Do you sometimes feel like some sort of prison warden inside your childcare business? If you’re nodding, I’d imagine it’s because you are lacking in robust Staff Policies. Yikes!
So this week’s theme is all about how you can create policies that help your business but also ensure that your All Star team are supported.
What’s happening in your childcare business?
Instead of focusing on being the best leader you can, you’ve more often than not found yourself wagging your fingers or yelling orders at your team because you’re too busy.
And sometimes you’ve done the polar opposite – being such a “friend” that nobody on your team is listening to a word you say. Neither of these situations is sustainable, or practical and I very much doubt that they’ll produce the positive results you desire for your childcare business to thrive.
Where are you at on this scale? What policies do you have in place already and where are the gaps?
Think about the behaviours of your team
What are the behaviours you’re seeing in your daycare that you’d like to see less of? Have you got policies in place to deal with this? Have you discussed the issue? Make sure you officially address the behaviour you don’t want to see in the workplace. Be matter of fact. This is not about laying blame, it’s about looking for solutions. If this is an expectation that keeps falling behind, you probably need to have a proper policy in place. You might even need to do some training.
So when you’re starting to write your staff policies, think about which behaviours would you like to see. And when you publish your policy and hand it out to your team, ask for feedback about whether they feel they might need training on any of the points that come up. Do they want individual conversations or a whole team training?
Create staff policies that work for everyone
I know it might be controversial, but I don’t believe the staff policies you put in place should be about control. For me, it’s about developing policies that ensure my business can thrive. But it’s also about putting measures in place that help my team understand and feel understood.
Have you got really clear job descriptions for each of your team members? And have they all seen what their role requires (since their interview!)? Do they know what they should be doing when the children are having naps? Have they got all the info they need to perform to the best of their ability? Or are your policies all a bit muddled? Let’s make sure there’s clarity all round!
Do an environment audit
Is the daycare space impacting on your staff behaviour? Take a look around the whole space. Are there particular places where the behaviours you’re not a fan of are happening? Is there anything you can do to change the room around that might help improve behaviour?
It sounds silly but sometimes it can be something as simple as creating a more open space so that your team know you can see them. Or perhaps they don’t feel they can leave their belongings anywhere safe. Meaning they carry their phones in their pockets as it makes them feel more secure. Could you invest in staff lockers?
Why you need to hold space for your staff
It’s the goal of most childcare business owners to grow an all star team and we want to build teams who follow our policies so we don’t have to be a warden in our centers. Sometimes we have to also consider the emotional aspect of working with others and use that to help our staff feel and be their best.
Imagine one of your team members keeps checking their phone a lot. This goes against your policy but behind the scenes they’ve got a challenging situation going on at home. By getting to know your staff and knowing a bit about them and their interests outside of the workplace will help you have a better understanding of what’s happening.
This means you’ll be able to treat them as a whole human not just as an employee. We do tend to bring our home life to work – it’s the nature of the game! So by creating an environment where your team feels supported is the best strategy. That way, they can talk to you about what’s going on in their personal life because that something may be having an impact on their job.
So as you create your staff policies, while also serving your clients and protecting your business, do make sure you hold space for your team too!
Watch this weeks Nyckie’s Monday Moves Youtube where I’m diving into the process of creating childcare staff policies. Ones that will help you get the results needed for that ALL STAR TEAM your childcare business deserves. Check it out here:
As promised here is this week’s FREE resource to help you create staffing policies that produce the desired results from your All Star Team. ENJOY… 👉🏽 👉🏽👉🏽 CLICK HERE FOR THE FREEBIE
Listen, I know that sometimes being a home daycare provider can feel lonely and overwhelming. Getting connected with other childcare owners can really be a game changer to help you gain strategies and tips to move your daycare business forward.
That’s why I set up my community over on Facebook, 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!
There’s one main thing that can totally help you stay on track inside your childcare business. Are you doing it, Ninja? It’s ok, don’t panic! I wasn’t either in the beginning. But now I make sure that I’m using all kinds of workflow systems to help me stay on top of things. Read on to find out how to setup your very own childcare workflow for success!
