Myra Leandre knows full well the problems that lots of working mothers face in dealing with adequate child care. It’s something she battled with for years in the workforce, juggling a job and managing her three children.
So, when Myra was out of work recently and trying to decide what her next move would be, she decided to step out in faith and move into the realm of entrepreneurship. Her choice of business enterprise was something that she could relate to, a childcare business.
“To me there’s a big need for aftercare because there are a lot of parents who are working evening shifts,” she said. “Personally, I know about those challenges as a parent and how it is when you are trying to meet the demands of work.”
Having lived it and knowing the struggles of facing those challenges, Myra felt she could bring a unique perspective.
“Because of my personal struggles as a parent trying to find adequate child care, I knew what I would want and what I should offer. What I would want for my child, I am going to do two times fold for someone else’s,” she said. “It is just that sometimes parents are sceptical because of past experiences they might have had. There are a lot of parents out there struggling to find some place reliable and safe for their children. I wanted to help parents, plus I wanted to see if I could make a difference in the lives of some children.”
To ensure that she was adequately prepared, Myra enrolled in a course in child care nursery management. From there she started to get prepared and spread the word about what she was looking to do.
So Myra came up with a name, Care Bears Child Centre, and has launched herself in the world of entrepreneurship. It is a realm that she admits is a little scary, but one that she is ready to face.
“This was the right time for me to launch this,” she said. “I felt it was time for Myra to shine and spread my wings. Many nights when I got home from work, it was so late I hardly saw my children and barely got to spend quality time with them.”
While being in business for herself presents its own unique challenges, Myra knows there are hurdles she was pared to face.
“When I left my last job, I realized we all put 100 per cent into working for someone else at their company, but sometimes you’re not appreciated,” she said. “I thought the same way I can do this for someone, I can put in the time and effort into my own enterprise. I am being appreciated by the parents for the love and effort that I put into their children.”
This journey for Myra was something that she couldn’t have scripted. But things seemed to fall into place for her, she says.
“A couple of years ago I was not ready to make this move because this takes a lot of patience,” she said. “Now I have grown and all the experiences I have used as stepping stones.”
Along with the thrill of working with parents and being an asset to them, Myra also gets the benefits of a flexible schedule, which allows her to spend more time with her own children.
“As a mum it is convenient for me in terms of dealing with my children. It is allowing me the best of all worlds,” she said. “My children personally like the fact that they get to spend more time with me, and I can control my time.”
Right now, though, Myra is focused on making this venture a success.
“It is a little scary because I don’t want to fail at it because it’s like my baby,” she says. “Then I don’t want to disappoint my clients. If I set a guideline for myself, I want to surpass it. It’s not the same as working for someone, but I have to ensure that I keep parents coming.”
