The NYCHA Journal

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woman, logo for Kolorful World Child Care, text: Celebrating Black Business Month
NYCHA Residents REES Top Story 

Meet Home-Based Daycare Owner Tiffany Blagrove

LaToya

August Is Black Business Month 

August is Black Business Month, a time to support and highlight Black entrepreneurs who are often underrepresented and may face barriers when starting and maintaining their businesses (just 3.5 percent of businesses in New York City are owned by Black entrepreneurs). Van Dyke Houses resident Tiffany Blagrove is one of them; she was able to open her business thanks to the assistance of NYCHA’s Childcare Business Pathways (CBP). CBP is a business accelerator program for NYCHA public housing residents who want to launch home-based daycare businesses. Ms. Blagrove completed the program in 2018; since 2019, she has been caring for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old at her home-based daycare Kolorful World Inc. The NYCHA Journal spoke with Ms. Blagrove about her path to entrepreneurship, the joys and challenges of being a business owner, and her advice for future NYCHA entrepreneurs. 

Why did you want to start your own home-based daycare? 

I had already been doing childcare and nanny services. I’ve worked in other facilities before I opened my own. I saw the NYCHA program and how you can start your own business and said to myself, “This makes sense.” I reached out to them and now I’m here. I’m very thankful to have my own daycare. This is something I dreamt of as a young girl. It was a calling, because I’ve always been around children and helped nurture them and loved watching them grow up.  

What’s your favorite part of being a small business owner? 

My favorite part is serving different children and their families…to be accessible to parents, especially single parents. I’m a mom of three, and having childcare made it accessible for me to be able to have time to do the things I needed to do. I know how hard it can be when you can’t find suitable childcare. I love nurturing the children and seeing their personalities and growth at varying stages. That’s the joy for me – seeing them get older, seeing them off to school. They become like my second children and I’m happy to be a part of that. I hope to keep the connection and I say to them, “I hope you remember me when you’re 20-something.” 

What has been a challenge for you as a business owner? 

You’re the person that wears the many hats inside your business and you have to be prepared for that. You’re your own salesperson; sometimes you’re the financial person, sometimes you’re the one interviewing employees. You have to be your own salesperson and pitch your business the best way you know how. I wasn’t someone who would speak in public, and I had to take classes and read books on how to be a better speaker so that I could put my best self forward and communicate. Part of having a business is developing yourself. It’s going to be intimidating, but you have to push yourself. 

What advice would you give to NYCHA residents who want to own their own businesses? 

Be very thoughtful of the future. As a business owner, I was so ready for the now, but you need to prepare not only for starting your business but for maintaining and growing your business. Prepare for the hiccups. Make sure you’re saving money for yourself. Think about how your business operates; sometimes you have your slow times and your fast times, and you need to prepare for how you’ll operate during slow times. The learning doesn’t stop. Keep learning every day and use the resources out there for help. 

I recommend NYCHA residents take advantage of programs like CBP. NYCHA has resources for all types of businesses. There are people out there that are putting the resources right in front of your face and all you have to do is say, “Yes, I want to be part of this.” 

To learn more about Childcare Business Pathways, visit Childcare Business Pathways | OpportunityNYCHA – REES. For more information about entrepreneurship opportunities for NYCHA and Section 8 residents, visit OpportunityNYCHA – REES or call the REES hotline at 718-289-8100. 

Interested in learning about Black-owned businesses in NYC? Visit the NYC Small Business Services Black Entrepreneurs NYC (BE NYC) directory: https://shopblack.cityofnewyork.us.