Earlychildhood NEWS

Home

Hot Topics

Articles

Directors' Choice Awards

About Us / Contact Us

Activities & Curriculum

Activities for Outcome-Based Learning

Arts & Crafts

Music for Learning

Recommended Reading

Sharing Boards:
What Do YOU Think?

NEWSlink

Current National News

Conference Calendar

Topics In Early Childhood Education

Art and Creativity in
Early Childhood Education

Job Sharing Board

State Licensing Requirements


	Stay Connected! Each month we'll send you an email filled with articles and ideas for your classroom. Subscribe Now

Go Back

Post Message

Board Rules

TOP

Date: 11/15/2007 12:32:00 PM

Author: debbie (dq1205@gmail.com)

Subject:Becoming Director/Owner !!!!! Should I take the plunge..

Hi: Hello to all, I'm new around here..... just wanted to have opinions and advice on taking this big plunge. My husband and I are looking at a business oppt. on opening a preschool. The sellers are not business brokers, but experienced PRESCHOOL OPERATORS with three profitable centers already in place . They are trying to build a small chain of 6 to 10 preschools by setting up individuals in their own preschool business. We will receive full training and ongoing support from them. It will be a mutually profitable franchise-like relationship but without the big franchise fees and monthly royalties. All of their preschool/ daycare sites are located in either upscale shopping plazas or in freestanding buildings. They do not require us to have child care experience since we will be part of the support system of a mini chain, and the personal day-to-day help from seasoned operators. The capacity of the center is for 52 -56 children. The seller has handed us a business plan, marketing plan and financial forecast for the next 5 years, and has already secured the retail space. We have given him a $1,000 deposit to secure the space. The next step is to review the lease and sign the contract. I worked as a teachers aid in my college years but have no formal childcare education, well unless you count parenting my 14 and 9 year old girls !!!! But, both my husband and I have degrees in Business Administration and have been in supervisor and managerial positions for the past 15 years, but we think this would be the best way to go into this business. I am in the process of getting certified so that I can work in the center full time. We are looking at hiring 5-to 6 certified pre-school teachers. I would have to work in one of the sellers daycare's for at least 4 weeks (paid) to get a handle on running the business and the day to day.We are looking to have a long term relationship with them in everything from developing curriculums, marketing , staffing, etc. If at the end of the day I feel I am not qualified to be the Director of the center, we would hire a Director and we would stay behind the scenes in managing the business as owners. We have been in talks for the last 4 months with the sellers, and they have always been up front with us, (so far). The sellers are a husband and wife team, she is a Teacher/Registered Nurse/Dietician with more than 15 years experience and he takes care of all the administration of the daycare's and he has been involved in owning businesses for the last 25 years. She has put together a wonderful curriculum for all 3 schools and we visited two of the centers and were very impressed. They have afterschool care and summer camp, VPK and other federal programs. I really feel like this is something I could do and have a passion for and it's not everyday that a successful business owner is willing to part with their proven formula. Do you think that would be enough ?? Thanks for any advice you can send my way....!!!!

TOP

Date: 11/30/2007 12:30:00 PM

Author: Carolyn (carealotcares@aol.com)

Subject:Becoming Director/Owner!! Should I Take the Plunge?!

It would be a high priority, if I were in your place, to secure some early childhood education. One of the sellers of the business you are working with has previous experience as a teacher. That means she has had to take alot of coursework that have to do with understanding children and even families. Being in the early childhood industry for 27 years myself, and having owned and operated small preschools and child care programs, wearing all the hats, includeing that of classroom teacher, I can say that first and foremost you must have a 1) passion for children and families; 2) adequate training and education in the field (without it, you cannnot wrap your brain around the issues that always arise in early learning settings. You will need to have a deeper level of understanding and knowledge of what your staff and teachers are experiencing and what their needs are. I currently own and operate a small preschool. I also am a trainer and consultant in the early childhood field. One of my colleagues who has a high level degree in business, is lacking education in early childhood and wonders why she has difficulty in securing training gigs! It is not surprising to me that it is clearly because she has little experience and education in the field. It hurts her credibility, even though she is a highly intelligent business woman. Here is an ogy, albeit taken from the perspective of working in another field. You are opening a restaurant. You want to be the head chef. Do you have training in food prep and can you hold your own in a large scale kitchen that serves many people? Or does the food smell and look so good that you are excited to jump in, feeling that you have enough 'passion' to pull it off? I'd say with the business background and education you have, stay in administration - but take some college level classes in early childhood. You and your husband would both do well to engage in this learning process. I was lead teacher at a private preschool for 2 years and a married couple were director and business administrators. The woman, director, had a degree from 30 yrs. prior! The husband was a CEO of a major corporation. She needed to come into current best practices by going back to get current classes in early childhood education and he needed to take classes as well. There were clearly difficulties each had in assuming the roles they were took in the business. One final thought.. . . ask yourself what is motivating you to enter into this business situation. Is it that you see the dollar signs of a successful business within your grasp, or is it because you strongly believe in making the best impact on the lives of young children and their families, for whom you need to be comitted to mentoring and continuing your own learning. I wish you the best in your venture, but felt it necessary to help you look at some of the deeper issues that factor into your final decision process.

TOP