I wish I’d known 15 years ago how much having a workflow would help me! Since I started implementing them I’ve grown my business massively and don’t know where I’d be without them.
So what are you waiting for?! Let’s get started right now…
Nyckie, what is a workflow?!
Simply put, a workflow is a way of making your day more efficient. A business workflow is a repeatable process that consists of a series of tasks that generally need to be completed in a specific sequence. You map out your processes – for everything – and then you’ve got a workflow to ensure things get done!
Workflows are useful for making sure that those important processes you rely on are done the right way – every single time. An example: you may want to define a process workflow for onboarding new employees. You want to make sure that all your new employees get all the info, policies, and resources they need!
So, now you know: a workflow isn’t a plan for the kids, it’s a flow of work for you. The purpose is to ensure your daycare runs smoothly and your business is successful! What are you waiting for, Ninja?!
Write it all down
Start off by writing everything down. Break down all the tasks your team have to do on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. How often? By whom?
Look at your monthly views in your planner. What needs to get done in each month? Payroll? Team meetings? Taxes? Training? Each month is different! And don’t forget about those special days each month – Thanksgiving, National Poetry Day, Valentines, Black History Month… Maybe you’ll want to create some activities based round these or get a guest in. If you’ve got it written down, you won’t forget!
Theme your days
I have a theme for each day of the week. For example, Mondays for me are marketing days. I take a look at what needs doing so I can stay visible and keep my day care centers on people’s radars. What do I want to post? I focus on what needs doing for my marketing each Monday. Tuesdays are for teamwork! I meet up with team members and update paperwork. Wednesdays is my client day, so I focus on emailing potential families back or getting in touch with people who’ve been in for a tour.
Thursdays is my facilities day. So I work on things that relate to inspections – paperwork, asking questions. And I also use that time to do facility paperwork or practical tasks – like ordering lightbulbs! Sometimes I reflect on how things are working in the facilities – are the plans we have working? Do I need to work on the building itself and remodel? My Friday focus is finance!
I’ve just shared my themed days with you, but I now have all this down on my Trello. Each theme has a board and then I add tasks to the list that come up to the appropriate board and I then work on those as I go! I used to find using tech really hard for my workflows, but now I get in and open up my boards and I can see what has to get done! Once you’ve figured out your themed tasks then you can plug them into your week. I show you exactly how I do mine here!
There are other tools that I know people use, and I hear great things. There’s Asana, Monday, Hive, and more… You’ve got all the tech right at your fingertips! Imagine if I’d had these tools 15 years ago!
Hopefully you can now see how you can run a daycare successfully using a workflow! Have fun with the template and try out implementing your workflow with tech to help you stay organized.
Don’t forget your freebie!
I’ve created you a FREE RESOURCE to help you start and scale your home childcare business successfully. So don’t forget to grab this week’s FREE resource: my Ultimate Childcare Workflow Template. Get your copy now by clicking here. Enjoy!
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!
One of the most scary things about starting a daycare is the childcare paperwork. I remember that just the thought of it 15 years ago would give me the heebie-jeebies. But it really doesn’t have to be that way!
By figuring out what will help you stay organized and what works for you, you can get into a rhythm sooner rather than later.
I totally get it! It all feels overwhelming and the fear is eating you up and causing you to procrastinate! And that’s why my focus this week is on helping prevent you from becoming a slave to the childcare paperwork!
Start now, not later
For so long, I didn’t implement systems into my business. I was literally coming in to work everyday with zero plans for my day, living on a wing and a prayer. So I was struggling, because like good old Benjamin Franklin said, “those who fail to plan, plan to fail”.
As my business started growing, it became harder and harder to keep up with the ever increasing amount of childcare paperwork . I knew that if I didn’t get control of it soon, I was really going to be headed for a disaster. This is why it became so important for me to figure out what I could create or learn, to keep my paperwork in order, simple.
And we all know that when it comes to paperwork, getting it right sooner is definitely better than later. So start now!
