About Business Institute
The Early Learning Coalition of Orange County’s Business Institute for Early Learning Entrepreneurs provides strong business management professional development for our communities’ early learning child care owners and directors. The Business Institute assists in building a sound financial business in support of early child care programs. Supported by our community’s business professionals who serve as faculty, participants develop their business acumen with key business topics including credit, forecasting revenue, budgeting for the future, and competitive marketing. Working with both a SCORE Orlando business mentor and an early childhood business mentor, participants complete a comprehensive business plan to move their early childhood program to a higher level of professional business operations.
The Business Institute is open to early education and child care owners & directors in Orange, Brevard, Osceola & Seminole counties.
When does the application period open?
The portal for new applications opens once a year in June.
How are applicants selected?
A committee comprised of staff and industry professionals review the applications and decide on which candidates will be invited to participate in the program.
When are applicants notified?
Applicants will be notified via email in late July if they have been accepted into the program.
Is there a cost to attend the Business Institute?
Much of the cost is covered by your sponsoring ELC in Orange, Seminole, Brevard, or Osceola counties. Applicants are responsible for paying their contribution of only $100 to participate.
What do I receive for participating in the program?
Accepted applicants will each receive the materials needed for the class. Each participant will have an assigned ELC Mentor who is a former graduate of the program and will also have an assigned SCORE Mentor to assist them with their Business Plan. Upon completion of the program, each graduate will receive CEUs and a certificate of completion. More importantly, you will have the opportunity to connect with other early learning entrepreneurs in your community as well as meet and learn from industry professionals in the areas of business, finance, marketing, human resources, real estate, and contract law.
What is expected of each participant?
Prior to joining the program, participants must agree to attend all five in-person sessions (dates provided), attend both virtual finance training courses, provide weekly updates to their mentors via email or phone, and complete their Business Plan.
How much time will I need to dedicate to the program?
The in-person sessions are one Saturday a month from September to April. This includes the Meet & Greet along with the Graduation Ceremony. The virtual sessions take place during a weekday evening for 1.5-2 hours. The homework assignments should take at minimum 2-4 hours each month. Remember, you get from the program what you put into it. We are all here to help you along the way.
When does the program start?
Selected applicants will be invited to a Meet & Greet in September to meet the Business Institute Program Manager, ELC Mentors, and SCORE Mentors. The first master session takes place in October.
When is graduation?
Graduation is in April for all who complete the program and submit their Business Plans.
What happens after graduation?
All graduates are invited to attend the Annual Early Childhood Business Conference held in June and are automatically enrolled in the Alumni Academy. The Alumni Academy programs quarterly events to provide continued educational and networking opportunities for Business Institute graduates. The workshops and events hosted by the Alumni Academy are optional and exclusive to Business Institute graduates unless otherwise stated.
Business Institute Faculty
Business Institute Faculty represent a wide scope of business knowledge and financial knowledge from our Orange County community. Among our community’s leaders who have served as Business Institute faculty:
- Michael Mobb, Wells Fargo
- Natalee Gleiter, Jones Lang Lasalle
- Nate Shannon, GOSHRM
- Justin McConnell, Fisher Phillips, LLC
- Jeanne Adam, Orlando Health
- Karen Vergara, AllGen Financial
- Mimi Tran, GO-SHRM
- Isabel Liu, YiMaze Marketing Creatives
- Tanisha Gray, African American Chamber of Commerce
- Tom Topping, Training Perfected
- Kelley Rexroad, Krex Consulting
- Mary Kogut-Lowell, Bay Area Legal Services of Mid-Florida
- Cassandra Williard, National Association of Women Business Owners Orlando
- Servola Frazier, Motivate Enterprises, LLC
- Edna Nieves, Advanced Tech Accounting & Tax
- Demetria Hill Sloan, Vantage Point Coaching
- Wendy Lyn Philllips, Wendy Lyn Unlimited
Alumni Academy
The Alumni Academy hosts exclusive quarterly meetings and/or workshops based on topics of interest and business trends. All Business Institute graduates are welcomed into the academy upon graduation from the program. Past programming has included events such as a Vision Board Workshop, a Leadership Cooking for Boss Results cooking class, Attracting & Retaining Employees HR workshop, as well as the Annual Alumni Focus Group in June.
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Early CHildhood owners & Directors
- Over 89% of our participants are women of color who are independent small business owners, many operating their early learning programs in our most economically challenged communities, serving “working poor” families.
- 23% of our participants in Orange County are operating their early childhood programs in Pine Hills.
- Graduates of our most recent cohort showed an average knowledge gain of 56% on pre/post- tests.
Funders
Partners
2023 Annual Early Childhood Business Conference
City of Orlando
ELSSA
Five Star Claims Adjusting
From Cradle to College Foundation
School Spirit Builders, LLC
The Outdoor Living Pros
McGarrity & Associates, LLC
Alumni Academy
City of Orlando
Success Stories
Latosha Sheffield
Ms. Sheffield was volunteering at a child care program when she participated in Business Institute as she was interested in opening her own program. Since that time, she has opened her own center and is now opening a second center.
Sharon Singleton
Ms. Singleton put her Business Institute knowledge to work, purchasing her own home for her FCCH business.
Kathy Harp
Ms. Harp was an FCCH provider when she participated in Business Institute; since that time, she has opened a child care center, now has a second center, and is looking at purchasing third center.
Joy Bouler
Joy owned two centers while attending the Business Institute and opened her new program in August 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. As a result of her Business Institute experience, Joy was able to obtain $670,000 in EIDL and PPP grants/loans to keep her programs open.
