"Having great ideas is nothing without money."
- Nidia Juardo, California
Nidia Juardo knew that if she could work in the childcare industry for someone else, she could do so for herself. She did everything she could to work toward self-employment, from gaining experience in the field to attending workshops on providing home-based childcare. She had drive and work ethic, but she lacked two crucial elements to realize her dream: capital and business skills.
When Nidia heard about Trickle Up, she was quick to enroll in the business-training program run by a local partner agency. With the Trickle Up seed capital grant she founded Happy Daycare. One purchase she made with the money was to buy a much-needed computer. The new machine allowed her to complete a business plan, track income and expenses, keep a record of children enrolled, and create flyers, business cards and marketing materials.
"Having great ideas is nothing without money," Nidia explains. "That's why Trickle Up training and the grant work so well together.”
Nidia's first year has been so successful that she is making enough money to pay off her mortgage and has even put some funds into savings. Her husband has quit his job to work with her full-time in the center. Nidia is now applying for a permit to expand Happy Daycare to accommodate more children.
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