Avoid being a copycat
The first thing I did was start researching what other people were doing to see why they could make it work. Long story short – I couldn’t. I tried to copy their methods but it just didn’t work for me! It was a game changer realizing that I had to do what worked for me…period.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to childcare paperwork. Everyone is different! However, the more options I had at my disposal, the easier it became for me to figure out what my paperwork “style” was. I give some tips and ideas in this week’s Youtube episode to help you fill your arsenal. But keep in mind that whatever system you use to take control of your paperwork, it has to work for you, so find one that comes natural to you.
Don’t force someone else’s style onto yourself! It will never work for the long-haul. And I’m sure you’re in this childcare game for the long-haul too right?!
Write down the essentials
Ok, so you need paper, a pen, and a Sharpie for this bit! Start by writing down the different areas of your business and begin formalizing your systems!
Grab your copy of your state’s childcare regulations and go through it checking the statutory paperwork required. Every state is different, but most will have similar things: procedures, agreements, forms… All things that are needed to keep the kids in your care safe.
Then you need to think about what paperwork YOU need for running your business. Payments, marketing, taxes, facility maintenance, etc. all need their own paperwork! So if you write it all down you can get clear on where to start. You’re also going to need paperwork to help your team stay at the top of their game. Get all of this written out and then you can begin with the organization!
Use back-to-school stationery
I’m a big fan of back-to-school shopping and I used to love helping my kids get organized for school! But don’t forget about all those everyday essentials when it comes to organizing your childcare paperwork. You can use stationery to help you stay on top of the seemingly endless mountain!
Once you’ve written out a list of all the different areas of your business and figured out state requirements, you need to start files. You might be a folder file kinda person, but I’m a binder woman myself! I like the way you can have dividers to separate out different sections. Use pockets for checklists and making sure the binder has everything you need in it. Smaller binders work well if you have one for each child. I use a larger heavy duty lever arch one for my finances!
Keeping all your paperwork for each area of your business separate makes it easier to find things! Label the sides of your folders really clearly so you can just grab them straight off the bookshelf.
Hopefully you can see that taking everyday back-to-school supplies and implementing them into your paperwork system works! Sorting out the paperwork side of running your childcare business doesn’t have to stress you out. It may take you a little trial and error to figure out what is best for you but I believe that sharing this info will give you a head start on figuring that out. For more tips on systems and getting organized, head here.
Hop over to my Youtube channel for even more information to help you set up your childcare business for success! Of course while you’re there be sure to SUBSCRIBE and grab my FREE Back-to-school supplies checklist!
If you want to hang out with like-minded and aspirational childcare business owners, come and get involved in the community over on Facebook! 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!
None of us go into the childcare business lightly. And we certainly don’t tend to enter this industry if we lack passion for children and families! We love the kids we work with, right? To a point, the job itself is a reward. But what are the other rewards of being a childcare business owner?
There are plenty of reasons —outside of the families we work with— that make owning a childcare business awesome. I wanted to share them with you because I think sometimes being a childcare owner is underrated and underestimated! Not only do we get to have fun occasionally, but the potential to make more than just a decent living.
So what are the top 5 rewards of being a childcare business owner? Read on to find out…
Reward 1: Family
I’d bet my bottom dollar that you and I both share our why. Is your raison d’être family too? My family was the the spark that lit the fire in my belly and kept me pushing through the challenges. As a single parent, I knew I needed to build a stable life for them. I wanted to be at all of their sports games, attend every recital — I didn’t want to miss a thing! And because I started my day care instead of slaving away in a low wage desk job, I was able to do just that! I could treasure family time.
Coming back to your why is incredibly powerful. When you have a strong why, you have the strength to persevere. You have a motivator that makes you try that little bit harder! If you haven’t watched these two TED talks, here and here, I highly recommend you do.
I honestly believe that starting your own day care business gives you the flexibility and freedom you deserve to have with your family. I want that flexibility for you too, Ninja! Which leads me nicely to the second reward of being a childcare owner…
Reward 2: Flexibility
Being able to enjoy your family and put them front and center is top of the agenda, but to do more of that we need more time. And that is a huge factor that you can gain once your childcare business is up and running.
Y’all know that time is precious. In fact it’s the most priceless commodity we have. What would you give to gain more time with your family, and doing the things you love? Of course there are challenges to get to the stage where you’ve got more free time, but when you get there it tastes so sweet! Trust me!
In my Facebook group you’ll find that I’ve shared how I overcame the challenges to get to where I am today. Do you want flexibility too?
Reward 3: Financial freedom
Here’s the tea: It’s hard to get wealthy just with a job by itself. When I was working my 9-5, the thing that stood out to me was that I earned a set wage. I could work harder and be more productive with my time, but it would still be the same. If I was lucky I’d maybe get a 3-5% increase and the odd bonus on occasion. I didn’t want to be stuck in a job I hated struggling to get by, knowing that my daughters were missing out on the things they wanted.
When I started my childcare business (almost 15 years ago!) this is something I desperately wanted and needed! I barely thought about anything else but FREEDOM! So, I wonder if you dream of FREEDOM? Freedom to set your own schedule? Freedom to take time off knowing your income isn’t just relying on you? Freedom to spend money on what matters, when it matters? Freedom to go to your kids school events without asking for time off?
Earning more and having these opportunities has been another wonderful benefit of being a childcare owner. With hard work and self-belief, my business grew and became more successful. Holidays, nice clothes, or a spacious home weren’t an option before I started my biz.
I’m here reminding you today that it’s really possible to OWN your finances! YOU can determine your income. If I can do it, I know you can too. You got this!
Reward 4: Legacy
One of the biggest reasons I started this business was to leave a legacy for my girls. I wanted to create something amazing that I could pass down to my children. Something that they can inherit and build upon. Something successful that enables them to live a fulfilling life that they love too!
I am driven by a passion to pass on generational wealth, which is POWERFUL. Particularly as women. And even more so if you’re a woman of color. These things matter! Leaving a legacy is a massive reward of being a childcare owner.
Dunno about you, but I never want my kids to burn out working a depressing 9-5. I don’t want to see them busting their gut all day long just to put food on the table. I want more for my kids. Don’t you?
Do you have a legacy to leave to your children yet, Ninja?
Reward 5: Empower women
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security — it’s nothing short of life-changing. As my business shifted a few years back to this new place in the grand plan, I just knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this!
My team is made up of brilliant women. I love working with them and providing them with the tools they need to excel. But I craved being able to help more women. Women like you. Women with a dream of something bigger. It’s why I began working on group programmes and now I’m opening my Ninja membership – so I can support more women to achieve what I’ve done!
Which rewards of being a childcare owner are you looking forward to most?
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security, it’s life-changing.
As my business shifted to this place I knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this! This is why I have created my Club membership for Childcare Ninjas. It is all the learning you need to start and grow your childcare business, all the inspiration, motivation, and kick in the butt you need to keep going, and it is direct access to me so you are not alone.
I am also offering the Founding Members lifetime access at this incredible price of just $28 per month!
Yaaassssssssssssssss!! You did indeed read that correctly!! You ought to snap this incredible offer up pronto! We kick off on 1st June so hurry scurry now! Invest in yourself as a founding member…
On my own childcare business journey I have faced many obstacles along the way! And in helping other childcare owners for the last decade or so I’ve been able to observe what the four biggest challenges are that get in the way of success.
I’m going to share them with you in the hope that, because you have a heads up, you can overcome these challenges more effectively and efficiently!
So what exactly are the 4 biggest challenges you’ll face as a childcare business owner?
Read on to find out what they are and how you can successfully deal with them!
Challenge #1: FEAR
One of the biggest challenges I faced when starting my childcare business was F.E.A.R. Not just your average “oh no, I’m scared of the snake” kinda fear. I’m talking about what F.E.A.R. actually is! And that’s: False Expectation About Reality.
You see, Ninja, what happens with FEAR is your brain magnifies it. Imagine blowing something up, totally out of proportion! That’s EXACTLY what our brains are hard-wired to do. It’s how we survived as a human race! This makes the “risk” feel so much bigger than it actually is and you get more anxious, more concerned and more scared. It does this to protect you.
