When Tara Kennelly neared the end of her lease for Bizzy Bee'z Creative Learning Center in Northfield, New Jersey, she faced a critical decision about exercising her landlord's rent-to-own option. With the deadline approaching fast, her desire to have a permanent space for her childcare business motivated her to find the funding she would need.
“My business is about trusted, quality childcare. I know how it is to have children and work—as a parent, you want to feel confident about where you leave your child,” said Tara, who brings more than nine years of experience in childcare, including roles as a substitute teacher, family advocate and Head Start director.
“I didn’t want to have to worry about some future possibility that my lease wouldn’t be renewed or the property gets sold and I’d have to move somewhere else, jeopardizing what I spent years building in this community.”
Securing her business future
With the clock ticking, Tara turned to Courtney Peters, Business Banker at TD Bank, who quickly recognized the opportunity to help secure Bizzy Bee’z future. “We were able to get Tara a commercial mortgage and speed up the appraisal processes so we could meet the deadlines and close on her property purchase in time,” Courtney said.
Tara relied on Courtney’s guidance throughout the mortgage process. “I didn't have a lot of time to get my funding, but Courtney helped facilitate my application, qualification and other details, plus provided a lot of encouragement along the way,” Tara said. “Now, I not only own the business, but I also own the building. That was a huge accomplishment, and Courtney really helped make it happen.”
However, TD's support didn't stop with the mortgage.
“After the property purchase, I sat down with Tara to understand what was next, which led to offering her a line of credit to support the continued growth of Bizzy Bee'z,” Courtney added.
Providing nurturing, family-oriented childcare
That working capital has given Bizzy Bee’z financial flexibility in providing its comprehensive childcare services. Her business operates from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday to accommodate working parents' varied schedules.
The center offers both full-day and half-day preschool options, including nutritious snacks and meals, for children ages 2.5 through 6 years. To help jumpstart the children’s learning journeys, it employs the Creative Curriculum, a nationally recognized program used by public schools and Head Start.
“When I opened Bizzy Bee’z, I wanted it to be a home away from home for the kids—a family-oriented childcare center—and we’re proud to have achieved that,” Tara said. “Courtney’s committed guidance and great suggestion of the line of credit was perfect because we're preparing to add infant and toddler care.”
Expanding in the future with continued TD Bank support
Tara’s home-away-from-home philosophy has proven successful, leading to more customers and expansion plans.
“In the next couple of years, I'd like to add to our building and also provide transportation for the kids, back and forth between their homes and Bizzy Bee’z,” she said.
As she looks ahead to what's next for her business with new goals in mind, Tara knows she can count on TD Bank to be there with her every step of the way ready with in-depth guidance and a committed, personalized approach.
“Courtney and TD have always been there for me, helping me get where I am,” she said. “Today, when I walk into my local store, they know my name and are always so friendly and willing to help. I like the personal, family feeling when I’m there. I’m not sure I’d get that from other banks.”
Tips for other small business owners
For more information
We hope you found this helpful. This article is based on information available in May 2025 and is subject to change. It is provided as a convenience and for general information purposes only. Our content is not intended to provide legal, tax, investment, or financial advice or to indicate that a particular TD Bank or third-party product or service is available or right for you.
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