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!
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!
by admin | Feb 18, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Last week I was talking about financial systems, but this week I’m focusing in on the general ones you need to have in place for your childcare business. I know I have mentioned systems before, but there’s a reason why I’m a huge advocate—THEY WORK!
When I implemented systems into my day cares, I was able to take a breath, and then begin to up my game! We’re halfway through quarter 1, and there’s still plenty of time to get around to organising your own so you can have your best year yet!
Hands up if you’re ready to get systematizing for a super successful 2021? If you’re in, read on!
What’s so great about systematizing?
What isn’t there to love about getting systems in place?! Who doesn’t want to have processes that will help you get organized and help your staff become more independent?!
Nailing your systematizing means you can take time off to relax, to follow your passions, all without guilt. No longer will you spend days out of office worrying about how everyone’s coping without you, leaving your cell phone on just in case. You’ll be able to take a deep breath and walk out of the day care center knowing that you’ve got things covered!
It’s good for everyone if you can de-stress — your staff will feel more empowered and valued and your business is bound to flourish! I’d love to encourage you to plan and brainstorm around creating your systems for a successful 2021.
Why start now?
We’re mid-February which I know is only a short month, but we’ve still got plenty of time! This really is the best time to start putting systems in place if you haven’t yet got around to it because we’re still early on in the year.
So I’d love to encourage you to start the year strong, you’ve probably already created your vision for the year and set your goals so systems come next to turn those into action steps. It’s an ideal time to do it at the beginning of the year as we have other planning going on as well so it makes sense to take some time and brainstorm.
Assess what you’ve already got in place
Look at what you have in place right now, what’s not working, how you’d like to see it work in 2021 and begin making changes.
Break down all the steps and processes that you have in place, adding in the things you’d like to improve. Now you’ve got a plan and a sort of flow chart to guide you through each area of your business. If you need a guide to help you with this process, download your free childcare business map here and get started building your systems.
So let’s take a step back, get some perspective and look at the systems we have in place. Note down all those little tasks – cleaning toys, writing a menu, invoicing clients…everything! What’s working? What’s not? Dig in and start making some changes.
Once you’ve got your systems all laid out, it’s time to call a staff meeting and get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet!
Up-level your organization NOW!
The systems are what’s going to help you reach your goals in 2021, the earlier the better. It’s already February, so let’s do it now! Let’s up-level those systems to create success in our Childcare business this year.
And there are so many brilliant ways you can get organized nowadays. From apps to incredible planners, you can get everything sorted out and in order! Systems don’t have to be stressful. But they can help you take your business to the next level!
So what’s stopping you from getting systems in place?
Would you like to chat with me about taking your childcare business to the next level? I’ve been where you are and I can help you grow much faster than I ever did, because I now have the road map. I’ve been coaching women like you and I have seen the progress they’ve made in a short space of time. You can too! All you have to do is book a free discovery call with me, Nyckie B here!
Come and let us know over in the Childcare Ninja Facebook group! I’m sharing tips on setting those systems up so you can actually grow your childcare business.
We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming a part of the community? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
by admin | Feb 11, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
If I asked you right now what your profit was going to be at this moment, would you know? Have you got a system in place to give you a birds-eye view of what’s going on in your childcare business finances right now?
It’s important that you nail this as soon as possible, so you can see at a glance what you’re making and how much profit you’ve got.
I’ve spent the last few years really honing in on making sure I have a cash flow system within my financial system that allows me to see what’s really going on – so I can see what my profit truly is.
Read on for tips on putting profit first and making your childcare business more streamlined financially.
So why do we need to know about profit?
When it comes to finances, you want to be able to get a quick and easy-to-understand overview. This is so you can actually pay your bills on time, not miss essential payments because you’ve prioritized things, and – vitally – you won’t have so many Childcare biz surprises!
One thing I’ve looked at and has helped me a lot is the “profit first” system of cashflow. I’ve also written more about profit here and lessons I learned from watching The Profit!
How does “Profit First” work?
I read the book “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz and boy oh boy it was a game changer! A massive help. It’s helped me see where I’m making a profit easily, where things are going more clearly. Which means I have a much better handle on payroll – which my staff appreciate! – and obviously this helps me keep the whole taxes thing under control too.
Profit First is based on a waterfall system where all income flows into your top income account, and then on the 10th and 25th of every month, this cash is allocated out to the other accounts – based on your current allocation percentages. So you can have accounts for Tax, paying yourself, profit and expenses, that you put money into twice a month. It’s flexible to suit your needs and definitely worth looking into!
Getting finance systems in place!
Creating a system doesn’t have to be hard to understand, and I love the way the author, Mike, broke it down in a very simple manner. It really helped me get a better grasp of where my money’s going and I’d love for you to have the same.
The earlier in your business you can do this, the more ease you’ll find in your business regarding finances.
I’ll be going Live tonight in my Facebook group, talking about, “Creating a cash flow system that’s simple”. Do come and join me, I’d love to share the process I use and how I adapted Mike Michalowicz’s book “Profit First” model to work for my Childcare business. I’ll be discussing how to create a system where you can be clear on your profits and expenses and easily get a ‘snapshot’ of your finances at any given time.
There’s going to be some super tips that you’ll want to implement! Never miss a bill again or find yourself short at the end of the month!
So pop it in your diary, tonight 8 PM EST in my group. Join the FB group here. If you think any of your Childcare Biz owner friends would also love it, send them the link!
Have you read the book “Profit First”? How did you find it?
If you haven’t had a chance yet, I’d love for you to read the book, and put together a simple cash flow system that is easy for you to follow. Are there any other money books that have helped you in your business or life? I’m always looking for recommendations – hit me with your lists in the comments!
Come and let us know over in 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 don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