And I get the fear too. Perhaps a fear of the unknown, the uncertain. Fear of failure, and fear of judgement. But when that niggling little voice raises its ugly head, this is when you need to trust yourself, believe in yourself and have the courage to take the uncomfortable action. Because the other side of fear is magnificent.
Take that one teeny tiny step. By doing that, you can move to the other side of fear… and let me tell ya – the view is glorious!
Challenge #2: SELF-BELIEF
This challenge is one I come across all the time. Self-belief is something we all need to nurture within ourselves. No one else can give it to you. It’s like a muscle that needs flexing. You’ve gotta warm it up to get the most out of it!
So, you’ve been thinking about starting a childcare business…Actually, you’ve been more than thinking about it: you KNOW deep down that you WANT to do this.
For me, it wasn’t just about wanting to, I had to. I was an unemployed single mom who had no choice but to provide for my children. But I was scared. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. However, I made a promise to myself, and that promise was that I would never again work for someone else. I had to make it work and I had to believe in myself.
You need to make that promise to yourself, Ninja. In order to live up to that promise you need to BELIEVE in YOU.
Take a moment right now…ready? Close your eyes. Imagine you start your childcare business. Really visualize it! It’s amazing, right?! And then picture yourself opening another daycare centre. Suddenly you’ve got multiple childcare centres…are you feeling this?!
Now you have the flexibility and freedom you’ve been craving. You’ve got the success, and it’s all down to you. Because you’re AWESOME. Are you seeing this? This is you, and you can do this, I know you can. You have to believe in yourself. You got this, and I got you!
Challenge #3: MONEY
One of the biggest reasons I hear from ambitious women about what’s holding them back is: “I don’t have the money”. Ninjas, this is a safety excuse. I get it, I do. This helps you to protect yourself. Sometimes it’s a genuine problem – putting food on the table and a roof over our heads comes first, right? However in most cases this isn’t what’s actually going on.
So I want to ask you something. Remember the last time you downloaded something free? It might’ve been a free e-book, a course, whatever it was. Did you complete it? Did you give you it 100% of your efforts? NO!
I can tell you the very simple reason why. It’s because you didn’t invest in it.
Now let me ask you something else: what is NOT GETTING STARTED costing you? Ninjas, I had no money when I first set out as a business owner. Nada. Zilch. Zero! I learned all the tricks to get this thing going from home on a shoestring budget. I made small investments and made sure I got a good return on my money. The old adage, “you’ve got to speculate to accumulate” is famous for a reason, after all!
As such, investing in myself now has become the single most important place my money goes these days. You’ll see. For now, just remember you get in life what you focus on. So I highly recommend starting to focus on abundance, learning and taking action. You got this!
Challenge #4: IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Have you heard about this buzz word? Imposter Syndrome? In nutshell, it means: I don’t think I’m QUALIFIED or CREDIBLE or GOOD ENOUGH to do this. Are you kidding Ninja?
Are you a go-getter? Do you love and have a passion for children? Perhaps you’re a mom too? Then you can absolutely do this! Imposter syndrome happens when you spend too much time looking around you at what everyone else is doing. Stay in your lane. In fact, SLAY in your lane!
And sometimes it happens when you’re trying to reach everyone and as a result don’t actually connect with anyone. So narrow down your target focus. Think about who you’re trying to reach to grow your business. In your daycare, which kids do you want in there? Where will you find their parents? How can you help these parents? What problem are you solving for them? What will make your childcare centre unique and stand out? By narrowing this down, you’ll feel more confident and passionate to do this!
Another thing you can do to combat the imposter syndrome, is join our Club Membership. When you’re walking this journey alone it can be very overwhelming. But when you’re in a family with women on the same road as you, you will feel confident and empowered! Let’s do this! Sisterhood for the win!
I’d love to know which of the 4 biggest challenges you’ve found the hardest so far?
If you are ready to get to the other side of fear and get your childcare centre started click here and join The Club membership – a place for childcare business owners to come together, be inspired, learn and get empowered!
Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
