Making a business plan for your daycare center is necessary if you intend to achieve the goals you set up for your business. Any business operations without the guidance of a business plan could just be a waste of time and resources. A business plan sets the goals that the business hopes to achieve including the manners of reaching or attaining the same. The main goal of any business is profitability which can be achieved only if the business plan will be drawing on a wide array of knowledge ranging from finance, human resources, management, and marketing and sales.

A good business plan should address the following areas:

• Government regulations on daycare business - Legitimate operation of a daycare business requires licenses or certification from the governmental unit that has jurisdiction over it. Licenses are issued only upon satisfactorily meeting safety regulations in the operation of the business. Necessary insurance coverage will be included in the requirements. Other requirements will be in the area of academic qualifications and other related training required of the owner, administrator, and staff of the daycare center. Examples of the requirement are degree or diploma, First Aid or CPR certification, and so on.

• Human Resources management - You have to include in your business plan the number of positions necessary to run the daycare center, including the qualifications required for each position. Even if you are thinking only of a home-based daycare center with yourself as the only person involved, you must make an allowance also for an available help who can take over in case you are not able to perform your duties and functions.

• Daily operations of your daycare - You have to decide how your daycare operations will be conducted. You have to plan the hours you intend to operate your daycare, your curriculum, the services you intend to offer, course materials needed, the meals of your client children, and all contracts and agreements you will enter into. If your daycare business will be done right in your house, you have to consider all the modifications in the existing property and what you need to add to make the place fit a daycare center needs. These should be carefully studied and incorporated into your business plan, otherwise you will be groping in the dark in the midst of your operations. Y

• Marketing your daycare center - You will have to decide how you will be marketing your daycare center. You have to choose from a variety of advertising methods like the use of flyers, door signs, banners, website listings, etc. Your business plan should clearly state how each method of marketing will be utilized for maximum results.

• Managing the finances of your daycare center - You have to thoroughly study and list down your estimate of expenses for the operation of your daycare business then calculate how many children will be needed to break even. From there, it will be very easy to figure out how to make profits.

A good business plan is your tool for a profitable operation of your daycare business.

For more: How to start a daycare business