Spotlight On An Entrepreneur Of The Year

>> ECONOMIST OFTEN SAY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ECONOMY EVERY YEAR. THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT FGCU NAMES. ONE OWNER AS THE DISTINGUISHED ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AS WGCU’S MIKE WALCHER REPORTS. THE MOST RECENT AWARD GOES TO A WOMAN WHOSE VISION IS FOCUSED ON HELPING YOUNG CHILDREN. THEIR PARENTS AND WOMEN LOOKING FOR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES >> IT IS. >> 785 CHILDREN UP TO 5 YEARS OF AGE, SPEND THEIR DAYS AT OPEN DOORS. PRESCHOOLS IN LEE COUNTY. IT'S A RESULT OF RACHEL MCENTIRE'S HARD WORK. SHE IS THIS YEAR'S TOP ENTREPRENEUR >> IT MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE TEARY RIGHT NOW. EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT, I THINK JUST DEEP GRATITUDE. DEEP GRATITUDE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE FOR SELECTING ME OUT OF WE HAD 100 NOMINEES. >> ABOUT 21 YEARS AGO, MCINTYRE SAYS SHE SPOTTED A NEED FOR EARLY LEARNING AND VOLUNTARY PRE KINDERGARTEN IN THIS AREA. SHE OPENED A PLACE WITH A STAFF OF ONE HERSELF. NOW SHE EMPLOYS 160 PEOPLE. >> I FEEL LIKE WE'RE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE ECONOMY. I MEAN, WE WE SUPPORT EMPLOYERS BY PROVIDING A PLACE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN SAFELY WHILE THEY WORK. >> OPEN DOORS HAS 5, 3, AND AFTER SCHOOL LOCATIONS OF LEE COUNTY AND ONE IN DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE NEAR WHERE MACINTYRE GREW UP. THE PRESCHOOLS ARE TOP NOTCH GOLD SHIELD ACCREDITED. THAT'S RARE IN FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO MCINTYRE AND OPEN DOORS AS ONE HONORS AND THE GREAT PLACE TO WORK COMPETITIONS. >> BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, I THINK JUST MEANS BEING ALL AND I REALLY LIVE AND BREATHE. WHAT WE'VE DONE. I I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. >> THE STATE CERTIFIES THAT ALL TEACHERS HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST 45 HOURS OF TRAINING AND TEACHERS MUST TAKE REFRESHERS EVERY 6 MONTHS. MACINTYRE LIKES TO PROMOTE FROM WITH THEM. >> SHE GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND SHE GIVES OPPORTUNITY TO ALL THE TEACHERS. TUITION IS $13,000 A YEAR. >> AND OPEN DOORS HELPS MANY PARENTS GET GRAHAM FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS. JAMES JONES HAS ENROLLED HIS SON LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AT THE ESTERO LOCATION. >> THE VISIONS GREAT. THE MY SON'S LEARNING IS GOING WAY UP ALL THE COLORING. ALL THE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING LETTERS, NUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE FAMILY IS NIGHT, YOU KNOW, DROPPING YOUR KIDS OFF TO A BUNCH OF STRANGERS. EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR KID. THEY SPOIL THE HECK OUT OF MY KIDS HERE. THEY LOVE THEM. >> ALL THE WAY. EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON HOW THE CHILDREN LEARN AND GROW. AND MCINTYRE PROMISES TO NEVER LOSE TRACK OF THAT KEY. >> HAVING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5 ARE SUCH A GIFT. >> AND AND THEY ARE THEY'RE GENIUSES. THEY'RE BRILLIANT EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOMS. THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY SOLVE, THE THINGS THAT THEY COME UP WITH. >> ARE THEY'RE JUST INCREDIBLE AND INSPIRATIONAL. WE WANT TO PRESERVE THAT MCINTYRE SAYS SHE PLANS TO EXPAND OPEN DOORS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND BEYOND. WE SAID WE WANT TO EMPOWER 10,000 WOMEN BY. >> PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT. >> AND I ALSO PROVIDING CHILDCARE SO THAT MOTHERS CAN GO INTO THE WORKFORCE AND BE SUCCESSFUL. AND ALL OF THOSE WAYS. AND SO WE WANT TO EXPAND TO HAVE 100 CENTERS BY 2035. AND WE SAY SHOOT FOR THE MOON AND MAYBE WILL LAND AMONG THE STARS. >> BIG DREAMS. BUT THIS ENTREPRENEUR IS DETERMINED TO MAKE THEM COME TRUE. FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M MIKE WALCHER.