What inspired Tiesha’s business?

Inspired by her professional experience as a babysitter and nanny, Tiesha recognized a significant need for childcare for neurodiverse children. Working through Medicaid programs, she identified a market gap and noticed the absence of services dedicated to these families in Rhode Island.

Attending a Business Plan Basics workshop at CWE provided Tiesha with the knowledge and confidence to pursue her entrepreneurial vision of creating an innovative business that meets the unique child care needs of families, particularly those with children with disabilities.

Business Highlights

Tiesha's business, Peace of Mind Nannies, is currently the only child care agency in the state specializing in care of those with disabilities. Peace of Mind Nannies’ core values and specialty set them apart with values that include (1.) Inclusion, by ensuring we meet all families’ child care needs; (2.) Diversity, the commitment to a diverse team of child care providers by age, gender identity and experience; (3.) Community, the shared responsibility we have to each other; and (4.) Excellence through the high quality care they provide.

Her target audience for clients are families, mostly in a two parent household, typically with infants, toddlers or elementary school age children. Parents of children with disabilities typically have children on the Autism Spectrum. Families are either visiting Rhode Island temporarily or are permanent residents. Her target audience for caregivers are either professionals with experience working with neurotypical or neurodiverse individuals or college students studying early childhood education or a similar field.

They have served 60% more nanny clients in 2023 than in 2022 and have supported over 60 families in RI since we opened four years ago! Last year, Tiesha was featured in an article titled ‘Here are Rhode Island’s Female Founders to Watch in 2023’ through The Business Journals, appeared on podcasts and by the end of the year was featured in the New York Times for an article on childcare at weddings! This spring, she looks forward to serving more families as she expands into Southeastern Massachusetts, including the Cape and Martha's Vineyard. She’s also eager to hire our first staff person this year.

How has CWE helped her in her journey?

Peace of Mind Nannies wouldn't exist without the Center for Women & Enterprise.

When Tiesha was still unsure about starting a business, she attended a business planning workshop at CWE Rhode Island. The staff member asked participants to share their business ideas with the group and once she received overwhelming support. That gave her the confidence to start her business!

The workshop, and subsequent meetings with staff gave her that key foundation for Peace of Mind Nannies. It became her roadmap for her agency. Through CWE, she was connected to a marketing expert who helped me come up with her marketing strategy, as well as a lawyer whom she still works with today. Her first accountant was also recommended to her by CWE. She’s since attended the Women Business Leaders Conference and several more events through CWE Rhode Island.

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