text: Hello:\n\nI would start as soon as I had all of my licensing, furniture and lesson plans in order.  My girlfriend started a daycare in NJ in July of 1998 and there was such a high demand that within a year she had opened another location and was renting the basement of a church to house the after school children. (Amost all of her staff was from the local community college early childhood education program.they needed the experience so she got quality help for minimum wage.)  She had a waiting list before she opened her doors (it started in the front room on the 1st floor or her house).  She called existing daycares and the local Urban League and Social Services Day Care Unit and they gave her name and number to people on their waiting lists.\n\nShe also has a very HUGE waiting list for her summer program.  She barely goes out with the summer program kids herself anymore but her staff loves it.  They get to "hang out" and get paid all summer and the kids aren't stuck in front of a baby sitters TV all summer while their parents are working.  My kids went for 3 summers while I lived in NJ. Most of her "trips" for the kids were to free venues (The park, the pool, nature walks, visiting a gallery, the lake) they loved it.  And if you grow beyond your initial 10 kids you would be able to help your community by providing jobs as well as quality daycare.\n\nBest of luck