We recently connected with Jennifer Harris-Burgess and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
I worked at a daycare called The Nursery Foundation before getting my own business. My tax preparer for 5 years would ask me “So when are you going to start your own daycare?”, and I would tell her “I will”. One day at work I spoke of owning my own daycare business to some people, and one of the parents that I grew close to told me she was having a baby and would love for her new baby to come to my daycare. When I opened her daughter was one of my first babies. To this day her mom and I still have a close relationship and one of her grand children has attended my daycare.
Jennifer, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Jennifer Harris -Burgess and I am the proud owner of Round -About Childcare in St. Louis City, Missouri. It is a family home childcare facility. I have been in business for 19 years, and have been in the childcare field for 34 years. I have my Associates Degree in Early Care And Education from Florissant Valley Community College. I have also received an award for the Teachers of Excellent Award of 2025 . I have had a lot of female cheerleaders to help push and support me throughout journey . I love what I do everyday and my reward comes when I see the children that I have had since they were 6 weeks and they say their first word or take their first steps and then go to grade school. They come to me when they are happy about the good grades they received, meeting new friends, and they are graduating from high school. I get invited to see them walk across the stage and receive their diploma. Me knowing I was apart of that young man or young lady educational growth for their first 5 years of life is satisfying. Yes, there are sometimes some bumps in the road with my families like daycare payments or their family personal problems,
but my families mean the world to me and anything I can do to help them I will. I think what sets me apart from other childcare providers is that I keep a personal family relationship with my families. When my kids turn 5 they still have a place in my heart and they are my family. It takes a village to raise a child and a good role model to support the moms and dads of today . And I believe a child needs as many team players fighting for them to help them be the best kid and adult they can be in life. The kids are our future.
I also reach out to outside resources for my children that struggle with speech and I am part of the St.Louis Pre-K program that helps me to get my kids kindergarten ready . Education is a very important issue for me . I strive to make a difference in the kids lives that enter my daycare . My brand means a lot to me and how I run it and what I provide to the children is very important . I provide an Educational , Safe , Fun, Clean ,Nurturing and Food Healthy environment . And I am
very thankful for this God given journey .
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
My best source of new clients is word of mouth . When I first started I got business cards, and they are alright to get as a way to share your business, but has not brought me many clients. The gift my parents have given me is word of mouth. I never had to advertise on social media because my parents have spoken highly of me and others trust in them and that has kept me with a waiting list.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I do have the best assistant in St. Louis, Ms. Frieda Dorsey. She has been with me for 16 years strong and she is my rock and my back. The parents respect and love her and the kids adore her. I met her through and old coworker. I told him I was looking for a mature person that enjoyed working with kids, and he introduce her to me and the rest is history. We are still working together and have not only have a great working relationship but a wonderful personal sisterhood. I trust her with the love and care she has for kids and the love we have grown for one another. She is very dedicated and trustworthy.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Round-About Childcare( Jennifer Harris Burgess)
