It was Simon Sinek who did a TED talk about the importance of the WHY in business. And it matters because it’s your motivation to succeed and your reason to persevere. So what’s the why behind your childcare business?
It’s that time of the year where we reflect and consider what we’re grateful for. I’m utterly grateful for the opportunity to bless my family, watch them grow and be blessed and bless others.
The WHY of my business is my family. One hundred percent. And I’m so thankful for it all, especially the ideas and inspiration they’ve been exposed to and experienced through me being a childcare business owner.
Here’s the scoop, Ninja.
As childcare ninjas we have been working hard ALL.YEAR.LONG. I’m not gonna lie. It can sometimes be really tough! Being key workers throughout a global pandemic and helping keep this country moving has not been easy.
But here’s why I do it:
And this is why most of us do it, right?! Our family or loved ones! When I look at this photo I’m reminded of where I used to be and where I am at right now. Through my childcare business I’ve been blessed to live a very nice life and experience some wonderful things with my family. I can provide for them, and ensure they have the best future possible. That matters to me.
Every single day I’m really grateful for what my childcare business has been able to provide my family. It’s a wonderful thing and I’m highly thankful and highly grateful for both opportunities.
But, do you know what?! I’d love to know YOUR big why!
So tell me, Ninja, what’s the why behind YOUR childcare business?
Maybe you’re the same as me and have a brood you want to provide for and be a role model for. You can certainly do that with a successful childcare business.
Perhaps you wanted to create a job that gave you greater flexibility to care for elderly relatives? Is it that you want to build a legacy to leave behind? Or maybe you have dreams of a house by the beach…
Whatever your WHY is, it’s important to keep reminding yourself of it. I highly recommend creating a vision board to help keep you focused for 2022. Keep your WHY at the front of your mind and stay motivated to achieve your goals.
Ever wondered how your childcare business really affects your family?
Well, this week you get to find out! Join me and two very special guests inside as we take a look at so me of the ways our families are affected so that we can better balance family and business for a fully successful 2022.
In case you’ve not snapped up your planning system for 2022 yet, I just wanted to let you know that the price will be going up to $149 soon. Grab yours now at the special holiday price ——–> HERE! My planning system also includes a physical Letter size laminated wire-o planner, so if you’re more of a handwritten kinda Ninja, then that’s for you! For free!
This exclusive planning system is specifically set up to help today’s childcare professionals easily and quickly plan curriculum, menus, social media scheduling and so much more. Let’s get you organized and systematized in 2022!
Getting connected with other childcare owners is a game changer!
Even with the best planning system in the world, being a home daycare provider can sometimes feel lonely and overwhelming. Gain strategies and tips to move your childcare business forward by joining a community! That’s why I set up my Facebook group, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too. We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
When it comes to designing a daycare space, I am getting pretty good at it! Now I’ve done it more than a few times, I thought it’d be a good idea to share my expertise with you. Because I know that if you dream it, you can design it!
Setting up your daycare space is one of the most exciting parts of being a childcare business owner. In my opinion, it’s often the fun bit because after that you gotta get serious! Who doesn’t enjoy shopping?! I’m talking getting awesome toys, buying furniture that looks interesting but is also functional…not to mention setting up all the different play areas!
However, before you go running off to Target, I want to share a few things I’ve learned!
Why your daycare space matters
Did you know that the environment is sometimes referred to as the “third teacher” (after parents and educators)? This is due to its importance in early learning, and this is why setting up your daycare space is more than just making it look nice. It’s been shown in research that kids thrive in environments that are tailored to their interests and developmental stages.
It’s important to make the daycare space warm and welcoming. You want children to feel “at home” but there must also be areas that create intrigue and get the kiddos exploring and trying new things! The different elements of an environment can have varying stimulation levels, which impacts how children play. For example, large open areas encourage movement, whereas more enclosed areas with softer furnishings encourage exploring or looking at books.
With this in mind, it’s clear that a rich and varied environment creates an excellent experience with loads of opportunities for the young learners!
Create a great learning environment
In these early stages of development, varied and interesting environments are so important. Not only are the kids learning new things in new environments, their brains are constantly applying all their knowledge of past experiences to newer ones!
You need to arrange your space wisely, because it can have an impact on how children behave. If a space is too open, you may find children running wildly, not noticing things you’ve put around the edge. Instead, you could divide the room into separate learning and play areas, using shelves or other furniture like couches. Usually this helps cut down on silliness and crazy running, and at the same time helps the children discover new activities. Another thing you can do is organize your daycare in a way that makes things easier for kids (and your team!). So stay organized with low, accessible (and secure!!) shelves.
