Have you thought about starting a childcare business in 2022? What are your priorities for getting started? At this time of year I always pause for reflection, and I’ve been thinking about the things I’d do if I were to start my business again in 2022…
So this blog has 5 things I think might help you get a head-start! There are things that took me a while to learn or implement, and things I wish I’d done more of sooner!
Read on, Ninja!
If you’re a visual or auditory learner, you might want to watch the YouTube episode I recorded about this right now:
Or continue reading if you love a blog!
Ok, so I’m diving in with these 5 tips…
Tip Number One: Have a niche!
If you’re starting your childcare business in 2022, there’s definitely a lot to be said for niching down sooner rather than later. Instead of being another generic local daycare center, offer something that local families need or want! That way you’re meeting a need and making a name for yourself. You’re likely to be more memorable with a niche and the news about your childcare business will spread faster.
I’ve talked more about how you can niche down in my previous blog post.
Tip Number Two: Mix the old school and the new!
Something I’d do straight away if I was starting up next year is not get caught up in trends. They’re great and serve their purpose, but there’s no need to ignore the old marketing tricks like flyers and posters.
Social media is super useful for getting your message out there. But what happens if the global server goes down and we have no socials?! It was all a bit worrying last time, wasn’t it?! Imagine if it had been down for longer… Gulp! Not a nice thought, am I right? So you’ve got to think strategically.
One thing I must mention if you’re going to be starting a childcare business in 2022, is that you need to have a clear budget. And more importantly, you’ve gotta stick to it! There are so many things you can do to set up your childcare on a budget, so you don’t need big bucks to get going.
However, sometimes it’s easy to get carried away buying resources, spending too much on marketing or uniforms… Basically not sticking to your financials. So I urge you to make a plan for what you can afford. Prioritize your budget and stick with it. I’ve written loads of content on starting out on a budget, so don’t panic! Read them here.
Tip Number Four: Build your systems!
Y’all know I’m obsessed with systems, but it’s for a good reason! They make running a business so much easier! There’s no way I’d be where I am today – a multiple facility owner bringing in a sustainable 6 figure income – if I didn’t have systems.
Having certain parts of your childcare business automated really does help you stay sane and keep things ticking over smoothly! So if you’re just getting started in your business, now is the time to get those systems in place! Don’t leave it as long as I did, Ninja! Read more about why you need systems in your childcare biz here.
Tip Number Five: Invest in yourself!
Investing in myself is one of those things I wish I’d done a lot sooner!! Sometimes I wonder where I’d be now if I’d prioritised my self-investment! I’m passionate about women in biz investing in their education, up-levelling their skills and learning about strategy. And I believe and have spent the last few years discovering how mindset is SO IMPORTANT!
And it doesn’t have to cost you the earth! There are numerous ways to invest in yourself, from borrowing books from the library or buying them second hand, to joining a membership or hiring a coach. However you do it, it’s important to get insight from people who have already been on the journey. Nowadays there’s lots of information readily available – so much more than when I was starting out. Daycare owners have become much more willing to share their journey, so why not use their expertise!
Educating yourself on the business side of daycare is vital too. Even if you love playing with the kids and your gift is coming up with the curriculum you really need that business acumen too. You can join daycare business groups like mine and ask questions, get tips and learn from others too. Have a think on where you may have gaps and ways to fill them within your budget!
So whether you’re up-levelling or starting your childcare business in 2022, getting connected with other childcare owners is a game changer!
Gain strategies and tips to move your childcare business forward by joining a community! That’s why I set up my Facebook group, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. 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! 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.
Are you wanting to up level your childcare business during 2022? Would you like some super easy ideas on how you can do this?
I can help you take your daycare to the next level by changing up your services to fulfill the needs of your community.
Read on for 4 ways you can do to take things up a notch!
Break free from the status quo
Things feel good right now. You’re comfortable. Your all star team are settled and your waitlist is good. But how does it feel thinking about staying in this place forever? Wouldn’t you feel better about raising your game and stretching your zone of genius a bit?
