October 30, 2025 • 34 mins
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Keanna Sanders.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
To highlight Keanna Sanders’ entrepreneurial journey from fashion merchandising to founding Sandbridge Early Learning Center, a network of childcare facilities in Maryland. The interview explores her motivations, challenges, and vision for empowering families and communities through early childhood education.
🧭 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. Early Inspiration & Passion for Children
- Keanna’s love for children began at age 13, helping her grandmother care for infants and toddlers.
- Quote:
“I was always around children… babysitting cousins, neighbors, and helping my grandmother with single moms’ kids.”
2. Education & Certifications
- Studied Fashion Merchandising at University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Fashion Institute of Technology.
- Earned childcare certifications (e.g., 45-hour and 90-hour credentials) to qualify as a teacher in Maryland.
- Quote:
“I went and got my certifications in childcare so I could make a little extra money.”
3. Entrepreneurial Drive
- Keanna always knew she wanted to be her own boss, even before understanding what entrepreneurship meant.
- Quote:
“I didn’t want to work a 9 to 5. I wanted to travel and make my own schedule.”
4. Serial Entrepreneurship
- Owned a car dealership called Trendy Motors before launching Sandbridge.
- Used profits from car sales and a bank loan to fund her childcare business.
- Quote:
“I sold my first car and said, ‘I’m going to start a car business.’ That success helped me launch Sandbridge.”
5. Founding Sandbridge Early Learning Center
- The name “Sandbridge” combines her last name (Sanders) with the concept of “bridging the gap” between parents and children.
- Quote:
“Sandbridge means bridging the gap between parents and kids.”
6. Curriculum & Learning Philosophy
- Uses Frog Street Curriculum for infants to age 5.
- Employs certified public school teachers through grants to prepare children for elementary school.
- Quote:
“We want children to be ready for school. We teach through themes, tummy time, reading, and physical activities.”
7. Family Engagement & Community Impact
- Hosts family nights, festivals, and educational field trips.
- Offers financial support, discounts, and free meals to families in need.
- Quote:
“We go above and beyond… sometimes I waive fees or help with scholarship applications.”
8. Franchise Vision & Branding
- Plans to franchise Sandbridge nationally with consistent branding across locations.
- Quote:
“I want every Sandbridge to look the same—like Chick-fil-A or Walgreens.”
9. Overcoming Bias & Embracing Identity
- Initially hid her ownership due to fear of bias but later embraced her identity and impact.
- Quote:
“You didn’t work this hard not to be recognized. People deserve to know who you are.”
10. Faith, Risk-Taking & Advice
- Attributes her success to faith, persistence, and taking risks.
- Quote:
“Out of ten no’s, you’ll get one yes. Be consistent, be persistent, and lean on God.”
📍 Current Status
- Operates six locations in Maryland: three full sites and three before/after care programs.
- Serves nearly 400 children.
- Actively working on franchising the business.
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald, our host this weekly Money Making
Conversation Master Class show. The interviews and information that this
show provides off for everyone. It's time to start reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. I'm
talking about you. If you want to be a guest
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and click to be a guest. But if you are
(00:20):
a small business owner, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, influencer, or a
nonprofit now let's get this show started. My guess is
a visionary, a risk taker, and a fierce, fearless entrepreneur
in the childcare industry. She is the founder and chief
executive officer of Sandbridge Early Learning Center, a network of
early childcare facilities in Maryland. As a teenager, she assisted
(00:44):
of her grandmother, a family childcare provider, which sparked her
love for children and youth development. Please welcome to Money
Making Conversation Master Class, Miss Keanna Sanders HOI doing this Kea?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hello?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How are you pretty good? Pretty good? I'm happy to
have you on my show. Now, you say you was
inspired as a youth, you know, now, how old were
you being around people, your kids, your age that inspired you?
After watching this thirteen thirteen, so thirteen and the ages
of the children you are around.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Were how old baby so? Infants to about twelve years old?
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Okay, so what inspired you? Because I'm always interested when
I hear people see things at the early age and
it drives their dreams for their future.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Talk to me, So what actually inspired me? I was
always around children. I was baby setting children at an
early age, maybe twelve thirteen, fourteen years old.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I babysat my little cousins.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I babysat the neighbors' children, baby set different family members, aunts, uncles.
I had everybody's child right so, and then also with
my grandmother being in home provided I was always around children.
My grandmother had a lot of single mom clienteles, so
those children would stay day and night. And with those
(02:11):
children staying day and night, like I said, constantly around them,
and it gave me, I guess, the opportunity and gave
and helped me acquire the love of children. Being in
a church, being in a Bible study, being on different
different boards, and being around children by babies.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Really, you know you are a child at thirteen?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, So I love I love the babies.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Right right, baby, the infants, you know, changing diaper age and.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
About four year four years, four year old?
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yes, okay, so crawling around, you know, you know, doing
not really understanding English and really really those formative years. Correct.
Yeah they say the terrible too with that. Okay, yeah,
so the form of the babies to age of four.
Now it's a business for you.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Now, correct it is?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
How did that happen? And let's talk about your education
through high school through college? Was that the motivation for
your education approach? Would you went to college? And where
did you go to college?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I actually went to college for fashion merchandising.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
See right there, right up the baby, yeah, the baby.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So I went to college for fashion merchandising, mined in business.
I attended University of Maryland Eastern Shore and did a
dual dual degree program at Fashion Institute of Technology. So
what actually got me into the childcare industry is because
of my grandmother and then doing my breaks. So you
know how you have summer breaks and then you had
winter breaks. I actually worked with children during my summer
(03:54):
and winter breaks. So with that said, I said, let
me just go and get my certifications. So I went
and got my certifications in childcare so I can make
a little extra coins now.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So because you knew, I love people who know their story,
just be talking like everybody know what the certification is.
I don't know what that is and what and where
did you get the certification? What at? Okay?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
So the certifications were in childcare, so like you would
get your forty five hours working with infinite toddlers, or
you would get your ninety hours working for preschool, or
like your forty five hours working with.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
School age children.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
So those were your certifications that you got through the
Office of Childcare. In order for you to be a
qualified teacher, you have to have certifications in childcare or
have to have a degree. So while I was attending
high school, when I was in high school and when
I was in college, I was working on those certifications
along with majoring and my and my you know, having
(04:57):
my concentration major as well.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
So just asking questions here, Okay, these are certifications. These
certifications allow you to work at a daycare.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yes, they did in the state of Maryland. You have
to have the certifications to be a to be a
qualified teacher. Now you don't have to have certifications if
you are an aid like a teacher's assistant. You don't
have to have qualifications, but to be an actual childcare teacher,
you do have to have a host of certifications.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Okay, cool, I'm talking to miss Keana Sanders. She's in
the Maryland Era. You know she has an I guess
childcare education is what we're talking about. Now, what age
is your business? You fell in love with babies? Yes,
Now what age are you dealing with now in your
business format?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Six weeks to twelve years old? But my favorite room
is the infant room? Still, uh huh?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Okay, but that's a lot going on now, you know, yes,
it is. I have I only want child And boy,
I used to hate dropping my child off and you
look over there and a baby gouts, sniffles, are cold
because I knew my baby gonna come back with sniffles
or cold. How do you work that out? When you
see children who are feeling ill or looking ill.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
So when you see children that are feeling ill are
looking at ill. What we do at our centers well
was mandated through the Office of Childcare that we sanitize.
