On a Saturday morning in June, pomp and circumstance filled the solarium at the Discovery Science Center and Planetarium in Bridgeport as 20 women stepped forward one by one to receive their certificates after 10 intensive weeks of business courses.

Each of the program's graduates will run small businesses from their homes that form the backbone of Connecticut's economy. Some are already up and running, others plan to launch soon in a sector where they are in high demand: child care.

“You are providing an important service that enables communities to thrive,” Jill Keating Herbst of All Our Kin, the nonprofit behind the business training program, told the graduates in her welcoming speech.

“They're the teachers. They're the finance director. They're the chef,” Herbst said, pausing for effect. “They're community relations managers, parent engagement specialists, gardeners, maintenance staff, nurses – all rolled into one.”

Connecticut's early childhood care and education sector, which supports thousands of working parents across the state, includes many different forms, from personal nannies to state-funded daycare centers with multiple classrooms.

Most providers in this industry are private, but they generate revenue through government-funded Care 4 Kids vouchers and federal programs like Head Start that cover some or all of the child care costs for lower-income parents. Running a child care business of any size is a complicated business: You have to keep track of public subsidy programs, make sure parents are paying their required contributions, and in some cases, raise funds to fill in the gaps.

Connecticut's 1,800 childcare workers, who typically care for between six and nine children and whose homes serve as daycare centers, must also have a high degree of flexibility.

Many offer night and weekend care for children whose parents work irregular hours. They live in their communities and speak multiple languages. And they often help parents understand and apply for grant programs and assist with paperwork. If a family is excluded from one program, child care workers help them find another.

“We are the one-stop shop for parents. They can go to work knowing that their children are in a safe place,” says Angélica Cervantes, an All Our Kin employee who has participated in several All Our Kin programs since its inception in 2015 – including this year's Business Series.

“We are, as we have been called during the pandemic, essential workers,” Cervantes said.

This can make it difficult for these small businesses to make a profit—or at least break even. But the financial health and stability of the child care system is critical for working parents and, by extension, the employers who rely on them.

That's why All Our Kin offers business and accounting programs, Keating Herbst said in an interview.

“By acquiring these business skills, educators can run their businesses more effectively – and ideally build them so that they can support their families and continue to offer that support in their communities,” she said. “As with any business, there is a risk that it will not be successful if it is not managed well.”

All of All Our Kin's programs are free for home-based child care providers. The organization helps startups get licensed and frequently visits providers in their homes to help them set up the space. It offers workshops and coaching on child development, literacy, special needs and other educational topics.

When they're ready, educators can take the 10-week Business Series – more than three hours of instruction per week in marketing, tax accounting, contracts, risk management and accounting fundamentals. (An additional 3-week accounting course is available as an option.) The organization also helps educators find and apply for grant programs to help them modernize or expand their facilities.

Professional development

In Connecticut, approximately 650 providers have completed All Our Kin's business training.

This is not easy. Experienced educators – some of whom have years of experience working with children and families – are not always enthusiastic about devoting themselves to this specific course material.

“At first, I wasn't ready at all,” Marcia Colón said with a smile to her fellow graduates during the ceremony. “Many of the concepts were completely foreign to me.”

But that has changed, she says, thanking the instructors for their patience. “I gained an understanding of what I will be doing on a daily basis and how to run this business,” she says. “Not only has it prepared me for success with my childcare business, but it has also taught me general skills that I can apply throughout my life.”

Patricia Santos, a teacher and coach in All Our Kin's bilingual business programs, said all of the educators she has worked with in the two years since she joined All Our Kin are still in business, and many have plans to expand.

“We see them grow,” Santos said. “We are with them when they open their doors, when they have one child, when they have two, three, and when they reach full capacity six months later.”

All Our Kin's coaching often extends months beyond that, Santos says. And many graduates continue their professional development by taking additional courses. Some, including Cervantes – who has been active since 2015 – are training to become instructors themselves.

In addition, through this experience, educators build close relationships with one another and develop a professional network that they can use for resources – or simply chat with via WhatsApp during nap time.

This is important in a sector like childcare, where people often feel isolated. And it is key to the sustainability of these small businesses.

“The best part is that it's a continuum, continuous help,” said Janelle Cooper, one of this spring's Business Series graduates. “No matter what obstacles we face, we can always go back.”

Cooper raised her children alone and often struggled financially when she was young. Now that her children are older, she feels called to support single mothers in the early years of adulthood. She wants to start a business that provides housing and child care for mothers so young women can pursue their dreams. “I try to give back and be a resource,” she said.

At the same time, the coaching and support from All Our Kin will help Cooper make her dream a reality.

“They are now the community we can turn to when we need the resources we need,” Cooper said. “And I'm overjoyed.”