Wonderschool

[CityGarden]

I came across a Facebook Ad for Wonderschool which seems to just be a network on in-home day care programs.

Do any of you have a program with Wonderschool?

I must be missing something but I do not see what they offer that would be worth 10%.

Thought it would be neat to see what you all thought.

[TooManyKitties]

Hey CityGarden! They’re an SF startup, so lots of their daycare partners are up here in the Bay Area. They seem to be growing very quickly. One of the founders is a guy frustrated at his own lack of childcare options, so he started a company to help fix it.

Their value proposition seems to be that they’ll provide you with: visibility, by listing your program on their website; administrative support, because you can use their software to track your prospective & current children and track payments; and professional development, because they provide quarterly trainings and a childcare mentor. They also help navigate licensing, and help you figure out how much to change.

I considered joining them but decided I can do all that stuff myself. Still, I think it could be a good deal for some people. They’re targeting current center workers, because they could make so much more by running daycares out of their house than the poverty wages most childcare jobs pay. It’s an interesting idea, for sure.

[CityGarden]

You are right Too Many Kitties, great background info for anyone considering them.

I decided it was not a fit for me but did some research: talking to Brightwheel and some of the providers signed up with them and wanted to share my over all thoughts here for those who may search this in the future.

Brightwheel provides you:

• guidance (hand holding) in getting your home licensed in CA & NY with plans to expand to other states soon
• guidance setting hours / rates / policies / marketing, etc.
• a webpage on their site
• payment processing for credit card payments with plans to add ACH payments soon
• detailed shopping list and discounts
• program insurance

You provide Brightwheel

• 10% of all earnings off the top for 2 years
• You agree (it appears) to not have your own website, etc.

From the two providers I spoke with they felt they still needed to do a great deal of marketing so Brightwheels marketing efforts in their eyes were minimal

IMHO it is easy enough to DIY but for someone just starting out and not concerned about giving up 10% it could be worth it.

[TooManyKitties]

Hey CityGarden, thanks for the extra info. I didn’t realize you only had to pay Wonderschool for two years - I thought it was indefinite, for as long as you’re using them. Thanks also for the perspective of the caregivers you talked to. That confirms my decision not to use Wonderschool.