Business coaching Services in SF Bay Area

In-Home vs. Center vs. Franchise: Which Daycare Option Is Better?

If you are thinking to follow your career plan of running a daycare but puzzled among in-home, center, and franchise, walk through the article and find the right option. Running a preschool is complicated; however, the information will get your work done by half.

Home-Based Daycare:

First, you have to decide whether you want a daycare or childcare. The term daycare is largely used for commercial services having a specific time for activities, meals, and other structured things distributed throughout the day. Supervising children is the primary task of childcare centers. That’s how these are different from each other.

For a home-based daycare, you would require a license for facilities, people, and staff. Every state has a set of protection laws and also an agency to issue a license. The home, which will be used for managing the activities, should belong to you. By making a few efforts, you can visualize your passion of taking care of children in your city.

It’s important to fully insure your childcare business. This will help you to get employee compensation as well as unemployment insurance. For more assistance, you can seek help from Marilyn Randolph, who provides small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area.

Small Business Coaching Services in SF Bay Area

Daycare Center

If you want to run a self-owned childcare center, there are many important factors that you have to consider. This facility comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks. A separate daycare center can provide you a great relief at the end of the day. These are big-sized centers, so you’ll need staff for taking care of all the activities of children inside the organization. Having staff or teachers to take care of children and other business activities means you don’t have to be worried when you are sick. The teachers will take full responsibilities in your absence.

Since these centers are entirely into commercial activities, late and missed payments don’t happen. You will need to have physical policies in place and also an asset for various operations, state regulations, and other running expenses. So, you will need a little more money to completely set up your venture.

There are many groups providing business coaching services in SF Bay Area. You can contact to any of these in order to have a clear picture to follow your passion.

Franchise Preschool

With a franchise, you may be working with a brand with an established identity in your city or state and country as well. Such centers have strong brand identity so you don’t need to make more efforts to market yourself and collect clients. Franchises have already set their rules and regulations for taking care of kids. So you only have to follow them. The parent company may likely to provide you with various invaluable resources to successfully enjoy your passion.

If you are still not sure about your choices, contact us. Marilyn Randolph has been working in the family childcare business for the last 25 years and help people like you through childcare business coaching services in the SF Bay Area. Contact her today!

A Beginner’s Guide on How to Start a Childcare Center

Do you find yourself affectionate toward children? Are you planning to start a new business? Then opening a childcare center is a good option for you. Only 2 in 5 children stay at home with their parents as the number of single-parents and working parents is rising every year. This has led them to enroll their kids in daycare centers.

Running this business can be challenging or overwhelming for you. And increasing number of daycare centers in your local area will pose a big challenge for your new business. What’s now? As a provider of small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area, we offer you this ultimate and step-by-step guide on how to start a daycare center and fulfill your dream.

#Step 1

Learn and Educate Yourself

This is the most important steps to start with. As an aspiring small business owner, you will need help from professionals. Know your competitors, their businesses, offerings, and learn every crucial aspect related to daycare activity.

You can seek help from providers of business coaching services in the SF Bay Area. Business coaches like ‘Marilyn Randolph’ have long been working for aspiring entrepreneurs like you. Their guidance and expert help will fast-track the process.

#Step 2

Contact Childcare Licensing Agency

Once you are done with the knowledge part, look into licensing process. You can also visit the websites of license-issuing authorities that legalize such businesses in a few simple methods. However, you will be asked to submit important certificates and documents to go ahead.

#Step 3

Create Budget, Financial Goals, Tax Credit

You cannot be pointless. Financial planning is important. Your business will be successful when you create a budget and outline the financial goals. From hiring staff, renting space to purchasing furniture and toys, everything should be planned and included in your budget.

Marilyn Randolph, provider of small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area, says that an extra 20-30% budget is a good choice to run a business safely. She also says having a track on taxes can also give you a safe-side and also the picture of expansion you would need in the future.

#Step 4

Make Yourself Stand Apart

According to the latest data of the “U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics”, daycare is a fast growing industry and it will have the fastest employment in 2022. This means childcare provider is going to be a good career-option; however, you need to provide services that distinguish the identity.

Do a little research about what your competitors have and what they don’t. Figure out what can make ‘you’ the first choice in your local area and then work on it. Try to provide maximum advantages to new parents and great offers to existing ones (in the future).

#Step 5

Get Your Business Advertised

Target potential customers and follow the right marketing plans. Being repeatedly in front of your targeted audience helps you get more prospects and customers. Create a website, make local search engine optimization done, get a social identity, participate in the events conducted in your local area, focus on enlarging the network, and do what you can to make your business noticed. Your success is nowhere if you fail to get noted, so work on it.

Constantly track the procedure, focus on achievements, try introducing more lucrative advantages to new parents, and provide maximum benefits to children at your daycare center.

Conclusion

A large number of people start this business, but they leave it in the middle because of lack of guidance, support and professional help. Remember that there’s no blueprint for success. You need to follow one step after another to reach your goal. Have a great start, maintain the extent and let things go favorably. For more help or consultation on small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area, click contact us, leave query and get the help you need.

