There are lots of ways to be an early childhood professional. Our Developing Futures campaign spotlights professionals who teach children in classrooms, who support families in their homes, and who work as supervisors and business owners. And there are lots of those business owners. The child care industry has a higher share of women entrepreneurs than nearly any other, with an estimated 97% of child care businesses owned by women, and 60% owned by entrepreneurs of color. That means the industry is full of mentors and role models for women of color—or anyone—who wants to start an important, meaningful business that is needed by families across New Mexico.

Maria Melendez is one of those role models. Her story began in 2000 when she became a registered home provider, caring for four children in her Roswell home. About a year later she became a licensed home provider so she could care for six children. But still, she wanted to care for more children and the need in her community was clear. Parents often came to her home asking if she had space to care for their children.

“All the time I was full,” she said.

So, what did she do? Maria became a group home provider, which meant she could care for 14 children in her home and that she needed employees to help her. Now, she had become a supervisor. Maria also started going to school, taking online college classes in the evening that focused on child development. As she hired employees, she supported them taking those same college classes, supported by state scholarships.

This is all part of a pattern for Maria: at every step of her career she has grown her business to serve more families, while helping her employees advance their education and skills. New teachers often come to her without a high school diploma or GED, and Maria works with them to enroll first in GED programs and then in college certificate programs in early childhood.

These teachers are her best success stories, she said. “All the teachers I hire in, most of them don’t have experience, but I talk with them that they need to grow together with me,” she said. “I tell them, if you want to grow, I can help you. I help all the teachers to grow together with me, getting classes at the college, working right with the kids, doing our best.”

Maria had been a home-based child care owner for more than 10 years when she saw the “for sale” sign on a center in Roswell. At this point her home business had the state’s highest 5-star quality rating, and she knew she could serve more kids and families through a center. She was nervous, but she bought the center and became its owner and director. She was successful, and grew some more. Maria is now the owner of multiple centers around Roswell, and child care has become something of a family business; Maria’s daughter directs one of the centers she owns, and two of her sisters now work in child care, too.

And even though she wants to keep her best employees, Maria said she is always ready to mentor anyone who wants to leave one of her centers and start out on their own as a business owner. “I’m telling all the teachers, if you’ve filled the journey you already did with me and you grow, that’s fine, go. Go, because you have the right to grow like I did.”