How to Start a
Child Day Care Business
1 - 2 - 3

"With our busy lifestyles, well-run day care services are in high-demand." Bookmark This Page A day care business can be filled with lots of down-to-earth fun - not your typical job. No wonder this is such a popular field to get into. Of course there are the basics to starting a day care, but first think about how you can make your business more enjoyable for both you and your clients. This will set your service apart from other child care services in the neighborhood who will be competing with you. For example, would you prefer to work day times, evening or weekends? Do you want to operate a small daycare and work independently, or grow your business larger and hire several employees? What age of children do you want to cater to (maybe provide service for an age group that is not found in your area)? Do you want to provide additional services for parents that they can't find at other day cares. Describe your ideal business and daily routine - your success will largely depend on how much you enjoy your business. There are more families with both parents working full-time jobs, and there is a growing number of single parents in the work force who are unable to be with their kids throughout the day. So it makes sense that the demand for child care has increased. You're likely to find many opportunities to provide childcare service, but with the increased demand comes parents with a greater awareness of health and safety issues - so you want to make sure that you're prepared before you enter this business. So... how to begin your child care business? Learn your business - Research child day cares in your area - what activities do they offer? What features do parents want from a day care and what are their concerns? Interview successful day care business owners or invest in a basic day care business start-up guide that shows you how to plan daily activities, set policies and procedures and determine prices to charge clients. Understanding the "business" side of day care before you start will make your business much easier to run. Find your customers. Since people want their children in the care of someone they trust, referral marketing is the quickest and most effective way to bring in new customers. Word-of-mouth advertising can work fast, so alert everyone you know, and get involved in community volunteer activities, so more people get to know and trust you. Creating printed brochures and business cards will also give you a professional image and help build trust. Call your local government office (city or county) to find out which licenses or permits you need, and they can give you instructions on how to apply. Talk with an insurance agent and banker (you can get referrals from other local business owners or friends) to get helpful tips on insurance requirements and basic business management that will save you time, money and hassles in the long run. Even if you don't plan on setting up a large company, it's worthwhile to meet with knowledgeable advisors who can alert you to important business information you may not know. If done right, owning your own child day care business can be very rewarding - for you, the children and the parents. With a day care, you can start small, and grow at a pace comfortable to you. Learn as you go and have fun with it - after all, it's YOUR business! Start Your Own Daycare Center This business start-up guide leads you step-by-step through starting your own Daycare Center. You get real, valuable, sound advice and practical guidance for starting your own successful child care business. See what you get >> Find out what is required to start your business, how to set policies and procedures and determining what prices to charge How to attract new clients and consistently grow your business Establishing your daily schedule, planning activities for children and how to keep your clients happy How to manage your cash flow, billing and accounting advice and record keeping tips Find out more >> Start a Daycare Business Starting a Day Care Business Checklist: Obtain the necessary business licenses. Requirements for each state vary. YOu can use This Site to locate your state's childcare regulatory office contact information. If you plan to run your day care out of your home, check with your local government office about zoning ordinances and possible land use restrictions Set up a business bank account with your local bank. Make sure that the bank is FDIC is insured. It is important to keep your day care separate from your personal finances. You may be surprised at how many benefits a business bank account can offer you. Often your banker can help with small business loans or financing. Arrange a meeting with an accountant to find out about all possible business tax deductions. Paying for a tax accounting service can actually save you money - so it's well worth the investment. Plus, it make business easier for you. File your fictitious business name with the county clerk at your local city or county government office. They have the forms you need to fill out and can give you instructions on how to complete them. Meet with an insurance agent to discuss insurance you may need for your day care. Start by getting a free business insurance quote online or contacting the IIABA (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America) to find an agent you can talk to. Get a business phone line with voicemail (Compare Phone Services). If you already have a high speed internet connection, Skype offers a great internet service where you can pay under $75/year for unlimited calls within the US and Canada - plus voicemail. Order business cards - it's an extremely low-cost way to advertise a business. See how you can design your own professional business cards online, including easy "selling" tips >> Free Business Cards Professionalize your daycare by getting a website. Save money by creating your own website with simple online design programs, or outsource the job to affordable website designers. This low-cost marketing resource can help you get more customers by offering them information and answering questions about your business at their convenience which can help to gain their trust . Get a Never-Ending Stream of Day Care Clients... Without Ever Having to Sell? "Referrals" are the answer - but there's an easier, actually fun way to go about it. You may be surprised. Here's How: David Frey is one of my favorite small business marketing experts. He's always finding creative ways to grow a small business, and usually his tactics are free and really simple. He never ceases to amaze me, so much that I'm glued to his video newsletter every single month. He has put all of his referral-getting strategies in a package, perfect for day care business owners. It's awesome, and you can see his free video about it here >> Instant Referral System. Day Care Business Resources to Save You Money: Get a Business License How to Incorporate Your Business Small Business Loans Design Your Own Logo $25 Credit to Advertise on Yahoo Accounting Software Easy Payroll Online 300 Ready-to-Use Business Forms for $29 Essential Agreements & Contracts 800 Phone Numbers, 4¢/minute Find Local Customers Online Accept Credit Cards Free Business Insurance Quotes How to Set Up a Website Hire Help the Easy Way: Easily find a team of experts to help you build your business - virtually. Save money in overhead costs, get work done more quickly and eliminate payroll hassles. Website Designers and Software Developers Marketers, Salespeople and Telemarketers Accounting and Bookkeeping Assistants People to handle Customer Service and Administrative Tasks oDesk makes outsourcing easy and affordable so you can grow your business faster. Get a Free Tour, Post a Job Another Way to Cut Your Daycare Business Expenses: Any time you cut business expenses, you have the opportunity to increase your returns. This "formula" can apply when you're first launching your start-up, or in your company's day-to-day business operations. Most smart day care businesses are on constant lookout for ways they can run their businesses more efficiently, which often comes down to cutting costs. In today's struggling and unpredictable economic market, it makes even more sense to watch one's pocketbook. This is probably why bartering is becoming so popular. In fact, lots of barter exchange websites like BizXchange have popped up to assist "barterers" find the products or services they need, and then easily transact the exchange. See More About How You Can Barter Get Products at Wholesale Browse By Topic: Closeout Daycare Toys Children's Books Daycare Furniture General Merchandise Other Wholesale Day Care Business Associations National Association of Childcare Professionals The NACCP is the nation's leader among associations serving child care owners, directors, and administrators. The organization's goal is to improve, enhance and strengthen the credibility of the people who lead the child care industry by providing membership services and benefits Child Day Care Association Child Day Care Association (CDCA) was founded in 1969 as a result of the deep interest of a number of child care center directors in establishing a central organization for child care. National Association for Family Child Care The National Association for Family Child Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.