We wipe wipe down with bleach and water, and so
we sanitize periodically throughout the day. So in order to
have a cleansy center, that's what should be happening. So
(06:35):
if you continue to do that every day to cut
down on germs and different diseases. And we wear gloves
as well. We do diaper changes with gloves. We make
sure we take the children's temperature. You know, if we
see a children that has a that's maybe feeling ill,
we call the time immediately. We advise the parent that
you know, come pick that child up and take that
child to the doctors. And they can't bring that child
(06:57):
back unless they have a doctor's note eating that the
child can return.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Bob.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
They know them kids are sick to be dropping them off, Yes,
we get it all the time. They'll bring their children
and sick. And if we see symptoms and we notice that,
we call a parent immediately. We say hello, you know,
little Bobby is irritable. He's having these symptoms. You know,
especially like if a child has had symptoms of like diarrhea,
if there are like three diarrheas, then we definitely have
(07:26):
to call a parent because it falls under the Communical
Disease Act and we have to call the parent and
notify them and tell them them come pick that child up.
So we are big on making sure that children don't
come in the facility set.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
What is Kean? What inspired you to Great sad Bridge
Early Learning Center?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well to create it again? Like I said, the love
of children.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And all that love with children. You know, it was
the business model tied to this stuff. I got the love.
But you know, like I said, I want to do
stand up comment. I love but with the money I saw,
there's fame I saw in it that drove me to
my love and my passion. YEAHU this is money making conversation.
(08:11):
We got the love. It was inspired, you know, looking
at these babies. You're thirteen years old in high school,
you got a certificate and all that. What inspired you
to create it though?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So what inspired me to create it was? I knew
that I wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
There you go, But I didn't.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
At that time, when I was sixteen and seventeen, I
wasn't sure of what an entrepreneur was. I just knew
I wanted to work. I didn't want to work in
nine to five.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I knew that I.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Wanted to travel. I knew that I wanted to be
able to make my own schedule. I've always been. I
have so many ideas that go through my mind that
still this day, right that I'll just stir at a
wall and different things are going through my mind. So
at that time when I figured out, I was like,
oh my gosh, I know what I want.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Beat.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
My light bulb just went up. I want to be
an entrepreneur. I want to be a business owner, as
they say now, a boss. Right, that's what the young
people say, right.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So I'm looking at a young person. Continue.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
So with stephan Is said, I said, okay, I want
to be an entrepreneur. So it was so many things
that I wanted to do. Like I told you before,
I went to school for fashion.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
You know I nails fashionable. You have not lost a
fashion and stink.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
No.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Fashion is definitely one of my first loves. So fashion
and I love children. Then I had a hobby of cars.
I had a car dealership. I've done I've been in
different industries. So with that band said, I was like,
you need I'm a boss.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm an entrepreneur. Yeah, I like money.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You can't throw out the word called deally chill stay
on the childcare conversation. I've interviews seventeen hundred people on
this show. Now one person come on my show, will
go you know what car dealership on a lot of cars. Now,
before we get back to the job here, you've shown
(10:12):
that you are a serial entrepreneur. Yes, in this path
become to becoming and building out Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Talk about this car ownership dealer ownership experience and how
did you get into that and then how you transition out.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, I got into it because I had a love
for cars, and at the time, I kept saying to myself,
what else is it can I do? Now? I had
the car business before I opened up the childcare for
so I know, I know trending motors.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
So when trending motors trend.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Motors big match the fashion, I know something else.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I love this conversation.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
So when I when I at an early age, I
had to become care girl of my grandparents because they
found where he thick with cancer. So I had to
find out what it was that I wanted to do.
I had inherited a little bit of money ran through it.
So I sold my S four thirty and that was
my first car that I bought on my own, two
(11:16):
thousand and one asked for thirty mescegsman and.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I sold it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I said, you know what, I'm going to take this
business and start a car business.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Because I was so in love with that car.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
So I took the money from selling a car, I
started trending motors. And when I started in trenting modes,
I was so successful. I had clients that I had
got cars for on special orders. And I was so
successful at doing the business that I opened up a
tag entitle along with it, and I took that money
and I raised the funds and I got aloan from
(11:47):
the bank, and that's how I actually got started with
Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Now that's a great story. That's a story of resilience,
a story of taking a love and turn it into
a business. That's why I wanted to talk about, you know,
not the fact that you could love something, but that
doesn't necessarily mean that you can earn a living off
of what you love. That's correct, you are doing it.
You know, trendy, trendy automotive. I love that, you know.
(12:13):
N She goes to the sophisticated Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Now Sandbridge means.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
What sandbridge, So Sandbridge means bridge bridging the gap between
parents and kids. With my last name being Sanders, I
kept saying, what what can I name my school? So
first I was going to name it bridged in School,
but then I wanted to incorporate my last name minute,
so I took Sanders and I bridged it, and I
(12:39):
took Sandbridge, and I said, well, Sanders is bridging the
gap between parents and kids.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
So that's how I came up with Sandbridge.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Awesome, congratulations on that idea. One thing I come on
my conversation with you so far, you seem very creative,
and you seem to be very confident in your approach
to being creative. Do you have any mentors or individuals
that you bounce ideas off of? Or you just a
person that is so confident in what you are doing
(13:06):
and what you believe you just just battle those narratives
and waterways by yourself.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I would say it's a combination of both. Okay, So
I'm very strong headed, and yes I do come up
with the ideas, but I do ask for my leaders
and mentors. I might ask that advice of what they think,
so I do get a second opinion.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Now, you know, when you start talking about Learning Center
and is there a curriculum.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Talking to Keana Sanders, she owns the sam Bridge saying
as part of her last name, last name is Sanders
and Bridge is bridging the gap early Learning Center. And
we've discussed her personality. That personnelity is very outgoing. She
calls usself old because she says young people, but she's
not old, which I really appreciate people who get their
(14:00):
idea and follow through at such a young age. I
always respect that because I wasn't one of those people. Ken.
