At my wits end with....Venting

So as many of you know (through other posts) I am currently with two agencies and would like to leave both come September.

I am just finding so frustrating, I can't seem to find any private clients in my area that are willing to pay my fee of $35/day. There are a few other daycare's in in area who charge between $30 and $45. My building seems to be surrounded by community living buildings, projects, and rent to income homes. Every one I meet either wants to pay me a lot less (not going to happen) or they need subsidy. I am finding that this is really starting to get to me. I really want my business to truly be my business, but as long as I am with an agency this will not happen.

Last Friday I had an interview. The family was great and they wanted the spot. I was happy and said sure, they seem like a good fit. The need subsidy, not a problem, so i thought. I emailed my adviser who returned the email on Monday saying : "That's great that you found a family. I have put them on our waiting list as we have a subsidy freeze on at the moment. We are HOPING that it only last a few weeks" WHAT, they need to start NOW. How am I to run a business when I can't even take on the clients that I find? This is so frustrating and is really getting to me. A subsidy freeze can last a few weeks to several months. A few years a go they had a freeze that was suppose to last just for the summer (July and August) but end up lasting until Jan.

The agencies age restrictions are killing me. It makes it so hard to get clients. I can only take on 3 kids under the age of 6, since my two are under the age of 6. This means I have no chose but to take on 2 B&A kids 6yrs to 10yrs. I really don't want school aged kids.

I know that once I find a private client I will feel a lot better. I just can't seem to find any right now. I have been open since last October. I have a website, I advertise everywhere I can, around the neighborhood, on Kijiji, here etc. I go to the connection meeting monthly.

I just don't know what else to do to get away from they agencies and finally be allowed to fully run my business my way. We do plan on moving in the next year or two, but have to save up first.

I am starting to feel like a failure as a business women. I know I just need to give it more time and everything will work out in time. But I just want to feel like a true business woman and not an "employee" trapped following the agency rules.

I do feel a little better now that I have vented.

Ah geez that's horrible. I came this close to go with an agency because of my location I thought I would have a difficult time finding people. Every time I see your posts about your agencies I am so glad I did not got with them. It did take me a year to fill and it was rough but I made it and you will too. You are not a failure sometimes. We are working against a lot of odds and challenges but the simple fact that you are finding clients proves you are doing great. You have outside challenges you have no control over. Don't get down on yourself for that !!

Are there any chance for you to move into a different area? I live just outside of barrhaven and I have never been with an agency and my daycare bear ad says I don't have an opening till July 2014 and I still have people contacting hoping its a typo .... I have turned 4 people away in the last few months and I have another one waiting till oct to see if I have a spot .... If you were able to move to a newer subdivision they are generally full of young families. You would mostly likely be beating them off with a stick.

Don't take this as a failure on your part! It sounds like it may just be the area you live in...not any fault of yours. If moving is not an option, is there anything else you can do that would set you apart from other daycare? Programming, set-up, unique things you offer?

I agree that location could have a lot to do with it. I filled up before I opened, and turn away at least one potential client per week. I get requests now to take babies in the fall of 2014... these babies are not even born yet! My other caregiver friends are full too, so it's not just that everyone wants a grandma (although it would be nice to take it personally!). I really think the area you are in makes a huge difference. In my smallish city, it apparently isn't that easy to find quality child care.

first you've only been open since october. I know you want to be full, but it takes time and sometimes a long time. This is the biggest misconception in this business, that you will be full right away and making money. It took me 3 yrs to get full.
also, it takes a while to be established too, people are leary because they don't want you to me a fly by nighter and just suddenly close up.
I would also give up on the agency. I worked for them too when I first started and quit after they promised me clients and they would show up always at lunch time and I didn't like that your children counted in the numbers.

Only 3 kids under 6... Is that standard? That seems really unrealistic to me. You could only ever have 3 full time then?!

If they aren't finding you clients that fit in their ridiculous criteria then they aren't doing anything for you, in my opinion.

I'm with an agency in Alberta and our rules are 2 under 2, 3 under 3. But I get the complaints about the agency. I'm only with them for the wage top up. I do like the ladies with the agency I'm with, and they're really respectful of everyone's schedules. It's just a lot of extra work.

You are so right mom of nerds .... It took me a full year to become full as well. When I started advertising it was in a dec then I signed my first two families on ... One was full time and one was after school only. Then in feb I signed on a part time to start in march. Then I signed two more full times on but held their spot for 3.5 and 5.5 months respectively and both cancelled out on me the day before they were supposed to start. So I coasted along and in June my after school left and then in aug I signed on another before and after....in oct I signed on a baby to start in feb . In dec I lost the part time as mom was off work since aug and could no longer afford care but I was getting a lot of emails and I booked 7 interviews and out of those I signed on 3 to start in jan which filled me up and I been full ever since ... Some left new ones came but its so much less daunting to fill one spot instead of 3 or 4. It will happen. Maybe you will have to lower your fees just a few dollars to get someone in. Maybe your area can't afford that rate. The way I look at it is if you got one or two in at a little lower rate then you can raise them back up again for any families after that ...if I was sitting with lots if spaces open and needed to fill them some money would be better then no money to me.

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first you've only been open since october. I know you want to be full, but it takes time and sometimes a long time. This is the biggest misconception in this business, that you will be full right away and making money.

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I am not upset about not being full. I know that it will take time and as long as I can find 3 kids (2 full 1 pt) I am ok. What is bothering me is 1st: not being able to find at lest one private client. 2) finding a subsidized client then being told that there is a subsidy freeze on. they know I was looking for clients they could have informed me of the freeze.

Now I am wondering if I should just keep looking for a private client or should I just keep this family and hope that the freeze is over soon? Or
keep the family, but if I find a private one let them go and take the private one, since the freeze could last a few weeks to a few months. The family does have a meeting with subsidy on May 13, so I might wait and see if subsidy is off there freeze at that point or not. I really don't know what to due right now.

I know the area you are in as my girls live in Northwest One right near you and yes they tread carefully going around the buildings near them on their way up to the mall. I would say their building is about 75% seniors which is the reason the support group my daughter is with chose it for their supported housing.

Not sure what the wage is that the agency but if you could advertise for that same amount as your private income you would at least be able to attract the younger families since the age restrictions would be gone.

Is the family willing to pay the higher fee now with the understanding they go to the subsidized rate as soon as that is approved.