Interview with Michelle Reynolds with Back 2 Basics Family
I met Michelle last year.
We were helping out with a business conference event. I had such a BLAST hanging out and working
the event with her. She is not one to
shy away from work, can anticipate where she is needed and she gives it her
all. I can see how those traits can be
such great assets for her Back 2 Basics Family biz! Her background as a teacher, mother and a
caregiver gives her great insight. I
just wish I had known her back when I was a young mother. She could had helped me through some of the
issues I had faced back then. Luckily,
my kids are resilient and survived me.
LOL! I share this post so gladly
with my mama entrepreneurs because how great is it for young moms now to have a
Michelle in their lives?
What is the name of your business?
Back 2 Basics Family
Love how you get the idea just from the name!
What product and/or service do you provide?
I provide educational
seminars, mommy masterminds and support groups, parent and educator trainings.
Parents need all the support they can get because kids do not
come with instructions :/
When did your business start?
I started Back 2 Basics Childcare a licensed
in-home daycare in 2008. I had a very successful business and was starting to
branch into Back 2 Basics Family in 2012. With many unexpected events happening
in my life, I had to close the daycare because it was in my home and my
children and husband and I needed to reconnect.
At that moment Back 2 Basics Family went on hold as I explored how to
get it off the ground without the daycare base. I also took this time to try a
few additional things to make sure I was living within my life’s purpose.
It takes someone with a gentile heart to be a caregiver.
What territory does your business serve?
South East Broward although I have traveled to
Boynton and West Palm. I do online as well.
Who does your business serve?
Specifically, parents that have children
birth through 5.
Children that have more challenging
behaviors are my specialty as I used to teach these children in 1st
grade in my past life as a teacher and I see where they shine and what their
behavior is communicating. I have been highly studies in Sensory Play and have
a Productive Play course that I teach.
Infants and that juggling act is also a
specialty of mine as it is one of those things that just comes easy to me and I
am able to organize and get infants on a schedule that works for them and mom!
I love working with
entrepreneurs because I have a business knack as I grew up in an entrepreneurial
household and I’m constantly trying to find a faster, more effective, more
efficient way to do everything from emptying the dishwasher to completing
billing.
I do have programs for beginning and
struggling readers up to 2nd grade.
What need does your product or service fulfill for your
customers
Sanity, time and love!
All we really want is to be a
good parent and connect with our children. All our children want is to be loved
by us.
I hear all the time people
say they want to slow down and bring back the basics, I can help you do that!
OM-geee! I don’t have
little ones but I need sanity, time and love tooooo! I think I need to get Michelle to re-consider
me as a client. Tee hee hee.
What DIY tip about your product or service can you share with MY
TRIBE?
Really think about the things
you do during the day and how you can make them more effective. Take dishes for example. Who moans and groans
about unloading the dishwasher? The
actual fact is it takes (or should take) 2 minutes or less to unload. I have
this routine that I think may help you.
In the morning, the first
thing I do as my coffee finished brewing is unload the dishwasher. I have a few
reasons for this.
1. I will have an empty dishwasher all day that I have trained my
husband and kids to rinse their dishes and place them in the dishwasher instead
of on the counter or in the sink. Dishes
out of sight and my kitchen looks clean.
2. It’s a wonderful thing to do right in the morning as a
stretching exercise. Reaching down into the dishwasher, reaching up to put the
plates away. Stretching my body this way allows my muscles to awaken and come
to life.
As my family fills the dishwasher
all day I make sure that they last thing I do before bed is to RUN it!
Try it for 1 week and let me
know how you feel!
I am going to stretch in the AM as I make my café con
leche. How many weird looks will my
teens give me? Message me your bet.
This was Michelle’s additional message to all in MY TRIBE.
Simplify your life!
Bring back the basics and
meet your child’s emotional and educational needs.
Who is in your support system?
Husband and 2 kids Jay is 5
and Kylie is 10. My parents are right around the corner from us and very
involved in our lives.
How awesome to have her family as her main support!
How did you get bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?
When I was 5, my dad had me working in
his grocery store cleaning shelves and such and I worked up from there doing
things in the back and taking care of the employee’s.
When I was 12 my father sold the store
and we moved to Florida from Canada. It was his dream to own a small hotel on
the Beach in Hollywood… and here they are Manta Ray Inn was bought and I worked
there cleaning rooms, managing the office, taking care of guests and making
reservations. At 17 I ran the hotel while my parents would go back to Canada in
the summer.
After I went into teaching, I realized I
liked teaching because it was like my own business and I was able to do what
the students needed as long as we got to a specific place by the end of the
year. My classroom was my own business. When the state and county started
taking that away from teachers and telling us what we were going to do, when we
were going to do it – I was out. I will NOT do things in a specific way when it
is NOT right for the children in front of me. Remember, I taught the behavior
issues and the lowest of the low students and what worked for them was
different than what worked for other classrooms.
