Quinn Copeland Fordham is a force to be reckoned with. Don’t let her sweet southern accent fool you… at the age of 33 she has managed to build a hugely successful childcare business from the ground up and be a super involved mom to her two adorable little boys. 

After graduating from college and securing an entry level job in Atlanta Quinn found herself in need of what she jokingly refers to as “shoe money,” some extra cash to supplement her entry level income. She naturally gravitated toward babysitting and after a while she found herself with more babysitting jobs than she could handle. One Google Docs sheet later Quinn had begun building a network of babysitters and families in need and started connecting them on a regular basis. Quinn’s first baby, First Steps Network, was born. Fast forward almost a decade later and First Steps Network has become a wildly successful business that has helped connect countless families to flexible and reliable childcare in a more personal way. 

“I SAW A PROBLEM AND I KNEW THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO DO IT…I DIDN’T GET BOGGED DOWN BY WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS DOING… STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE AND GIVE IT A TRY BECAUSE THE WORST YOU CAN DO IS FAIL AND IT’S BETTER TO FAIL THAN NOT TRY” - Quinn

Here are some of the things we discuss:

- How Quinn came up with the idea for First Steps Network

- When she realized her “side hustle” could become her full time job

- How Quinn built a massive client list from a GoogleDoc sheet

- How her business has changed over the years and how she leveraged her connections to build a network 

- The ways Quinn balances running a successful business and raising two small boys 

- How not having a background in business actually benefited her initially 

- How staying in your own lane will benefit you and leave you with more time to focus on what really matters to you 

- Quinn’s favorite workout routine 

Our conversation is super candid and real. Quinn is a go-getter in every sense of the word and I hope that you are inspired by her ability to see a problem and want to find a solution to fix it. 

MORE ABOUT QUINN: 

Instagram: @1stepsatlanta 

First Steps Network Website

Quinn’s favorite workouts: Tone It Up