by admin | Apr 29, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
I’ll bet my morning coffee that you’ve had several hard conversations to handle in the last month or so. Am I right?! Sometimes it might have been with a member of your team, it might even have been with someone in your family…but what do you do when it’s with a parent?
As a childcare business owner these conversations are not uncommon! You don’t have to have been in business very long before you find yourself in the awkward situation of needing to have an uncomfortable conversation with a parent. It may be something that sounds super simple, but you never know what it could turn into.
Recently I’ve been asked in my Facebook group about how to handle these tricky moments and I thought a blog post might help!
What do you mean by “hard conversations”?
Ok, so these are the conversations that you might freeze up in, or avoid having altogether. You know the ones?! The time a grandma comes to pick up their little one and they are more soaked than a rum cake. Or in winter when a pre-schooler is brought in wearing inappropriate jelly shoes and a sundress, with no coat. Or one of your parents smokes right outside the window, despite the sign you’ve displayed…
These are sometimes what you might describe as “teachable moments”. When the person you’re speaking with might not know what they’re doing or saying is wrong. Often this might be with a new team member or a family who’s new to my day cares. And it’s my job as a professional to set them straight and to help them see things from my perspective.
Other times, a different approach is needed. It’s important to address this because you will find these conversations come up. Ones that you don’t want to tackle but will need to.
What do you do if…
One of the Childcare Ninjas in my Facebook group asked me last week about something quite specific, so I thought I’d also share it here. It illustrates the exact kind of hard conversation many of you might have to have in your role as a childcare business owner. So the question I received was, “Hey Miss Nyckie! What do you do when a parent has come to your center smelling of Marijuana or seems intoxicated, how do I handle these things?”
In a situation like this your first priority is the safety of the child. You need to make sure you protect the child in your care above all else. You’re in “loco parentis”, which means you’re totally responsible in that moment. As a business owner, it all comes back on you.
What you do next matters because what if someone comes back and asks, “Why did you let the child go with a person in that state?”
So here’s how to handle it
In this situation (or others like it) you want to immediately assess:
1. The danger or potential danger of the child (make sure the child is in a safe position).
2. Your own protection as an individual and as a business owner.
3. What options do you have to handle this situation?
Those are a few of the things you must consider in an uncomfortable situation, that could potentially turn into something worse.
Be prepared
The best way to deal with hard conversations it to be ahead of the game! Make sure you’re as prepared as possible so that these conversations are less likely to occur in the first place. I’d advise that you have something in your Parental Contract wording that covers things like this and ensure that all of your parents read and sign off. You can then parrot the information at them when they break the rules they agreed to. It makes your job easier!
Another thing you need to take into consideration is covering yourself. By making sure that you cover all bases, you’re protecting everything you’ve spent time building. After all, this is your business, your livelihood and legacy! You want to protect it as much as possible. Look into insurance thoroughly.
Tips for hard conversations
When these situations crop up, we can easily fall into “I’m the boss” mode. You’re the expert. They’re the parent. You make the rules here. However, as much as an authoritarian manner can be useful occasionally, this can also be like a red rag to a bull.
I recommend that you take a deep breath and try to stay calm. Run through points 1 to 3 above. Try to make sure you have a witness to the conversation. Lay out the law of the land in a respectful and composed way that won’t incite any bad feeling.
I’m going to be talking you more about this sort of difficult circumstance during tonight’s live, so why don’t you join me?
Have you been in an awkward situation before? How did you handle it?
Supporting you is top of my priorities, so head on over and join my free Facebook group, where I help childcare business owners step into their leadership like the ninjas they are! We can do hard things!
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 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!
by admin | Feb 18, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Last week I was talking about financial systems, but this week I’m focusing in on the general ones you need to have in place for your childcare business. I know I have mentioned systems before, but there’s a reason why I’m a huge advocate—THEY WORK!
When I implemented systems into my day cares, I was able to take a breath, and then begin to up my game! We’re halfway through quarter 1, and there’s still plenty of time to get around to organising your own so you can have your best year yet!
Hands up if you’re ready to get systematizing for a super successful 2021? If you’re in, read on!
What’s so great about systematizing?