While unhappy in the classroom with the
mandates that were coming down from the top, my husband and I decided to have
another baby. I was beside myself because there was nothing in the area that was
what I was looking for. I wanted academics but I also wanted my child to not be
a number. I wanted the social and emotional needs of my child met as well. I
wanted my child to be well cared for, have fun and learn through play (Back 2
Basics). There was no such place. I found all academic places, I found all play
no structure no learning and a lot of TV, but nothing that combined both.
That’s when I decided I would
open a licensed Family Child Care Home and eventually grew it into a Large
Family Child Care Home – 12 children enrolled with 2 employees and myself. It was an amazing structure and I created my
own curriculum. I provided organic homemade meals, the children had uniforms
and I even did the laundry for the parents. It’s was a full concierge service
academic learning center. I had plans to
franchise and would still be open to doing so in the future.
Her upbringing was such an influence. I hope all my femmepreneurs involve their
kids. Let them see you be THE EXAMPLE!
What is your biggest success up until now?
Owning and succeeding with my first business
the daycare, has been my biggest success. Seeing that it is possible and that
people do want what I provide. Also seeing that it truly made a difference in
parents and children’s lives. Those children became my children!
Anyone who impacts the lives of children is a success in my
book!
What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge is
selling myself. I know I’m good. I know I’m one of the best and I’m pretty darn
confident about it – until you ask me to sell my service. Selling a spot in the
daycare was one thing and the value was there – making it more personal is
really challenging me.
We must all see the value in ourselves and in turn ask what we
are worth without shame or second guessing!
Any funny stories you want to share so other ladies don't feel
like it only happens to them?
I worked with kids –
everything was funny! (I bet!)
As a mom, someone that works
with kids and someone that will go far enough to even say I am an expert – I
will STILL tell you I screw up all the time. I don’t care how much of an expert
you are, when you work with kids there will be times you will shake your head
and ask yourself if you just really just said/did that. It’s OK, we are human!
We all need to remember we are HUMAN in all our aspects of our
lives!
Pepsi or Coke?
Oh NO!!! Shhhhh… Coke
My parent’s best friend is
actually one of the head managers in Pepsi Cola Canada.
The SHAME! Sorry Bob!
Everybody promise … no telling Bob!
If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it
be? Why that song?
The Climb by Miley
Cyrus.
I took singing lessons with
my daughter a year ago and this was the song we practiced. I have related to
the lyrics of this song since becoming an entrepreneur and still feel it fits
my life. Besides having lessons was the
best way for me to find my voice and I wish I could have continued! I believe
this is something every child should experience.
My daughter and I used to sing that all the time! We need a quartet!
What about being an entrepreneur do you love?
I’ve never been a good
employee. If I see something needs to be done I do it. If I feel there is a
fast, effective and efficient way to get something done I will do it that way.
If you can’t give me a good argument as to why not to do it that way – I will
not change it.
I love being the leader and
not the follower!
Love it!
What is your why?
Our children are our future
and the educational system we have in place to help new moms and children
through the age of 5 is frightful.
These are the most important
years and the people watching/educating these children are making $10 or less
an hour ~ would you expect quality from them?
Someone has to take a stand
for these children!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Our kids are the future. We must do all we can to influence them for
the sake of humanity.
What value does your business bring to your life?
Meeting children’s emotional,
social and academic needs is really all the value that life has! That’s what I
bring!
Bring it baby!
What is your favorite gadget or app that others entrepreneurs
might want to check out?
Teamwork.com
LOVE it!
Ooooh! Must check it out!
Special offer
I do have a
Mommy Mastermind starting in March. I would love to offer your mommy readers a
FREE one hour discovery session with me!
Mommy Mastermind
~
$28 monthly
& every month you will receive:
• Teleclass/Webinar/Video: 1/ Per Month
• Group Teleconference Mommy
Mastermind: 1/Per Week
During our Mommy
Masterminds each participant will be able to share success and challenges from
the week. Loving and nonjudgmental advice from other moms on the call will
allow each participant to grow and have unconditional support. These groups will be limited in number
Plus
• One hour private telephone sessions with
me: 1/Per Month
• Bonus Call/Webinar/Video from a Family
Expert: 1/Per Month
How can MY TRIBE get your
deal?
Email Michelle at michelle@michelle-reynolds.com
Make sure to tell her the
Promo Code SystematicYOU
How long will this special
last?
1 month from 2/17/15!
Only 1 month! Hurry and get
it.
To contact Michelle, here is her
info J
I really do hope you
enjoyed this interview and the amazing insight that this {lovely} woman entrepreneur
has brought to you. I love to see that
we are not alone in our experiences, fears, hopes and dreams!
Tune in for next week’s
blog!! You do not want to miss it!
Happy Time Management
(a.k.a YOU management)
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