How to Start a Business

How to Start a Day Camp

Ready to realize your dream of starting a day camp? We discuss the mistakes that often entangle fledgling entrepreneurs.

Wondering how to start a day camp? We take you step-by-step from start to success.

Business Plan Basics for Day Camps

Startup entrepreneurs slave over the creation of their business plans, investing countless hours in the details of their startup strategy. Now it's time to address details about your industry.

Industry analyses are standard chapters in day camp business plans and are often required by lenders or investors. In most cases, industry analyses discuss the opportunities and threats that confront similar businesses throughout your industry.

Although it sounds complicated, most entrepreneurs can create an effective industry analysis section by simply steering clear of common industry analysis mistakes.

Look Over the Competition

Before you open a day camp in your area, it's worthwhile to see how you will fit in the competitive landscape. We've provided the link below to help you find competitors in your city. Just enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of day camps in your community.

Is the established competition doing a good job? It's important to understand their strengths and weaknesses and think through how you'll stake up against those established businesses.

Learn from Others Who Are Already In This Space

If you are seriously contemplating launching a day camp, the next step is to have a conversation with someone who is in the business. Local competitors are not going to give you the time of day, mind you. Why would they want to educate a future competitor?

Fortunately, somebody who runs a day camp in another town will be much more likely to talk with you, as long as they don't view you as a competitive threat. Indeed, many experienced entrepreneurs enjoy offering advice to startup entrepreneurs. It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.

How do you go about finding a day camp owner who is willing to talk to you but doesn't live nearby?

It's not that hard. Just use the handy link below and enter in a random city/state or zipcode.

Gaining Access to Day Camp Ownership

Common sense will tell you that to enter the world of day camp, you'll either need to start a new business or acquire a promising company on the business-for-sale marketplace. There are a lot of benefits of buying a day camp.

If you're on the fence consider this: There has never been a better time to acquire a day camp. The down economy has resulted in a glut of available businesses, many of which can be acquired for bargain prices.

Franchising May Be a Better Way to Go

As an entrepreneur, your chances achieving your top business goals are greatly increased if you buy a franchise rather than going it alone.

As part of your process in starting a day camp, it's worthwhile to assess whether purchasing a franchise might make sense for you.

The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.

More Advice for Startups

These additional resources regarding getting started as an entrepreneur may be of interest to you.

LLC Advantages

How to Get a DUNS Number

Buying vs. Starting a Business

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary