Entrepreneurship is Child’s Play for Wendy of Serenity Compliance
A degree and Masters in Early Childhood Education brought Wendy Oke to The Rubicon Centre’s New Frontiers Programme with her startup Serenity Compliance. Her venture is an online compliance dashboard that helps preschool providers understand and document their compliance obligations and records by giving them the information they need, when they need it.
It was when Oke was conducting research on the quality of early childhood education that she discovered discontent with the lack of teaching resources and support on compliance. Teachers and owners of early childhood businesses also found it difficult to understand and implement the never ending changes to early childhood regulations. Deciding that there must be a better way to allow preschool providers more time with the children and less time on paperwork, Wendy founded Serenity Compliance.
With 74% of preschools in breach of current childcare regulations (RTE, 2013), preschool providers are spending up to four hours each day on paperwork associated with regulatory record keeping, compliance and standards, meaning preschool compliance is a never-ending and meticulous task, a task that Serenity Compliance is changing.
After almost twelve months of development, Serenity Compliance now enables preschool providers to take an evidenced based online pre-audit of their preschool, provides tailor made recommendations and allows employees, parents and inspectors to communicate with each other, all in one place.
Speaking of her experience of the Rubicon Centre’s New Frontiers Programme, Wendy says that is has encouraged her to question her assumptions and validate her ideas. “The mentoring we have received in sales and marketing has been second to none and I feel extremely privileged to have been given a place on this prestigious Programme. The entrepreneurial atmosphere in the Rubicon and success stories of many of the businesses here also inspire me.”
Best advice ever received?
“Begin with the end in mind” – thank you Liam Fitzgerald (New Frontiers Programme Manager, Cork)!
Wendy’s advice to young entrepreneurs?
Just start, you never know what you can achieve or where life will take you until you try. It is not an easy journey but can be very rewarding doing something that you love and working towards a cause you are passionate about.
What advice Wendy would give herself if starting all over again?
Start sooner. Don’t doubt yourself and jump in head first.