Playing it safe isn’t always the best option for business. By looking at what your community needs right now and applying that knowledge to your business strategy, you’re setting yourself up for success. So take time now to plan how you can up level your childcare business during 2022. It’s time to say no to the same old services and offer something innovative!
So I’m sharing 4 ways you can change up your childcare offerings to build a more successful childcare business in the new year…
1. Outside of Office Hours
Right now, I’m guessing that your daycare provides a service for parents working a 9-5. You might be open 6am to 6pm or maybe just 8am to 6pm. However that means there’s a huge section of your local families that are missing out on great childcare!
Think about it. There’s nurses and doctors, construction workers and delivery drivers, people working shifts in hospitality… There’s a world of workers that are crying out for high quality care for their precious ones! They’re working outside the typical day, and don’t keep regular working hours which makes life tricky to organize.
Like the gif says, “Care infrastructure is infrastructure”. I wonder if you’ve ever considered starting or adding a 24hr daycare service to your offerings? Or perhaps “night shift” childcare as an opposite offering from the usual opening times you see everywhere. How about having a flexible option that allows parents to buy a chunk of hours and use them to fit in round their shifts? Tricky but not impossible. And by going above and beyond, people rave about your services!
By adding an extra in order to grow your childcare business, you can make a real difference and stand out.
2. Solve transportation issues
Often there’s a barrier to getting kids over to daycare – buses with no routes that early, or not serving in that area… So there’s no way of the child getting from their door to yours, safely. Or perhaps their child finishes kindergarden or school and needs to get from there to you somehow? Whatever the issue, can you think outside the box and offer a service that meets their need?
Why not look into solving that problem – whatever it may be – and offer a solution?! Could you collaborate with someone local who has transportation to collect the children? Perhaps a child friendly and licensed taxi service could join forces with you to bridge that gap? Or maybe you have a minivan and plenty of space to transport kids from one place to another!
Families are always so grateful for the kindness and consideration, and will happily pay you to keep their babies safe and secure!
3. Look into event childcare
Now that the world is opening up again and we’ve all started venturing to events, it might be time for you to start thinking about the skills and services you can offer to the venues and hosts of big events.
Because at the end of the day, no one wants this kind of situation do they?! Better to have them playing safely with a childcare worker in another room.
After opening my home daycare, I ventured into event childcare and it is still working fabulously for me! I started out helping families out at weddings – I cared for their babies so they could enjoy the special celebration. Then it turned into other events – college reunions, fairs, funerals, conferences…
You can look into working for families, or make links with venues to be their go-to childcare at any events they put on.
4. Use your venue wisely
If you have a daycare space that isn’t your home, you might want to consider hiring it out at the weekends. Depending on your space and the set up, there are a few options here!
Could you offer it out on Saturdays and Sundays for early years birthday parties? Parents are always looking for good value rooms to hire to host parties in. Safe spaces they know are suitable for little people and their needs – baby changing areas, age-appropriate equipment etc. You might even want to add in the cost of a member of staff so someone’s on hand to take care of things.
Or could you look at hiring it out for fundraising events? And if you have a larger hall space, there are people who’d snap up a meeting room for their community group activities perhaps in the evenings too. In these cases it’s usually just a payment and key situation, so less involvement and easier to manage!
If your space is sat empty on the weekends or evenings, why not add this additional service?!
What do you think? Is it time to up level your childcare business during 2022?
I go into more detail in my latest video! Join me as I take a look at some ideas to niche down your childcare business and unleash success in 2022. Pull up a chair, grab a notebook and hold on tight because it’s go, time Ninja! Watch the latest episode on Youtube video here:
Speaking of being next year…have you started planning for 2022 yet?! I’ve got just the thing to give you a head start! This is no ordinary paper planner. It’s specifically designed with Childcare Business owners in mind. Because I got sick of having to tweak the ones aimed at other industries!