Plan ahead!
Like I said before, it’s super important to make a plan before you go and run up your credit card bill in Walmart!
It’s a great idea to check out what other people are doing and get ideas. Don’t get caught up in comparison, just take a peek and see what’s working well for them. Get an idea of what you like or don’t like. Take a minute to consider what your style or ideal aesthetic is. Perhaps you want to use solely sustainable materials in your daycare space, or you studied Reggio Emilia and want a minimalist look?
Maybe you’d like to create a vibrant space that’s informed by your children’s cultural backgrounds? Or will you have a focus on a particular area, like STEM or the Arts?
Get pinning!
I suggest setting up a Pinterest board of daycare spaces that inspire you and start collecting a variety of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Delve a little deeper into what it is you like about each one of the pins. Then try and think about what might work in your daycare space, taking into consideration your size and specific layout.
Create boards for each area of your daycare – kitchen, play, outside space, change area, sleep area and so on.
Budgeting for your daycare space
It’d be incredibly easy to get carried away with designing a daycare space and before you know it you’ve gone way over budget. So, before you hit the shops or start to fill your online basket with items, really get clear on what’s in your budget.
If your finances aren’t quite where you wish they were (yet!) then make a list for the future and turn your focus to what you need right now. Take another look at that Pinterest board. Are there any ways you can recreate the ideas you’ve seen for less?
Create a dream board
Once I figure out my budget and the ideas start flowing, I create a dream board. It’s kinda like a vision board but solely focused on what you’d like your daycare to look and feel like. Start compiling cut-outs from magazines and brochures of your favourite things. Choose what aligns with your vision for your daycare.
Then as you start selecting and designing, you want to consider if the space will work for the run of your day. Will your layout flow well for your routines?
For example, will the older children need to walk through the baby’s sleeping area? Can you arrange and design the space to avoid things like that? And from a safety perspective, when you have designed it all, try thinking about it from a child’s view.
Do you have your layout designed yet? What stage are you at?
Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
As if it’s nearly halfway through 2021 already?! And this month is a great time to celebrate your team and yourself! We had International Workers Day on May 1st, Mother’s Day is coming up, and it’s soon to be Teacher Appreciation week. All of which are relevant to you and your staff. So why not celebrate the progress you’ve made so far this year!
At this point in the year, I like to take some time to reflect on how far I’ve come, and to assess where I’m at in relation to the goals I initially set in Q1. I know how easy it is to get swept up doing the day job, so much so that the wins can slip by unnoticed. Or the dreams we had at the start of the year are forgotten.
It’s time to take stock and celebrate the steps we’ve taken!
May the Joy be with you
Every year, May seems to be a month of celebration. Singing the praises of teachers and moms and workers! Yay! But I wanted to shout out all the brilliant things you’re doing too! As childcare business owners we step into our families’ parenting shoes and we do quite a lot of teaching as well.
You are amazing community leaders, supporting parents to do their jobs in difficult times, and nurturing their babies! You’ve helped keep your country’s economy going. We are superheroes! Where’s your cape!? Let’s celebrate the last few months together!
Where did you begin 2021?
We all had high hopes for 2021 after 2020 and the Covid-19 drama…we thought we’d have moved on by now. But the reality hasn’t been as great as we’d hoped maybe. In January I remember me and my teams all sat down and went through plans for the next few months. Not just the day-to-day learning and care stuff, but I wanted to encourage them to be a part of my vision.
It’s easy to get caught up with the business of life and the Childcare Business but make sure to take stock of all those amazing plans we made at the start of the year. So what did you set as your goal earlier this year? Revisit your vision board and your goals list. Are there any bigger goals that got left behind? Because there’s still enough time to do them, choose to go all in!
Did you have a foolproof strategy in place to ensure that you took action? I’d love for you to reflect on the goals you set yourself. Where are you at in your journey towards them? Have you been meeting your SMART targets?
Where are you at now?
We’re almost halfway through 2021! Can you believe it? It’s like I blinked and FebMarchApril happened! Anyway, time is flying! So as we approach the midpoint, now’s a good time to reflect and check in and assess where you are.
Check your progress in detail. Imagine your goal as a destination; Whereabouts are you on the road to it? Reflect on some things like what’s working? Where have I gone wrong? What changes do I need to make? We need to look at all these things and push forward and put in place the things that need to be done so we can accomplish our dreams for 2021.
