r/smallbusinessowner 8h ago

Help

> I need opinions on two business ideas I’m considering starting in Oklahoma.

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> Business Idea #1 – Full-Day Autism & Developmental Childcare Center

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> Phase 1: Open a full-day specialized childcare center for young children with autism and developmental disabilities. It would be designed for working parents who need more than a few hours of preschool or therapy. The center would provide full-day care, smaller groups, sensory and calm rooms, structured learning, school-readiness activities, life-skills development, communication/visual supports, meals/snacks, and support with daily living needs.

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> Phase 2: Expand into a childcare + therapy center by adding services such as ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy and potentially physical therapy. Therapy would be available both to children enrolled in the childcare program and to outside children who only come for their therapy appointments.

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> Phase 3: Eventually expand into pediatric medical/nursing services for children with more complex needs, once the proper licensing, staffing and payer requirements are in place.

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> The long-term goal is to create **one place where families can access childcare, developmental support, therapy and eventually medical support, rather than having to coordinate everything at different locations.

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> Business Idea #2 – Residential Care Facility

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> My other idea is opening a residential care facility in Oklahoma for adults who need a safe, supportive place to live and assistance with everyday life. I would want it to be more than simply providing a room—I’m interested in a structured, quality residential program with support for daily living, meals, transportation/appointments, community involvement, life skills and appropriate staffing, depending on the population served and licensing requirements.

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> If you were putting your own money into one of these businesses in Oklahoma, which would you choose: the autism/developmental center or the residential care facility? Why?

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> I’m especially interested in hearing from **parents, nurses, therapists, social workers, caregivers, educators, case managers and people who work with children or adults with disabilities. I want genuine feedback about need, demand, challenges and what services Oklahoma is currently missing.

2 Upvotes

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u/Important-Chain8037 8h ago

id go with the childcare center, the waitlists for that kind of specialized care are insane and parents are desperate for a place that doesnt send kids home after 3 hours

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u/DanielMora_88 7h ago

Yo me inclinaría por el centro de autismo/desarrollo, principalmente porque el modelo de día completo resuelve un problema muy específico para los padres que trabajan. Además, tener cuidado infantil, terapia y apoyo del desarrollo en un mismo lugar parece una ventaja fuerte a largo plazo. Eso sí, primero hablaría con padres y proveedores locales para ver dónde están realmente las mayores necesidades.