And because I know a planner is zero use without accountability, I’ve added an accountability piece to my new and improved Nyckie B’s 2022 Childcare Business Planner System!
Even with all the planning in the world, being a home daycare provider can sometimes feel lonely and overwhelming. Getting connected with other childcare owners is a game changer! Gain strategies and tips to move your childcare business forward by joining a community! That’s why I set up my Facebook group, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too. We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
One of the questions I get asked the most by people looking to start a childcare business is: “How do I find money for my childcare business start up?!” And it’s a great question! Not all of us have money in the bank to get started, right!? So I wanted to share with you some ideas about how to get those dollars flowing!
I’m NOT a financial pro, so these are tools I’ve used myself or my coachees have tried out.
The childcare industry brings in BILLIONS of dollars to the economy every year. It’s pretty much recession proof too, because who doesn’t need childcare?! Which means that there’s cash waiting to invest in new childcare businesses…
Read on to find out how you can get your hands on the financial support you need to finally start your childcare business and start living the life you love!
First thing first…
I need to ask you a question: how are you planning on setting up?
Do you actually need to set up a center? Or could you begin in your home? Are you setting up as a franchise? Will you need a center?
A little bit of money and a lot of perseverance is how you grow! I started as a home daycare because I didn’t have thousands of dollars to hire a space or invest in a franchise. And that is a great route into the industry. I’ve been able to grow and thrive. And so can you.
Should you start small?
Don’t stress about not having hundreds or thousands of dollars. You do not NEED huge amounts of cash to start your childcare business. Many of the owners I know started out with a simple daycare run from their front room! And once they became more established, they were able to find investors or access money to grow.
So I want you to think really carefully about how you start out. Don’t put off starting something you know you’ll love and feel passionate about just because you’re not cash-rich!
Grant money
Grants are great because you don’t usually have to pay the money back. At the moment, there seems to be grant money in most states to support childcare businesses to stay open and grow. These tend to be for businesses that are already established. However, there’s no harm in investigating! Perhaps your local government agencies have something available for start up childcare businesses. Even if they have nothing to give you, they can be great for sign-posting you to other grants.
Look at grants outside the childcare business arena – small business grants, community grants… There are lots of options and sometimes it’s smaller amounts that you can put towards training or furniture.
Loans
Not always something people are keen on (I know I stayed away!), but loans can be a good way to getting your foot in the door. Go to your own bank and open up a conversation with your finance experts there. They might be able to help you set up and they can point you in the right direction for grants and further support.
Do not go to a loan shark or take out a loan where the interest rates are sky-high! A reputable and responsible bank or financer will ensure that your repayments are affordable and sensible. A loan could be the leg up that you’re looking for.
Side hustle
Perhaps you might want to look at getting a second job or doing a side hustle to gather the money you need to get started. This isn’t an option for everyone, but working a few extra shifts means being able to save cash. You can then put this directly into savings for your new business venture.
If you do have the time to spend 6 months working a second job or side hustle, then it’s a great way to plan for saving. Set yourself that deadline so you don’t get stuck and not start your childcare business.
Find a partner
If you have someone who wants to partner up with you – perhaps they’d rather be in the background while you’re doing the front of house! A great partnership can do amazing things for a business. Sometimes the partner just wants to invest, and that’s cool. But they might want to be IN the business, so you’ve got to be clear about roles. Playing on each of your strengths can be hugely beneficial.
Whatever you do on this front, make sure you’ve got it all in writing!! A partnership break up can be ugly if you don’t have things laid out officially from the get-go!
So if you’re wondering how to find the money for your childcare business start up, save some of these ideas and then dive into the video below for more!
Watch my YouTube video now to answer the biggest question I get asked about the childcare business: ”How do you find money to start one”?
Join me inside as we tackle some ideas to get those dollars you need to finally get started!
And to help you figure things out, here’s my Side Hustle Checklist to download now! Go and get some inspiration on what you can quickly do to get the start up funds you need.
If you’ve loved this post, please leave me a comment below, or share the lessons you’ve learned so far!
