Editor’s note: For our special Women in Business issue, we asked women in our local business community to share insights they’ve gained through their work in Western North Carolina. Here is one of those stories.
Kids Garden Asheville is a women-owned and -operated business since Nov. 4, 2017. My husband and I moved to Asheville eight years ago to plant our roots as a family. I was working as an ICU nurse at the time when a good friend asked me to paint a mural at her business, Kids Garden, located in Charleston, S.C. I immediately fell in love with the whole business model and concept. The quality of care and flexibility it offers families are unique among child care facilities.
After I had my first child, I knew it was time to take a leap. Kids Garden Asheville was the second franchise to open. It came with many challenges, such as getting funding; roadblocks on location and buildouts; and being a new business owner in general. I have had lots of experience with children and a background with art, so all that came naturally, but the business side was what I was eager and excited to jump into.
As a business owner, you are continuously learning and evolving. A big lesson I learned is that plans don’t always go as expected, and you must roll with it. It took me over a year and two failed attempts to get the funding I needed. It was easy to get discouraged at times.
The best advice I can give fellow women with the drive to start their own business is to never give up. It sometimes seems as if it will never come together, but you must keep moving forward. Support other local business to build connections within your community. When you meet someone who makes an impression on you, pay attention, listen, learn and grow.
Thank you for the love, Asheville, and thank you to all the families that share your amazing children with us.
— Daphne Cave
Owner, Kids Garden Asheville
Asheville
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.