I was going through life using words like you know,
right place at the right time, lucky, you know, being
you know, terms that did not suit my ability or
recognize my talents were creating these success stories. And you
(14:22):
you're clearly understanding that you have talents and you turn
those talents to success stories, but you confidently build upon that. Now.
So what is the future for Sandbridge Learning Center? Wow?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Wow? The future for Sandbridge Early Learning Center is to
be to develop a franchise. I'm working on franchise in
my business right now.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
You have right now one, I.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Have six six, so I have three full sight.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Questions and you I knew you had. I'm talking to
the trendy autumn meals are trended. You know six locations.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Six locations, so three of those locations are Full Sight
centers and the other three are before and aftercare programs
and the Prince George's County Public Schools.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Stay with us. More money Making Conversation Master Lass coming
up next. Welcome back to Money Making Conversation Master Lass
with me Rashaun McDonald. And can I ask how many
students or children do you care for within your system?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I would say are most four hundred.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
And so in one of your care centers because you
know these are baby You have spaces that you know
you got to set aside, so it's not like you
just push a bunch of kids in the room. So
and four hundreds is a large number. So what are
the principles or the curriculum for making because you said learning,
(16:00):
you know what do you are? You each location has
a different curriculum and what are you trying to teach?
What lessons do you tell the parents who drop off
their kids, why should they bring their kids to Sandbridge?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Well, we have a career use one curriculum for the
three full Sight centers. That curriculum is our Frog Street curriculum,
so that is ages infants from infants to five years old.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So with that curriculum, oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
They it comes with themes and it actually comes with
a guide to help the teacher do their lesson plans.
Every teacher is responsible for doing that lesson plans, like
for the infants and toddless the infants and toddlers have
tummy time, and so with tummy time they're doing like
tummy activities or physical activities with the children reading books.
(16:51):
I have a curriculum specialist that rotates through all of
my sites to make sure that the curriculum is being followed.
And then we also have the pre K program in
which I employ a Baltimore County or Prince George's County,
a public school teacher to come into my facilities and
teach the children. So the same teachers that work in
(17:11):
a public school system, I get a grant and I'm
able to have them come into my facilities and teach
the children the same material so that they can be
ready for elementary school.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And the bottom line is about the families, yes, and
your role in being able to because like I said,
my child only have one child, daughter, and we used
to put in these early learning centers type setups, but
I never felt like they incorporated us as the family
just took our child, did what they were supposed to.
(17:44):
Our child was safe and it was rich, and my
daughter's returned to us safe every day. Do you incorporate
families in the format that you created Sandbridge?
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Yes, we had family engagement activities and family engagement nights
when the family and families actually come out and participant
in our activities in the evening. Some of those programs
are required by the grant as well. It's wonderful programs
because we have programs like Black History Month where the
children will have festivals and they sing and they dance.
(18:15):
We have pta meetings back the school night where the
families come in. We have a lot of different festivals
in the summertime that a family engagement where we have
community come in and then we have people outside in
the community come in. We offer activities like cony rides
for the children, pumpkin patches. We take the children on
(18:36):
educational field trips like to the aquarium based off of
what they are learning for that week, whatever that lesson
plan is for that week pertaining to the curriculum. We
do a lot of family engagement activities, and when we do,
we eat as a family, starve refreshments, we reserve, reserve snags,
We have a wonderful time.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Well, I'm talking to my guests. If you've been listening
to this interview, she's a visionary. She had six locations
in the Maryland Baltimore area on the East Coast. If
you listen to this interview, you know she's fearless because
she didn't start out in childcare. She thought she's gonna
be a big time fashion designer because she went up
(19:17):
New York came down to Maryland's sure remember what her
grandma showed her when she was a kid that inspired
her Number one life because I always tell people between
the ages of eighteen and twenty two, it's what you
really want to be. Like when you get past that
age is when you can shift out and either take
a job you don't want or get married. But if
(19:38):
you really confused about your life, what direction you wanted
to be, who you wanted to be, go back to
that period and that's what you've just done right now.
You may have wanted to go to school to be
a fashion designer, but in that little window it started
earlier than eighteen. This is what you always wanted to do.
(19:59):
I know I've kind of asked this question, but what
got you back on this direction to say, you know,
I'm not going to be trendy. I'm not going to
be the next fashion designer. I'm not going to New
York Fashion Week. I'm going to be Keana Sanders, you know,
educated for the young, turning lives and making families hold
(20:22):
Talk to me.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Well, one, I had all these certifications and I wasn't
using them i got there. And two, the fact that
I just knew that I think I had a change
of life, Like I just had a different call. And
I'm like I say, after my grandparents passed and I
(20:44):
was care kevin of them, It's like my life took
a shift and I had my own child. At that time,
my child might have been maybe to one or two
years old, and I was working part time in a
child care facility, and I saw the.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Need for or to do a lot more.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
I won't say the name of the facility, but some
of the things that I was saying wasn't I said
it wasn't conducive. I'll say it wasn't condescive. To the environment,
and I wanted to be the one to make a change.
I wanted to be the one to have that child
care facility where I could help the parents, where I
could be aide to them. Not only not only was
it just about the money, but it was just about
(21:23):
being able to make sure that the children had the
resources that they need. I see a lot of times
in our in our communities that our children don't get
the help that they deserve, and I wanted to be
the one to be able to change that around and
just be the leading childcare provider for people to know
that it's more. It's not about the money, It's not
(21:44):
about what you can get. It's also about what you
can do for the communities. And I have impacted a
lot of families and a lot of people lives. And
I think that's what really really settles within me, knowing
that I'm doing something for a greater cause.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Now that's really interesting. And you say that I'm talking
to Keanu Saunders. You know, she's the founder, chief executive
owner a Sandbridge Early Learning Center, a network of early
childcare facilities in the Maryland area. Right now, she has
six locations. And then you said the word franchise, yes,
which means you know, quality control be the same standards.
(22:22):
Talk to us because we're dealing with the not Hamburgers.
We're dealing with These are young lives insurance. This is
a lot of protocols that have to be put in place.
So is there a distance that you were franchised to
kind of maintain quality control? Talk about what you what
you mean when you say the word franchise.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Well, what I mean when I say franchise is having
a sandbridge right now in every state if I could,
if well not, if I can do it, I will
do it.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I want to say.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
That that is what I mean by franchise. I want
to be able to like right now. I renovated a
lot of my centers to all look the same, all
being sank. For instance, will you Subway, will McDonald's right
to fill at all of their all of their franchises
look the same. So we started working on that. I
just finished with My last center was making sure that
(23:15):
all those.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Locations with food places right, so all your places, so
you your learning centers look like food places.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
My learning centers don look like.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
How they.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Places want something to eat and kids coming out, wait,
do they mamas and daddy's. I was just messing with you.
