We recently connected with Maureen Ord and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Maureen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

A year and a half ago, I was in a tough spot. My husband had just landed his dream job in Charlotte, NC and I had just done the same in Baltimore, MD. Even though we were happy in our careers, we missed each other terribly and knew that maintaining two households was not a long term solution. I started looking for careers in related to teaching and science and that’s when I found A Place To Grow, which is the only nature based national childcare franchise and is owned by Jen Legere.

From the minute I read the description of the franchise, I was hooked! Unlike other child care franchises, A Place To Grow values the outdoors and play-based learning. Did you know that most childcare facilities across the nation only require children to be outdoors for one hour per day? At A Place To Grow, children are encouraged to take reasonable risks that promote gross-motor development, like climbing on rocks and trees. Even toddlers take long hikes in the woods. Observation and patience are taught when observing seasonal changes and waiting for the annual clutch of chicken eggs to hatch in an incubator. Families are educated about healthy and sustainable eating habits so children get better nutrition and less food is wasted.

What I didn’t know until I spoke to Jen, was how invested she was in my success as a first time woman entrepreneur. Jen has been with me every step of the way in opening my franchise. She and her team have worked tirelessly to adapt their New Hampshire curriculum to North Carolina standards for early childcare learning. As I work toward opening my franchise, Jen has laid out an action plan for me that included setting up my social media accounts, engaging with local businesses, locating potential properties, and completing trainings that meet state and federal guidelines. We check in with each other at least once a day. In addition, Jen has connected me with the other A Place To Grow franchisees and local women entrepreneurs to create a network that I can rely on for support.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always been interested in nature. I majored in Environmental Science at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and while there I worked at Fontenelle Forest as an environmental educator. Immediately after graduation worked for the National Park Service as a Biological Science Technician. I went back to school to pursue an Master’s degree in Secondary Education Science and a certificate in STEM Teaching and Learning. Over my career in education, I’ve taught everything from 6th grade engineering to AP Environmental Science.

I am bringing over 20 years experience in science education to my role as a childcare owner-operator. While this is my first time opening a business, I know that with the support of my franchisor, Jen Legere and her amazing team up in New Hampshire, I will have all the tools for success to start my business.

When I open A Place to Grow in the Charlotte metro, I will be introducing a new type of childcare experience to the families there. I’ve observed that people in Charlotte care about the environment – they utilize greenways to bike to work, take the light rail downtown, and participate in recycling. I think that they will jump at the opportunity to send their children to a child care center that aligns with their beliefs.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

One of our financial goals as a couple is to own a franchise. When my husband’s new job took him to Charlotte, I saw this as our opportunity to pursue that goal. I wanted to find a franchise that lent to my field of expertise in science education. I think I Googled “education franchises” and after scanning through a few, I landed on A Place To Grow. After discussing the idea with my husband, we hopped on a call with Jen and that began our relationship. Over the next year, we had many more calls, participated in a summer childcare workshop together in North Carolina, and made connections in the child care sector in and around Charlotte. Jen has helped me on numerous assignments as I prepare to be licensed as a childcare provider in the state of North Carolina. Now that we are in the search for a potential site for my childcare enterprise, Jen and I talk at least once a day sometimes more. We also just check in with each other about our successes and struggles in our personal lives. I send her pictures of my dogs and she sends me pictures of the wildlife she sees on her walks. Jen has become so much more than a franchisor to me – she is a valued friend.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

One of the first tasks that Jen asked me to completed after I signed the paperwork for the franchise was setting up my social media accounts for A Place To Grow in Charlotte. That was a steep learning curve for me. While I’ve managed a few Facebook pages in the past, I’ve never had to create a business profile before. I established business profiles on my Facebook and Instagram accounts for the business, then connected them so that when I post to one outlet, it automatically posts to the other. After that, I had to learn how to use Canva to create eye-catching posts. (As a Gen X/Elder Millennial, I somehow missed learning how to use Canva.) Fortunately, Jen saved the day again as I was able to connect to her professional account and I have access to all the brand templates to get started.

There are a few ways that I’ve been able to get new followers. One is by using hashtags. Think a little outside the box here. I don’t just hashtag words like childcare and nature-based, but also woman owned business and local town halls. This puts my information into the hands of other like-minded people. The second thing I did was I proactively followed related businesses on my new socials. Again, be creative here – I don’t just follow parent/child groups, but I also follow local businesses and state regulatory sites. This is helpful in getting followers and staying abreast of current issues in my industry. Lastly, when I get a new follower, I follow them back. Almost every time, I get a nice note thanking me for the follow which helps me build positive relationships in the community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aplacetogrow.com
• Instagram: @aplacetogrowclt
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a.place.to.grow.charlotte
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-ord

Image Credits
Matt Ord Jen Legere