What isn’t there to love about getting systems in place?! Who doesn’t want to have processes that will help you get organized and help your staff become more independent?!
Nailing your systematizing means you can take time off to relax, to follow your passions, all without guilt. No longer will you spend days out of office worrying about how everyone’s coping without you, leaving your cell phone on just in case. You’ll be able to take a deep breath and walk out of the day care center knowing that you’ve got things covered!
It’s good for everyone if you can de-stress — your staff will feel more empowered and valued and your business is bound to flourish! I’d love to encourage you to plan and brainstorm around creating your systems for a successful 2021.
Why start now?
We’re mid-February which I know is only a short month, but we’ve still got plenty of time! This really is the best time to start putting systems in place if you haven’t yet got around to it because we’re still early on in the year.
So I’d love to encourage you to start the year strong, you’ve probably already created your vision for the year and set your goals so systems come next to turn those into action steps. It’s an ideal time to do it at the beginning of the year as we have other planning going on as well so it makes sense to take some time and brainstorm.
Assess what you’ve already got in place
Look at what you have in place right now, what’s not working, how you’d like to see it work in 2021 and begin making changes.
Break down all the steps and processes that you have in place, adding in the things you’d like to improve. Now you’ve got a plan and a sort of flow chart to guide you through each area of your business. If you need a guide to help you with this process, download your free childcare business map here and get started building your systems.
So let’s take a step back, get some perspective and look at the systems we have in place. Note down all those little tasks – cleaning toys, writing a menu, invoicing clients…everything! What’s working? What’s not? Dig in and start making some changes.
Once you’ve got your systems all laid out, it’s time to call a staff meeting and get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet!
Up-level your organization NOW!
The systems are what’s going to help you reach your goals in 2021, the earlier the better. It’s already February, so let’s do it now! Let’s up-level those systems to create success in our Childcare business this year.
And there are so many brilliant ways you can get organized nowadays. From apps to incredible planners, you can get everything sorted out and in order! Systems don’t have to be stressful. But they can help you take your business to the next level!
So what’s stopping you from getting systems in place?
Would you like to chat with me about taking your childcare business to the next level? I’ve been where you are and I can help you grow much faster than I ever did, because I now have the road map. I’ve been coaching women like you and I have seen the progress they’ve made in a short space of time. You can too! All you have to do is book a free discovery call with me, Nyckie B here!
Come and let us know over in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group! I’m sharing tips on setting those systems up so you can actually grow your childcare business.
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!
by admin | Jan 22, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
It’s funny, sometimes in our lives or in our businesses we believe we’re in need of something in particular, but once we actually start to research or learn a bit more we realize that what we thought we needed doesn’t quite cut the mustard! And when it comes to business support, this is so common!
I’ve learned that sometimes it’s about getting the right people in your team to push you in the right direction and guide you to where you’re really trying to go. This means you need to be supported by people who can see past the initial “needs” and who can figure out what you truly need.
And 2021 is the perfect time for you to get the business support you need and not what you think you might need…! Read on to find out why this matters…
Tale of two kinds of business support
Everyday I get questions from the women I coach, and I see it a lot in my Facebook group, where they think they need one thing and actually they’re in need of something completely different! An example I’ve seen a few times is enrollments. People who think they need help with enrollment for their childcare business, but when I start to talk to them and we dive in a little deeper, it becomes clear that it’s not enrollment they need help with – it turns out to be the marketing.
I know what you’re thinking! “They’re the same thing, Nyckie!” Nuh-uh! Wrong! They’re totally not the same thing. Trust me!
What’s the difference then?!
Enrollment is a focus on the system of your families signing up to your daycare; it’s about how they book a tour or find things out. It might include getting them to complete all the paperwork, and sign permissions, fill out forms. Whereas marketing is all about how we actually call in our dream clients and bring them to our doors, and ultimately sign up to our service – whatever that looks like for you.
Can you see that they’re two very different things? So if you’re explaining to me that you need some support with enrollment then that should mean you’ve got a handful of interested families (who’ve found you through your marketing!) and you want to get them enrolled in a systematic and logical way that feels easy for them and you.
