How to Start

Preschool owners will tell you that the first few years of operation are the most difficult.  Successful preschool owners will tell you that overcoming those difficulties early on spearheaded them to where they are now.  Some preschools inevitably fail.

 

The problem with those that fail is that they themselves fail to recognize the obstacles that prevent them from being a success and if your school is unable to adapt to a given situation, it is unlikely to survive.  Many forget that a preschool, like any business, has competitors, is faced with licensing rules, recruitment nightmares, raising capital, keeping finances in check, developing a brand and delivering a quality product and service.  Entrepreneurialism is a term many of us believe we possess.  However, ideas come cheap and everyone with the exception of a very few is capable of coming up with new and exciting ideas.  Being entrepreneurial certainly helps, but the difficult part is being resourceful and putting your ideas into practice.

 

Once an idea has been formulated, attack it in a thoughtful and targeted way.  Some ideas take longer for the public to react, so dont be put off by a slow reaction.  This is the second phase of putting entrepreneurialism into practice, and like the first phase which is coming up with a thought out idea, it is still relatively easy to deliver but failing to deliver it with conviction or sticking to what you believe to be a success is as useless as not putting the idea into practice in the first place.

 

Listen & Learn

 

It should be said that not all ideas are capable of delivering success regardless of the level of conviction or the amount of money spent marketing it during the delivery phase.  Most businesses that succeed listen to their customers well and by gauging your immediate client base you will soon have feedback on how your idea is being perceived.  You should be prepared to accept that your ideas are not always the right ones and when this happens, dont be afraid to experiment with something new.  The worst thing you can do is continue the execution of a badly received idea, waste unnecessary money and possibly negatively impact an otherwise highly regarded reputation.

 

Curiosity

 

Many preschools are hesitant to offer something different.  Whether it is the type of food they serve, or the curriculum they follow, preschools tend to fall in a predetermined path where distinction is absent and similarities are in abundance.  As stated earlier, preschools are businesses and you should let your ideas shape you as something unique enough for parents to identify the differences between your school and others.   Dont feel pressured in accepting that because everyone else is doing it, you have to do it too.  Some of the most established and leading preschools in the world can all be easily identified for having a unique service, a strong brand and an untouched reputation.

 

Be the Best