Southeast’s Leading Child Care M&A Advisor Since 1995
The Child Care M&A Advisor Owners Trust When It’s Time to Sell
Thirty years of child care specialization. Honest valuations. Seller-only representation. And the market intelligence to tell you exactly what your business is worth — and who will actually buy it.
Donna S. Dailey
M.Ed., LREB, BEC, SBA, CVA, BECA
- Child Care Only Specialist
- Seller Only Representation
- Five State Area - Deep Local Knowledge
- CVA - Certified Valuation Analyst
- BECA - BetterExits Certified Advisor
30+
Years of exclusive child care specialization
5
State area with deep market knowledge
100%
Seller only representation – always
Free
Confidential owner initial consultation
Southeast’s Leading Child Care M&A and Exit Planning Advisor Since 1995
The child care M&A market is not what most brokers will tell you
You may have heard that private equity is buying up child care businesses everywhere — that early education is the “darling of the PE world.” Some of that is true. Most of it is not, and believing it leads to bad decisions: overpriced listings, false expectations, and years of frustration waiting for a buyer who was never going to show up.
After 30 years of representing child care owners, I know exactly what buyers are actually purchasing and what your business can realistically expect. Here is what the market actually looks like for independent, centers today.
WHICH SELLER ARE YOU?
I work with child care owners at every stage — not just those ready to list today
The right path forward depends entirely on where your business stands today and how far you are from your exit. Read each profile and find the one that most closely matches you.
You are in the top 10–15% of independent centers. A competitive process positioned correctly can produce 4.5–7× EBITDA multiples. You need representation that understands how PE acquisition processes work and what institutional due diligence actually looks like.
PE buyers will most likely not be your buyer — and that is fine. Your market is individual owner-operators and regional chains, and it is real and active. You need honest pricing grounded in comparable sales data, SBA and conventional financing expertise, and a broker who knows how to close these transactions.
Your business has real value, but it is not ready for the market today. The gap between where you are and a premium sale is closeable — with the right guidance and enough runway. The BetterExits Advisory Program is structured exactly for your situation.
The owners who achieve the best outcomes start planning 4–5 years before they go to market. You are smart enough to know that. A current valuation, a clear picture of what moves your multiple, and a structured preparation plan are where we start.
TRACK RECORD
Representative transactions
All transactions are confidential by default. The following represents a selection of recently closed engagements.
ALL CHILDCARE SPECIALTY SERVICES
A complete range of child care business advisory services
Every service is built around one goal: helping child care business owners make the best possible decisions about the most significant financial event of their professional lives.
CHILDCARE EXIT STRATEGY PLANNING
Certified BetterExits Advisors™
Structured exit preparation with monthly accountability — not just advice
Most child care owners who contact me are not ready to go to market today. Their enrollment may be below target, their financial records need work, or their operations are too dependent on them personally. That is exactly where the right preparation begins.
Through the BetterExits Advisory Program™, I work with you monthly over 12–36 months: tracking your Exit Readiness Score, building your buyer-ready data room, and guiding you through the specific preparation that produces a premium sale. Monthly advisory fees are credited against my brokerage commission at closing.
THREE PROGRAM TIERS
Tier 1 – Readiness
Tier 2 – Value Acceleration
Tier 3 – Transaction
WHY SOLUTIONS 4 CHILD CARE
What 30 years of exclusive child care specialization actually means for you
RESOURCES FOR CHILD CARE OWNERS
Recent articles and market intelligence
Practical, honest information about child care business valuation, M&A, and exit planning — written for owners, not investors.
M&A Outlook
2026: What’s Ahead for Child Care Mergers and Acquisitions
An honest look at the forces shaping child care transactions in 2026 and beyond: enrollment trends, buyer appetite, PE activity, and what owners should be thinking about now.
Transaction Success
Understanding Small Business Transaction Success Rates
Why do so many child care business listings fail to close? The data on what separates successful transactions from ones that fall apart — and what you can do about it before you list.
Transaction Success
Understanding Small Business Transaction Success Rates
Why do so many child care business listings fail to close? The data on what separates successful transactions from ones that fall apart — and what you can do about it before you list.
Ready to find out what your child care business is worth?
The first conversation is always confidential and always free. Whether you are ready to list now, thinking about selling in a few years, or just want an honest assessment of where you stand — this is the right call to make.
Or email Donna directly. donnad@solutions4childcare.com