ARE YOU READY TO COMMIT? Your Personal Survival Checklist
Starting a childcare business requires more than passion — it requires personal and financial readiness. In this episode, Zuleika walks you through a personal survival checklist to determine if you're truly ready to make the commitment.
Key Takeaways
- 1Personal readiness is just as important as business readiness
- 2Assess your financial ability to survive 12-18 months without income
- 3Family support is a critical success factor
- 4Emotional resilience determines how you handle inevitable setbacks
- 5Honest self-assessment prevents costly mistakes down the road
Show Notes
Beyond Business Planning
Before you write a business plan, you need to assess your personal readiness. This episode focuses on the often-overlooked personal factors that determine whether you'll survive the challenging first years of childcare business ownership.
Your Personal Survival Checklist
- Financial stability assessment: Can you survive 12-18 months without income?
- Family support evaluation: Does your household support this venture?
- Time commitment reality check: Are you ready for 60+ hour weeks initially?
- Emotional resilience: How do you handle stress, rejection, and uncertainty?
- Health and energy: Do you have the physical stamina for this work?
- Skills inventory: What do you bring and what do you need to learn?
Financial Readiness
- Personal savings and emergency fund status
- Debt-to-income ratio considerations
- Credit score and borrowing capacity
- Household budget adjustments needed
- Insurance and benefits planning
The Honest Conversation
Zuleika shares the questions she wishes someone had asked her before she started, and why honest self-assessment is the most important step in your journey.
Ready to Take Action?
If you enjoyed this episode, take the next step in your childcare business journey.
About Your Host
Zuleika Hines is a nationally recognized early childhood education executive with 20+ years of experience designing, launching, and expanding high-quality childcare programs. MBA in Finance, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership.