by admin | Apr 8, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
This month we’ve been looking at the idea of getting support. Going on a journey in our childcare businesses together from recognising that we need support and figuring out the kind of support we need to make progress. Then researching the type of support we want, and eventually getting it all setup.
So now it’s time to take action. To fit the final piece into the puzzle! But how do we apply what we’ve learned and put it into action so we use the support wisely?
Here’s some of the ways the support you’ve selected can help you to grow your childcare business!
What does your chosen support give you?
Think back to when you were researching the support you need. Was it support with something really specific in your business, like marketing or social media? Perhaps it was getting a mentor or joining a group for accountability support? Those kind of things will give you confidence, stretch your mindset and challenge you to step outside your comfort zone.
But how does it look if the support you’ve chosen is in your personal life? How does that affect us in our businesses? What does that give you exactly? For example if you’ve come to the decision that you need help at home with cleaning, what does that give you?
Simply put, it frees you up to do the things you’ve been putting off in your business. It stops you procrastinating. Use the time you gain back from investing in that support wisely!
How does that affect the business side?
Hopefully you’ve had a chance to think about the things you want to achieve in 2021 with your business. Perhaps it’s hiring more staff so you can extend your capacity for children. Or maybe it’s opening a new day care in an area that needs your services. Whatever your goals look like, getting the support you need is going to help you smash them!
So what can you do in your business now you have that time free? With that extra time how are you going to be intentional about using it to grow your business? You’ve got to create a plan and action it!
Don’t waste your time: make a plan
The last thing you want to be doing, when you’re paying for support (like a cleaner, or a tutor, or a gardener…whatever you’ve opted for!) is wasting your hard earned money. But neither do you want to waste the time you’ve gained back. That time is golden.
So it’s important that you have a plan! Figure out how you’re going to break up that allotted time. Not having a clear plan for how you’ll use that time is almost the same as setting fire to dollar bills twice over! It might sound a little harsh, but you have got to use that time wisely.
Start by writing down the things you want to do in that new time, and put in order of priority. Work out how many things you can realistically achieve in that extra time. So if you usually spend 1 hour vacuuming, maybe you can spend 1 hour doing that marketing course. Or perhaps you could split it into 2 parts. Half an hour to scheduling social media posts, and half an hour to updating the menus for your day care.
Being intentional gets results!
By spending some time making a plan and working out exactly what you’ll do with the extra time, you’re setting yourself up for success. Even when it comes to business support rather than home help, be intentional about how you’re going to apply it so you can create the best results you possibly can.
I have learned this one the hard way! So take it from me, having a plan and sticking to it really helps you stay focused. Since I’ve had help with cleaning, I’ve been able to prioritize growing my childcare empire. I’ve also been able to allocate energy to my Ninja group and developing new ideas.
And investing in business support has given me the confidence I need to take leaps in growth that I might never have had the courage to do before. Having a team of brilliant women around me at all times has meant I can step away if I need to, so that I can plan for world domination!
I hope this blog post has given you some food for thought about how you can really use your time wisely!
Before you go, I’ve got a gift for you! It’s my latest guide: 15 Steps to finding the startup dollars, letting go of the fear, and starting your home childcare business without losing your sanity. I’m so excited about what lies ahead of you once you get your hands on this guide! You can get your guide for FREE right here.
I’m pretty sure that you’re really gonna love it, in fact, I’m hoping that you get sooo much value that you and I will continue your journey into childcare ownership together! My other role, when I’m not juggling my own childcare businesses or my family, is being your hype girl, mentor and cheerleader! There’s nothing I love more than supporting you, so head on over and join my free 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 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 19, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Sometimes in this wonderful world of being a Childcare Business owner in 2021, it’s really overwhelming, isn’t it? We hear the word “support” for our business and assume that means investing thousands of dollars in hiring a coach to work with us. But what if support means EXACTLY what it says? How about if we flip the Generation Z meaning of support and do a total 180?
In today’s post I’m going to be writing about finding the support that’s right for you and your business. Depending on where you’re at in your childcare business the level of support you need is going to be different. So what can that look like?
Let’s take a look together right now…
Does support have to mean hiring a coach?
Absolutely not! In the days of Instagram and TikTok, where people make a living from “influencing”, the language we use in business has become confusing. We can get so stuck sometimes on the idea of support only meaning a one-on-one coach. And for some the moment they hear the word coach, their brain gets stuck behind a block.
Many of us freak out completely and our heads start going into a money spin: “Oh my gosh that’s out of my reach!” or “That’s not something I can do!” or “That’s impossible for me!”.
But here’s the thing, support can come in many different ways.
What can support look like?
Support doesn’t have to be big and flashy, and it certainly doesn’t have to impact your bank balance! You can find support at whatever level you need it right now. One of the benefits of the internet is that you can get support for your business online at the click of a button. And it doesn’t have to cost you a penny! But if you’re at the stage in your business where it’s time to invest a little, there’s plenty of options for that too.
Support for beginners…
If you’re just starting out, it might look like reading business books so you can develop your mindset or manage for finances better. You can read a supportive blog post about Profit First right here.
When you’re new to the business world, it’s nice to have the support of other business owners. Often they’ve been where you are and can offer advice or lend an ear. And the best way I’ve found to do that is online. It could be being part of a Facebook group like my own “The Childcare Ninja Members”, or it might be opening up a conversation and hosting Zoom coffee mornings with other childcare business owners to share ideas and support each other that way.