But you are brandy. That's what's called brandy.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I'm branding.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
We drive by if you if your brand and your
colors are yellow, your colors are gray and the letters,
it stands out because I know what Chick fil A
looks like. I know what the Big m is, I
know what the Burger King looks like. These are branding.
I know what Subway looks like. You know these are
brandings that are consistent to our mind. I know what
the Google looks like. All these brands carry a certain model,
(23:58):
and these models because legendary because they've become legendary because
they've been branded in So from a marketing standpoint, now
let's slide back a little bit again. Fashion institute, you're
in childcare, you're entrepreneur. Now you're talking about marketing. Are
these naturally learned skills that you picked up on through
education and you know, trial and error?
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Naturally learned skills and trial and I'm not going to
say education, because what you learn in school is completely
different than when you when.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
You get out there in the real world.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Right, So education might have had some part, but I
would say natural and through try and trial or definitely how.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Do you get back to the community. You know, because
you're in six locations, so I think the community, you're
dealing with, families, you're dealing with small kids, So it
has to be and we always say that the holistic
relationship you have with families. Do you employ a need
within your company's mantra to get back to the community.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Yes, we definitely get back to the community. My discount
a lot of my childcare fees. When I know that
parents just can't afford it or can't afford tuition, we
will definitely work with the parents and you know as
to what can you afford, how can we help you,
what can we do with what can we do for you?
We go an extra mile and even help it's a
(25:18):
freeze on a vouch the scholarship application right now in Maryland,
scholarship applications are vouchers, subsidy vouchures that you can receive
from the state. So we go as far as even
helping the families with their application process, doing the application
with them, you know, helping them with getting the resources
(25:39):
that they need. So we definitely go above and beyond.
And like I said, if they're when my families had
financial situations. Sometimes I'll wave the fees, you know. Sometimes
I'll tell them not to worry about it. Some of
the families we provide free lunch to you for the children,
you know, and that's that's a cost that's coming out
of my pocket. So we're able to feed the feed
(25:59):
the children as well free of costs. So those are
things that we do to you know, to help our
families out, especially if they're going through any type of hardships.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Now you mentioned the word grant. I got to ask
that question because whenever we're here to work grant. Is
that a five oh one c are nonprofit you own?
Are you run? Are you founded? Or is this a
corporation that qualified for a grant?
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This is a corporation that qualifies for a grant that
we get. It's called the pre K Expansion grant or
and also the blueprint for grant and that allows three
and four year olds to come to you to your
program for free, so the state will pay for them
to come for free as long as they meet the
income qualifications.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
I asked that because you know, as a minority, you know,
I welcome everybody. Now, does your business qualify because it's
a minority business and you're offering a service that is
often limited to the community of color. All your platform
(27:05):
is for everybody, all races, all individuals of color to
come in and allow their child, our children to have
care at your learning center.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
My platform is for everyone. It's not based off of minority.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Just to just stop right. They didn't even add to
that that you you know, just it's for everybody. That's
how you're gonna do. Miss out. You've been storm and
you just throughout one sentence, it's for everybody. It just
looked at me, don't play with me, son, which is
important because I would tell you something as a as
(27:41):
a black person, you know, we want to make all
the money, and I hate to get stereotyped. You know,
I'm in business because I'm black, And some black people
don't want to let people know they own a black
business because they don't want people to think that they
have a certain amount of reports. You know, because sometimes
minority owners can get stereotype that they're going to deliver
(28:02):
inferior service, in ferial quality, the warranties don't exist. How
do you overcome that and how have you overcome that
in building your brand? Which is now in six locations.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Well, I think that In the beginning, I used to
be like that.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I would say, and I I'm just asking because I
think that you already you said earlier you've learned from
your mistakes.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yes, I've learned from my mistakes. I'm gonna be honest.
In the beginning, I didn't want anybody to know that
I was the owner. I mean because I was scared.
And this goes into a whole different conversation, but sometimes
your own people, you know, don't want to see you
su see or your own people will block your blessings,
and I didn't want to I experienced that a little bit,
(28:55):
and so I was like, I didn't want anyone to
know that I was the owner. I actually thought by
having a different face in front of it would be
better for my business. But then as I got old
and wise, I had to really think about that and
really kind of pivot that to say, you know, you
didn't work this hard.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
You know you deserve to be recognized.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
You know, you deserve everyone deserves to know who you are,
what you're doing in the community.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Everyone deserves to know.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
You know, how many lives that you've changed, how much
you've been an impact on a community. So with that
being said, I you know, decided to kind of change
my model. Also was speaking to some of my mentors
that you know, we're doing a lot better than me
and that I continue to still look up to this day.
(29:41):
I seek advice from them, and just having good people
and people that really want to see you win and
a good support system helped me, you know, kind of
change that mindset.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Well, I'm happy you said that because, like I said,
I know when the George Floyd incident had and you know,
I remember I was contacted by Google and they wanted
to know what's our black owned business. If you go
to our Google page or whatever, it still has checked
and I'm a black owned business. And that was the
first time I was in a position to say yes
(30:15):
or no, and of course I proudly said yes. But
when you're an inspiring entrepreneur, what advice would you give
looking at your journey, you know, fashion automotive dealership, you know,
starting to learn and center and denial of your ownership
because of the color of your skin. That's a journey.
(30:36):
And you're still young. What does the future hold for
you as a young entrepreneur? Because I'm gonn keep saying
she's young, because anybody tell me that, you know those
she looked like you're thirteen on TV here and we
know she's not, but she's but she's a person that
is highly skilled at what you do. Advice, please, I
(31:00):
would say to.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Anyone to just make sure that you say, be consistent
and persistent in everything that you do.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That's my number one advice. I would say to always.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Think about where you want to be, think about what
your goals are.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Create a vision board.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You know, once you create a vision board, and you
start a vision board, you start putting things on your
vision board and crossing the mouth.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Well, actually your vision board grows.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
But as you as you cross the mouth, just continue
to jot things down. You're only going to be as
good as you think you are. So with that band said,
I would just advise anyone that wants to get into
entrepreneurship or to just stay focused, disguise the limit. And
my terminology that I always use, yeah, you can do
(31:52):
all things through Christ. That strengthens you right, Biblical first,
and so I keep that embedded in my mind all
the time. And I feel like that if you just
stay strong and be consistent at whatever it is that
you want. You can accomplish anything, especially if you're a
resk taker. You're not if you're scared to do something right.
