Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Walls.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story starts almost twenty years. I studied elementary education and child psychology in college thinking I would pursue a career as an elementary school teacher. In 2010, I was working as an aftercare teacher while in college and I would have opportunities to substitute in the classrooms for children age 2-4. It was then that I realized how important and impressionable that time is and how I could make a difference there. I moved pretty quickly after that and graduated from college, bought a house, got married, and opened a licensed home daycare in the span of two years. My home daycare was full immediately and I loved having my own business. Still, I was getting calls and e-mails multiple times each week from families looking for childcare. It was upsetting to have to tell them we didn’t have any space. In 2014, I started looking into larger spaces to lease but it was a difficult search between finding a place that met childcare regulations, one that I could avoid and one that was in my target area. Amazingly enough in 2015, the daycare in my old elementary school closed and space was available for lease. I reached out right away! I started leasing space in September 2015 and opened my daycare in December. I started initially with two classrooms, 10 children and 4 teachers. Within five years, we had grown to 7 classrooms, 90 children and 15 teachers. The company has grown through supportive and loyal families, invested and engaged teachers and a drive to provide the best care and service possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been the smoothest road. I’ve always had the support of my family and friends and my parents were also entrepreneurs. I thought it was great to be your own boss and make decisions for yourself. That was the easy part. The hard part was completing tasks and a checklist that had no directions. Navigating through building, zoning, plumbing, fire marshal visits and childcare inspections all varies per state and even per county. No two programs are setup the same. There is no guidebook for how to start or finish so it is something you must learn as you go. Navigating county and state regulations, financial setbacks, updating an older building and finding the right employees to work with the children was a huge challenge. All of these challenges financed by a loan, maxed out credit cards, word of mouth and knowing failure wasn’t an option. The first few months the center was open it was a tough as a new business to have people give us a chance. We didn’t have a reputation yet and relied solely on word of mouth. We didn’t have a new building with top notch equipment or materials. We had an old elementary school, hand me down furniture and only held the supplies we needed week to week. But the desire to make this work and prove that we could fill a need in the community helped others rally behind us and make all the struggles worth it!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business is a childcare center. We are licensed by the state of Maryland and cater to children age infant – preschool. We also provide summer care for school age children. We are known for being flexible with families, having a loyal and caring staff and forming connections with our families that fosters trust, safety and stability. I have employees that have been with me the entire time we have been open and most that have been with the company at least 5 years. Having a team that knows the expectations, that our families recognize and look forward to seeing and that genuinely care about my business is something that helps us to provide the best and most reliable care.
What sets us apart from others is being an owner operator in the town I grew up in. My center is located in my old elementary school in the town where I grew up and lived most of my life. Having a connection to this space makes it more personal and gives a stronger desire to give back to the community that gave to me. I also make sure I make time for everyone, to a fault sometimes. I want families to know they can always reach out with questions/concerns or for advice or support. It takes a village to raise a child, as they say, and everyone needs a village. My staff and I spend 8-11 hours each day with the children in our care and take our part in that village very seriously. I am proud of the care we provide, the support we show each other as educators and the trust our families have in us. I work hard to be reachable, relatable and to treat all families as I would my own family.
I was the 2019 Maryland SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, won Best of Baltimore in 2020 and achieved a Level 4 rating for Maryland Excels. I have worked with Infants and Toddlers, Child Find, Project Act and alongside countless therapists, psychologists, specialists and early interventionists. I think the readers should know that it’s not about the services you offer specifically. Many centers offer the same services. But it’s about taking everything you’ve learned – the professional advice, feedback from meetings, the swings that didn’t hit and edits made to make it better – and putting in the work to fix what needs to be fix. There’s always something to learn!
How do you think about happiness?
Definitely wasn’t expecting this question! It is one I self reflect on often. Many things make me happy for different reasons. Being successful makes me happy. Knowing that my center has a strong reputation, waiting lists and community support of course brings me happiness. Seeing the kids faces in the morning, saying “Hi Boss Sam” and being excited to see their teachers each morning makes me happy.
Happiness for me personally comes from seeing others happy. I am a pretty giving and generous person and I enjoy seeing others happy and knowing I did something to make that happen. It is a great feeling to give to others! Happiness is seeing my employees thrive and be successful, our families feeling positively about their child’s care and knowing people feel strongly enough to share the word with others. But the one thing that makes me the happiest is knowing that this business and all this hard work provides for my family. I have two children who have grown up at the center. They’ve sat in the office with me while I’ve worked, been rocked to sleep while I respond to e-mails and gone through every classroom in the center. My husband and parents have gone above and beyond with attending events, moving furniture, cleaning, organizing or just listening to my wild ideas! Couldn’t do this without them. Knowing that the center provides a safe place for them where they are loved and provides financial stability for my family makes me happy.
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