by admin | May 6, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
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!
by admin | Apr 16, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
If you asked me what’s one thing I wish I’d had when I was setting up as a childcare business, it’d be a simple step-by-step guide. A guide of the things I needed to do to ensure my day care was legal, marketable and (most importantly!) AWESOME. Because when I set up 15 years ago, I had to make it up as I was going along.
So I spent years learning the ropes and figuring it out solo! It dawned on me that maybe I could create a road map for new childcare business owners. Read on to find out more!
Wishing on a star
At the time I set up, I had no such thing. I was absolutely winging it. I remember wishing that someone – a local mentor, a kind stranger, God…whoever! – might give me a hand figuring it all out. Setting up as a childcare business owner was something I wanted and needed to do, but a guide would’ve been super helpful!
So instead of you having to do the same thing, I set up Childcare Ninjas! I want to support you on your journey. My mission is to help Childcare Ninjas (like you!) build a 6-figure business you love, so you can live life on YOUR terms. No sitting, waiting, wishing for you!
Congratulations on the best decision of your life!
A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a friend about pivotal moments in our lives. Hers was pretty huge but tainted with regret. Mine, however, was full of positivity. Can you guess what it was, Ninja? That’s right! Mine was taking the leap to build my own day care business. Doing that gave me the security I so badly needed, but also the freedom I craved. I was then able to raise my babies AND be of service in my community, in a job that I adore!
So huge congratulations on making the decision to start your own childcare business! This is honestly going to be the best business decision you’ll ever make. Welcome to the magical world of autonomy and being your own boss! This is a role that will give you all the creativity, flexibility and financial security you’ve been yearning for!
Reminder: this is not an easy option
Now, before you let anyone tell you otherwise, setting up as a childcare business is not an easy ride. It is damned hard work in the beginning. The list of things to do can seem endless and the hoops you’ve got to jump through feel frustrating. There’s no getting round the fact that it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
However, it doesn’t have to be a miserable journey! I am here to make it SIMPLE for you, and I am here to SUPPORT you. Truth being told, if you want to run a successful childcare business, you need the right information from someone that has already walked that road. Oh hello! That’d be me!
I want to help you create a plan of action and get crystal clear on why you’re setting up as a childcare business. Because once you’ve nailed your why, everything else feels a little less draining! Like Jiminy Cricket, let me be your guide…
Knowing WHY you’re setting up as a childcare business
It might sound a little silly, but your why really does matter. And here’s a clue: it can’t be “to make millions”. Why? Because – although that’s nice and all – when things go wrong, as they no doubt will somewhere along the way, that isn’t a strong enough reason to persevere.
Your why is key to giving you strength to keep going. I love this TED talk by Stacey Abrams, where she explains that without having a clear reason that drives you, “the ‘do’ is meaningless”. And I know things might get hard if others stop believing in you and they might even try to tell you to stop chasing your dreams. Going back to your why time and time again will motivate you and help you block out the naysayers!
Practicalities are boring but necessary!
There’s so much to think about when you’re setting up as a childcare business. Where will you run the business? From home or another location? Who’s your target market? Will you have a team to support you? What are the legal things you need to know?! So many questions. And by all means, you can Google each one of them every time a question pops up.
And so much of it is dull, right? When can you just look after the kids and help them grow into awesome human beings?! To get to the fun bit, there’s a few necessary bridges to cross first: licensing and getting registered, setting up systems, finding your families…
But having a practical plan to figure all of this out would be helpful wouldn’t it? I know I wish I’d been given some sort of guide instead of living on a wing and prayer!
Step-by-step guide to getting started
When I first decided to offer childcare in my home around my job as an admin for a small church, I hadn’t a clue what I was doing. I knew I wanted to have the chance to spend time with my daughters and earn a living at the same time.
When I sat down to think of what my Ninjas truly need to set up their businesses, I realised that they need what I never had! So I created a guide to give you what you need to get started. It’s exactly what I wish someone had given me all those years ago.
This guide explains how to start your own childcare, from choosing your logo and choosing a location, to licensing and registration, choosing our team, and managing your day-to-day operations. It’s all broken down for you, and all in one place! No more Googling every. Darned. Thing. It’s insanely simple!
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 | Apr 1, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
When you set up your childcare business, you did it because you have a gift. A gift for inspiring and shaping young minds! But that doesn’t mean you’re a natural marketeer or business whiz, and that’s ok! When I first started as a childcare business owner, I didn’t know about any of this stuff and promoting my business was hard. But it doesn’t have to be hard for you! Apps are where it’s at.
Now there are so many amazing applications you can use to promote your business, and you guessed it – improve your systems!
Here are just a few of my favourite apps for your childcare business…
Get creative with Canva
Canva is a free online designing tool where you can make just about anything look professional without even having to download any fancy software. Need to create an invite to an event at your business, a flyer to advertise, or a picture to share on social media? You can do it all!
You can even upgrade for extra pictures or designs, but there’s so much choice already you probably won’t have to! And there’s a handy smart phone version too for those on-the-go posts!
