U-LAUNCH: IT Brings New Childcare Entrepreneurship Pathways to Franklin Business Center

U-LAUNCH: IT Brings New Childcare Entrepreneurship Pathways to Franklin Business Center

Since beginning its lease on February 1, U-LAUNCH: IT is quickly emerging as a dynamic new resource within the Franklin Business Center, supporting families and aspiring childcare entrepreneurs across Virginia.

U-LAUNCH: IT serves as the home-based business incubator and Related Technical Instruction (RTI) provider for U-LAUNCH: Childhood Development Homes (CDH). Through this model, individuals are equipped to legally launch and operate Approved Childhood Development Homes—mixed-age, home-based early learning programs regulated and monitored by U-LAUNCH: CDH, a separate entity from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

Founder Nicole St. Ann-Ahmad brings decades of experience in early childhood education, entrepreneurship, and leadership to guide participants through:

  • Business formation (LLC development and compliance)

  • System approval and quality standards

  • Enrollment in the Childcare Educator Operator (CEO) Registered Apprenticeship

  • Structured on-the-job training from their own homes

“Childcare has often been minimized as ‘just watching children,’” Ahmad explains. “In reality, it is foundational work—preparing young learners to enter kindergarten confident, capable, and ready.”

The initiative intentionally focuses on serving the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) community—working households living paycheck to paycheck—by creating pathways that allow individuals to earn income, remain present with their own children, and build sustainable micro-enterprises while meeting structured quality expectations.

Within just 26 days at the Franklin Business Center, U-LAUNCH: IT has:

  • Secured SWaM certification

  • Become a Registered Training Provider listed with the U.S. Department of Labor to deliver coursework for the U-LAUNCH: Childcare Educator Operator (CEO) Registered Apprenticeship Program

  • Entered final-stage collaboration discussions with Paul D. Camp Community College to create a pathway for Early Childhood majors to launch Approved Homes and expand childcare capacity across the Western Tidewater region

A growing team of 11 professionals supports quality assurance, regulatory compliance, workforce development, and CEO Apprentices across multiple Virginia regions.

The Franklin Business Center celebrates U-LAUNCH: IT’s early momentum and looks forward to its continued growth and impact in strengthening both the local economy and Virginia’s early childhood workforce.

For More Information:

U-LAUNCH: IT
📞 571-552-2793 (Call or Text)
📧 cdha@ulaunchit.com
🌐 www.ulaunchit.com