| When making the decision to go into the child care | | | | business model before proceeding with the preparation |
| business you first need to consider a variety of | | | | of a business plan. |
| important factors that can help you to decide if child | | | | Other Basic Child Care Startup Considerations |
| care is the right business for you. | | | | 1) Home-based or rented premises? Running a |
| Owning and running your own child care center can be | | | | commercial daycare business requires a large |
| an extremely satisfying and rewarding experience, but | | | | investment and you may be best to start off with a |
| not everyone is cut out for working in this industry. | | | | home-based service and then work up to eventually |
| Below are some of the factors that can determine | | | | opening in rented premises. Wherever you open your |
| whether an individual is suited to this business. | | | | child care or daycare center make sure that you are |
| Before taking the plunge and getting set up with your | | | | in compliance with local zoning laws. |
| own child care business ask yourself the following six | | | | 2) What kind of legal structure will be suitable for your |
| questions. | | | | center? This will depend on many factors and you |
| Child Care Business Success Factors | | | | should seek advice from an accountant or lawyer |
| 1) Do you have leadership skills? As the manager of a | | | | before deciding to go with a sole-proprietorship, a |
| child care center you will be taking on a leadership role | | | | partnership or a 'limited liability' company. It is likely that |
| with both your staff and the children. | | | | you will also be required to have a business license to |
| 2) Are you hardworking and organized? Setting up | | | | run a daycare in your state. |
| and managing a child care center requires a lot of | | | | 3) Location. Is it possible to run a small child care center |
| effort. You must be able to manage your time and | | | | from your home or will you have to rent commercial |
| resources in a way that maximizes productivity and | | | | premises? Even though many organizations such as |
| keeps things organized. | | | | companies, universities and hospitals have set up |
| 3) Are you in good health? It is a fact of life that | | | | daycares on-site many parents still prefer to use a |
| children get sick more than adults and colds can | | | | service closer to their home. So the question here is, |
| spread around daycare centers like wildfire. Being fit | | | | do you set up close to where families live or close to |
| and healthy will ensure that your immune system is | | | | where parents work? |
| strong and that you can avoid getting sick too often. | | | | 4) Operating hours. You really need to do some |
| Good health will also give you the energy to lead the | | | | market research to find out some more about when |
| business lifestyle of a child care center owner. | | | | your services will be needed by local people. Some |
| 4) Can you keep cool in a crisis? To be successful in | | | | parents may want to drop children off very early in |
| daycare or any business for that matter you should | | | | the morning before they go to work and others will |
| ideally be someone who will not panic in an | | | | want to pick them up late so it is likely that you will |
| emergency. | | | | have to be open for long hours. If you are not |
| 5) Do you have sufficient funding to start the | | | | interested in such long hours you could target mothers |
| business? You will need to ensure that you have | | | | who are working part time and only need your |
| enough cash to cover your living costs in the early | | | | services for part of the day. Depending on the size of |
| stages as well before your business becomes | | | | your market their may also be the opportunity to offer |
| profitable. | | | | weekend care if parents require it. |
| 6) Do you enjoy working with children? Are you able | | | | Successful businessmen and women take time to |
| to take responsibility for, and take care of other | | | | carefully evaluate an opportunity and to make sure |
| people's children like they were your own? Depending | | | | that it is compatible with them. Understanding the |
| on the age groups that you are working with you may | | | | factors that will improve your chances of success is |
| have to take care of them physically, discipline them, | | | | the key to making a great start. Ensure that opening a |
| educate them or play with them. | | | | child care center is a positive and profitable experience |
| Once you have decided that you are suited to opening | | | | for you by knowing exactly what you have to do to |
| and running a child care center you can then consider | | | | succeed. |
| the following four factors to come up with a basic | | | | |