Creating and Using a Grant Proposal Template
Many childcare business owners think that their business must be a not-for-profit company to apply for various grants. However, in most states, some grants do…
Category: Business & Financial
Solving the Rubik’s Cube of Child Care
The challenges in the Child Care Industry are like a Rubik’s Cube, a complex puzzle. Much like with every turn of the Rubik’s Cube, you…
2025 SBA Loan Program Changes and the Impact on Child Care Businesses
Most independently owned child care businesses either got started with an SBA (Small Business Administration) backed (meaning backed by the US government) loan – a…
The Importance of Knowing the Value of Your Child Care Business
Having worked as a child care business mergers and acquisitions advisor since 1995, I know that when a child care owner contacts me, they are…
Child Care and the Lack of Business and Financial Management Training
Like most college degree programs, an Early Education degree often includes little, if any, training in business and financial management. Most degree programs provide specialized…
Capitalization Rates and Child Care Real Estate Value
The value of child care real estate is often determined by the capitalization rate - CAP Rate real estate investors require and the level of associate…
The Impact of Unreported Income and Non-Business Expenses on Child Care Business Value
“If You Hide the Money Too Well, Nobody Will Be Able to Find It.” When I started my business brokerage career in 1995, it was…
Effective Strategies to Reduce Labor Costs in Childcare
Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Reducing Expenses Labor costs constitute a significant portion (often the largest expense) of overall childcare business expenses. Reducing these costs while…
The Why of ChildCareOwner
Earlier this year, I celebrated 29 years in the child care industry. My story and journey are different from most, as I have never worked…
Child Care Business Owner End of the Year Planning
Taking Stock Before the Holidays Like most businesses, the end of the year is a busy time for childcare business owners. Before the rush of…
Fair Market Rent How it Affects the Value of Your Child Care Business
Every child care business operates in a facility—a building and land. Some child care owners lease the building and land from a third-party owner. The…
Having QuickBooks Does Not Make You an Accountant
I have always found it curious that the focus on financial management for childcare business owners is learning to use QuickBooks (or any accounting software)…
Employing Family Members and Taxes
One advantage of operating your own business is hiring family members. However, employment tax requirements for family employees may vary from those that apply to…
Child Care Accounts Receivable – Tuition Policy
Many owners view childcare as a mission; thus, they often manage their business with their hearts instead of their heads. This is particularly true when…
Value Gap: How It Prevents Many Child Care Owners From Exiting Their Business
Although many things can prevent or delay a child care owner from exiting their business, the number one reason is Value Gap. What is a…
Child Care Business Break-Even Analysis
As a childcare business owner, one of the most important numbers you can understand is your childcare business’s break-even point—enrollment break-even, gross revenue break-even, and…
Your Questions: What Financial Reports Should My Accountant Provide?
At a minimum, you should receive monthly (not quarterly) financial reports – Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet. These reports should be timely –…
Creating a Financially Healthy Child Care Business
Childcare businesses, just like people, can be described as either healthy, a little sick, anemic, or gravely ill. When sick, humans often need a consultation…
10 Steps to Prepare Your Child Care Business for Sale
Whether you plan to sell your childcare business soon or years from now, it is essential to ensure you prepare your business for sale. These…
Maximizing Child Care Business Profits & Value
All childcare business owners should aim to increase profits and business value. Your childcare business is likely your largest investment and a substantial portion of…
How Much Is My Child Care Land and Building Worth?
This is the question that child care owners asked just after, “What is my child care business worth?” Commonly, the real estate – land and…
Stabilization Grant Funds and Business Value
One of the most frequent questions I have been asked over the last two years is – “How do buyers look at grant funds and…
The Juggle is Real…
The childcare business is like no other; you are responsible for the world’s most precious commodity. It is far different than any other career field;…
Why Child Care Business Buyers Buy – What They Will Pay For
In the training workshops I conduct and my meetings with childcare owners, I find them confused about why childcare business buyers buy and what the…
Recession Proofing Your Childcare Business
No childcare business owner wants to consider or discuss the likelihood of a recession. However, good and bad economic times are part of normal economic…
Selling a Childcare Business – Owner Financing vs. Earn Outs
In recent years I have received an increasing number of calls (more than in years past) from childcare business owners about selling their childcare business…
Do You Want to Sell Your Child Care Business?
