Founding leadership
Two perspectives. One shared standard.
Ayla & Storm is led by Janneke Storm alongside Courtney Datema, Founding Director of Private Client Relationships.
Their backgrounds are different but deeply complementary: one grounded in family life, childcare recruitment and commercial operations; the other in international hospitality, entrepreneurship and highly personal client service.
Our beginning
Janneke Storm
Founder & Managing Director
It began with a search of my own.
My work in this field began while I was searching for the right person to care for my daughter as I prepared to return to a demanding career.
We found a wonderful nanny. The process, however, felt surprisingly transactional for a decision so personal.
I wanted clearer guidance, stronger judgement and a greater sense that the agency understood not only the duties, but the home the person would be entering.
I later acquired and now operate our sister company, Sitters Co., an established childcare agency in South Africa. Through that work, I have worked directly with families and professional caregivers while strengthening the way roles are defined, candidates assessed and placements supported.
Before entering the childcare industry, my career was spent in commercial and enterprise environments, including Salesforce and SAP. I hold an MBA and have worked with senior executives and complex stakeholders in settings where responsiveness, accountability and sound judgement were expected.
That combination shapes Ayla & Storm: lived understanding of the decision a family is making, experience within the childcare industry and the commercial discipline required to conduct a rigorous search.
Courtney Datema
Founding Director, Private Client Relationships
I have always looked after the people around me.
For more than a decade, I worked in the premium hospitality environment of Formula E, welcoming partners, teams, sponsors and public figures at events around the world. It was fast-paced, exacting, and entirely centred on making people feel at ease in demanding settings.
What struck me most were the families. I would watch children arrive into a world of schedules, crowds and noise, and see how quickly they could become overwhelmed. Without thinking, I would step in — creating a quiet moment, a safe space, a sense of calm so their parents could focus on the event or simply enjoy the experience.
That instinct has always been part of me. I find genuine satisfaction in helping clients feel relaxed and peaceful, whether they are at a race weekend or at home. I also see the same pressures in my own family — my sisters-in-law balancing work, children and the expectations of daily life — and I understand how much it matters to have the right support in place.
When I joined Janneke at Ayla & Storm, it was because the same need exists in private households: someone who notices the details, protects the atmosphere, and makes a high-stakes decision feel simple.
That combination shapes my work at Ayla & Storm: the poise of high-level hospitality, the instinct to protect a family’s peace, and the judgment to make every introduction feel effortless.
Our name
The meaning behind Ayla & Storm.
Ayla is commonly associated with the halo of light around the moon, a quiet connection to Janneke’s daughter, Lua, whose name means moon.
Storm reflects the movement, intensity and unpredictability of family life.
Together, the name represents the balance the agency was created to embody: warmth and strength, calm and momentum, emotional intelligence and capable support.
Our approach
We begin with the life the family wants to create.
A search should not begin with a generic job description.
It should begin by understanding what the household is trying to solve, what currently feels difficult and how life should improve when the right person is in place.
- What should feel easier?
- What will the family have more time to do?
- What will they no longer need to worry about?
- How should each person’s life improve once the placement begins?
The answers allow us to define the position around the household’s real needs, not simply the vacancy it is trying to fill.
Personally involved throughout.
Ayla & Storm works directly with families and with trusted representatives, including personal assistants, household managers and family-office professionals.
Every search begins with a relaxed but purposeful consultation led by the founding team.
Understand the household
We explore the household’s routines, personalities, pressures and priorities. Families do not need to arrive with a polished job description or know the exact title of the professional they require.
We guide the conversation and help identify the support that will make the most meaningful difference.
Build the Household Brief
Families are not expected to complete lengthy forms or repeatedly provide the same information.
We capture the relevant details during the consultation and build a confidential Household Hiring Brief on their behalf. The brief becomes the foundation for the search, candidate assessment and final decision.
Introduce with context
Families receive secure access to their candidate matches, profiles, videos and supporting information through one private platform.
Each introduction includes personal context from Ayla & Storm explaining why the candidate has been selected and how we believe that person may complement the role, the household and the life the family is trying to create.
The people hearing the family’s priorities are also the people guiding the search, assessing the candidates and supporting the final decision.
Warmth and judgement, brought to a decision that deserves both.
Whether you are hiring directly or leading a search on behalf of a private household, the first step is a confidential conversation.