Today, we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Jones.
Hi Lindsay, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After graduating from high school in Coppell, Texas, I went to undergrad at OU (boomer!) and then to UTDallas for graduate school to become a Speech Language Pathologist. After ten years working in neurological rehabilitation and later as an infant feeding specialist, I decided to take the scary jump into the deep end of entrepreneurship, launching The PlaySpace in 2017 just a few months before giving birth to my first child. During graduate school, I had the opportunity to work in a drop-in childcare center.
Not only did I learn the ins and outs of the business—from becoming licensed with the state as a childcare facility to staffing ratios and everything in between—I also developed a calling for child development and a passion for children’s need for play.
As I continued to work as a speech therapist by day, I couldn’t shake the idea of entrepreneurism that would not only benefit the community but also feed my passion for child development. Personally, I had reached a place in my career where I was ready for a change and was soon to welcome my first son.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
While the Covid-19 pandemic obviously wreaked havoc on American industry, small businesses were hardest hit. In accordance with regulations in the state of Texas, we closed our doors for three full months. Because of the nature of drop-in childcare, we were not considered an essential service, so we were stuck in limbo between being a childcare facility and being a luxury service that did not benefit from carveouts afforded to “essential” businesses and personnel.
In order to survive, we were forced to rapidly change our business model. As schools shut down and transitioned students to remote learning, we pivoted from our traditional drop-in childcare model to essentially temporarily becoming a remote learning center where children could attend virtual school while under the care of specially-hired tutors. We retrofitted our play space to create learning areas complete with child desks, chairs, tables, and other educational materials. We grouped children together in learning pods based on age and grade level.
This tough but necessary decision to fundamentally shift our business model in the short term not only ensured our viability but also provided a critical service to the parents—especially essential workers—in our community who needed care for their children who would normally be at school.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The PlaySpace is an upscale, affordable, safe, hourly drop-in playcare center. Our focus is to provide a stimulating experience for children and a convenient, worry-free experience for parents. We strive to make every client feel like they and their children are truly cared for from “walk-in” to “walk-out.”
As the only drop-in play care center in Fort Worth, PlaySpace has changed the game for parents and children. In a typical childcare model, families must enroll their child or children for a set schedule at a set price, whether they need the full range of care or not. Further, most facilities’ hours mirror typical business hours, closing at night and on weekends.
Our facility gives complete and total ownership to the customer, who can come when they want, for however long they want, with zero commitment. We allow families to pay by the minute, only utilizing and paying for the care that they actually need. Our expansive hours enable families to utilize services for whatever need they have, be it a dentist appointment, date night, or school closure.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
As a small business owner in an ever-growing community, I learn a new lesson daily. I cannot begin to describe the number of times I have silently filed something away, thinking, “I probably should have known that before now.”
Some lessons I have recently put to good use… 1. Take ownership for the hard work and effort that has been engaged. I will never give myself enough credit for the amount of work I put in day in and out. Lately, I have been working to accept the compliments and feel proud of my accomplishments.
2. Don’t sell yourself short. One day, I am going to recoup the income I should be earning from all my “ventures.” This year, my goal is to really start focusing on that!
3. Lean on the support around you. I have an amazing network of friends who work in different industries, and I rely heavily on their input. By no means am I able to be the perfect accountant, insurance agent, or marketing guru alone.
It is with the support of people who specialize in those areas that I am able to use my energy on something that I can control to improve the day-to-day operations of my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: theplayspacefw.com, t
heplaypocketfw.com - Instagram: @theplayspacefw; @theplaypocket
- Facebook: @theplayspacefw; @theplaypocket