I’d love for you to join the community over on Facebook, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. Dive in 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!
Just because you’re full at the moment, doesn’t mean you can forget about your enrollment. In this blog I’m going to give you some hacks to supercharge enrollment! Let’s make sure you’ve got a wait list of keen families who’ll snap up a spot as soon as you have a vacancy!
After 15 years running my childcare business, I’ve learned tons of hacks along the way to keep my daycares buzzing! Read on for some of my awesome expert tips!
Don’t slack because you’re currently busy
Right now it might seem super easy to get enrollment. Lots of families are headed back into their workplaces and trying to navigate this post-Covid world. This means that our daycare centers are open to support people! In fact it’s making us all incredibly busy.
However, we don’t want to slack off purely because we’re busy. Therefore we’ve gotta be like the ants in the story of the ants and the grasshopper (you’ve seen A Bugs Life, right!?). Work solidly all year round and don’t sit on your laurels or rest completely while the sun is shining!
Let’s keep in mind that families aren’t always sat waiting for a space. Remembering numbers on your waitlist might drop sometimes, so we must be proactive about enrollment.
Why you need a waitlist
It’s vital that you have a waitlist for enrollment so that you don’t have to worry about where you’ll find your next client when someone moves on. You know how it goes, the childcare’s enrollment goes up and down! So I definitely want you to be prepared for when enrollment potentially drops.
If you’re bearing enrollment in mind all year round and have systems in place, you can build a waitlist for those quieter times. Ultimately, you want to keep relevant and top of mind with your local families.
Enrollment hack #1
A super easy win for letting people know you’re there is getting some signage up! You’d be surprised how many times I’ve walked past daycares with no idea they’re even there! Make sure you’ve got a sign of some sort up! No matter what size of business you have, people need to know you exist.
I’m not saying you have to have a gigantic sign that dominates the street. You could even just place an easel out the front, with some branded balloons! Having your business name on the balloons and a simple notice stating that you’re open for enrollment is all it takes.
Depending on where you’re based and any residential rules (if you’re a home daycare), you might want to go bigger! Perhaps you could even have something custom-made with your childcare biz name and a flashing “join the waitlist!”
So whether you’re a home daycare or a large facility, pop up some signs!
Enrollment hack #2
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how valuable the local community can be when it comes to enrollment. Not only is word of mouth helpful, but you can utilize the online space too!
I highly recommend joining some local Facebook community groups. Engaging in these kind of spaces, demonstrates your standing in the real world and reminds people that you’re an expert! Often it’s tricky to post adverts or be salesy, due to rules, there’s no harm in you offering tips and advice. Sometimes you can pop a link under “any recommendations?” posts from people (if it’s allowed). Plus you can absolutely have a link to your business website in your profile.
By being helpful in the groups and engaging with potential clients, you’re keeping visible and reminding people that you’re open and ready to serve.
For more hacks, here’s my recent YouTube video! Watch so you don’t miss out on the things that have helped me and hundreds of other childcare business owners I work with!
So please keep enrollment and visibility in mind for the whole year, not just when your numbers drop! That way you’re always ready for the quiet periods and never have to stress over low numbers!
Speaking of being visible and proactive for the whole year…have you started planning for 2022 yet?! I’ve got just the thing to give you a head start! This is no ordinary paper planner. It’s specifically designed with Childcare Business owners in mind. Because I got sick of having to tweak the ones aimed at other industries!
And because I know a planner is zero use without accountability, I’ve added an accountability piece to my new and improved Nyckie B’s 2022 Childcare Business Planner System!
Even with all the planning in the world, being a home daycare provider can sometimes feel lonely and overwhelming. Getting connected with other childcare owners is a game changer! Gain strategies and tips to move your childcare business forward by joining a community! That’s why I set up my Facebook group, where you can hang out with like-minded and aspirational daycare owners. Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be!
Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too. We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
As Childcare providers, we’re kinda prepared for sickness within our facilities. However, at some point there’s bound to be a highly contagious something-or-other spreading round your daycare! I wanted to share with you 3 lessons I learned recently after an outbreak, so that you can comeback stronger!
Have you had to deal with a wildfire sickness in your childcare biz yet? If you haven’t yet, read on!
What’s an outbreak?
Kids touch everything. And I mean All. The. Things. They also put lots of things in their mouths! And because of this, highly contagious diseases and infections spread FAST in childcare facilities!
When one kid has something infectious you want to isolate it as quickly as possible before it becomes an outbreak. An outbreak is when two or more cases occur of the same illness. And that happens super fast in daycares where the kids are in close contact.
Our recent outbreak scenario
In my 15 years of running a childcare business I’ve somehow managed to dodge any outbreaks. Even during Covid! So you can imagine my face when a few weeks ago we had an outbreak of Hand, Foot & Mouth…oh no!
We all know and understand that in childcare ownership you will no doubt at some point deal with a highly infectious illness that enters your childcare business. And you can bet your bottom dollar that it has a high potential to be spread to others. So when it hit one of my facilities, I was not surprised at the event but was shocked at the speed at which it spread!
My goal this week is to help you learn a few lessons and navigate through the process a little simpler so that you aren’t coming at this from a clueless perspective. I want to share my tips for a successful comeback after an outbreak!
What happened?
We had a new child start who came from another day care center. Unknowingly, they brought with them the scary disease Hand Foot and Mouth. I say scary because it was! We’d never had to deal with it before.
Although we’d never had cases of Hand Foot and Mouth spread like this before, we were kind of prepared. We had things on hand, like our emergency plan, to help us deal with it. And we’ve obviously spent the last 18 months being extra vigilant because of Covid-19. But still!!
Once we knew what we were dealing with, we shut down the facility for a few days into the weekend. This allowed the sickness to run its course and for us to do what we needed to do in the center! And we were able to come back fresh on the Monday morning ready for whatever that week was gonna throw at us.
Wanna watch my Monday Moves YouTube instead of reading? Here you go!
We learned a lot during those few days! What a learning curve! Here’s a few of the main lessons from our outbreak…
Lesson 1 – is it time to rethink your intake processes?
Where we are, rules state that clients have a time period of about a month in which their child has to get a physical. Which means that kids start without us knowing if they have a clean bill of health or not. Normally, we have to wait for the paperwork.
But this recent outbreak has made me reconsider this! Moving forward, I want children to have that paperwork before they start. It means I can protect the families we serve already and also my All Star Team!
How does your intake process work? What are your state guidelines? If yours are loose like ours, maybe try making it a bit stricter. It should help you cut down on potential outbreaks.
Lesson 2 – Take a look at your childcare set up
Is there something in your set up that can be changed to prevent the spread? We have lockers for our older kids, but in our facilities for younger children we have open cubbies. And we realized that the toddler cubby area was where Hand Foot and Mouth came in and where it was spread. Little kids touching each others things and the belongings are cross-contaminating. So we’ve now got lockers for our toddlers!
What could you alter in your daycares to slow the spread of infectious diseases? Make sure you’ve looked at cleaning protocols and handwashing routines for kids and grown ups too.
Lesson 3 – Don’t forget the basics!
I know the mornings are super hectic, but don’t let your vigilance slip! Keep your eyes peeled for things other than Covid. We’ve been constantly checking temperatures, but maybe more so than looking for wellness visual signs. And that’s where we can spot signs of other – potentially highly contagious – things like Hand Foot and Mouth.
One thing that helps is asking the kids how they’re doing. They’re so good at telling you exactly how they’re feeling! So you can then quiz parents gently about any symptoms the child’s brought up.
And make sure your team practice your emergency plans on a regular basis to keep everyone on their toes! That way they’re not panicking when something actually happens.
I hope these lessons help you prevent an outbreak in your daycare! Have you got any tips you’d like to share? Please leave them in the comments below!
Want to grow your business and get more involved in the childcare community? 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!
