Opening in a new Province

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I understand - and I not saying you should change your way. I just saying that it will be harder to establish daycare because of the historic mindset of islander and explain why.

I agree it not overboard ask for deposit - I do - but if no one agree or willing to pay it, it not matter if you and I think it reasonable requirement, if your community not in agreement, it not going to happen, until you have proven reputation, especial if you only one with deposit it in your area. This why I suggest it key to know what your competition doing. When you know what others do and charge, it easier to explain why your fee different because you know what in your service is different. But you have to explain it in way not to belittle lower fee provider and their service because chance are, they have connection to other person and not like implication of friend or family providing lower service.

I agree it not far to compare the casual $20 day people to others but again, it not matter what you and I think, if your community has 20 people charging $20 day and that's what the market value is seemed to be. It take time to educate people about differences and even then, some not really care. That their choice as the parent.

I charge $35 a day. I charge based on day registered not attend. I charge deposit that go toward last week of care. I charge 10 personal day each year. I charge for all stat and public holiday and closed. I not take short term client and I do much what you want do. I take 5 client children. I have private daycare page for document, photo, activity plan, and I have public page for general public too.

But my point is this not happen overnight. Whether or not I like it, people want know me, people want proven track record, some people would never pay my fee.

I just trying explain to you what challenges might be - I not saying you wrong want to do things way you want do them. Since you have wide network of young parent, lived here before and know what island life is like, offer more than centres - then you have to assess why you finding hard to fill places - and that might mean either some bending toward parent expectation. My husband would say - Do you want to be right or do you want vacancy fill? It fine to have standard, policies, boundaries, expectation, but if your business model is such you have no customer, maybe time to see if you are fitting your market. That all I mean.