Make a note of the steps you’ve got left to take. Perhaps as we’re almost 6 months in it’s time to buckle down and zoom in on the bigger goals. Let’s take those dreams – the ones we are passionate about – and shout out: “Yassssssssssssss!! I’m going to finish it this year, I’m going to smash it!” Now we’ve got to get laser focused, give it 110% and throw everything we’ve got at these goals and go for it!
What can you celebrate?
So please use this month as a time to give yourself a pat on the back for making it through such a weird year, for being a shining light in the darkness! Clink a glass or two to celebrate how far you’ve come since January. Even if the wins seem small, it doesn’t matter!
I also want to celebrate and thank all the Childcare Business owners with it being Teachers Appreciation Week and Mother’s Day coming up!
As day care and childcare providers we definitely teach like teachers and care for kids just like moms do! SO this is my big thank you for EVERYTHING you do for your families and for the community you serve.
One of the ways I say thank you is via my freebies! So please head over and download resources that you’ll find useful. I think you’ll love my Weekly Planner – so you can stay on track to achieving your goals!
Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
This week I’m focusing on mindset and my mantra is “stop wishing and start doing”. Because this is where the change starts: with you. It begins with you pressing pause on making wish lists and vision boards (not altogether! Just for now!) and getting some plans in place to achieve the goals you’ve set yourself.
In this blog you’re going to find some tips on why it’s important to take action, not just sit there waiting and wishing for good things to happen. The universe can be magical, and I know manifesting is a thing…but things don’t just occur and the universe is not going to chase you. You’ve gotta put things in motion and make moves that show you’re ready to receive!
Start with a daily check-in
Every day, on your way to work it’s the perfect time to check in with yourself. Reflect on where you’re at in terms of your mindset. Are you feeling positive and ready to level up? Or are you feeling anxious and stuck? However you’re feeling, you’ve got to start by acknowledging it and then sitting with that feeling.
So check your mindset at the door. Notice if there’s anything blocking you from succeeding or reaching your goals. Is there a task you’ve been putting off or a person that’s holding you back? If so, what can you do right now to solve that problem? Try to think outside the box and be creative about moving forward.
Feel the fear and do it anyway
Did you know that the average millionaire has seven different streams of income? 7?! That’s a whole lot of trial and error, isn’t it? Imagine how many beta tests they must’ve done before settling on those various ideas. And do you want to know the reason for their success? (Now’s not the time to discuss privilege by the way…but we’ll try to do that soon!) The clue is in the subheading…
These people have achieved success because although they might be terrified they’ve bitten the bullet and had a go anyway. They’ve taken action, even when they’ve been scared. And this comes down to a realization that failing is the worst that can happen. And actually that’s not as bad as people make out. Everyone makes mistakes. Failures happen. It’s how we deal with those moments that matters.
The Blame Game
Hands up if you play the blame game with yourself? I know I used to be guilty of this more than I like to admit. My favorite thing to blame was time. I was always saying “I just don’t have the time to do the things I know will help me reach those goals”. Or “I’m so busy I can’t possibly make time for that right now”. Looking back, I can see that what I actually did with my time was procrastination when I should’ve been spending time leveling up my business.
First off: there’s always time. Everyone has the same amount of hours in their day. Every person on this planet only has 24 hours a day. If you want to make money and be successful, you need to think of your time as a limited resource and spend it wisely. Yes, finances and not having to work two or three jobs makes a difference, but even the busiest people get stuff done! In fact doesn’t the saying go, “if you want something done, ask a busy person”?
If you’re not sure what you’re spending time on, I highly recommend checking your screen time. It’s always quite shocking to see how much time you’re spending on social media, your emails, etc, and deciding whether those things are a good use of your precious time. (NEWSFLASH: They’re not!)
Get Your Priorities Straight
Turns out that – back in the day – what I was seemingly incapable of was prioritizing. I would tell myself the lie “I’m too busy to do that” or “I’ve not got the time to focus on growing my business”. When actually what I meant was “growing my business isn’t a priority”. There comes a time when you have to make a choice and prioritize the things that really matter.
So how do you move past this? How do you stop telling yourself these lies and make the right choice for you and your business? How do you know what to prioritize?
If it’s important, you need to change and prioritize. You’ve got to choose where to begin. Here’s some ideas…
Break your goals into chunks
Take a look at your vision board and the goals you want to reach with your business. Break each one of them down into baby steps. Now you’ve got those, make a plan of how you can tackle each of them. What do you need to do that? Do you need to invest in some training? A course? How about a coach?
It’s time to stop wishing and start doing! C’mon, Ninjas!