However, if you actually need to find some clients who might want to access your service, then that’s a completely different thing and we’d need to approach it differently. (Hello, marketing strategy!)
It’s okay to ask for help!
I think many of us grew up believing that to be successful we have to do things on our own. That asking for any kind of help or support is a sign of weakness. Well I’m here to tell you that actually, the key to growing your childcare business is knowing when it’s the right time to ask for some support.
As I’ve just explained, it’s kinda helpful to realize that perhaps you don’t quite know exactly what you need. So you’ve got to get better at reaching out and seeking support. It’s imperative that you learn to let go of the stigma that we associate with needing help! In the words of Elsa…Let it go!
Accept where you are in your journey
Now is the time for you to grow that asking for help muscle! Get comfortable with being able to open up and say, “hey, this is where I’m at! And this is where I’d like to be…but I’m not sure on how I get from A to B. Can you help me?”
When we begin to let go of those superwoman tendencies, it’s a helluva lot easier to get that help and move forward with our businesses! Plus there’s the added bonus of not wasting your valuable time – because who can afford that?!
Who can help you?
It’s important to acknowledge that no one on this blessed planet knows all the answers. No – not even you, Neil DeGrasse Tyson!
And that’s why it’s incredibly powerful to invest wisely in your education, developing your skills and getting some high quality coaching. There will always be someone who’s had experiences before you have because they’ve been in the game longer. As they’re further ahead, they’re able to show you how they did it, how they coped and give you strategies to make progress!
So each time you’re looking for business support, ask yourself what you really need help with. Do you really require support with enrollment? Or is it actually marketing? Who’s the best person to reach out to?
Is 2021 going to be your year of progress?
I’m sure y’all know that I’m here to help, but I have something super awesome lined up for you tomorrow. And boy oh boy is it golden! If you’re looking for support to grow your childcare business, and you’ve got tons of questions, then you don’t want to miss this!!
I’ll be hosting a free masterclass LIVE tomorrow Friday, 22nd January at 8 pm EST! Find out more here.
What’s it all about, Nyckie?
During the masterclass I’ll be sharing my journey, which has seen me go from being a single mom running a home daycare to fit in with my girls’ schedules, to now – 14 years on – where I own numerous day care centers in multiple prime locations and I am bringing in 6 figures consistently.
My childcare business gave me freedom, the chance to be around my daughters and provide for them as a single mom.
In tomorrow’s live masterclass I’ll be sharing:
🟣 Top 3 roadblocks holding you back from starting or growing your business and how to overcome them
🟣 How to use the A.S.K tool to create a 5 step plan that will get you moving towards your 90 day fast track goal
🟣 My 4 Part framework for getting started or growing a successful childcare business in 2021
If you’re ready to #ownyourfuture in 2021 then join me Friday night at 8pm and find out how to get the necessary tools to do it! Sign up to join the masterclass here.
I’d love to see you there, but if you can’t make it and would like to continue the conversation, head over to the Childcare Ninja Facebook group! 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 be sure to say hi over on Instagram!
by admin | Jan 16, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Can you believe we’re already halfway through the first month of the year?! I’ve been caught up in the excitement of planning and writing intentions, getting clear on where I want to take Childcare Ninjas and my daycares. Have you created your vision for the year? I love the hope and joy that thinking big brings! However, I know from experience that it’s really easy to lose momentum and forget about the bigger picture.
There’s so much excitement in these first couple of months of the new year, then by March our energy and motivation starts to dwindle, right?! So I wonder if you’ve thought about how you’re going to stay motivated and on track to reach your 2021 vision? Read on for some handy tips for staying motivated!
Why do we lose motivation?
Losing focus isn’t a new thing. It doesn’t come because of a global pandemic. This is pretty common to how every year goes! January arrives and we’re all goal setting and resolution Queens, but come the end of February our gym bags are gathering dust, our intentions for our businesses have fallen by the wayside.
The daily drudgery of our childcare businesses, the endless juggling our families, and keeping on top of our homes leaves us drained of energy and we begin losing sight of our vision and, with that, knowing how to reach our goals disappears. The steps fade and we can’t see how to get there. Procrastination and distraction take hold.
The difference comes when we are able to keep up that initial excitement and motivation, staying focused throughout the year on that bigger vision.