If you're scared to do these things and you hold back,
(32:13):
you're never going to get it done. So in order
for you to get where you want to be, you
have to take rest. It's always going to be certain
rests that are involved. And if you if you're too
scared to ever find out, then you're going to be
sitting in a chair for the rest of your life.
So if you're a risk taker and you say, hey,
you know, I'm ready to I'm ready to do it,
just go forward, just put just just give it your
best shot.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
As they say you might be. It's out of out.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Of ten nose, you're going to get one yes right
out of five people, it's always one superstar, So you
never know.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
So you're not going to get there if you don't
take the rest.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
So I just tell everyone, be consistent, be persistent, have faith, pray,
lean on God, and as much as you lean on God,
he'll never forsaking. So and have a plan and have
a plan. That's right, that's the key.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Have a plan, don't jump out there with no plan
and understand your budget. You understand this. It was really
a joy talking to you and I wish you luck.
You know, enfranchising will happen. You already got six locations
in the Maryland area and with that being said, your
future is bright. And thank you for sharing your story
(33:28):
on Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversations Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today, and thank you our listening audience. Now.
If you want to listen to any episode or want
to register to be a guest on my show, visit
Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversations.
(33:55):
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
your gifts. Keep winning. Eight
Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald, our host this weekly Money Making
Conversation Master Class show. The interviews and information that this
show provides off for everyone. It's time to start reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. I'm
talking about you. If you want to be a guest
on my show, please visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com
and click to be a guest. But if you are
(00:20):
a small business owner, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, influencer, or a
nonprofit now let's get this show started. My guess is
a visionary, a risk taker, and a fierce, fearless entrepreneur
in the childcare industry. She is the founder and chief
executive officer of Sandbridge Early Learning Center, a network of
early childcare facilities in Maryland. As a teenager, she assisted
(00:44):
of her grandmother, a family childcare provider, which sparked her
love for children and youth development. Please welcome to Money
Making Conversation Master Class, Miss Keanna Sanders HOI doing this Kea?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hello?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How are you pretty good? Pretty good? I'm happy to
have you on my show. Now, you say you was
inspired as a youth, you know, now, how old were
you being around people, your kids, your age that inspired you?
After watching this thirteen thirteen, so thirteen and the ages
of the children you are around.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Were how old baby so? Infants to about twelve years old?
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Okay, so what inspired you? Because I'm always interested when
I hear people see things at the early age and
it drives their dreams for their future.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Talk to me, So what actually inspired me? I was
always around children. I was baby setting children at an
early age, maybe twelve thirteen, fourteen years old.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I babysat my little cousins.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I babysat the neighbors' children, baby set different family members, aunts, uncles.
I had everybody's child right so, and then also with
my grandmother being in home provided I was always around children.
My grandmother had a lot of single mom clienteles, so
those children would stay day and night. And with those
(02:11):
children staying day and night, like I said, constantly around them,
and it gave me, I guess, the opportunity and gave
and helped me acquire the love of children. Being in
a church, being in a Bible study, being on different
different boards, and being around children by babies.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Really, you know you are a child at thirteen?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, So I love I love the babies.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Right right, baby, the infants, you know, changing diaper age and.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
About four year four years, four year old?
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yes, okay, so crawling around, you know, you know, doing
not really understanding English and really really those formative years. Correct.
Yeah they say the terrible too with that. Okay, yeah,
so the form of the babies to age of four.
Now it's a business for you.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Now, correct it is?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
How did that happen? And let's talk about your education
through high school through college? Was that the motivation for
your education approach? Would you went to college? And where
did you go to college?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I actually went to college for fashion merchandising.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
See right there, right up the baby, yeah, the baby.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So I went to college for fashion merchandising, mined in business.
I attended University of Maryland Eastern Shore and did a
dual dual degree program at Fashion Institute of Technology. So
what actually got me into the childcare industry is because
of my grandmother and then doing my breaks. So you
know how you have summer breaks and then you had
winter breaks. I actually worked with children during my summer
(03:54):
and winter breaks. So with that said, I said, let
me just go and get my certifications. So I went
and got my certifications in childcare so I can make
a little extra coins now.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So because you knew, I love people who know their story,
just be talking like everybody know what the certification is.
I don't know what that is and what and where
did you get the certification? What at? Okay?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
So the certifications were in childcare, so like you would
get your forty five hours working with infinite toddlers, or
you would get your ninety hours working for preschool, or
like your forty five hours working with.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
School age children.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
So those were your certifications that you got through the
Office of Childcare. In order for you to be a
qualified teacher, you have to have certifications in childcare or
have to have a degree. So while I was attending
high school, when I was in high school and when
I was in college, I was working on those certifications
along with majoring and my and my you know, having
(04:57):
my concentration major as well.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
So just asking questions here, Okay, these are certifications. These
certifications allow you to work at a daycare.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yes, they did in the state of Maryland. You have
to have the certifications to be a to be a
qualified teacher. Now you don't have to have certifications if
you are an aid like a teacher's assistant. You don't
have to have qualifications, but to be an actual childcare teacher,
you do have to have a host of certifications.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Okay, cool, I'm talking to miss Keana Sanders. She's in
the Maryland Era. You know she has an I guess
childcare education is what we're talking about. Now, what age
is your business? You fell in love with babies? Yes,
Now what age are you dealing with now in your
business format?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Six weeks to twelve years old? But my favorite room
is the infant room? Still, uh huh?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Okay, but that's a lot going on now, you know, yes,
it is. I have I only want child And boy,
I used to hate dropping my child off and you
look over there and a baby gouts, sniffles, are cold
because I knew my baby gonna come back with sniffles
or cold. How do you work that out? When you
see children who are feeling ill or looking ill.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
So when you see children that are feeling ill are
looking at ill. What we do at our centers well
was mandated through the Office of Childcare that we sanitize.
We wipe wipe down with bleach and water, and so
we sanitize periodically throughout the day. So in order to
have a cleansy center, that's what should be happening. So
(06:35):
if you continue to do that every day to cut
down on germs and different diseases. And we wear gloves
as well. We do diaper changes with gloves. We make
sure we take the children's temperature. You know, if we
see a children that has a that's maybe feeling ill,
we call the time immediately. We advise the parent that
you know, come pick that child up and take that
child to the doctors. And they can't bring that child
(06:57):
back unless they have a doctor's note eating that the
child can return.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Bob.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
They know them kids are sick to be dropping them off, Yes,
we get it all the time. They'll bring their children
and sick. And if we see symptoms and we notice that,
we call a parent immediately. We say hello, you know,
little Bobby is irritable. He's having these symptoms. You know,
especially like if a child has had symptoms of like diarrhea,
if there are like three diarrheas, then we definitely have
(07:26):
to call a parent because it falls under the Communical
Disease Act and we have to call the parent and
notify them and tell them them come pick that child up.
