Question 1

What does a childcare business consultant do?

Accepted Answer

A childcare business consultant helps founders and operators plan, launch, and improve early-childhood programs — from feasibility studies and site selection to enrollment marketing, staffing, operations, curriculum, and turnaround. Unlike a coach, Marnie Forestieri advises from having built, scaled, and exited real schools twice.

Question 2

How much does it cost to start a preschool or daycare?

Accepted Answer

Startup costs for a preschool or daycare typically range from roughly $50,000 for a small leased or in-home program to $500,000 or more for a purpose-built center — driven by real estate, buildout, licensing, staffing runway, and enrollment ramp. A feasibility study sizes your specific numbers before you commit.

Question 3

How do I increase enrollment at my daycare or preschool?

Accepted Answer

Increasing enrollment starts with fixing the funnel: fast inquiry response, a tour that sells outcomes, a consistent follow-up sequence, and a brand promise families understand. Marnie's turnaround work audits marketing, sales, and service together, then prioritizes the moves that fill seats fastest.

Question 4

What is a childcare feasibility study?

Accepted Answer

A childcare feasibility study validates whether a location and concept will succeed before you invest — analyzing local demand, competition, pricing, capacity, staffing, and financial projections. It gives founders, developers, and lenders a data-backed go/no-go and a model that holds up.

Question 5

How do I turn around a failing childcare center?

Accepted Answer

Turning around an underperforming center means auditing all five business systems — marketing, sales, customer service, finance, and operations — then fixing the leaks in the order that moves enrollment and margin first. Marnie's audit-to-action method rebuilds the systems she ran in real schools.

Question 6

How do I start a church or faith-based preschool?

Accepted Answer

Starting a church or faith-based preschool combines mission with a sustainable operating model: a feasibility study for local demand, licensing and staffing plans, a budget the board trusts, and a brand that reflects your ministry. Marnie consults with churches and faith organizations on exactly this.

Question 7

How do I add STEAM to my preschool curriculum?

Accepted Answer

Adding STEAM to a preschool means making inquiry, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving the default rather than an add-on. Marnie's Innovation Advantage and Simple STEAM frameworks, published by Gryphon House, give operators a repeatable, teacher-friendly way to raise innovators and justify premium tuition.

Question 8

How do I scale or franchise my childcare business?

Accepted Answer

Scaling or franchising a childcare business requires a proven single-site model, documented systems, a brand families recognize, and unit economics that repeat. Marnie has built, licensed, and exited multi-site early-childhood brands and advises operators on whether to build, buy, or franchise.

A brand opens the door. People keep it open.

Why child care is still a local business

Childcare franchising: the brand matters, but the operator matters more

The truth about running multi-site child care operations

One director can make or break your school

The biggest leadership mistake I kept making: promoting great teachers into director roles

Fix the operations before you enroll more families

We have a leadership problem in the childcare industry

The teacher-turned-director who had it all wrong

Where to start

Why child care is still a local business