Be the face of your business on Facebook
Facebook is an amazing way of building a community for your business. You can create private groups for parents to share photos and for you and your team to share photos with them! You can create a business page where people can write you glowing reviews, and you can join mom’s groups to say hi and let them know what services you offer.
I’d recommend creating a profile or page that you use specifically for your business – so you can keep it really professional! Read more about how you can use social media for marketing here.
Spread the joy on Instagram
Instagram is a great way of networking with other childcare business owners, making friends, spreading your personal journey, and sharing some joy! A lot of your potential customers will be on there, hanging out, so I highly recommend getting involved in this app!
Choose pictures of you, your space, quotes you love, advice you have for others, and the people who make your business tick. If you’re going to share pictures of your mini clients, make sure you have permission from their mom’s and dad’s and only show their backs, let’s keep their little faces off the ‘gram!
Share all the good stuff with ContentCal!
Why make your life harder? You’re a small business owner who is growing and scaling their business. To make life easier, schedule your content in advance with tools like ContentCal. It’s such a great idea to use scheduling apps for your childcare business.
ContentCal means you can plan out your whole week’s content with your gorgeous designs from Canva! Share on your social media accounts without having to post live. As time goes on, you’ll see when people really love to see your content and can start sharing at those times.
Get it all together on Kartra
Kartra is a one-stop-shop for so so much. Websites, emails, agency management, helpdesks, calendars, payment processes – you can do it all in one place! There are loads of different styles of memberships so you can adapt what you pay based on what you need. Just up what you pay when your business grows.
I do all the things on there that I need to grow my business and it makes it easy just having one thing to do it all! Rather than opening 72 million tabs to get some marketing done! If you want to give it a try, I have a link especially for you right here.
Stay in touch on Slack
I couldn’t get through a post without reiterating how systems = success! I use Slack to keep in regular contact with my team. You can create channels for each project, maybe it’s a new opening or a great Christmas event you have planned. All the relevant team members can be in the channel and get updated whenever messages are sent.
You can set up meetings, share files, and most importantly keep in touch and stay connected with the people who make your business tick!
Make your life easier, today! Try these apps for your childcare business!
Using apps and tools has helped me revolutionize my business and seen my business grow. Have you tried other apps for your childcare business? Are there any tools you’re using that I haven’t covered? Then why not join my Facebook Group to pick up the conversation – let’s learn together! In the Childcare Ninja Facebook group, we’re always sharing ideas and learning from each other- creating our childcare empires!
There’s no need to go it alone on your childcare business journey when there is a huge community just waiting to support you and lift your business to new heights
– see you at the top!
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 | Mar 5, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Running a childcare business is hard. It can be super fun, and of course you’re passionate and adore the families you work with. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t elements that are challenging and that you won’t face difficulties from time to time. And doing that alone is tough. So I wanted to share my top reasons for ensuring you get support in your childcare business.
I can’t stress enough how important it’s been for me to have support while I’ve been growing my daycare centers. It’s all part of my Ninja mindset and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.
1. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness!!
Support can help move you towards the success you’re looking for but I know how hard it can be to even ask for that help in the first place. In the back of your mind, you’re thinking “I shouldn’t need help. It’s MY childcare business. Why can’t I do this by myself? I bet no one else has to ask for support. Urgh I’m such a failure.” So firstly, let me start by saying: WRONG! You SHOULD need help. I don’t know one single person running a successful business — childcare or not! — who’s done that all by themselves!
Needing support is certainly not a sign of weakness or signalling to the world that you’ve not a clue what you’re doing, it’s actually a sign of intelligence. Taking a moment to realize which areas you need a little help in or perhaps developing a better understanding, is not weak. If you ask me, I believe it shows your strength as a leader and as a role model.
I know that feeling well though, and it all stems from worrying what others might think of you. However, when you break that down, who are these people you’re worried about? Are they brave enough to follow their passions and set up a childcare and take a leap into running their own business? Nope. The people who criticize or judge others are often the people wishing they had the guts to do what you’re doing. So don’t let the fear of what people will think (or what you think people will think) hold you back from getting the support you need to grow your childcare business.
2. Get support sooner rather than later
Acknowledging the areas you need support in early in the game will help you move towards your goals much faster, because you’ve then removed those fears. Think strategically about what you want help with, and get a feel for the kind of support you want in that arena. Do you want to grow a network of other childcare leaders? Or perhaps you need support with tech and systems? Maybe you could do with some more confidence, and a coach could support you in that? The sooner you start investigating what it is you need and how you’ll get it, the better.
When you’re willing to go and seek out the support you need, you’ll get the success that you want at a quicker pace! I wish that I’d been less cautious of getting the help I needed. I think I’d have grown my business faster. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it!? But actually – even though the way I’ve done things might not have got me there as fast – it was right for me at the time. I try not to be too hard on myself.
But take it from me, things begin to go smoother and at a more rapid pace when you’ve got the support around you! Don’t wait till you feel ready. Do it now!