So we are big on making sure that children don't
come in the facility set.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
What is Kean? What inspired you to Great sad Bridge
Early Learning Center?
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well to create it again? Like I said, the love
of children.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And all that love with children. You know, it was
the business model tied to this stuff. I got the love.
But you know, like I said, I want to do
stand up comment. I love but with the money I saw,
there's fame I saw in it that drove me to
my love and my passion. YEAHU this is money making conversation.
(08:11):
We got the love. It was inspired, you know, looking
at these babies. You're thirteen years old in high school,
you got a certificate and all that. What inspired you
to create it though?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So what inspired me to create it was? I knew
that I wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
There you go, But I didn't.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
At that time, when I was sixteen and seventeen, I
wasn't sure of what an entrepreneur was. I just knew
I wanted to work. I didn't want to work in
nine to five.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I knew that I.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Wanted to travel. I knew that I wanted to be
able to make my own schedule. I've always been. I
have so many ideas that go through my mind that
still this day, right that I'll just stir at a
wall and different things are going through my mind. So
at that time when I figured out, I was like,
oh my gosh, I know what I want.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Beat.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
My light bulb just went up. I want to be
an entrepreneur. I want to be a business owner, as
they say now, a boss. Right, that's what the young
people say, right.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So I'm looking at a young person. Continue.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
So with stephan Is said, I said, okay, I want
to be an entrepreneur. So it was so many things
that I wanted to do. Like I told you before,
I went to school for fashion.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
You know I nails fashionable. You have not lost a
fashion and stink.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
No.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Fashion is definitely one of my first loves. So fashion
and I love children. Then I had a hobby of cars.
I had a car dealership. I've done I've been in
different industries. So with that band said, I was like,
you need I'm a boss.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm an entrepreneur. Yeah, I like money.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You can't throw out the word called deally chill stay
on the childcare conversation. I've interviews seventeen hundred people on
this show. Now one person come on my show, will
go you know what car dealership on a lot of cars. Now,
before we get back to the job here, you've shown
(10:12):
that you are a serial entrepreneur. Yes, in this path
become to becoming and building out Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Talk about this car ownership dealer ownership experience and how
did you get into that and then how you transition out.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, I got into it because I had a love
for cars, and at the time, I kept saying to myself,
what else is it can I do? Now? I had
the car business before I opened up the childcare for
so I know, I know trending motors.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
So when trending motors trend.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Motors big match the fashion, I know something else.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I love this conversation.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
So when I when I at an early age, I
had to become care girl of my grandparents because they
found where he thick with cancer. So I had to
find out what it was that I wanted to do.
I had inherited a little bit of money ran through it.
So I sold my S four thirty and that was
my first car that I bought on my own, two
(11:16):
thousand and one asked for thirty mescegsman and.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I sold it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I said, you know what, I'm going to take this
business and start a car business.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Because I was so in love with that car.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
So I took the money from selling a car, I
started trending motors. And when I started in trenting modes,
I was so successful. I had clients that I had
got cars for on special orders. And I was so
successful at doing the business that I opened up a
tag entitle along with it, and I took that money
and I raised the funds and I got aloan from
(11:47):
the bank, and that's how I actually got started with
Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Now that's a great story. That's a story of resilience,
a story of taking a love and turn it into
a business. That's why I wanted to talk about, you know,
not the fact that you could love something, but that
doesn't necessarily mean that you can earn a living off
of what you love. That's correct, you are doing it.
You know, trendy, trendy automotive. I love that, you know.
(12:13):
N She goes to the sophisticated Sandbridge Early Learning Center.
Now Sandbridge means.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
What sandbridge, So Sandbridge means bridge bridging the gap between
parents and kids. With my last name being Sanders, I
kept saying, what what can I name my school? So
first I was going to name it bridged in School,
but then I wanted to incorporate my last name minute,
so I took Sanders and I bridged it, and I
(12:39):
took Sandbridge, and I said, well, Sanders is bridging the
gap between parents and kids.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
So that's how I came up with Sandbridge.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Awesome, congratulations on that idea. One thing I come on
my conversation with you so far, you seem very creative,
and you seem to be very confident in your approach
to being creative. Do you have any mentors or individuals
that you bounce ideas off of? Or you just a
person that is so confident in what you are doing
(13:06):
and what you believe you just just battle those narratives
and waterways by yourself.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I would say it's a combination of both. Okay, So
I'm very strong headed, and yes I do come up
with the ideas, but I do ask for my leaders
and mentors. I might ask that advice of what they think,
so I do get a second opinion.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Now, you know, when you start talking about Learning Center
and is there a curriculum.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Talking to Keana Sanders, she owns the sam Bridge saying
as part of her last name, last name is Sanders
and Bridge is bridging the gap early Learning Center. And
we've discussed her personality. That personnelity is very outgoing. She
calls usself old because she says young people, but she's
not old, which I really appreciate people who get their
(14:00):
idea and follow through at such a young age. I
always respect that because I wasn't one of those people. Ken.
I was going through life using words like you know,
right place at the right time, lucky, you know, being
you know, terms that did not suit my ability or
recognize my talents were creating these success stories. And you
(14:22):
you're clearly understanding that you have talents and you turn
those talents to success stories, but you confidently build upon that. Now.
So what is the future for Sandbridge Learning Center? Wow?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Wow? The future for Sandbridge Early Learning Center is to
be to develop a franchise. I'm working on franchise in
my business right now.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
You have right now one, I.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Have six six, so I have three full sight.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Questions and you I knew you had. I'm talking to
the trendy autumn meals are trended. You know six locations.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Six locations, so three of those locations are Full Sight
centers and the other three are before and aftercare programs
and the Prince George's County Public Schools.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Stay with us. More money Making Conversation Master Lass coming
up next. Welcome back to Money Making Conversation Master Lass
with me Rashaun McDonald. And can I ask how many
students or children do you care for within your system?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I would say are most four hundred.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
And so in one of your care centers because you
know these are baby You have spaces that you know
you got to set aside, so it's not like you
just push a bunch of kids in the room. So
and four hundreds is a large number. So what are
the principles or the curriculum for making because you said learning,
(16:00):
you know what do you are? You each location has
a different curriculum and what are you trying to teach?
