Empowering early education: UGA SBDC guides Clayton County childcare center to growth
Ngoddy’s small business journey was inspired by her experiences teaching high school mathematics in Georgia’s rural and urban counties.
“A lot of the children in my classrooms needed what I felt was early intervention,” said Ngoddy. “Some struggled with reading, some had disciplinary issues, but I saw potential in students labeled as having ‘bad behavior.’ I felt something was missing.”
Determined to address these gaps, Ngoddy visited local daycare centers and discovered her true calling in early childhood education. With her husband’s support and a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, she transitioned from teaching to entrepreneurship, founding Rex Childcare and Early Learning Center in 1992.
Today, Rex Childcare serves children from four weeks to 14 years old, offering daycare and before- and after-school programs that serve anywhere from 50 to 100 school-aged kids.
“Each child is treated as an individual,” said Ngoddy. “We are very particular about early intervention. We identify each child’s specific needs, whether its speech or hearing issues, and we guide the parents to the resources they need.”
Yet, Ngoddy saw opportunities to further improve her business’s financial management, marketing and staffing. She only needed expert guidance to navigate these challenges effectively.
Ngoddy turned to the UGA SBDC at Clayton State University, where consultants Richard Schnitker, Scott Nye and Todd Anduze worked closely with her to create a comprehensive plan for Rex Childcare’s growth.
“Rex Childcare had really grown. I had problems keeping up with my books. I wasn’t sure if I was using the right financial program to keep up, and I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right, from budgeting to taxes to hiring,” said Ngoddy.
Financial management became a key focus. Nye and Anduze helped Ngoddy develop a structured financial plan and implement an efficient tracking system to operate the center successfully.
“As someone who did not go to business school, a lot of what I know now I’ve learned through the UGA Small Business Development Center,” said Ngoddy. Please read more here.
