Sarah Allen’s inspiring journey from machinist to a successful child care provider operating Sarah Cares Child Care showcases how Wonderschool’s business coaching helps individuals to address rural America’s child care shortage. Living in rural Ravenna, Michigan, Sarah turned her passion for her family into a thriving business that now serves her community.
According to the Center for American Progress, nearly 60% of rural communities qualify as child care deserts, where there are more than three children for every licensed child care slot. Sarah’s journey shows how it is possible to create more sustainable programming with the right people, tools, and partnerships.
Sarah’s program now enrolls 15 children, with a consistent daily attendance of 10. Her child care business reflects her rural roots, offering fresh-baked meals and engaging activities, including interaction with farm animals. “I bake every day, and the kids love the fresh food,” Sarah explains. “We’ve got ducks, geese, a dog, and even a bearded dragon to keep the kids engaged.”
A Mom Turning a Child Care Challenge Into an Opportunity
Sarah, a former machinist with a decade of experience, faced a significant challenge when she couldn’t find child care for her two children. “I had a great child care provider, but when she pursued a new opportunity, I was left stranded,” Sarah shares. “After a year of searching, I decided to start my own program.”
With her husband’s support, Sarah applied for her group child care license in April 2023 and was licensed by September. The process wasn’t easy, but Sarah’s determination paid off. She used Wonderschool’s $5,000 pre-licensure grant to transform her backyard into a dynamic play space complete with a sandbox and a custom-built playset. Discover more about Sarah’s journey and how Wonderschool played a pivotal role in her success. Watch the full interview here.
Sarah credits Wonderschool with providing the tools and resources that transformed her vision into reality. “The business sustainability course helped me understand that this is my business, and I need to treat it as such,” she says. “The Wonderschool app keeps my families updated, and the invoicing feature makes me look more professional.”
Wonderschool’s support didn’t stop there. Sarah’s success is a testament to the platform’s ability to empower rural providers through:
The licensing process was one of Sarah’s biggest hurdles. From navigating township permissions to attending multiple meetings, the journey was fraught with challenges. “It was awkward and overwhelming, especially since I’m introverted,” she recalls. But with perseverance and support from Wonderschool, Sarah overcame these obstacles to create a successful program.
Learn more about how Wonderschool’s business coaching helps providers succeed.
Sarah’s journey has inspired others to follow in her footsteps. She’s helped friends transition to licensed providers and shares advice freely. “I always tell them, ‘Let’s see what we can do to get you licensed,’” she says. “I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I’m happy to help others avoid the same pitfalls.”
Sarah’s success proves that home-based child care can thrive in rural communities with the right support. Her waitlist continues to grow, and her program’s impact extends beyond her immediate area. “At first, it was scary, but now I’m building a waitlist,” she says. “Word of mouth has been my main tool.”
The Wonderschool app keeps my families updated all day, every day. They love it. The invoicing feature is great because I’m not dealing with cash in hand. Wonderschool 100% makes me look more professional, and I feel like people take me more seriously because of it.
Chris: How did you learn about Wonderschool?
Sarah: I applied for the pre-licensure grant. There was a course I had to take through Wonderschool, like the business sustainability class, I think.
Chris: Can you tell us about your program?
Sarah: I'm working on getting rated with demonstrating quality with Great Start Quality. I've been open a little over a year, and now I'm brushing kids' teeth every day and have their artwork hung up all over the place. When I first started, I never thought I would go this far with it, but here I am.
Chris: How many kids are enrolled in the program, and what are the ages of the children?
Sarah: I have 15 kids enrolled, but daily I usually have 10. My youngest is a little over one. I have four one-year-olds born in June, July, August, and September. My oldest just turned 10, and I only have her in the summers.
Chris: What were you doing before you became a childcare owner?
Sarah: I was a machinist for 10 years. I went to school for machining and programming right out of high school when I was 19. I went into the workforce with a company my mom was with. I couldn't find childcare for my two kids, and it was a constant stressor. I had a great childcare provider for my oldest from the time he was six weeks old until I had my youngest, about three and a half years. But she found a new opportunity that she wanted to pursue.
So I felt like I was left stranded, trying to find another person I could trust that much. I decided to do it myself. I looked for about a year but couldn't find anyone. I asked my husband, "Hey, I think we should do this, but I'm not going to do it without you." He didn't want to at first. He was like, "You're crazy," and I said, "No, but I don't want to hire somebody to be in our house every day. I'd rather do this with you." If I’ve got to be with somebody 24/7, I'd rather it be my husband. That was April 2023. That's when I applied for my group childcare license, and I didn't get licensed until September.