What lessons do you tell the parents who drop off
their kids, why should they bring their kids to Sandbridge?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Well, we have a career use one curriculum for the
three full Sight centers. That curriculum is our Frog Street curriculum,
so that is ages infants from infants to five years old.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So with that curriculum, oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
They it comes with themes and it actually comes with
a guide to help the teacher do their lesson plans.
Every teacher is responsible for doing that lesson plans, like
for the infants and toddless the infants and toddlers have
tummy time, and so with tummy time they're doing like
tummy activities or physical activities with the children reading books.
(16:51):
I have a curriculum specialist that rotates through all of
my sites to make sure that the curriculum is being followed.
And then we also have the pre K program in
which I employ a Baltimore County or Prince George's County,
a public school teacher to come into my facilities and
teach the children. So the same teachers that work in
(17:11):
a public school system, I get a grant and I'm
able to have them come into my facilities and teach
the children the same material so that they can be
ready for elementary school.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And the bottom line is about the families, yes, and
your role in being able to because like I said,
my child only have one child, daughter, and we used
to put in these early learning centers type setups, but
I never felt like they incorporated us as the family
just took our child, did what they were supposed to.
(17:44):
Our child was safe and it was rich, and my
daughter's returned to us safe every day. Do you incorporate
families in the format that you created Sandbridge?
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Yes, we had family engagement activities and family engagement nights
when the family and families actually come out and participant
in our activities in the evening. Some of those programs
are required by the grant as well. It's wonderful programs
because we have programs like Black History Month where the
children will have festivals and they sing and they dance.
(18:15):
We have pta meetings back the school night where the
families come in. We have a lot of different festivals
in the summertime that a family engagement where we have
community come in and then we have people outside in
the community come in. We offer activities like cony rides
for the children, pumpkin patches. We take the children on
(18:36):
educational field trips like to the aquarium based off of
what they are learning for that week, whatever that lesson
plan is for that week pertaining to the curriculum. We
do a lot of family engagement activities, and when we do,
we eat as a family, starve refreshments, we reserve, reserve snags,
We have a wonderful time.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Well, I'm talking to my guests. If you've been listening
to this interview, she's a visionary. She had six locations
in the Maryland Baltimore area on the East Coast. If
you listen to this interview, you know she's fearless because
she didn't start out in childcare. She thought she's gonna
be a big time fashion designer because she went up
(19:17):
New York came down to Maryland's sure remember what her
grandma showed her when she was a kid that inspired
her Number one life because I always tell people between
the ages of eighteen and twenty two, it's what you
really want to be. Like when you get past that
age is when you can shift out and either take
a job you don't want or get married. But if
(19:38):
you really confused about your life, what direction you wanted
to be, who you wanted to be, go back to
that period and that's what you've just done right now.
You may have wanted to go to school to be
a fashion designer, but in that little window it started
earlier than eighteen. This is what you always wanted to do.
(19:59):
I know I've kind of asked this question, but what
got you back on this direction to say, you know,
I'm not going to be trendy. I'm not going to
be the next fashion designer. I'm not going to New
York Fashion Week. I'm going to be Keana Sanders, you know,
educated for the young, turning lives and making families hold
(20:22):
Talk to me.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Well, one, I had all these certifications and I wasn't
using them i got there. And two, the fact that
I just knew that I think I had a change
of life, Like I just had a different call. And
I'm like I say, after my grandparents passed and I
(20:44):
was care kevin of them, It's like my life took
a shift and I had my own child. At that time,
my child might have been maybe to one or two
years old, and I was working part time in a
child care facility, and I saw the.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Need for or to do a lot more.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
I won't say the name of the facility, but some
of the things that I was saying wasn't I said
it wasn't conducive. I'll say it wasn't condescive. To the environment,
and I wanted to be the one to make a change.
I wanted to be the one to have that child
care facility where I could help the parents, where I
could be aide to them. Not only not only was
it just about the money, but it was just about
(21:23):
being able to make sure that the children had the
resources that they need. I see a lot of times
in our in our communities that our children don't get
the help that they deserve, and I wanted to be
the one to be able to change that around and
just be the leading childcare provider for people to know
that it's more. It's not about the money, It's not
(21:44):
about what you can get. It's also about what you
can do for the communities. And I have impacted a
lot of families and a lot of people lives. And
I think that's what really really settles within me, knowing
that I'm doing something for a greater cause.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Now that's really interesting. And you say that I'm talking
to Keanu Saunders. You know, she's the founder, chief executive
owner a Sandbridge Early Learning Center, a network of early
childcare facilities in the Maryland area. Right now, she has
six locations. And then you said the word franchise, yes,
which means you know, quality control be the same standards.
(22:22):
Talk to us because we're dealing with the not Hamburgers.
We're dealing with These are young lives insurance. This is
a lot of protocols that have to be put in place.
So is there a distance that you were franchised to
kind of maintain quality control? Talk about what you what
you mean when you say the word franchise.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Well, what I mean when I say franchise is having
a sandbridge right now in every state if I could,
if well not, if I can do it, I will
do it.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I want to say.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
That that is what I mean by franchise. I want
to be able to like right now. I renovated a
lot of my centers to all look the same, all
being sank. For instance, will you Subway, will McDonald's right
to fill at all of their all of their franchises
look the same. So we started working on that. I
just finished with My last center was making sure that
(23:15):
all those.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Locations with food places right, so all your places, so
you your learning centers look like food places.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
My learning centers don look like.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
How they.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Places want something to eat and kids coming out, wait,
do they mamas and daddy's. I was just messing with you.
But you are brandy. That's what's called brandy.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I'm branding.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
We drive by if you if your brand and your
colors are yellow, your colors are gray and the letters,
it stands out because I know what Chick fil A
looks like. I know what the Big m is, I
know what the Burger King looks like. These are branding.
I know what Subway looks like. You know these are
brandings that are consistent to our mind. I know what
the Google looks like. All these brands carry a certain model,
(23:58):
and these models because legendary because they've become legendary because
they've been branded in So from a marketing standpoint, now
let's slide back a little bit again. Fashion institute, you're
in childcare, you're entrepreneur. Now you're talking about marketing. Are
these naturally learned skills that you picked up on through
education and you know, trial and error?
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Naturally learned skills and trial and I'm not going to
say education, because what you learn in school is completely
different than when you when.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
You get out there in the real world.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Right, So education might have had some part, but I
would say natural and through try and trial or definitely how.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Do you get back to the community. You know, because
you're in six locations, so I think the community, you're
dealing with, families, you're dealing with small kids, So it
has to be and we always say that the holistic
relationship you have with families. Do you employ a need
within your company's mantra to get back to the community.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Yes, we definitely get back to the community. My discount
a lot of my childcare fees. When I know that
parents just can't afford it or can't afford tuition, we
will definitely work with the parents and you know as
to what can you afford, how can we help you,
what can we do with what can we do for you?
