Business Advisor Chunyee Miot and clients Marie Florence Legitime and Dominique Noisy in front of the permit of their new space.

A New Daycare Opens in Queens Thanks to $120,000 Start-up Loan

In November 2008, Marie Florence Legitime and Dominique Noisy’s dream of opening The Little Children’s Garden Inc. day care came true as they were approved for $120,000 loan with the assistance of the LaGuardia SBDC.  While the owners had strong qualifications, getting start-up financing was a challenge as the financial crisis rapidly unfolded.  One bank had already turned them down.  However, collaborating with Business Advisor, Chunyee Miot, Marie and Dominique reworked their business plan, identified a new lender and diligently followed through a new application process to a positive outcome.

“Getting this loan is the biggest thing to happen in my life because my job was at risk of going overseas.  This loan opened the door to a dream we’ve had for a long time right at the perfect moment,” says Marie who over ten years ago, rode the bus with Dominique to their jobs in the World Trade Center discussing their future day care plans.

In entrepreneurship, the saying is evermore true that success results from preparation meeting opportunity.  Both Marie and Dominique have taken concrete steps to prepare themselves for their business.  Dominique is currently completing a Masters Degree in Education.  Marie has been volunteering in children’s educational programs for 15 years and is finishing a degree in Early Childhood Education.

Even still, getting the start-up loan was not an easy process.  Over the course of 8 months, it required research, constant communication and stamina.  To begin, Chunyee, started the clients on an application with the New York Business Development Corporation (NYBDC).  Then, working closely together, Chunyee, Marie, and Dominique provided follow-up information and clarification on financial and business planning matters as requested by the NYBDC.  Finally, when the loan was approved by the NYBDC’s World Trade Center Small Business Recovery Fund, the clients were deeply relieved and elated.  “The SBDC kept in better contact with us than anyone else we’ve worked with.  And we got so much good advice from Chunyee as we revised our business plan.  They did a great job,” says Marie.

The Little Children’s Garden Inc. day care is expected to bloom in Flushing, Queens in the early Spring 2009 after construction in the space is completed.