Did you know that around 4.8 million children attend an organized daycare facility? If you are looking to start your own at-home daycare but are not sure where to start, you are in the right place. We have put together this short guide to share the essential steps for starting a daycare.
Keep reading to learn how to start a daycare.
1. Business Plan
One of the first steps is to sit down and write up your business plan. This is how you will determine what you need and how you are going to operate your daycare business. Make sure your daycare center business plan includes your goals, marketing plan, overhead costs, revenue streams, how you will measure progress, potential problems, and licensing requirements for your local area.
2. Business Structure
Next, you will have to choose the business structure you prefer. Most at-home childcare centers are registered as sole proprietorships or LLCs. An LLC is a great route because no one can go after your personal assets in the event of a lawsuit.
LLCs also help you avoid dealing with double taxes of a corporation. Before you apply for an LLC you will have to get a general business license and the child care license that your state requires.
3. Name Your Business and Register
You will have to come up with a name for your daycare as well. This is important because it is how parents will judge your business. Make sure you choose a name that is easy to remember and understand.
Once you choose your name, then you can register your business and open a business bank account. You will also need to get an Employee Identification Number (EIN) because it will be used to fill out your tax forms. This EIN is something you can get online through the IRS website.
4. Purchase Equipment
Next, you can start shopping for daycare items. You will need things such as:
- Markers
- Crayons
- Paper
- Binders
- Cleaning Supplies
- First Aid Kits
- Toys
- Mats
- Snacks
- Beverages
- Food
- Books
- Tables
Nowadays you can easily shop from the comfort of home or go in person to places like Target, Ikea, or Walmart.
5. Marketing
This is a very important step because if you do not have any students then you won’t have a business. You can market across different social media platforms and use ads to promote your business to your local area.
Also, take the time to create a professional website that is appealing and attractive to parents. You can also add a blog to your website to help increase your site’s SEO strategy as well.
Ready to Start Your Own Daycare?
We hope that now that you have our top essential steps on starting a daycare, you are feeling more confident and ready to start your at-home daycare.
If this blog post came in handy make sure to browse the rest of our business section to make sure you do not miss any of our latest reads and tips.
