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!
I know it’s so hard at this time of year juggling the business and family commitments… So I’m just popping by to remind you why it’s important to prioritize your family and to cherish this time of year. We’ll never get the holidays perfect and that is a-ok! But what we should put our time and energy into is being present with our nearest and dearest.
The days are short and the nights are long, but the years are flying by. Now is the time to really enjoy the presence of your family! It’s the end of the calendar year and it’s our last chance to truly slow everything down and spend that quality time with our loved ones.
I know we have all the things to do at home and at the daycare too, but let’s not forget what’s truly important.
Why spending time with your family matters
I don’t think I need to explain this one, but good ol’ Google likes me to spell it out! And after the last two years dealing with THE C WORD (not Christmas, the other C word!) and many of us losing family members or friends, it’s more essential than ever that we cherish the time we have.
We all work so hard throughout the rest of the year, ensuring we make ends meet. Which means an awful lot of our time is spent away from our loved ones and instead caring for those of others. “But I run a home day care” – so what?! Even if you have a home daycare you’re still spending a massive amount of time with family that isn’t yours. And that has a huge impact, meaning less time with our own families.
It’d be super easy to be negative and focus on what you’ve missed out on because of work. So forget that! That’s not my vibe! We’re here for moving forward and focusing on the positive. What can we do to make it better? Well…
Take time out of the business
It might sound obvious, but taking time out from your day-to-day business shenanigans to spend time with loved ones is key to your mental health. Constantly working is a sure-fire way to head straight to Burnout Central and trust me, you don’t wanna go there.
So when we have these opportunities to recalibrate, we should snap them up. Often we see it as a hindrance, like the holiday season is here to get in the way of our goals. But I promise you that some time out for family and to cherish moments with them won’t be wasted.
Spend time with family, but also take a moment to reflect
I’d like to encourage you not only to spend some quality time with family, but also to pause and reflect for YOU.
By taking the time to focus inward, on ourselves, it’s almost like hitting “reset”. You’ve worked your socks off this year and some reflection time is necessary. What’s gone really well for you and your business this year? What would you like to make more time for? What would you like to do less of?
Don’t forget to make some space for self-care – take those daytime baths, catch up on your book club’s latest, pop on some old records and dance. If you’re a person of faith then perhaps you’ll spend a bit of time reflecting spiritually too.
I’d suggest that you go for some wintery walks – no podcast or chat, just you and the outdoors. Be mindful and see what you notice – sights, smells, sounds… – it’s incredible what you miss when you’re in a rush to be somewhere!
Be in the moment
Take this time to be in the moment, enjoy it, appreciate it, because we never know when we won’t have that time again and ought not take it for granted. Take it from me, you’ve got to cherish this time of year. Each and every moment you spend with them is a memory you can hold onto.
Try to turn off your screens – laptops, iPhones, iPads…and make eye contact with those that you love. Play games, enjoy home-cooked food, be silly! Hug each other (if it’s safe to do so!) and take walks together. Savour reading out jokes and catching up, or snuggling up on the sofa and watching a cheesy holiday movie! Maybe bake some cookies or work together making decorations.
However you choose to spend the time…
…Don’t forget to cherish this time of year, Ninja!
It’s that time of the year when we need to go against the grain and slooooooooow right down! If you’re feeling that stress of rushing around buying food or presents…here’s your permission slip to take a deep breath.
Breathe in. Breathe out. And slow down.
Choose what matters most, right now at this moment, and I promise you all that other stuff and nonsense can wait.
However, if you’re feeling a little lonely this holiday season, try getting connected with other childcare owners. There’ll be other daycare owners in the same boat, and they’d love to hang out online with you. That’s why I set up my Facebook group, it’s a place where you can meet like-minded childcare business 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!
None of us go into the childcare business lightly. And we certainly don’t tend to enter this industry if we lack passion for children and families! We love the kids we work with, right? To a point, the job itself is a reward. But what are the other rewards of being a childcare business owner?
