Kids Kingdom Day Care was started by Melissa’s parents, Roger and Cathy, to emphasize the social, cognitive, emotional, physical, and ethical development of children in an environment filled with respect and nurturing.
THE BUSINESS
The focus at the day care is overall development of children, so the curriculum includes many hands-on activities that encourage learning through play. Tim said, “We found that the kids thrive when spending time outdoors, so we avoid sitting in the classroom as much as possible and participate in lots of field trips.”
Melissa said, “What sets us apart from other childcare providers is that we personally know everyone who comes into the space. Parents, as well as employees, say they feel at home here.” The day care meets the needs of families by offering bus transportation to several area schools and by offering part-time care options that fit the needs of parents working non-traditional shifts and long hours such as police, firefighters, and healthcare providers.
Their mission includes ideas of nutrition and exercise as well as education. “We also offer soccer coaching at our location to help busy families that might not otherwise have the ability to work with sports organizations’ schedules,” Melissa said.
THE ASSISTANCE
Since Melissa and Tim took over ownership in January 2024, they have increased their staff by about ten employees, but the growth wasn’t always easy. Tim said, “We needed to overcome obstacles in purchasing the business. We had to decide on a stock or an asset type of purchase, we had to consider the legalities of stockholders and licensing, and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW Oshkosh helped us along the way.”
The SBDC helped with the business plan for Kids Kingdom Day Care, as well as the financial plan and the business valuation. The couple said they loved working with Tom Sonntag, a consultant at the SBDC. “Tom asked questions we hadn’t thought about and he kept things simple to help us meet deadlines,” Melissa said.
Tim added, “Tom was very personable. He came to our location and sat down with us to help us understand legal jargon and working with banks. He truly felt like an ally on this entrepreneurial journey.”
Accomplishments with UW Oshkosh SBDC:
- Business plan
- Business valuation
- Financial plan
THE COMMUNITY
The local community is important to these small business owners. Tim serves on the local fire department and he dresses in his protective gear and arranges to have fire engines visit the day care to help kids understand fire safety and not be afraid if they encounter a fire fighter trying to help them.
JK Auto, located next door to Kids Kingdom, services the facility’s transportation vehicles. Tim said, “JK Auto helps get our buses in quickly as they know our kids rely on them for daily service. We truly appreciate them making us a priority.”
Melissa said what she enjoys most about the small business is seeing the children grow and develop. She loves becoming partners with the parents. And the parents love to give back. Melissa said, “We receive so many donations from parents as kids outgrow toys and other items. They truly feel like family.”
THE FUTURE
The facility cares for kids from ages six weeks to twelve years. They have ten different classrooms and currently serve approximately 170 children. Melissa, who grew up at the day care herself when her parents ran it, has also been working there since 2003. She said, “I have seen the business expand twice already, and I would love to expand to another building in the future. If we had more space, we could certainly fill it.” We wish these entrepreneurs the best as they continue to grow and succeed.