Your Guide to Starting a Childcare Center in the SF Bay Area

Do you love children? Does caring for them inspire you? If you answered yes to these questions, then you should start a childcare center. If you live in the SF Bay Area, you would probably know that the supply of care providers in this location does not match the demand for child care needs. This means you have good chances of running a successful family child care center here. Here is what it takes to get started in the childcare business.

#1 Research About the Demand

To estimate the demand for childcare services in your area or neighborhood, visit the Local Child Care Planning Council (LPC). They will provide you information about the counties with the highest demands and the priorities you need to fulfill to meet those demands. Search for large family child care centers in the SF Bay Area at California Community Care Licensing Division. This would help you find out the locations where you should not open a center. Select a location where you have higher chances of running a profitable center.

#2 Understand the Business Structure

There are two types of child care business that you can start in your area: childcare center or family child care in home-setting. Child care centers have multi-classroom facility where children are grouped together with same-age peers and some have mixed age group classrooms. Family child care centers have standard indoor and outdoor playgrounds and provide individualized care to each children. If you are starting out your own business, we would recommend you to go for small, family day care center to offer pesonalized care to the children in your community.

#3 Get Licenses and Permits

The Child Care Licensing Division (CCLD) of the Department of Social Services (DSS) provide permits and licenses to childcare centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and all the counties of California. First, you have to attend an orientation class offered by the CCLD and then apply for licensing after successfully completing its session. In the application, provide the following information – type of child care center (or day care) you want to open, number of children you are planning to look after, age groups of those children, property information (rent, lease or it is your own), whether it is a for-profit or non-profit business, and other compliance and health & safety information.

#4 Undergo Training

There are strict laws around operating a child care center in California, whether it a small one or large day care center. You must be above 18 years of age and need to undergo criminal background verification. You must show past clearance cerificate for child or sex abuse and submit fingerprints. You will have to attend health training programs for emergency preparedness, first aid, CPR, child nutrition, health issues, sanitary, and more. Your child care setting will be inspected by a professional to see if it meets all the regulations stated by CCLD, is free from hazards and has good fencing and safety features.

#5 Take Help

Starting a child care business is a big deal and may seem overwhelming seeing all the regulations and requirements that you have to meet before your center becomes operational. I, Marilyn Randolph, am a child care professional and have been in the business for more than 25 years now. I provide small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area to help business owners like you make their dream a reality. From business planning, licensing, enrollments, marketing to understanding taxes & liabilities, I can help you with everything. Sign up for my child care business coaching program here.

Conclusion

The demand for child care is high in California and there are good chances that you can achieve success in this business with proper guidance and training. I can assist you with all your needs – how to conduct research, obtain license, get permits, undergo inspections, decide your business structure, increase enrolments, and more – by providing small business coaching services in the SF Bay Area. Schedule an appointment here.

3 Tips on How to Increase Enrolment in Your Child Care Center

Do you have an amazing child care center with caring staff members? Do you provide child care services at super affordable rates? But still you are not able to increase enrolments? Increasing enrolment isn’t based on the hit-and-trial method. It requires proper planning and strategic steps to multiply the number of children enrolling in your daycare every month. Being the owner of a Family Day Care center since 1984 and providing business coaching services in the SF Bay Area, I can tell you some proven tips to acquire more children and boost your revenue.

Here are the tips that you need to stay ahead of your competitors:

Engage with the Community

There can be dozens of child care centers or preschools in your area. You have to tell the families in your neighborhood why your day care is better than others. Families seek for a facility to entrust their children’s early childhood education and health. If you can build an authentic connection with them through regular workshops or small events, then you can easily attract, convert, and delight more families to your daycare center. I often participate and volunteer in family camps, therapeutic services, mentorship programs, workshops, and education forums to strengthen my position as a premier child care service provider in the SF Bay Area. In the process, I get in touch with so many families. I try to create a solid connection with them, which helps me to build a pipeline of opportunities.

Stay Social

Strong social connections make a huge difference in the popularity of your business. Sharing photos of children on Facebook, Instagram or other social channels is a great way to market your child care program. Word of mouth marketing spreads like a fire, and if it is on social media, it works even better. Ask your existing families to share their reviews on your social media pages. Their personal recommendations will boost your business exposure on social media and may help you to increase enrolments. Don’t forget to give rewards to the parents if they refer a new family to your daycare. Social media is also a great channel to know what are the needs of your customers and if your child care programs are able to meet those needs.

Provide Incentives to Families

Parents’ journey starts when they sign up for your child care program. You have to cultivate the relationship with the parents to make them stay longer and get referrals. So, how can you do this? Communicate with them about their children’s achievements and strengths, and provide all the important information of the entire day. Provide incentives in the form of discounts and offers to retain existing families and attract new children. For example, you can offer free pick-up and drop-off facility if they pay for 6 months in advance.

These enrolment-centric tips will definitely help you expand your child care center and improve revenue.

I own a child care business and I know what comes with running and managing a child care center. To succeed in this business, it is important to have the support of an experienced coach. That’s why I have created personalized child care business coaching services in SF Bay Area to help you start your own daycare.

Sign-up today for your 1-to-1 child care business coaching session with me here.