El Papalote Childcare Services
“El SBDC fue como un ángel guardián. Me ayudaron a creer en mí misma y a hacer realidad mi sueño. Luis me dio ese empujoncito que necesitaba para avanzar y lograr mis metas. Estoy muy agradecida con todo el apoyo que me dieron—no lo hubiera logrado sin ustedes.”
About the Business:
El Papalote Child Care Services is a licensed in-home daycare based in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, specializing in infant care for working families. The business was founded by Carmen, who offers a nurturing, safe, and culturally responsive environment for young children during their most formative years.
Carmen’s vision for the business began over 20 years ago, rooted in her experience as a young, single mother with limited access to quality child care. That lived experience became the motivation behind creating a better option for families like hers. After years of holding onto the dream, she finally brought it to life with support from the SBDC—and within just a few months, she launched her business and reached full capacity.
Carmen was inspired to start El Papalote Child Care out of necessity. When she was raising her own child, she struggled to find reliable, trustworthy child care and had very few resources. That experience left a lasting impact on her, and she vowed to one day create a supportive, high-quality child care option for other working families. She recognized a deep need in her community—particularly in the Tenderloin, where few infant care services exist—and she knew she could help fill that gap.
Overcoming Challenges:
The SBDC helped Carmen overcome both logistical hurdles and internal self-doubt. One of the first major accomplishments was helping her launch a professional website and getting her listed on Google Maps, which led to immediate inquiries from local families, often two or three calls a day. In a short amount of time, Carmen reached full capacity with eight children under her care.
Beyond visibility, the SBDC also helped her break down overwhelming administrative and licensing tasks into manageable steps. The support gave Carmen the confidence and momentum to officially launch, and now she is exploring opportunities to expand her child care services beyond her home.
Impacts:
Carmen found the one-on-one coaching to be the most valuable resource offered by the SBDC. She described the consultations as not only informative and actionable, but also deeply encouraging. She said the coaching gave her the self-belief she needed to move forward, describing it as “a gentle push in the right direction.” The emotional and strategic support helped her stay focused, optimistic, and grounded as she launched her business.
“El SBDC fue como un ángel guardián. Me ayudaron a creer en mí misma y a hacer realidad mi sueño. Luis me dio ese empujoncito que necesitaba para avanzar y lograr mis metas. Estoy muy agradecida con todo el apoyo que me dieron—no lo hubiera logrado sin ustedes.”
English Translation: The SBDC was like a guardian angel. They helped me believe in myself and make my dream a reality. Luis gave me the gentle push I needed to move forward and achieve my goals. I’m very grateful for all the support I received—I couldn’t have done it without you.
Carmen Jimenez Martinez, founder and owner
