After volunteering at a preschool, Racheal Flanagan had a vision to create a cozy facility where children could receive great early childhood education and learn about God at the same time. She established The Joyful Jungle Christian Learning Center, and demand soon outpaced capacity. Racheal needed a loan to expand her dream.

A Realtor referred her to the Michigan SBDC, where she connected with Business Consultant Wendy Richardson. “Wendy encouraged me to document the growth that had been happening in my business and made writing the business plan easy. She is a consummate professional – she helped me focus on what I needed to succeed,“ said Racheal. With an updated business plan in hand, Racheal secured the loan plus additional loans and grants. 

Connect with a local consultant here.

Today The Joyful Jungle Christian Learning Center has four schools and a resource hub for dance and yoga. Racheal attributes much of her success to her team and the relationships built with the families served.

Her advice to other entrepreneurs: “Find a friend – someone who is going through this with you. Be connected to a mentor or peer who will encourage and champion you even on dark days.”