Kingdom Kare receives TSBDC Rising Star Award

Mark and Connie Hudspeth did their homework before making the leap from career military couple to day-care owners.

They did their homework so well, in fact, that their fledgling business, Kingdom Kare Child Development Center, has just earned the 2009 Rising Star Award from the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. The Knoxville TSBDC office is administered by Pellissippi State.

Kingdom Kare, 2114 E. Broadway in Maryville, was presented with the award last month. The day-care facility, which earned the top grade of three stars under Tennessee's Child Care Report Card System, enrolls children 6 weeks to 12 years of age. The center’s Web site, www.kingdomkare.com, describes what it offers as “a fun-filled, Christian curriculum with activities to enhance your child’s social, emotional, and developmental learning.”



The TSBDC is a statewide network of professional business centers, each of them offering free assistance to entrepreneurs who want to start a business and to owners of existing small businesses who want to expand.

“Every year, the Rising Star Award is given by the TSBDC network to a small-business client in each region of the state in recognition of the business’ perseverance and success,” said Larry Rossini, director of the Knoxville TSBDC office.

“The Hudspeths were selected for the award because they did all the research we asked them to do and were able to create an excellent business plan.”

Visions of a new business started coming to life when the Hudspeths decided they wanted a second career and began to evaluate their options. They had tossed around the idea of a family-run day-care for years and decided to see if it would be feasible.

They knew they wanted a business that would include their extended family, says Mark Hudspeth. One of his sisters had several years of experience in child care, and the more they thought about different business options, the more a day-care center seemed like a natural fit.

“I have been in the military my whole life, first as an Air Force brat and now with 24 years of service of my own,” Hudspeth said. “Even with all my military training, and a B.S. in business management, I still was not ready to make the leap into the civilian world alone.”

So the couple contacted the TSBDC and met with Don Wright, senior business specialist, for an orientation class.

“Pellissippi State participates in the TSBDC network as part of its mission to support economic and community development,” said Teri Brahams, executive director of Business and Community Services at the College. BCS oversees the Knoxville TSBDC.

“Most of our services are available at little or no cost to any business owner or entrepreneur in the TSBDC area.”

 “In the class, we were given a lot of helpful advice to get the business started on the right foot,” said Hudspeth. “It was a time to learn from others who had already achieved success and from those who were trying again. With a large majority of startup businesses failing in the first year, having knowledgeable people to ask advice is a must.”

Hudspeth says that after the orientation, he still wanted to explore his options, and Wright met with him one on one to do that. A feasibility study helped clinch the decision.

“When your entire life savings and future income are at stake, you have to be completely sure you are doing the right thing. It helps to be lucky and to surround yourself with talented people who can guarantee your success.” 

A business plan was assembled, budgets were put together, and the family arranged for permits from the city, county, fire marshal, state and health department.

“It took many long days from a whole team of people to accomplish the goal of opening the doors,” Hudspeth said. The total time from the first class to grand opening in August 2007 was about eight months.

“That was with a lot of assistance from Bruce Hayes of the TSBDC getting us through the right doors. The best part about working with the TSBDC is that they don’t leave when the goal is reached.”
And, of course, Hudspeth’s extended family is still heavily involved.

“My youngest sister, Bethany Smith, is the director,” said Mark Hudspeth, “and she is the one with the most knowledge of day cares. My oldest sister, Trena Vann, added the resources of an advertising manager, human resources and training.” Co-owner Connie Hudspeth is kitchen manager, and Vann’s daughters also play a role in operating the child-care facility.

For more information about the Knoxville Tennessee Small Business Development Center, visit knoxvillesbdc.org or call 246-2663.