The Backstory

Nichelle Waddell credits her desire to pursue a career in child care to Maria Otto, whose nurturing home-based daycare she attended while growing up in the Bronx. As a teenager, Nichelle began volunteering at a daycare associated with Otto, and later began volunteering with the Red Cross to work with special needs children. 
 
Nichelle’s child care career began with New York City’s Department of Education, where she worked with the Cooke Foundation for Special Education. During this time, she founded her own nonprofit organization, Growth Opportunity Development Inc., to provide underprivileged youth in the tri-state area with services such as tutoring, counseling, assistance with scholarship searches and internships for college, and field trips and outings. 
 
After shifting to a career as a stockbroker for several years, Nichelle returned to her true calling of working with children. She started Watch Me Grow Daycare in 2019, offering full-time and part-time care with a focus on outdoor education. Children take part in activities such as gardening, bird watching, hatching baby chickens, hunting for bird nests, and looking after the daycare’s pet bunny. 
 

How Women's Business Development Council Helped

 
In early 2020, Nichelle was referred to the WBDC’s Guide to Plan for Success (GPS) class, a comprehensive multi-session course on business planning.  She has subsequently attended numerous other classes, covering everything from branding to bookkeeping, and has met with some of WBDC’s Business Advisors. Nichelle also received critical financial assistance during the pandemic from WBDC in the form of two grants from WBDC’s Child Care Business Support Opportunity Fund. One of the grants allowed Nichelle to make essential repairs to her business’s water and heating systems and the other helped her expand the business. With continued support from WBDC, Nichelle has opened a second center and both locations are thriving.
 
Nichelle says, “I would not be able to do these things without the help, teaching and guidance that I have received from WBDC.” 
 

Location

Stamford and Norwalk

Email

watchmegrowct@gmail.com

Contact Phone

203-461-2615

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