Early Childhood Business Supports

On the heels of recent public investments into our nation’s childcare and early childhood education infrastructure, many professionals are looking to start or expand childcare businesses in Nebraska.

 

At this time, professionals and business owners tend to rely on simple internet research, existing business connections, and networking to support their start-up and operating needs. The lack of access to networking and awareness of local businesses who offer support to our industry can often lead owners of new and expanding businesses to have more on their plates than necessary—such as a DIY approach to compliance and maintenance that can leave business owners and their staff overworked and burned out before the most necessary work of providing quality care and education even takes place. 

 

It is common in most industries for businesses to have a network of trusted vendors and contractors they do business with—attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers, electricians, plumbers, maintenance workers, janitors, cleaning chemical providers, equipment leasing and maintenance professionals, etc. 

 

Many new childcare operators take on the bulk of these responsibilities themselves, not realizing that this network exists for our industry as well, is oftentimes less cost prohibitive than they would imagine, and the trade off for outsourcing these important compliance tasks can be meaningful for their personal well-being. 

 

The issue we have identified is that if you do not have existing access to this network, the information needed to access it is heavily guarded and gatekept. Here are several real-world examples:

 

• You may be aware that a company exists that will lease you an approved dish washing machine and always ensure you always have effective cleaning chemicals ready, but when you call that company, they route you to a local service provider, who must route you to the cell phone of a salesperson or representative who might not even work at the company anymore. Another childcare provider could have provided you with the phone number of the exact person they speak to every month.

 

• You know you need an approved general liability insurance policy, but when you go online, major insurance providers seem to drag you through several forms collecting your data before you are told they do not provide insurance to childcare, or do not provide those policies in the state of Nebraska. Another childcare provider could have provided you with the name of their local broker who researches, sources, and enacts these policies on your behalf. 

 

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