Fully prepared and enrolled, thanks to brightwheel’s New Program Experience

Building something new for Crystal’s community 

When Crystal set out to open her own program, she knew the demand for childcare was high, but so were the challenges in launching a new business. “There’s a huge need for childcare in this area. I will be the only childcare center in home or full sized center within 30 miles,” Crystal shared.

With 28 years of experience, Crystal had a clear vision and knew she needed an all-in-one system that worked from day one. “The last place that I worked at we used brightwheel and I loved it. I knew upfront that I wanted to incorporate brightwheel but I had no idea how helpful it would be to start out before I got open with it.” From paperwork to parent communication, brightwheel helped her stay organized and confident as she prepared to launch.

I would say that if you are a new program that you should definitely jump on brightwheel and just experience it. It’s tools that help make your life easier as the owner and director. There’s no reason not to, with the cost and the effectiveness, it’s 100% a yes for me.

Crystal D.

Owner and Director of Lil’ Ranch Hands Family Childcare Home in Minco, OK

See how brightwheel supports new programs at mybrightwheel.com/new-programs/

Brightwheel’s impact:  a strong start before day one with the New Program Experience

Crystal found her answer in brightwheel’s New Program Experience, a tailored solution designed to guide new preschool and childcare owners through every step of their opening journey. This comprehensive approach transformed what could have been a daunting process into a confident and efficient opening journey. Here’s how: 

1. Dedicated coaching to hit opening milestones 

Crystal didn’t wait until opening day to set up brightwheel, and that decision paid off. The personalized coaching from her brightwheel New Program coach, Kelly, was key to a smooth launch. Their regular one-on-one Zoom sessions helped Crystal map out goals, build an opening plan, navigate licensing, and get fully set up in Brightwheel, ensuring she stayed on track for opening day. “The onboarding process was just made so much easier because of the Zoom calls with my coach. Kelly was amazing and she walked me through…So just having her to help me walk through each step by step on how to set everything up. I would have been very overwhelmed not having that coach there for me,” Crystal shares. Kelly’s proactive guidance instilled confidence. “She was like, “What about this” or “Did you include this, do you want to include this?” and things that I hadn’t even processed or thought about yet…It was just another set of eyes for me,” Crystal adds, highlighting the value of a dedicated partner in the process. 

Brightwheel has helped my business opening plan by just making sure that everything is all in order. Everything is exactly where it’s supposed to be. All of my forms and documents have been completed.

Crystal D.

Owner and Director of Lil’ Ranch Hands Family Childcare Home in Minco, OK

2. 100% enrollment with streamlined admissions 

Brightwheel also played a crucial role in supporting Lil’ Ranch Hands’ enrollment process. “Brightwheel has helped my enrollment to be full,” Crystal proudly states. With the click of a button, all essential documents could be shared, making the admissions process more efficient for incoming families. “Several of the families have used brightwheel before and they were very excited that I was going to be continuing to use it. All of their information switched over and it just made a really seamless transition.”

3. Get paid on time with automatic invoices, deposits, and payment reminders 

Managing finances efficiently was one of Crystal’s top concerns, especially after years of relying on paper systems. “Having all those automatic payments come out is going to be extremely helpful and not even having to go to the bank to deposit it. That’s going to be very helpful too,” she states. “The automatic invoices and those fillable documents have been a godsend to me. Just hugely helpful!” she exclaims. She particularly appreciates brightwheel billing’s automated reminders and the ability to apply late fees to help keep payments on track without manual follow-up or uncomfortable conversations.

4. One central hub for families and staff communications 

Crystal had seen the downsides of paper handouts and insecure parent communication in past roles, and understood these issues deeply, both as an administrator and a parent. This time, she wanted something better. “I have told the parents that all communication needs to be through the brightwheel app and not through my text message or Facebook it keeps it all in one place,” Crystal emphasizes. And importantly, it helped Crystal set healthy boundaries from the start. “I’ve told them I won’t necessarily respond after hours… I’ve got to have me time and family time too.”

5. Cut prep time in half before day one 

Above all, brightwheel gave Crystal something invaluable: time.

Even before Lil’ Ranch Hands officially opened, the impact was clear. “The number of hours that I’ve saved by using brightwheel. I would say it cut my time in half on preparation,” Crystal shares. With Brightwheel, Crystal streamlined pre-opening tasks, organized documents from new families, and ensured everything was ready for opening day, freeing up time for Crystal to focus on what she loves most. 

It really has saved at least 50% of my time…Brightwheel allows me to have time to get messy with the kids. Which is my favorite thing to do.

Crystal D.

Owner and Director of Lil’ Ranch Hands Family Childcare Home in Minco, OK

Ready to Launch Your Dream Program? Learn more about brightwheel’s New Program Experience at mybrightwheel.com/new-programs/