Growing Fast and Enjoying the Ride
Engage Kidz, LLC, provides educational and behavioral services for children, families, schools, and teachers. Owner and Founder Patty Maxwell wanted to grow the business. But she was hesitant - Would it grow too fast for her to handle?
Patty came to the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center in search of support as she expanded her business. This would take the form of coaching, accountability, and encouragement. She knew her focus would have to change to growing revenue while spending less time personally delivering service – working on the business rather than in the business. Patty would have to add and manage staff, assign clients to others rather than taking them on herself, and develop new business. If this worked, she would have more time with her family – the paramount goal for her.
She can report that this has been a very successful year! Revenue has more than doubled as Patty has acquired new clients, including an additional school district. The staff has also doubled to nine to service her new clients. In addition, Engage Kidz was just awarded a $200,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to support children under the age of five who are being suspended and expelled from daycares and preschools. This pilot program called the Rapid Response Team will offer teachers training and coaching opportunities to help our most challenging kiddos be successful.
Patty recommends the SBDC to anyone starting a new business as well as existing business owners that need coaching and encouragement as she did.
“The SBDC has been and will continue to be an important part of my success story as I continue to develop and grow Engage Kidz, LLC.”
