We were lucky to catch up with Tchacona Wells recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tchacona, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Childcare is a very controversial industry because it is slated to be “babysitting” also known as daycare. The philosophy behind the need for change lies within the saying, “We care for children, not days”. With this connotation held over the industry, I have made it a personal yet professional mission to change that.

My career began in 2004 when I was granted a Director position in a private sector company. I was 24 years of age, eager, willing, and ready to learn because I was set on continuing my tenure working with and amongst underprivileged children as that is where my career working with youth began (my college years). Childcare kind of landed in my lap. I ran with the opportunity and needless to say, I worked my way to learning the industry, learning the true essence and importance of Early Childhood Education was truly about.

During my tenure (2004-2009) as Childcare Center Director (serving 6 weeks – 12 years of age), I was able to learn the dynamics of what all entails in operating a quality childcare program. It was then that I understood that early childhood education is the foundation of a child’s development because early childhood education focuses upon the ideas of not only introducing the fundamentals of social and emotional development but yet enhancing it as well through engaging young children in activities that promote cognitive thinking, socialization, self-awareness, sense of belonging, and emotional support. The next areas of the child’s development then tend to focus on gross/fine motor skills, literacy, and communication. All of these theories and agendas are possible when there is an effective curriculum in place.

As we may fast forward within my career, I moved on to becoming a Childcare Licensing Specialist for the state of Maryland (10 years). I was now on the other side of the childcare world and I learned even more knowledge about how to lead people (providers, owners, operators, and directors) on how to be their best for the communities and families they serve. After about 10 years, I decided to move on to start a consulting business (Guidinglight Child Care consulting, LLC) to become a more effective vessel to the childcare community and industry. By way of my company, Guidinglight Child Care Consulting, LLC I am able to be unrestrictive and guide, teach, coach, and mentor childcare owners, operators, and directors on how to be their best and provide a quality childcare program and business. With those issues being of primary focus, I am able to help change the notion that childcare is “babysitting” and give the owners and directors a voice to reckon with and a platform.

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

As a young black girl growing up in a world full of imbalances and different family structures, I always knew I wanted to work with children, I just didn’t know in what capacity. I was adopted at a young age (4), but prior to that, I remembered the feeling of being unwanted, feeling alone yet abandoned, and unloved. However, a lady (Barbara H. Wells) came along and gave me life, more life than I could ever repay her for. She gave me everything and more that I was missing or lacking from security to unconditional love, to a life I could never repay her for. She granted me experiences I never dreamed of and so much more and from those moments of growing up I vowed that I wanted to become a part of the solution of how children navigated through life.

It was during my college career (North Carolina State University 1997-2002) that I began working with inner city youth as I volunteered at the local YMCA in Raleigh, NC. I fell in love with everything we were doing with the underprivileged youth from providing after-school programs to mentorship opportunities and summer camp experiences. Our Director (Mo Johnson) instilled so much into us and gave us all an opportunity to make an impact in those children’s lives it was beyond heartfelt. I imagined carrying out those same duties after graduation. I was fortunate to move on to work with the Boys and Girls Club of Raleigh, NC as an Educational Director serving inner-youth children in K-6 grade from 2002-2003. I then decided it was time to take my talents and skills back home to Washington, DC. Unfortunately, as I was looking for work I was not able to land a position that I wanted, so I stepped out on faith and landed an opportunity in the childcare field. At that point in my life, I had a plethora of experiences and knowledge when it came to working with school-age children but not young children (infants – 5 years of age). As I grew in the position of a preschool director I learned the craft and owned it to this day. I look forward to getting my Master of Education in Early Childhood Development.

I grew my career when I became a Childcare Licensing Specialist after perfecting being a Preschool Childcare Director (private sector and Board of Education). I then took all my knowledge and expertise to the entrepreneurs’ world and started a Childcare Consulting Business. As the founder and CEO of Guidinglight Child Care Consulting, LLC (www.guinglightconsulting.org) I made a vow to be a vessel and a resource to the childcare community. My services are rendered to those that want to start a childcare business or expand and elevate their existing childcare business.

With my company established (2018), I am on a mission to ensure childcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge needed to provide quality care and programs while delivering quality services. Alongside my knowledge, experiences, and skills; my expertise is valued in the areas/ideas of listening, executing visions, and paying attention to detail. I teach owners how and when to invest/reinvest and what to invest and reinvest; meaning all investments do not involve buying things or materials. Some investments are re-occurring like investing in their front line, the employees/the teachers. I’ve been able to grow my business through word of mouth by providing excellent professional services and social media (IG @childcareconsulting and FB @guidinglightchidcare and YouTube Guidinglight Child Care Consulting, LLC). These are the platforms I utilize to give examples of how to, spread awareness, and share gems about the ever-so-growing profession.

The formation of my company came to fruition as I was working as a Childcare Licensing Specialist and I realized and saw firsthand how they were so many people lost in this field. Some were so clueless as to not only start a childcare business but how to effectively maintain the regulation requirements. The childcare industry is not for the faint the weak or the money seekers. The childcare industry if done correctly is not only a multimillion-dollar business but a billion-dollar business. Although the money is there for profit, it is also a business that has never-ending measures for reinvestments and the biggest reinvestment is within training the staff and making sure they are not only the right fit for your company but equipped and knowledgable.

I am most proud of the growth of the business and the ability to make a difference one client at a time. I offer an array of services that include but are not limited to professional guidance, space measurements, property assessments, Director/Employee training, on-site visitations, coaching, and continued mentorship memberships. Guidinglight Child Care Consulting, LLC offers services to those that wish to or already provide childcare in-home or commercial.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I started my company I had no idea what I was doing. I was moving and working from a vision. I learned along the way. As stated previously, I started the company in 2018, and seemed like a good time; but then a/THEE PANDEMIC (COVID-19) hit and it truly put a damper on everything. People were scared to start businesses, some businesses didn’t withstand the drought as people were working from home more, and the economy itself was in shambles. However, I stayed resilient because as all those issues are still in effect, the reality is children are still being born, and every profession is not able to work from home; therefore, the demand for childcare was still and will always be relevant. I then relied on social media for exposure and word of mouth. I started to have fewer new clients that wanted to start a childcare business, but I gained more clients who were existing childcare owners and needed certain services. So with that notion in play, I decided to up the ante of the number of services I offered to maximize what I could offer. I started my company with approximately 5 services, now I offer over a dozen “a la carte” services alongside bundle packages. SoI was able to recreate and reinvent how I conducted business because I was able to also offer virtual consultations as well.

So never give up, always reinvent and maximize where you can. Be resilient and keep pushing for success even through failures or set-backs.

How did you build your audience on social media?

As social media became my number 1 source of exposure and advertisement, I indulged by showing up daily and weekly with fresh content. I would pick a topic to speak on and spread gems and focus on being relatable yet knowledgeable without giving it ALL away for FREE. You start a business to definitely make money, but you have to reach prospective clients by being relatable and being your true self. I would also join similar groups on FaceBook and spread my LIVES or pictures. Lastly what helped me in the social media world was sharing positive energy and motivational stories, pictures, or quotes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.guidinglightconsulting.org
• Instagram: @childcareconsulting
• Facebook: @guidinglightchildcare
• Youtube: Guidinglight Child Care Consulting, LLC