Meet Lindsey Potter, Owner/Director of Bright Light Early Care & Education and our newest Cohort Spotlight for the Women’s Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Lindsey has spent more than 20 years in early childhood education, across public schools and nonprofits, and the center she’s built reflects that — grounded in a deep understanding of child development, a commitment to families, and a vision for reimagining what child care can look like.
We sat down with Lindsey for a Q&A and an episode of the Happy Hour Hustle podcast to hear about the lessons she’s learned, what keeps her going, and where she’s headed next.
Here’s what Lindsey had to say in our Q&A:
Q: What do you wish people understood about being a small business owner?
A: What can commonly be seen as “wearing many hats” feels like constantly switching between different ways of thinking and doing — and doing this simultaneously often causes a pause of consideration. My pause may seem insensitive to people’s current needs, but in the long run it tends to pay off well.
Q: Why did you apply to be a part of WEF?
A: I am intentionally connecting with individuals and groups outside of my local network to further develop my influences, opportunities, and lived experiences — and one of my greatest mentors told me to.
Q: What makes your business unique?
A: Childcare is the invisible backbone of society. Without our industry, 20-40% of the working population disappears. The bygone era of a single-family income has passed, but the current era of working just to afford childcare seems to have arrived. Within that context, Bright Light strives to create a magical place for young children to spend their days and for families to build their network of care for one of their most important works.
Together — child, family, and Bright Light — we work to ensure that daily experiences filled with relationships, the natural world, and quality nutrition meet the physical, mental, and emotional needs of young children’s development and the learning curve of new families. When children attend Bright Light, you can know they are traveling home at pickup with three truths: someone connected with me today, I was offered enriching experiences I could engage with, and my development was honored.
For the latest updates from Bright Light, you can check out their website. Keep up with Lindsey on her LinkedIn.