Is 2021 any different?
I have been hearing lots of people talking about how pleased they are that 2021 is finally here because they were so sick of 2020. And then this year has arrived and it feels like this year may just be more of the same. But even if it is going to be similar, we got through last year – we can do it again! So don’t let that discourage you from aiming high and creating a vision for what you want this year.
We don’t know what 2021 holds for us, but we’ll know what our hopes are. It’s great if we know our expectations and aspirations so well that we can keep coming back to them as reminders.
How to stay motivated
I’m determined that we’re not going to fizzle out this year! So I’m going to share with you some ideas I have been using to keep myself motivated over the years. I have a toolkit that I dip into to help me keep working towards my goals. These are 8 things I utilize because I know if I don’t I’ll not stick to my vision!
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Have a mantra
- a word or phrase that helps you refocus and stay in your lane! My word this year is “focus” because I want to move my business forward, in my professional development and investing in my growth, and focusing on my relationships. It helps by reminding me to really ground myself so I can keep moving towards my vision. So see what feels right for you. Choose a word or a phrase that resonates with you and will help you stay focused!
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Set specific financial goals
- Get clear on what you want to bring in! Don’t be shy about how much you want to earn. It’s important that we talk about money and finances so it’s less taboo! What’s your money goal for the year? Break it down into stepping stones for the year.
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Create a vision board
- Put reminders on a vision board to keep your goals at the front of your mind! Put your financial targets on it, and words that align with your goals. I often put words on to remind me of things I sometimes neglect – this year I’ve got “tranquility” on mine! I need a visual memory jog to help me rest.
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Revisit the previous year
- Take some time to reflect on the silver linings from 2020. Yes, last year was A LOT! But the year was not a total write-off. There were things that went well. Even if it’s just your health and the fact that you made it to this year! Journal on this and go through the year noting down where the good stuff was!
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Lean on your business BFFs
- I highly recommend finding yourself an accountability partner. Someone who can keep you motivated – and you can encourage them too! This person is going to check in to make sure you’ve ticked off that to do list. It really does help to give you drive to get things done! You don’t want to show up to your accountability session with nothing to show. I’ve achieved so much more since having somebody to nudge me forward! They’re your new biz BFF and they really do help.
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Create a 90 day goal
- Planning is key to reaching your goals for the year. But when we plan for 365 days, we can feel a bit like “it’s so far off, and I don’t need to work on that yet!” So sometimes planning a bit shorter term feels more achievable and less daunting than planning for the whole year. If we plan for 90 days (three months!) it pushes us to go for our goals and make progress! It keeps the excitement there. Break the 90 day goal into achievable segments.
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Investing in yourself
- This one doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Start with a book that’ll help you grow – a business finance book, something about marketing, or a mindset book. If you’ve got the budget to work with a coach or to sign up to a program or course, that’s awesome. Go for it! Spending money on your growth is never wasted money. You’ll be so surprised how fast things start moving once you start opening yourself up to investing in yourself. It is a game changer. You’ll notice everything starting to go right. Times and places and people falling into your lap.
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Keep a blessings book
- I have this little book on me at all times. In it I write down ways I want to bless people. The ways I have blessed people. When I’m having a tough time, or get side-tracked, I go back through it to remind myself how much I care. To look at the good things that have been happening to me and the people I love. It keeps me motivated to see the blessings my hard work can bring people.
So to summarize, I want you to know that you’re not alone if you’re struggling to get motivated. Or maybe you’re worried about losing momentum. It’s okay. Try to use some of the tools from my kit, and head into my Facebook group because you can find more ideas for keeping on track in there.
While you’re here, I’d love you to invite you to join me on Friday 22nd January (next week!) for my free Masterclass –Simple Childcare Ownership. I’ll be helping you get unstuck so you can grow a successful childcare business in 2021 – even if you don’t have a lot of money!
And before you go, let me introduce who we are! 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!
by admin | Oct 22, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized
This week I’m zoning in on why it’s super important for you as a childcare business owner to “know thy staff”. You might think you know them a little already – because you hired them – right? But how well do you really know them? And what do you do to ensure you’re getting the very best out of every single member of your team?
Over the many years that I’ve been running and growing my daycare centers, I am constantly learning that it is a vital part of my role as a business owner. I need to be appreciating the variety of my team members’ backgrounds and embracing all their quirks! Celebrating their unique approach to their work, and supporting them where they need to up their game.
None of this is easy, but I highly recommend taking more notice of your staff. Get to know them and help them flourish! I’m going to explain a bit more about why you need to do this to grow your business, but also how you can do this!
One size doesn’t fit all
When you carry out your interviews for team members, I bet that you look for specific skills, don’t you? You’re not looking for a cookie-cutter childcare worker. You’re hoping to find the team member with the abilities your team are currently missing. So what happens once you’ve found that person? Do you hire them and expect them to be like everyone else?
I implore you to take a look at the staff you’ve recently employed. What training have you offered them? Was it generic training – a one size fits all approach – or did you tailor it to suit their individual needs? This would be a great opportunity to do a skills audit and find out where the gaps are. Professional development is only useful and worth the time and money if there’s learning taking place!
(I just want to point out that it’s funny really, because – as childcare and education specialists – we pride ourselves on our ability to differentiate the learning for the babies in our care…but when it comes to our staff, we rarely do the same. Interesting to note, isn’t it? We should be paving the way for other industries, not doing what they all do!)
All walks of life
I bet that your team are as varied as the plants in your local park! Have you taken time to truly appreciate their backgrounds and unique experiences? Perhaps you could look back over their applications and resumes, or have an informal chat with each team member to figure out how best you can accommodate their needs and demonstrate an appreciation of their individual pathways into childcare.
Get to know your staff and really show them that variety is the spice of life and that you embrace it all! Be inclusive and ensure everyone feels welcome and supported in their journey with you in your business. Valuing your team members for where they’ve come from shows that you truly care about them, and those things shine through to families interested in your services.
Know thy staff to help them
Once you’ve made an effort to get to know your staff you can then help them more. This could be in the simplest form of training opportunities. For example, if you have staff that also happen to be parents, you might want to consider ways you can help them in order that they can be both brilliant parents but also a superstar childcare practitioner in your daycare. What adjustments can you make to help them, which in turn will help you.
Something simple and easily achieved is that you could look into putting all your trainings online. By creating digital training videos, you are saying to those team members with kids (or other caring responsibilities) that you appreciate that they’ve got priorities outside your facility, and that you care, but that you also want to help them grow their skill set. And by making things easier for them to access from home, you’re signalling this to them! They can watch at home, but still ask questions via an app like Slack to clarify things. It truly is the little things that make a difference.
So get to know them, take time to observe them. Be open and flexible. You want them to do their job better, but they won’t get there if you don’t notice what they need first.
Tools for getting the best from your staff
When it comes to enabling your team to their best, there’s three things that immediately pop into my head.
- The directions and instruction they need to get the job done. This is where your leadership matters. Steering your team along the right path, but knowing when to back off and let them shine. Trust is a huge factor here too.
- The physical resources that they need to perform their role well. For example, something as simple as crayons or curriculum sheets, or perhaps iPads for recording observations and notes, or play equipment.
- The soul – how you relate to your teams. Build a reciprocal and valuable relationship with staff.
This third point matters a lot. Because the way we deliver criticism is important. This in itself is a really useful tool. And just like any tool from your garage, you need to utilize it in a way that will get the job done well!
So, when you’re offering a critique, do it in a useful and constructive way so that they can learn from their mistakes. For example, I would point out something they’ve done well first, before highlighting something that needs work. And then cushion the blow with another positive. So you’ve given them a learning point but haven’t totally demoralized them in the process.
You want them to come away from your correction feeling like they understand the point you’re making. It’s all about encouraging and making learning a positive experience – just like we do with the kids, right?! Staff should be able to receive your critique and feel empowered to move forward, not like they should pack up their things and leave.
Finally, by knowing your staff really well, you can really support them in their journey to becoming the rock stars they’re destined to be in your childcare business! And a rock star team = customers who rave about your business! And that’s what we’re all aiming for, right?! When you know thy staff, you can grow your business into the successful vision you know it can be.
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!