Levelling up your help…
Once you’ve started to make a little money, you can begin to put some of it aside to invest in your support. This might be the written material from a coach – a workbook or an eBook – or you could book a one-off strategy call or Power Hour. There are some amazing courses and workshops that you can attend, often with input from experts, depending on your capacity for learning.
But support comes in all sorts of forms! The trouble is, we get so fixated that it only has to be a coach providing one on one support. Then we get super frustrated! Because we then fall into the money mindset trap of thinking it’s too expensive and “I can’t afford it!”. If we do want a coach or more tailored support, I think that we then have to open our minds. We have to develop better growth mindset where we instead ask ourselves questions like, “How can I get this money? ”. So If you’re in that situation I do want to challenge you to think on how you can budget for the support that you need or want.
Thinking outside the box…
Depending on what stage you’re at in your business, and in your life, the support you’re looking for might be quite different. You may be thinking that actually what you need is more time! So how do you get the help you’re looking for so you can get more of that?
Is a coach going to help with that? Unlikely! So sometimes you’ll need less assistance on the business front, and more along the lines of domestic or perhaps even the personal. When I first started growing my home day care business I had to hire a housekeeper. They came to help me monthly, doing a thorough deep clean of my whole house. This really freed me up, giving me a chance to focus on the things in my business that could exponentially grow it.
So do also consider if there are tasks you can delegate in your personal life too that will positively impact your business by clearing up time and headspace for strategy! What tasks take up space in your life and impinge on your time? Could you look into getting a cleaner or sending your bedding for a laundry service?
I’d love to see you succeed, which is why I’ve created my new “Support for Success” guide. When you’ve worked through it, you’ll be able to take a deep look into the 4 areas that will help you to determine who, why and what support you need! Download your free workbook now!
Support is the key to success!
There are lots of ways to get the support that you need in your Childcare business depending on what goals you’re trying to reach or what you’re working on. If you haven’t yet joined, go and check out my free Facebook group! I’d love to see you in there!
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 12, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
When you’re so busy running a childcare business, it can be really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day shenanigans. You’re ticking off the to list. Suddenly you come face to face with an unprecedented challenge! But you can’t see the wood for the trees. Uh oh! It’s time to get some perspective.
I wanted to write this blog to remind you that from time to time it’s a good idea to take a step back and zoom out from the obstacles in your way. If you’re keen to grow your childcare business, you need to get really good at looking at your business from a 360 perspective! Read on for tips I’ve used to up-level my business.
What does perspective even mean?
I get it, it’s one of those words thrown around in the online space and by entrepreneurs! But it’s used a lot for a reason! And sometimes these words lose their meaning, don’t they?
Put simply, it’s the way that we look at something. Some people will be looking at it from one stand point, and others from a completely different angle. And it can be hard sometimes to understand how others are perceiving things. But it’s definitely important to stand back and reassess now and again.
And, for the word nerds among you, it’s also an art technique that changes the distance or depth of an object on paper. Like when you see a photograph or painting of a road and it’s wider up close, and narrower further away. Not as relevant in this particular situation, but kinda interesting none-the-less!
How perspective can help your business
A lot of the time we can get so wrapped up in the day-to-day stuff, that we cannot think clearly. We don’t give ourselves the headspace to process things and we forget to take a deep breath, step back and recalibrate. When we get so zeroed in on one particular challenge that it’s all we see or think about! And it can then be a struggle to focus so that we can figure out the solution!
Getting stuck in our heads is so common, and what this leads to is our minds getting in a complete tangled mess that we miss what is truly important. And this lack of holistic vision can mean that we’re oblivious to even simple the most solutions that are staring us right in the face.
By focusing too much on teeny details you lose perspective!
So how can you do better?
As I’ve already mentioned, lots of us are unable to understand situations that arise in our childcare businesses clearly because we’re too involved. To improve the situation we’ve got to learn to be reflective. To reposition ourselves in order to see things from another frame of reference. Sometimes, all it takes is a pause and a reframe, and you can magically see how to overcome a tricky problem.
Take time out from being head down in the business, head to your quiet space, light a candle and do some journaling. Often when we let ourselves stop and brain dump, we can find answers pop into our head! I’ve written about how you can create the perfect thinking space and give yourself time to reflect here.
You can ask for help in the form of a survey to get a little perspective. Find out how your staff perceive things, but don’t be afraid to ask your families too! Depending on the situation, the more help the better!
It’s okay to look for further support
One way to break out of the zoned in habits you’ve developed is to get some help. It’s super important to make sure you recognize that you need a little support and find ways to get it. This will give you the confidence and strength to be able to step out of that challenge and see it from a birds-eye view.
Having someone else to talk things through with, or just a fresh pair of eyes, can really help you relook at the problem you’re facing. They can suggest solutions because they’re looking at it from a whole new perspective. And they can give you a leg up to their view, or explain how to get there. It’s really key that you have a support network to lean on when things are difficult. Getting their interpretation of things can change your business for the better!
A little help from my friends…
You’ll often find that you’ll get an “AHA!” moment from your chat, whether it’s your significant other, a family member that’s been supporting you in your business. You might find that you get incredible advice off a business bestie, or a little perspective from the industry specific Facebook group you’re a member of, or the business coach you’re working with. This week, I talked about why we all need some support in the Facebook group for my weekly #tiptuesday and in my free group last week.
What other support have you gotten that’s really helped you?
There are lots of ways to get the support that you need in your Childcare business depending on what goals you’re trying to reach or what you’re working on. If you haven’t yet joined, do check out my free Facebook group! I’d love to see you in there!
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!
