Business of Child Care is dedicated to guiding child care business owners and the communities they serve towards achieving better outcomes. We focus on organizing communities for action and supporting child care business owners in enhancing operational success and sustainable growth through effective business practices. Originally established as The Andrews Group in 2019, we rebranded in 2021 to align with our core mission and market focus more closely.• Founded the organization with straightforward, effective concepts aimed at enhancing knowledge and operational success in child care. Initially focused on developing and implementing strategies that have significantly influenced community and industry standards.• Created the "Whole Community Approach" to child care, a core service that has revolutionized community engagement and addressed child care challenges across multiple states.• Lead the organization to achieve double-digit annual growth by strategically guiding skilled teams and focusing on scalable, impactful solutions. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement through active mentorship and support of team members and business partners.• Spearhead the development of strategic partnerships and external offerings with leading vendors and organizations, enhancing services for child care business owners and communities.• Serve as a prominent expert on child care business and community development, representing the organization at speaking engagements, technical trainings, and events aimed at improving child care outcomes.

The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation invests in the region's economic growth by providing grants, loans, and programs to support community development, entrepreneurship, and early childhood initiatives.• Facilitate community-driven solutions to address child care shortages, providing ongoing support for locally led initiatives that significantly enhance the capacity and quality of early childhood education.• Deliver comprehensive technical assistance and training to child care providers across various settings, including child care centers, family child care, and informal care, to improve operational and educational standards.• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with local government and non-profit organizations, increasing the reach and effectiveness of SMIF’s developmental initiatives.• Serve as a key resource for regional and community leaders on strategies for sustaining existing child care facilities and developing new capacity, enhancing local child care infrastructure.• Provide strategic leadership and support for the foundation’s Early Childhood Initiative Network, advancing programming efforts and initiatives that prepare young children for future educational and economic roles.

WomenVenture empowers women entrepreneurs by providing business development services, training, loans, and networking opportunities to help them start and grow successful businesses.• Led the creation and implementation of innovative child care business programs, significantly expanding training access and integrating online offerings to broaden reach and engagement for female entrepreneurs.• Guided child care loan and consulting clients through extensive support efforts during the pandemic, including the effective deployment of new aid and support measures to ensure continuity and stability.• Secured over $2 million in grants and lending for child care programming and financial support, working collaboratively with financial institutions to enhance funding options for women-led startups.• Developed and implemented robust metrics and feedback systems that significantly improved program effectiveness, aligning closely with participant feedback and industry standards.• Represented the organization at various platforms through committee participation, speaking engagements, and networking activities, enhancing visibility and support for program initiatives.

Jovie, formerly known as College Nannies, Sitters, and Tutors, is a leading provider of in-home childcare and tutoring services, offering personalized solutions to support families and children across the United States.• Advised franchise owners on business development strategies, significantly enhancing profitability and operational efficiency across multiple locations.• Implemented innovative training programs that substantially improved the skills of nannies and tutors, thereby increasing service quality and customer satisfaction.• Collaborated with franchise owners to develop marketing strategies that boosted local market penetration and brand visibility, leading to improved business outcomes.• Provided robust support and effective crisis management solutions during operational challenges, ensuring continuity and stability in service delivery.

First Children's Finance provides financial and business development resources to support the sustainability and expansion of high-quality child care services.• Led strategic business development initiatives to secure partnerships and funding, driving growth and support for child care businesses across Minnesota.• Delivered one-on-one consulting and group training that significantly improved operational practices in the child care industry, directly contributing to a client achieving 187% enrollment growth over two years.• Facilitated community engagement and advocacy efforts that successfully increased the local supply of child care services by 4.1%, effectively countering a statewide decline of over 5%.• Advocated for child care improvements at state and community levels, including testimony before the state legislature and development of impactful policy briefs addressing sector challenges.• Managed consulting services that not only guided business strategies but also led to demonstrable changes in business approaches, with an 87% positive change rate reported by training participants.

Rasmussen College provides regionally accredited educational opportunities tailored to community and business needs.• National Sales Leadership: Spearheaded national corporate partner sales efforts, delivering consistent 20% annual growth for Rasmussen College by devising and implementing innovative educational solutions tailored to address diverse business challenges.• Strategic Partnership Development: Expanded Rasmussen College's corporate partner network by 62% over four years, forging strategic alliances with industry stakeholders and key players to enhance educational offerings and market presence.• Innovative Initiatives: Pioneered the creation and execution of groundbreaking business-to-business product initiatives, including training programs tailored for a national early education provider, driving revenue growth and market differentiation.• Collaborative Innovation: Collaborated closely with cross-functional product teams to conceptualize, develop, and launch cutting-edge educational products and services, ensuring alignment with market demands and positioning Rasmussen College as an industry leader.• Market Alignment Strategies: Led strategic initiatives to align educational technologies with market trends and demands, enhancing competitive positioning and driving sustained growth and profitability for Rasmussen College.

Director of Operations – Multiple Mortgage Companies• Spearheaded business operations, expansion initiatives, and strategic partnerships within the mortgage industry, demonstrating expertise in operations management, business development, and sales.• Led recruitment, development, and management of sales teams across multiple locations, optimizing operational efficiency and driving revenue growth through innovative marketing campaigns and strategic alliance-building.• Built and maintained relationships with industry partners and affinity organizations, securing mortgage lending relationships and driving loan placement opportunities to increase loan volume and revenue.• Implemented training programs and operational processes to support employee development and enhance organizational performance, fostering a culture of excellence and driving professional growth across the enterprise.

GoodStuff Vending Company 1996-2000: Founded and operated a successful vending business during college, securing contract location agreements to provide full-service vending services for employee break rooms and consumer areas in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, fostering a rich learning environment for entrepreneurship and business operations.AdStruck TV 2000-2001: Spearheaded the launch of a pioneering mobile advertising concept utilizing state-of-the-art video equipment to market local businesses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN area, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in operations management and entrepreneurship while completing college studies.Key Learning Experiences:• Embarked on a transformative journey of entrepreneurial discovery and growth, navigating the complexities of business ownership and operations management while balancing academic pursuits.• Cultivated essential skills in strategic planning, negotiation, and customer relationship management through hands-on experience in launching, operating, and managing two distinct ventures in college.• Leveraged each entrepreneurial endeavor as a platform for personal and professional development, embracing challenges, failures, and successes as opportunities for growth and learning in preparation for future career endeavors.