bonhome is a platform and consulting service that simplifies the process of opening and operating a home daycare. The team includes Jacob Wise (MD/MBA ’23), Livi Logan-Wood (MBA/MSW ’23), Chase Breimeier (MSW ’22), and Daniel Schu (MBA ’22). Team member, Chase Breimeier, answered our questions for this blog.

Tell us your startup story – What is the problem you’re solving?

Home daycares make up the plurality of childcare, with close to 30% of infants and toddlers attending over 1 million centers in the U.S. These centers are key to the childcare infrastructure in America but have seen historic attrition rates over the last decade. Home daycare owners are overburdened by administrative tasks and business operations, which detracts from the quality of care they can provide, and disincentivizes new entrants into the space.

What is your solution to that problem?

bonhome simplifies the process of opening and running a home daycare. Our platform automates time-consuming administrative tasks, such as onboarding, state documentation, and payment facilitation. Our childcare experts provide targeted consultation, such as help with marketing, setting ideal rates, and changing the home layout or schedule—to help providers increase both the quality of care they provide and their operating profits.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?

It is important to fall in love with the problem and not the solution. While you may have a great solution, it is only valuable if there is product/market fit, and the product or service truly fulfills the demands of your customers. With this in mind, entrepreneurs need to do their market research, constantly seek feedback from customers and stakeholders, and be ready to change directions. Pivoting one’s business model or iterating upon one’s solution can be crucial to long-term success.

What do you love about entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship can be used as a tool for addressing large-scale problems and creating social impact. With bonhome, we aim to empower home daycare providers in running their own businesses while also simultaneously working to solve the childcare crisis. We want to increase accessibility to quality and affordable childcare, especially in the areas that need it the most—childcare deserts.

What advice would you give to someone considering creating a startup or entering an entrepreneurship competition?

Although it is much easier said than done, do not let the fear of failing prevent you from trying. You will never know what you are able to accomplish and what impact you can have unless you are willing to take risks, fail, learn, and keep moving forward.

What activities, student groups, professors, or classes had the biggest impact on you during your time at WashU?

Several of our team members have taken “Business Planning for New Enterprises” (The Hatchery), and we are all currently enrolled in “Launching and Scaling New Enterprises” (The League). These classes, both taught by Doug Villhard, have allowed us to develop bonhome from just an idea into the startup it is today. The Skandalaris Center and Dr. Heather Cameron—Professor of Practice in Social Entrepreneurship at the Brown School—have also been helpful in providing feedback and advice along the way.

The winner of the Spring 2022 SVC will be announced at The Washington University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards Presented by the Skandalaris Center on April 14. All are welcome to attend the awards ceremony to see which teams will win non-dilutive funding for their venture.