and candidates. Private Service includes positions that span across a number of different trades, including a butler, nanny, personal assistants, home security, groundskeeper, chauffeurs, and many more. All of which assist High Net Worth individuals or celebrities.
Ronnie Prassas, the owner and founder of myEstateStaff.com is looking to connect with qualified candidates. He is spending a lot of time at college and universities educating students about the endless opportunity and job security in this industry.
Personally, Ronnie has served as a Butler and house manager for many well-known families, so he wants to share his success story with as many people as possible.
The main goal for both Ronnie & myEstateStaff.com is to raise awareness & direct strong candidates to the myEstateStaff.com job board. A very simple place for them to easily apply for positions that meet their skill set.
What were the biggest challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge for us. Just like it has impacted everyone & every business globally. Luckily, even in these uncertain times, a sense of job security has remained in this private service industry. My goal is to get the word out about myEstateStaff.com to help find positions for some people who are out of work and who are a great fit for this business.
What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
I think colleges and universities, especially schools that focus on hospitality need to include this industry into their curriculum. My academic studies were much more focused on culinary or hotel management that I did not realize this was even an option.
After working for 8+ years, I strongly believe that your connections are stronger than anything. That’s why I am focused on connecting agencies and candidates now.
Who are your biggest influences and people you admire and why?
My biggest influencer is Gary Vaynerchuck is a smart, educated, and diverse thinker who knows how to connect with his YouTube channel followers. Over time, he has evolved into a global entrepreneur with his own self-brand and now has around 3MM+ subscribers. I am determined to get a large number of followers for the private service industry so I can help other people succeed.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
My mom has had the biggest influence on my life. She was a school teacher for 37+ years and raised 4 children. I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 5 and my mom would work day-in and day-out to make sure I excelled at every grade level. Many people didn’t think I would ever go to college, but my mom knew differently. She gave me all the study skills, organization & confidence to go off and be successful on my own. I owe all my success to her.
What do you see as your greatest success in life?
At the age of 23, before the days of Uber, I launched a successful transportation company called Shuttle Dudes. Our slogan was “Your Car…Our Dudes.” I was featured in over a dozen Florida news outlets. The goal of my business was to get people and their vehicle home safely after a night on the town. While some people enjoyed driving themselves to the bar or club at the start of the night, our service would come to pick them up and drive them home in their own vehicle.
Our spotter smart car would follow behind to pick up the shuttle dude driver and drop them at the next location. This business was a huge success because the local Palm Beach County restaurants and night clubs promoted my service to their customers daily to offer A safe alternative to get home. Throughout the process, I sold the business in 2015 just before Uber & Lyft took over the entire industry.