There are plenty of reasons —outside of the families we work with— that make owning a childcare business awesome. I wanted to share them with you because I think sometimes being a childcare owner is underrated and underestimated! Not only do we get to have fun occasionally, but the potential to make more than just a decent living.
So what are the top 5 rewards of being a childcare business owner? Read on to find out…
Reward 1: Family
I’d bet my bottom dollar that you and I both share our why. Is your raison d’être family too? My family was the the spark that lit the fire in my belly and kept me pushing through the challenges. As a single parent, I knew I needed to build a stable life for them. I wanted to be at all of their sports games, attend every recital — I didn’t want to miss a thing! And because I started my day care instead of slaving away in a low wage desk job, I was able to do just that! I could treasure family time.
Coming back to your why is incredibly powerful. When you have a strong why, you have the strength to persevere. You have a motivator that makes you try that little bit harder! If you haven’t watched these two TED talks, here and here, I highly recommend you do.
I honestly believe that starting your own day care business gives you the flexibility and freedom you deserve to have with your family. I want that flexibility for you too, Ninja! Which leads me nicely to the second reward of being a childcare owner…
Reward 2: Flexibility
Being able to enjoy your family and put them front and center is top of the agenda, but to do more of that we need more time. And that is a huge factor that you can gain once your childcare business is up and running.
Y’all know that time is precious. In fact it’s the most priceless commodity we have. What would you give to gain more time with your family, and doing the things you love? Of course there are challenges to get to the stage where you’ve got more free time, but when you get there it tastes so sweet! Trust me!
In my Facebook group you’ll find that I’ve shared how I overcame the challenges to get to where I am today. Do you want flexibility too?
Reward 3: Financial freedom
Here’s the tea: It’s hard to get wealthy just with a job by itself. When I was working my 9-5, the thing that stood out to me was that I earned a set wage. I could work harder and be more productive with my time, but it would still be the same. If I was lucky I’d maybe get a 3-5% increase and the odd bonus on occasion. I didn’t want to be stuck in a job I hated struggling to get by, knowing that my daughters were missing out on the things they wanted.
When I started my childcare business (almost 15 years ago!) this is something I desperately wanted and needed! I barely thought about anything else but FREEDOM! So, I wonder if you dream of FREEDOM? Freedom to set your own schedule? Freedom to take time off knowing your income isn’t just relying on you? Freedom to spend money on what matters, when it matters? Freedom to go to your kids school events without asking for time off?
Earning more and having these opportunities has been another wonderful benefit of being a childcare owner. With hard work and self-belief, my business grew and became more successful. Holidays, nice clothes, or a spacious home weren’t an option before I started my biz.
I’m here reminding you today that it’s really possible to OWN your finances! YOU can determine your income. If I can do it, I know you can too. You got this!
Reward 4: Legacy
One of the biggest reasons I started this business was to leave a legacy for my girls. I wanted to create something amazing that I could pass down to my children. Something that they can inherit and build upon. Something successful that enables them to live a fulfilling life that they love too!
I am driven by a passion to pass on generational wealth, which is POWERFUL. Particularly as women. And even more so if you’re a woman of color. These things matter! Leaving a legacy is a massive reward of being a childcare owner.
Dunno about you, but I never want my kids to burn out working a depressing 9-5. I don’t want to see them busting their gut all day long just to put food on the table. I want more for my kids. Don’t you?
Do you have a legacy to leave to your children yet, Ninja?
Reward 5: Empower women
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security — it’s nothing short of life-changing. As my business shifted a few years back to this new place in the grand plan, I just knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this!
My team is made up of brilliant women. I love working with them and providing them with the tools they need to excel. But I craved being able to help more women. Women like you. Women with a dream of something bigger. It’s why I began working on group programmes and now I’m opening my Ninja membership – so I can support more women to achieve what I’ve done!