The Endless Child Care Buyer Calls, Emails, and Letters How many calls, emails, and letters have you received this week from people interested in buying…
2023 Planning For a Year of Success
For many childcare owners, 2022 has been another year of high stress, labor shortages, and frustration. How will 2023 be different? In most states, childcare…
Fair Market Rent – How it Affects the Value of Your Child Care Business
Every child care business operates in a facility – building and land. Some child care owners lease the building and land from a third-party owner.…
Child Care Tuition Collection
Tuition Collection The collection of tuition fees is a constant challenge for most child care centers. However, the consistent, timely collection of tuition fees is…
Growth in U. S. Child Care Businesses
The financial performance of child care businesses is often “assumed-to-be” far less than businesses in other categories. Although operating a child care business does have…
Child Care Tuition Collection
Collecting tuition is probably one of the hardest things for childcare Owners and Directors to do. Speaking to parents about their payments is not the…
Out of Pocket Cash Purchases
Jonathan Lamb, our child care financing expert, shares some ideas about when you should pay for things with cash.
Leasing
Jonathan Lamb, our expert child care banker discusses how child care business owners can use leasing as a financial tool.
Seven Critical Business Financing Mistakes
Suppose you commit these business financing mistakes too often. In that case, you will greatly reduce your chances of securing financing for your child care…
Child Care Accounts Receivable Factoring
Over the years, when providing financial consulting for a child care business owner, I discovered they were factoring their accounts receivable (unpaid tuition). So, what…
What is the SBA
In this video, Jonathan Lamb, our expert child care banker explains what the SBA - Small Business Administration is and the role the SBA plays in guar…
RE Sale Lease Back – Refinance
Child care business owners often have a substantial portion of their net worth and available cash locked in their child care real estate. This locke…
End of the Year Checklist for Child Care Owners
This year is coming to an end in just a few short weeks. Are you ready for 2018? Most childcare owners would respond “No.” Moreover,…
What to Expect When Your Are Expecting to Get An SBA Loan
Jonathan Lamb, our expert child care banker, shares some sage advice on "What to Expect When You Are Expecting to Get an SBA Loan"
Tax Information and Borrowing Money
No one wants to talk about taxes. However, your tax information plays a critical role in your obtaining a loan. Our expert child care banker, Jonathan…
Increasing Cash Flow
Increasing Cash Flow Successful cash flow management requires managing the money that comes in and flows out of your child care business. The goal is…
Acquisitions and Financing
Back with us again is our expert child care banker - Jonathan Lamb. In this video, Jonathan shares lots of great information about child care business…
Why Do You Need a Loan?
So, you are thinking about applying for a loan. The first place to start is - why do you need the money?
Jonathan Lamb our expert child care busine…
Common Child Care Seller Questions
How long will it take to sell my childcare business? It generally takes, about a year and sometimes longer to sell most childcare…
Understanding Break-Even in Your Child Care Business
Understanding Break-Even Break-even is the minimal amount of income/revenue a child care center must earn to cover all expenses without losing money or making money. …
Expanding to More Locations
You've had some success in the child care business. Now, you are thinking about expanding to your second or third location.
In this video, Jonathan …
USDA Business Loans
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Financial Benchmarking
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Lease or Buy Big Ticket Items
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Personal Guarantee and Collateral
In order to make a loan, the borrower must provide a personal guarantee and collateral. In this video, Jonathan Lamb, our expert banker shares informa…
Your Personal Financial Picture and Loan Repayment
Jonathan Lamb, our expert child care banker details how important your personal financial picture is in relation to loan repayment.
Child Care Business – Increasing Cash Flow
Successful cash flow management requires managing the money that comes in and flows out of your child care business. The goal is to maintain a…
USDA Lending and Child Care
Our expert child care banker, Jonathan Lamb, shares information about how child care owners can obtain an USDA loan.
SBA Loans for Child Care
SBA (Small Business Administration) backed loans provide an excellent source for financing for child care businesses. This Workshop with Jonathan Lamb, an SBA lender, provides…
Technology
Many child care owners overlook the importance of technology in operating a successful child care business. Of course, televisions, radios, computers, and other technology types…
Child Care Real Estate – Repurposing or Adaptive Reuse
When seeking a location for a new child care center, individuals often overlook great opportunities in “repurposing” or “adaptive reuse” of existing buildings and space.…
Summer is Coming
Summer is coming…are you ready for summer camp? Enrollment during the summer months often makes or breaks a child care program – financially. Not offering…
Financial Records – What to Keep and How Long
“If it wasn’t for the “paperwork” running a child care business would be more fun.” Unfortunately, the IRS says you must keep records as longs…
How to Choose the Right Accountant for Your Child Care Business
Your accountant should be looked at as a valuable member of your professional team. A qualified accountant can provide you with advice on your accounting…