Loan Fund Client, Child Care Center Owner Overcomes Challenges to ‘Love on the Kids’
All child care providers face challenges as part of business, but how many can be successful after having major health issues that kept them out for three months or more?
LaDonna Kimbrough of Red, White, and Blue Childcare Center in Eastpointe, MI is proof that even an obstacle like brain surgery can be overcome with the right attitude, teammates, and help from First Children’s Finance.
“When I was out for three months, my staff – with Joan’s help – kept everything running,” LaDonna says. “ She (First Children’s Finance Loan Fund Senior Business Development Specialist Joan Berntson) never corrected me as I had to learn how to put my thoughts together again. She was so patient with me.”
First things first: LaDonna LOVES working with kids.
“It’s the best job ever,” she says. “When I’m out at the store and I hear the kids yell across the store, ‘Miss K!,’ that really makes my day!”
When LaDonna was looking at plans for her child care center, she had some other obstacles: She needed to find the right building, and Eastpoint city ordinances only allow signage to be placed around the neighborhood a few times a year.
“I got a loan from FCF, and Joan helped me think about the right location for the center. Joan researched with me – we considered a few different spots – and I ended up in absolutely the best spot. We are wonderfully located.
LaDonna participated in free online session with FCF on marketing and tax deductions, which helped her understand areas where she didn’t have as much experience. But the key piece was thinking beyond the short term and seeing where the future might lead.
“I was a little scared when I started working with Joan, that she might make me feel bad about what I didn’t know. But she doesn’t make anyone feel bad about anything! She always brings my spirits up even when things are tough.”
“LaDonna is a tenacious child care entrepreneur who continually looks for ways to learn about all aspects of her business,” says Joan. “She is a delight to work with as she learns to navigate staffing, taxes, increasing income, and enrollment management and marketing.”
Joan helped LaDonna build a solid business plan by expanding on templates and adapting the plan to fit the center’s location and needs. She also helped LaDonna realize that she could make a little money doing the work she loves.
“Joan made sure that our business could be a successful business that was here to love on our kids. It didn’t have to be one or the other.”
Today, Red, White and Blue Child Care Center serves 45 children aged birth to 12, including afterschool. The center is on the way to its 64-child capacity, and LaDonna is proud of the way the center got there.
“I make sure that I pay competitive wages with the businesses around us, and we welcome every parent as they come in the door. We take care of everyone here! We feed the kids healthy food – especially if we know they might not be getting that at home, I’m even learning sign language so I can better support parents who need that.”
Looking back, LaDonna is proud of how far the center has come but is excited about the future. She also has some advice for other providers.
“All providers should work with FCF and have a plan. It’s so important to know that there are better ways to do the things that we think we’re doing well. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
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If you are wondering if a loan from the FCF Loan Fund might be right for your child care business, reach out to Haley Ramsey, Lending Support Navigator, at haleyr@firstchildrensfinance.org. She can answer your questions!