Which rewards of being a childcare owner are you looking forward to most?
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security, it’s life-changing.
As my business shifted to this place I knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this! This is why I have created my Club membership for Childcare Ninjas. It is all the learning you need to start and grow your childcare business, all the inspiration, motivation, and kick in the butt you need to keep going, and it is direct access to me so you are not alone.
I am also offering the Founding Members lifetime access at this incredible price of just $28 per month!
Yaaassssssssssssssss!! You did indeed read that correctly!! You ought to snap this incredible offer up pronto! We kick off on 1st June so hurry scurry now! Invest in yourself as a founding member…
This year has really thrown us some curve balls, hasn’t it? But it hasn’t all been terrible. I never thought that I’d be writing an article that featured two childcares, a global pandemic and a wedding. Honestly! Some of the stories and memories I’ve had from this time are up there with the best of ’em. And today’s blog is one of those good ones.
So let me begin…
“What a beautiful home you have, thank you so much for doing this.”
Those words came from the Mother of the Groom, as we stood in my kitchen while her son and his groomsmen were preparing for the Bride and her entourage. They were fixing each other’s collars and straightening their ties, giving their shoes one last buff. Each one of them was smiling and filling the room with happiness.
People flowed throughout my home with nothing but laughter, joy and celebration on such a glorious day. It seemed to be perfectly created as a wedding gift from God for our own happy friends.
Last minute “I dos”
When I stopped and looked around on the big day, I thought to myself how special it had turned out. The bride looked divine in her floral gown and her new husband was so smart. The guests were all dressed up, a few masks, but people respectfully distancing and it felt like a happy and non-judgmental environment, where love conquered all.
The ceremony was so incredibly beautiful, the food delicious, and the newly married couple were radiant. Everything was so beautiful and joyous that you wouldn’t even think that this awesome festivity had only been planned five days prior. I know! Jaw dropping, right?!
There were a couple of minor tweaks, due to the situation, but otherwise you’d never know! In fact, because the neighbor’s garden waterfall was in the background of some of the photos, relatives thought we’d gone somewhere exotic, not just my backyard!
Pandemic induced fear
The date had been set for months to take place later this year, but when Covid hit 2020, fear came too. So with the fear of our state being on lockdown again and in general conversation, the plan evolved on Monday to have a wedding in my home on Saturday.
We had to plan things a little faster than normal. But the changes we made were barely noticeable – especially to the untrained eye! I had no idea that you could get wedding cakes – beautiful ones! – from Sam’s Club, and I wouldn’t have known if no one had told me. I wondered how they’d managed to source one so fast! Amazing.
Neither was there time to organize fancy caterers, so we fed everyone chipotle – which went down a treat! And all the decorations for my home and the garden were last minute purchases from Michael’s craft store, but they were also well received by the guests.
The Pittsburgh Cookie Table tradition was the only thing that was missing. You know the one! Where all the family and friends bake for a special table laden with cookies. Mmmm. Well, there wasn’t time, but I don’t think people missed it too much.
Growing my childcare business
Which brings me to explaining how any of this has anything to do with two childcares!
It’s quite simple really. 13 years ago, this moment would not have been possible. Through years of testing out ideas, systems and processes to grow my childcare business. I started that business with very little and – through perseverance, my love of kids, and a belief in myself – I’ve grown it into a multiple 6 figure company that has allowed me to help create timeless memories both inside and outside my childcare business.
It brings tears to my eyes thinking about what a beautiful day I was able to provide for the couple who got married, and how much my financial situation has changed in a decade. Being able to give back like this is why I do what I do. And I know you can do this too. You can grow your childcare business into a sustainable and dependable 6 figure business that opens doors for everyone you love.
(With huge thanks to the incredibly talented photographer Anu Kolawole at MercyWerks Studios for kindly allowing us to share her beautiful images of this special day.)
Are you ready to take your childcare business from bleak to a booming success?