We go an extra mile and even help it's a
(25:18):
freeze on a vouch the scholarship application right now in Maryland,
scholarship applications are vouchers, subsidy vouchures that you can receive
from the state. So we go as far as even
helping the families with their application process, doing the application
with them, you know, helping them with getting the resources
(25:39):
that they need. So we definitely go above and beyond.
And like I said, if they're when my families had
financial situations. Sometimes I'll wave the fees, you know. Sometimes
I'll tell them not to worry about it. Some of
the families we provide free lunch to you for the children,
you know, and that's that's a cost that's coming out
of my pocket. So we're able to feed the feed
(25:59):
the children as well free of costs. So those are
things that we do to you know, to help our
families out, especially if they're going through any type of hardships.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Now you mentioned the word grant. I got to ask
that question because whenever we're here to work grant. Is
that a five oh one c are nonprofit you own?
Are you run? Are you founded? Or is this a
corporation that qualified for a grant?
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This is a corporation that qualifies for a grant that
we get. It's called the pre K Expansion grant or
and also the blueprint for grant and that allows three
and four year olds to come to you to your
program for free, so the state will pay for them
to come for free as long as they meet the
income qualifications.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
I asked that because you know, as a minority, you know,
I welcome everybody. Now, does your business qualify because it's
a minority business and you're offering a service that is
often limited to the community of color. All your platform
(27:05):
is for everybody, all races, all individuals of color to
come in and allow their child, our children to have
care at your learning center.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
My platform is for everyone. It's not based off of minority.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Just to just stop right. They didn't even add to
that that you you know, just it's for everybody. That's
how you're gonna do. Miss out. You've been storm and
you just throughout one sentence, it's for everybody. It just
looked at me, don't play with me, son, which is
important because I would tell you something as a as
(27:41):
a black person, you know, we want to make all
the money, and I hate to get stereotyped. You know,
I'm in business because I'm black, And some black people
don't want to let people know they own a black
business because they don't want people to think that they
have a certain amount of reports. You know, because sometimes
minority owners can get stereotype that they're going to deliver
(28:02):
inferior service, in ferial quality, the warranties don't exist. How
do you overcome that and how have you overcome that
in building your brand? Which is now in six locations.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Well, I think that In the beginning, I used to
be like that.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I would say, and I I'm just asking because I
think that you already you said earlier you've learned from
your mistakes.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yes, I've learned from my mistakes. I'm gonna be honest.
In the beginning, I didn't want anybody to know that
I was the owner. I mean because I was scared.
And this goes into a whole different conversation, but sometimes
your own people, you know, don't want to see you
su see or your own people will block your blessings,
and I didn't want to I experienced that a little bit,
(28:55):
and so I was like, I didn't want anyone to
know that I was the owner. I actually thought by
having a different face in front of it would be
better for my business. But then as I got old
and wise, I had to really think about that and
really kind of pivot that to say, you know, you
didn't work this hard.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
You know you deserve to be recognized.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
You know, you deserve everyone deserves to know who you are,
what you're doing in the community.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Everyone deserves to know.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
You know, how many lives that you've changed, how much
you've been an impact on a community. So with that
being said, I you know, decided to kind of change
my model. Also was speaking to some of my mentors
that you know, we're doing a lot better than me
and that I continue to still look up to this day.
(29:41):
I seek advice from them, and just having good people
and people that really want to see you win and
a good support system helped me, you know, kind of
change that mindset.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Well, I'm happy you said that because, like I said,
I know when the George Floyd incident had and you know,
I remember I was contacted by Google and they wanted
to know what's our black owned business. If you go
to our Google page or whatever, it still has checked
and I'm a black owned business. And that was the
first time I was in a position to say yes
(30:15):
or no, and of course I proudly said yes. But
when you're an inspiring entrepreneur, what advice would you give
looking at your journey, you know, fashion automotive dealership, you know,
starting to learn and center and denial of your ownership
because of the color of your skin. That's a journey.
(30:36):
And you're still young. What does the future hold for
you as a young entrepreneur? Because I'm gonn keep saying
she's young, because anybody tell me that, you know those
she looked like you're thirteen on TV here and we
know she's not, but she's but she's a person that
is highly skilled at what you do. Advice, please, I
(31:00):
would say to.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Anyone to just make sure that you say, be consistent
and persistent in everything that you do.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That's my number one advice. I would say to always.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Think about where you want to be, think about what
your goals are.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Create a vision board.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You know, once you create a vision board, and you
start a vision board, you start putting things on your
vision board and crossing the mouth.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Well, actually your vision board grows.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
But as you as you cross the mouth, just continue
to jot things down. You're only going to be as
good as you think you are. So with that band said,
I would just advise anyone that wants to get into
entrepreneurship or to just stay focused, disguise the limit. And
my terminology that I always use, yeah, you can do
(31:52):
all things through Christ. That strengthens you right, Biblical first,
and so I keep that embedded in my mind all
the time. And I feel like that if you just
stay strong and be consistent at whatever it is that
you want. You can accomplish anything, especially if you're a
resk taker. You're not if you're scared to do something right.
If you're scared to do these things and you hold back,
(32:13):
you're never going to get it done. So in order
for you to get where you want to be, you
have to take rest. It's always going to be certain
rests that are involved. And if you if you're too
scared to ever find out, then you're going to be
sitting in a chair for the rest of your life.
So if you're a risk taker and you say, hey,
you know, I'm ready to I'm ready to do it,
just go forward, just put just just give it your
best shot.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
As they say you might be. It's out of out.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Of ten nose, you're going to get one yes right
out of five people, it's always one superstar, So you
never know.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
So you're not going to get there if you don't
take the rest.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
So I just tell everyone, be consistent, be persistent, have faith, pray,
lean on God, and as much as you lean on God,
he'll never forsaking. So and have a plan and have
a plan. That's right, that's the key.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Have a plan, don't jump out there with no plan
and understand your budget. You understand this. It was really
a joy talking to you and I wish you luck.
You know, enfranchising will happen. You already got six locations
in the Maryland area and with that being said, your
future is bright. And thank you for sharing your story
(33:28):
on Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversations Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today, and thank you our listening audience. Now.
If you want to listen to any episode or want
to register to be a guest on my show, visit
Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversations.
(33:55):
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
your gifts. Keep winning. Eight
Host
Rushion McDonald
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