Podcast Summary: The Side Hustle Show – House Management: $60k on the Side With This Niche Virtual Assistant Service

Introduction

In this episode of The Side Hustle Show, host Nick Loper interviews Hannah Morgan, the founder of Heron House Management. Heron House Management is a unique virtual house management service that generated $60,000 on the side last year. By targeting busy parents and especially moms, Hannah carved out a niche in the virtual assistant industry, offering specialized project management for household tasks. Released on June 30, 2025, this episode delves into how Hannah identified her niche, developed her service, marketed it effectively, and plans to scale her business to six figures and beyond.

Identifying the Niche and Inspiration

Hannah Morgan shares the inspiration behind Heron House Management, emphasizing the need for specialized support in managing the "mental load" associated with running a household.

Hannah Morgan [01:05]: "I found that as you have children and your life becomes more complicated, there is just a huge administrative burden that people don't tell you about."

Hannah leveraged her background in project management to create a fractional house management role that operates like a project manager, focusing on systematizing and reducing mental strain for families.

Defining the Service and Value Proposition

Heron House Management offers a comprehensive virtual assistant service tailored to alleviate the cognitive labor of managing a home. Unlike traditional virtual assistant services that handle isolated tasks, Heron provides a holistic approach, acting as a true thought partner for clients.

Hannah Morgan [04:09]: "When we have the invisible labor of mental load, that's the things that are never really seen and often not talked about. It goes unnoticed, it goes unappreciated, and it goes uncompensated."

Hannah explains that their clients highly value the project management aspect, such as planning summer camps for children, coordinating complex schedules, and managing household projects efficiently.

Marketing Strategies and Client Acquisition

Hannah conducted extensive research by engaging in one-on-one conversations and participating in Facebook and Reddit communities to understand the pain points of working parents. This grassroots approach helped her refine Heron's services based on direct feedback.

Hannah Morgan [09:52]: "A lot of our leads that are men that come to us are from Reddit, which I think is really interesting."

Her marketing strategies include leveraging word-of-mouth referrals, participating in community fundraisers, and hosting a podcast titled De Stress the Nest, which provides additional value to their target audience by sharing tips to minimize stress at home.

Pricing Structure and Business Model

Heron House Management adopts a subscription-based pricing model, offering packages with a set number of hours per month. This approach ensures consistency in income and provides stability for both the business and its contractors.

Hannah Morgan [23:45]: "We found that the packages with set hours every month help our team plan their schedules and income, ensuring sustainability for both sides."

By avoiding the unpredictability of on-demand services, Heron maintains a steady workflow and allows clients to budget effectively for their household management needs.

Technology and Tools

To streamline operations, Hannah utilizes several technology tools:

• HoneyBook: For recurring payments and client billing.
• QuickBooks: For bookkeeping and assessing profitability by client.
• Asana: As their primary project management tool, facilitating both team coordination and client projects.

Hannah Morgan [35:24]: "Asana is something that a lot of project managers are familiar with, but it's not used as much in the personal space. Our clients find it really easy to navigate."

Additionally, Heron offers digital products like customized spreadsheets available on Etsy, catering to those who need structured organizational tools without the full service.

Expanding to B2B and Employee Benefits

Recognizing an opportunity to reach businesses, Heron is pitching their services as employee benefits. By offering house management as a perk, companies can enhance employee satisfaction, reduce turnover, and support work-life balance.

Hannah Morgan [39:15]: "We have had a number of conversations with employers that want to bring us on to be able to offer this as a benefit or as an incentive for their team."

One of their initial B2B clients is an electrical supply company that sees the value in improving employee well-being through Heron's services.

Team Building and Scaling Challenges

Hannah emphasizes the importance of building a reliable team and maintaining quality as the business scales. She ensures that all team members are well-trained, empathetic, and share the company's mission. To protect the business, Heron enforces strict non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.

Hannah Morgan [30:28]: "We have a non-compete in our contract, an ironclad contract... It governs how we work together and what is not allowed."

Investing in automation tools like HoneyBook and QuickBooks has allowed Heron to reduce manual processes, minimize errors, and handle increasing client numbers efficiently.

Future Plans and Advice

Looking ahead, Hannah aims to expand Heron’s product offerings, help others start their own house management businesses, and continue generating valuable content through their podcast and digital products.

Hannah Morgan [47:30]: "If we could continue to do what we do now at a larger scale, we would be successful. I have visions of moving into products and helping other people start their own version of this business."

Her key advice for aspiring side hustlers is persistence and consistency.

Hannah Morgan [48:21]: "Just keep going. Show up every day for your business to grow and to succeed."

Notable Quotes

• Nick Loper [00:01]: "With the right positioning, carve out some space for yourself, you can serve some happy customers and you can make some money along the way."
• Hannah Morgan [02:50]: "We recognize that wealthy people are buying back their time, and we're bringing that concept in a more affordable way."
• Hannah Morgan [09:47]: "Our very first client is still with us. She was the first person who took a chance on us, and we've done right by her."
• Hannah Morgan [24:56]: "We don't want you to dream of canceling our service; we want it to be as essential as a utility."

Conclusion

Hannah Morgan's Heron House Management exemplifies how identifying a specific niche and addressing unique pain points can lead to a successful side hustle. By combining project management expertise with a deep understanding of her clients' needs, Hannah created a valuable service that alleviates the mental load of managing a home. Her strategic marketing, sustainable pricing model, and commitment to team building position Heron for continued growth and success. Entrepreneurs can draw inspiration from Hannah's journey to carve out their own niches and build businesses that offer meaningful solutions.

For more information, visit Heron House Management.