by admin | Feb 5, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
February is well and truly here! It’s usually a chaotic month due to getting our taxes in order, so why not use this time to fix-up our finance systems? We’re still fresh in the year, and only just getting started — it’s the perfect time to revamp your systems!
Take some time out over the next couple of weeks to really analyse your current systems. Delve into what’s working, what is not working. Could you make things slicker and easier to manage?
In this post I’m going to share some practical tips for revitalizing your finance systems, read on if you’re ready to take action now!
Why do systems matter?
By getting systems all set up, you’re getting processes in place that will help you get more organized. It’s important that you can keep on top of finances, so having systems in place will help you find things at the drop of a hat. If a client asks you something, you can find the answer. When it comes to tax returns, all your information and data is in order. It keeps things simple.
Not only does it get you organized, but having systems helps your staff too. It enables them to know how things work, without having to ask you constantly! Once your systems are running smoothly, you’ll no longer have to worry about taking time off and chaos ensuing while you’re not there. You’ll de-stress, your staff will feel more in control and confident and—most importantly— your business will grow!
How do you work out systems?
If you’ve worked with me before, or you’ve read my previous blog posts, you’ll know I’m obsessed with systems! I love the sense of control and the load it takes off of my shoulders. So how did I get to this point, exactly?
First thing you have to do is break down all the steps and processes that you have in place. Take a good long look at every little step. How is that working for you right now? Is there anything you could change to improve that step? Could you automate it? Once you’ve analysed where you’re at, start adding in the things you’d like to implement to make the systems better.
After you’ve broken it all down, you’ll see you’ve got a plan and a sort of flow chart to guide you through the finance systems you want in your childcare 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.)
How do I fix-up my finance systems?
There’s lots of ways you can fix-up your finance systems, and I’ll be going through this in the Facebook group soon. So for now I’ll just explain how to get started if you haven’t already. Or perhaps you can use it as an opportunity to refresh how things work at the moment.
Financial Tasks Overview: Get total control of your finances by creating a system for your tasks. By ensuring that we do the tasks we need to daily, weekly, monthly, and even quarterly, we are stopping overwhelm and procrastination in its tracks! So break every little task down. No matter how small!
Monthly Bill Report: Doing this will enable you to list all expenses your business has, and begin categorizing it so that a later stage when you have all the Fab Finances templates, you can complete your monthly budget and know exactly where you stand financially at any given time. Simple & Stress-free!
And don’t panic if you’ve not started yet! Head here for my Fabulous Finance templates, so your childcare business can run with ease! Which means you can focus on the strategic part of your business and get growing! Some of the daily templates include Inventory management, invoice tracking, income, and expense management.
What happens when you’ve got systems in place?
You might think that this is all a waste of time. I’ve heard childcare business owners complain about the effort it takes to get all set up. But I promise you that once you’ve found systems that work for you and they’re all in place and running like clockwork it’s a total game changer!
Since I got my systems fixed-up, I have been able to grow my childcare business empire. None of my focus goes on overwhelm or worrying about how things are doing, because I know already! My systems tell me what’s going on and I can take a look any time I fancy. I don’t have to stress about taking time off or if families are going to pay their bills, due to my simple systems and automations.
How do you feel about this? Are you ready to fix-up your finance systems? Or are you feeling stuck?
Come and let us know over in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing tips on setting those systems up so you can actually grow your childcare business. And I’ll be starting with Finances!
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 29, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
This week my blog post isn’t so much about strategy, but reflecting and sharing on the freedoms of being a Childcare boss. This is certainly one of my most favorite perks of being a Childcare Business Owner!I’m guessing that you wanted to become a childcare business owner because you dreamed of helping families but I bet there’s another key reason – you wanted freedom and flexibility!
I want to share with you what I mean by “freedom” and why it matters, and how I got to a place where I had room to breathe and space to fill with things other than work!
It started with a chat…
Last week I was talking with some of my girl friends, and we were all sharing how things are going for us. You know, the kind of chat where everyone has a little boast but usually backs it up with something silly that’s happened? And we were all laughing about whatever it was my friend said. Along the lines of how busy the store was and how she wishes she could go at a different time. She doesn’t want to do it when every other working mom is in there buying her groceries!