3. Don’t go it alone!
Finally, it’s not just about learning, it’s about having people to lean on when things get tricky. Whenever I’ve come up against a challenge, it’s been a huge relief to be able to call upon my network and say, “hey, I was wondering if any of you felt like this too?” And knowing you’re not alone is not to be underestimated! That emotional support is vital for keeping you at the top of your game. Sometimes our life partners aren’t enough for the pep talks. What we need is people who’ve been there, done that and bought the t-shirt, OR empathetic cheerleaders who just get it! They get exactly what you’re going through.
Having a support network helped my business flourish. And it made me realise that there were also toxic “friendships” that I needed to be rid of too. Surround yourself with people who’ll support you to achieve your dreams, not ones who question your every move, trying to keep you small. Dream big, baby girl. You’re a childcare ninja, after all!!
Furthermore, it’s not just a sisterhood of other marvellous women you need on your side, I’d highly recommend investing in support too. Getting a mentor or coach and having a place to go and ask questions is key to growing your childcare business. After working with a coach myself, my whole mindset changed. I was able to see the bigger picture, and really work on my goals and my vision. Since I made that choice, I have sky-rocketed my business! Imagine what you could achieve!
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” Oprah Winfrey
Have you got a support network? Why don’t you share this with them and show them how much you appreciate them!?
If you don’t have one yet, come and say hi in our Ninja community on Facebook! 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 | Mar 1, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
By now you’ll know that I believe systems and processes have a truly significant role in building your childcare business. They’re key to you growing and up-levelling! In the last 15 years, my main learning from being a childcare business owner has been that systems equals success!
Some of the most important factors of implementing systems in your business are to improve efficiency and organization. This is what enables you to monitor and manage your staff whilst staying connected to the operational strategies of the business. And you can keep taking a step back to make sure everything is working and in sync to help you achieve your vision.
Let’s take a look at why systems equal success…
Why do you rave about systems, Nyckie?
Because they work!! (Can I get an amen?!) No matter what size your childcare business is, it no doubt includes multiple systems working together to achieve your goals. Systems and processes are essential to your business’ success, especially when it comes to growth. If you don’t have these to lean on then your growth will be super hard to achieve.
Trust me! To ensure you can train employees and delegate responsibilities, to offer a consistent high quality service, make sure things run smoothly in your day-to-day, you need systems!
Setting up systems is all well and good BUT if they don’t actually work, then what’s the point? 🤷🏾♀️
I recommend that you go over your systems at least every 6 months. Analyze and review them, make sure every part of the system is working towards its purpose. Once you’ve gone through the hard work of setting up all your systems, it can be very easy to put them on the back-burner and forget all about them. But we need to check in from time to time, to look at what’s working and what needs adjusting. As your business grows it’s to be expected that your systems need to adapt too.
In the generic biz world, they call this “System analysis”. Which is, essentially, studying a system or its parts in order to identify its objectives. Does it do its job properly? It’s basically a problem solving technique that helps you improve the system and ensures that all the components of the system work efficiently to accomplish their purpose. Analysis specifies what the system should do. I talk more about it here.
Optimize your childcare business processes
It’s important that you take time to understand the entire system in order to make changes to simplify the steps involved. By using a systems perspective, you can remove unnecessary steps and find effective short cuts which can save your childcare business money (and who doesn’t want to do that, right?!). You want to optimize your systems for ultimate success, not keep things as they’ve always been.
Think about it! What worked brilliantly when you had an in-home daycare with 4 children isn’t necessarily going to do the job when you’re set up in your first location. What worked for 3 team members, is unlikely to work when you’ve got multiple locations and several teams. So do take some time and go through your systems one by one and check if they need to grow with you so you can get to that next level of success.
Problem solving instead of problem dodging
One of the benefits of analyzing your systems—picking it apart and then adjusting as needed—is that your problem solving skills will improve. Instead of avoiding complexity, a systems approach helps you see problems as exciting opportunities. These problems offer potential ways to innovate and develop your creativity. If something isn’t working, what can you do to improve that element of the system? Brainstorm and think outside the box!
And this has a knock-on effect with your team. They see you modelling leadership from a problem solving angle, and it has an impact on the way they approach tasks too! Rather than shy away from difficult issues, your staff turn into active problem solvers. They also feel safer to try new ways of thinking because they can trust your systems.
Are your systems helping you achieve your objectives?
Another thing to consider is where you want to be—what’s your bigger vision?—and to see if your systems are leading to that goal. You want to be working a few steps ahead so that you’re ready for what’s coming.
When you only address one part of the problem, you’ll likely never find a long-term solution. By taking a step back, and looking at the interconnected dynamics of the system, you’ll discover a better way of organizing your business.
Systems thinking can help you revolutionize your childcare business across every aspect. If you put the systems approach to work in your childcare—however large or small!—a better and more efficient business could be right around the corner. And that means more revenue!
So, repeat after me: Systems = Success! Unless of course, they’re not working!
I’d love to know what the biggest change you’ve had to make in your childcare business is, as it’s grown? How did you manage to navigate it? Which of your systems needed adapting? Come and join in the conversation about systems over in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group!
And I have an awesome freebie, specially designed by my team of business ninjas to help you sort out your systems! Because smart systems in your business result in Success! So what are you waiting for?! Download your FREE Sassy Systems Workbook today!
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 for biz ideas and to take a sneak peek behind the scenes!