Find time
Each week, put aside some time in your diary to work on those baby steps you’ve planned out. Make a decision to prioritize that task. It doesn’t matter if you only take minuscule steps. As long as you’re moving forward and making progress, that’s what counts!
By putting the task in your diary, and blocking out the time you’re telling your brain that this is important. That this is a priority for you. You’re less likely to get sidetracked or make excuses if you’ve put it in your diary! Doing this frees you from overwhelm while allowing you to progress on goals!
Another idea is to put it on the communal calendar! By doing that you’re also signaling to your team and your family that this is essential to your growth and you’re busy up-leveling. Great leadership and role modelling!
Get laser-focused
Now you’ve carved out time in your week and have a set of tasks that lead to achieving your goal, it’s time to knuckle down and get focused. Where are you going to work best? Wherever you choose, shut your door and take a deep breath. This is optimal focus time! You can get into the right frame of mind and work on your prioritized tasks.
In conclusion, it’s important that you recognize how vital time to work on your goals is. Getting in the right mindset will allow you to step up your action. No more excuses. No more blaming your lack of time. It’s time to take responsibility for your future and stop wishing and start doing!
I hope you’ve found this blog super helpful. If you have, share it with a friend!
Also, if you liked this, I wonder whether you’ve found the Childcare Ninja Facebook group yet? We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Big childcare centers have many resources at their disposal to be able to provide a professional look and feel. You just have to walk into one and you feel small. However, just because you’re small right now, it doesn’t mean you need to operate within that mindset. It’s time to play big!
I’ve learned that thinking big and changing my mindset is at the heart of success, so I’m sharing these here with you. Here’s a few tips to make your childcare business look and run well-groomed.
Put on a big mindset
Stop thinking small and start thinking B. I. G! Making a shift in the way you think is going to help you grow your business. By changing up the way you approach things – even just a little – you’ll feel more confident and be more productive and successful.
Last year I decided to make a change – to stop playing small. I wanted my childcare business to grow and to feel less stressed. I thought long and hard about how I could go about making a change. Reading some inspiring books, watching some motivational speakers and doing some online training was a good start.
In order to get things going, I created a vision board for the future so I can focus on where I wanted to go and I came up with a new mantra for success. My mantra was “Think bigger”. Every time I caught myself playing small, I told myself: Think bigger. Play big. It worked.
What will your mantra be? Have you tried creating a vision board for your childcare business? Read more about how important mindset is to your business here.
Plan big
You don’t have to spend big to plan big! You can do this on a budget, trust me. For every paid idea, app, or software you need to buy to help you run your business, there is usually a free or low cost alternative. Do your research and make sure you find the best deals before throwing your hard-earned money away.
Use your vision board! Get those bigger plans on it. If you want to expand your services, how? Want to employ a bigger, better team? Want to rebrand and refocus? We are Childcare Ninjas! We were born to do this. Plan it out and create the successful business you have been working so hard for. C’mon! Let’s play big!
Here’s a fabulous video from Carrie Green from the Female Entrepreneur Association that shows how to create a vision “dream” board.
Build relationships
It’s all about building genuine relationships. I cannot stress this one enough, fellow ninjas! You’ve got to nurture the relationships with everyone that you meet. Starting with your family – make time for them so they don’t think that your business comes first. Carve time out each week for slowing down and reconnecting with your loved ones.
Then look at your relationships with your team members. How can you strengthen your communication and build on what’s already there? Could you increase the time your door is open for them to come and share problems? Maybe set up an app like Slack that allows your team to converse outside of work and gives you all an opportunity to socialize but also connect professionally. Sometimes we send each other silly memes to break tensions or brighten each others’ days, but we also help each other out with situations and it just means we’re all on the same page.
And, of course, you need to be cultivating the relationships you have with the families that are using your childcare but also the potential future customers too. You can do this in a number of ways, but the key to this is communication (again!). Sending out regular updates, sharing the wonderful things you and your team are doing, asking for continual feedback through questionnaires and quizzes…
Being an approachable and friendly face, and showing empathy is essential in all the relationships you need to foster to build a successful childcare business. People buy from people!
I hope these tips are helpful and you can see the huge impact small changes can make in your business. We can indeed play big with the big dogs!
If you’d like to know more, I’ve filmed some videos and resources that’ll help you in my Childcare Ninja Dojo Club. Joining will make your life a little easier, and enable you to grow your childcare business into your own little empire.
Before you go, have you found the Childcare Ninja Facebook group yet? We are an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