I grimaced. It’s fair to say that sometimes I really do tease my friends that I have the luxury of freedom when it comes to making my own schedule. I can do what I want, when I want. At least most of the time, anyway! So I piped up, “You probably oughta start a Childcare, because I get to go to Walmart or the grocery store early in the morning, when everyone else is on their daily commute!”. I got a couple of eye rolls and a “maybe I will!” hollered back at me!
How is it possible?
Having my Childcares all running smoothly, with my team in place – like a fine-oiled machine! Which has given me the freedom that my old 9-5 didn’t. Gone are the days where I needed permission to take my mother to a doctor’s appointment! I no longer have to wait for my holidays to come before I can take a day off. So when I’m in need of some time to myself, I can just note it in my calendar and things carry on without me for a day.
I don’t need to be “on” 24/7
One of the major blessings I’ve been given is that I’m not always needed in any of the facilities nowadays. I can make my own schedule. I don’t always have to be hands-on deck, and I don’t need to be in the office all the time – they’ve got that covered!
It’s truly one of the best perks about being a Childcare boss, I’m very appreciative and very grateful. However, I also know that I’ve worked hard to get to this point and it didn’t start out this way!
Freedom works both ways
When we’re thinking about freedom, we tend to think about freedom to have time off. But on the flipside, it means we’ve got the capacity to be the helping hand to others when it’s needed. Recently, one of my team members needed to take time off short notice for an appointment. I had the freedom to cover her, so I said, “no biggie”, and was able to pop into the facility while she was out. When she got back I headed off again to do my own thing.
How did I get to this stage of freedom?
This perk of being a childcare business owner didn’t come immediately. Don’t be fooled into thinking that overnight I created a crazy successful business and suddenly took days off and long lunches and spa trips. Nope.
Freedom has come about with hard graft. It’s been possible because of the systems I’ve put in place (y’all know I love a system!). Creating freedom through the investments I made when it came to training my staff. Now they can run the day care centers without me. And you’d better believe that I’ve also taken time, energy and spent money on coaching. Mostly to fix my mindset around controlling every little thing! (Clue: you don’t have to!)
Put the foundations in sooner rather than later
Taking those steps early on in your business will give you freedom to do other things later on. What will you do with all that freedom? Maybe you’ll develop a second childcare center or perhaps you’ve got hobbies you’d like to pursue? I can think of thousands of ways you could use that flexibility! I bet you can too!
Now, I didn’t write this blog post to show off (although I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and have the audacity to say so!). I wrote it to show you how it’s possible for you too! I’m so thankful and grateful for the freedom being a childcare business owner gives me. And I want you to have that freedom as well!
In case you’re looking to grow as a childcare business owner, I thought I’d let you know about my latest program! The doors are open to my group coaching program “The Simple Childcare Ownership Program”!
This 10-week coaching program is perfect for you, if you…
🟣 Believe working with children is fulfilling, and there’s no other job in this world that you would rather do!
🟣 Are ready to step into your power and develop your leadership skills.
🟣 Want to make the ultimate change and start the childcare business of your dreams, so you can live life on your terms.
🟣 Are fed up on the 9-5 rat race and want finances and flexibility
🟣 Are tired of getting in your own way and READY to start your Childcare boss journey
IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME THE CHILDCARE BOSS YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AND BREATHE LIFE INTO YOUR DREAMS “THE SIMPLE CHILDCARE OWNERSHIP PROGRAM“!
The first 2021 Program kicks off Monday, February 15 @ 8pm EST. We’ll be having weekly training with me Nyckie B in my private Facebook group with 2 weeks for implementing everything you’re learning. On the program I’ll be covering:
✨ MINDSET & GOAL PLANNING ✨ LICENSING & REGISTRATION ✨ FABULOUS FINANCES ✨ PROGRAM & CURRICULUM ✨ OUTSTANDING OPERATIONS ✨BUILDING A TERRIFIC TEAM ✨ MARKET LIKE A NINJA ✨ BUILD YOUR LEGACY
Sound good? You can sign up right now! Just click here.