Chris: What was the licensing process like?
Sarah: It was rocky. Getting licensed was not easy. I was a full-time working breastfeeding mom. I was so busy, and every time I called for help, they said, "If you read this, it should be easy." I was like, "It's not. I'm asking you for help." The state was not helpful at all. They said, "If you read through, it's self-explanatory." But I was running on no sleep. We made it through. We got the pre-licensure grant. I told my husband we were getting this $5,000, and I wanted to use it for upgrading our play space in the backyard.
If we're going to be a licensed childcare, you need a great playground, so that's the first thing we did. We bought our playset, and my father-in-law moved a bunch of sand around for us and created our huge sandbox. My husband built the whole playset by himself. It took him a solid week. Every time I tried to help, I made it worse, so I left him alone.
Chris: How was the transition from being a machinist?
Sarah: I thought the company I was with for 10 years would be where I retired. I loved the people I worked with and what I was doing, but at the end of the day, my family matters more. At the beginning, it felt strained because I’ve never dealt with other people's children before. I knew I was good with my kids and figured, "Why not just apply that towards everybody else's kids?" And here we are. I’ve got all these parents who are pretty like-minded and appreciate what I’m doing. I get a lot of positive feedback.
Chris: Do you think you would be here if it weren’t for Wonderschool?
Sarah: Wonderschool has been a tool I utilize every single day. The business sustainability course helped me understand that this is a business. It doesn’t feel like it when you’re waking up in your own home every day and not going anywhere. Some parents have treated me like an employee, so the course helped me recognize that this is my business, and I need to treat it as such.
The Wonderschool app keeps my families updated all day, every day. They love it. The invoicing feature is great because I’m not dealing with cash in hand. Wonderschool 100% makes me look more professional, and I feel like people take me more seriously because of it.
Chris: That’s the goal—to help you realize your worth as a leader in the community. What advice would you give to others looking to start their first in-home program?
Sarah: I've helped one of my friends open her program shortly after I opened mine. I saw her posting on Facebook that she was going to start taking kids and cash under the table. I told her, "It's a misdemeanor if you get busted. How about you do this instead?" Everything becomes a write-off, so it's worth it. She uses Wonderschool too.
Another childcare friend recently linked up with Wonderschool because of me. I always tell them, "Let’s see what we can do to get you licensed." I learned from my mistakes, like opening an LLC—which is not allowed for home providers—and I share that knowledge to help others avoid pitfalls.
Chris: Can you tell us about your community?
Sarah: I live in rural Ravenna, Michigan, on the outskirts of the village. I own eight acres of land. My husband and I started with the idea of having a hobby farm. We’ve got 22 ducks, four geese, a dog, a bearded dragon, and two barn kittens. I bake every day, and the kids get a lot of fresh food.
Chris: Is there enough childcare in your community?
Sarah: No. The childcare in the community is very expensive. We have two centers nearby, but they’re costly. I’ve always preferred home-based care because it’s more comfortable for young kids. Even when I got desperate and started looking at centers, I couldn’t justify the cost.
We also have a group called Childcare Connections in Muskegon County. It’s a network of providers who meet monthly to refer families to each other when spaces are full. It’s been great, but there’s still a shortage.
Chris: Does home-based childcare work in a rural community?
Sarah: A year ago, it was scary. I had to wait for people to see me in a positive light. I’m not originally from Ravenna, so it took time to build trust. Now, it’s much better. I’m building a waitlist, and word of mouth has been my main tool.
Chris: Is your husband working at the program full-time as well?
Sarah: Yes.
Chris: How’s it going financially?
Sarah: It has its ebbs and flows, but so did machining. I’m pretty smart financially and don’t have much debt. When it’s slow, I don’t freak out. We make it work.
Chris: What were some of the hardest parts of the licensing process?
Sarah: All of it! I blocked it out. Getting simple questions answered was tough. With group licensing, I had to get township permission and attend four meetings where they talked about me. It was awkward, especially since I’m introverted.
Chris: Sarah, thank you for joining and congratulations on your success. You’re a big inspiration. If you need anything, you know where to find us. Happy holidays.
Sarah: Thank you. You’ve been a huge part of my success. It means a lot.
Chris: Thank you. Bye.
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