If the program isn’t for you, I’d still love to invite you to join us in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group where we’re all sharing ideas and learning from each other. We are an army of childcare professionals who are honing 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 | Jan 8, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
In any year it’s easy to lose focus on our finance goals, but when there’s a global pandemic going on it’s even harder! However, I wanted to give you some encouragement and motivation to show you how to stay inspired and on track.
We often find it tricky to keep our eyes on the prize. We get distracted by the endless possibilities of what everyone else is doing and what all our friends have. It’s all too easy to get side-swiped by what you don’t have, or haven’t managed to do, and the reasons behind that – usually financial!
What I want to help you with is staying focused on your goals!
Money mindset and financial taboo
When it comes to money, there’s a lot of weird stuff that comes up for most of us. A lot of it stems from our childhoods and the way we were brought up. For me that was in the church. And boy oh boy do church and finance have some bizarre clashes in personality going on!
So many of us brought up to believe that it’s impolite or embarrassing to talk about money. Money also holds an emotional connection for many of us. It can bring on an anxious reaction or trigger other behaviors. In my Facebook group, one of the things the Ninjas shy away from is talking about finance.
So what exactly is going on here?
I’ve talked about the importance of having a positive money mindset before, but I haven’t really gone into my own personal journey. So I’m going to share my story with you because I believe you may have experienced similar growing up.
At one point in my life I believed that making money was evil. That’s what I’d grown up hearing in church. That “money was the root of all evil” and that people who made money were greedy and evil and nothing good ever came from money. That the love of money was a sin and it was the Devil’s work.
But as I got older I began to do my own research, really looking at the scriptures and the context of quotes like the one above – which is the infamous 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” Drummed into many of us as kids, when we look at it as adults, we can’t forget to add the love of in front of money here.
I’ve had to relearn a lot of my mindset around money. Money builds churches, hospitals, and homeless shelters – communities! We should be pro making money, and what we should stand up to is using money in a way that harms people and the planet.
It’s time for us women in business to overcome the money taboo!
Money is a tool!
Money isn’t evil. It’s an object that we can use for good or evil. And it really can be a fantastic tool to help us make a difference. We can utilize it to make the world a better place. It can help people.
Money can help us reach our goals and without money it can be quite tricky to take care of the people we love. We owe it to ourselves as women to achieve financial success. We owe it to our children to see us earning money and not being ashamed of it.
Stay focused on YOUR finance goals
You might think your goals are yours…but what if you’ve been influenced by other people and they don’t align with your values? The way you can get laser-focused and ensure that your goals truly are YOURS is to look at your soul goals and see if they marry up with the money targets. Are they challenging enough or are you playing small to please others? Or have you set something that is only going to end in heart ache?
Take some time to journal on this one. Honor your truth. Listen to your gut. It never fails to tune into your intuition.
What will inspire you to stay focused on your finance goals?
We’re all different and have our own things that help us. For me, my faith is one of them, I utilize it every day of my life! Now that I’ve made peace with the age old conflict between church and money, I know I can use my faith to keep me on track.
Perhaps it’ll be your family that inspires you to stay in your lane and reach your goals. Is it to extend your home or find somewhere a little less snug? Or maybe it is an adventure that you want to go on, and you’re able to visualize yourself going on that trip – each time you lose a little momentum, practice picturing yourself doing that thing!
“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”
Ayn Rand
Not only do we need to have conversations around the green stuff, we need to be open about how finance looks and feels for us! We have got to persist in setting ourselves financial goals, and start asking for what we want and need. Because let’s not forget what money can do for us!
I hope you’re going to use this as an opportunity to start talking about money more, encouraging conversations about finances with your business friends, employees and your family. If you found this blog post helpful, send the link to a friend – sharing is caring! Or come and continue the money talk over on Facebook in our Ninja community!
If you enjoyed reading this and would like to get more involved, 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, come and say hi there!
