Weebleworld: Creating an inviting, delightful space for children, families, and staff
Maggie Hamill is a fourth-generation entrepreneur who grew up working in her parents’ pharmacy. She’s been passionate about business since high school, when a “business world” summer camp experience jump-started her excitement about starting her own business.
Hamill majored in political science and legal studies at UW-Madison and loved persuasive writing. She wrote business plans for fun and really wanted to open a candy store on State Street. She also worked part-time at a child care center, and when they announced they were closing, Hamill got the idea to start her own center. At 22, she launched Weebleworld, which provides child care and early education to children six weeks to twelve years old and partners with the Stoughton Area School District to provide 4K on-site.
“I was looking for an opportunity to start a business I was passionate about, where I could earn a living,” Hamill says.
“I wanted to make a positive impact on my community; children and families; and my staff.”
Preparing to launch
Hamill did her research before she wrote her business plan. She contacted other child care providers, toured their facilities, and took notes on what she saw and learned. Over time, she wrote out her plan for her own center, which included three years of financial projections, so she could see what was realistic.
“I’m fairly risk-averse, so I chose to start a business in an industry that is predictable, with consistent revenue and a weekly schedule,” she says. “If someone asked me what they should do to start a business, I’d ask them, what’s your passion, and what are your projections?”
Hamill’s pharmacist father initially discouraged her from starting her own business.
“He knew the sacrifice it took to be an entrepreneur and how you are never able to truly escape it once you start,” she says. “Phone calls and issues on vacation–if you’re lucky enough to take a vacation–are the norm.”
But Hamill’s determination and drive, which she says are her greatest assets, propelled her forward.
“I am enthusiastic, passionate and driven,” she says. “My motto is ‘find a way or make a way.’ I was determined to do this. Failure was never an option, and those who didn’t think I could do it only added fuel to my fire.”
Sourcing funding
Hamill and her ex-husband invested all their money in the business, relying on his income, while Hamill took on extra work at night to bring in more cash. They lived below their budget for a while, and Hamill admits that making payroll was challenging at times. She took her financial projections to several banks in search of financial support.
“When I started out, I met with quite a few lenders before I found a bank that would take a chance on me,” she recalls. “I was 22 and fresh out of college. I found a lender that offered a Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) small business loan to women that funded my initial build-out and gave me a small line of credit for operational costs.”
Hamill couldn’t find any grants for for-profit businesses, so after she built out her first facility, she borrowed money from family and got a Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan.
“As we started to grow, I looked at other ways to secure finances,” she says. “I leveraged SBA loans and Wisconsin Business Development, Inc. resources (WBD).”
Scaling up
With a waiting list of almost 200 families, Hamill knows her business is sustainable. And to keep herself from burning out, she’s hired reliable staff members.
“Hiring some amazing people helped me find balance, because I could rely on them when I wasn’t available,” she says. “When I first started, it was all-encompassing—24/7. I was passionate about it, so it didn’t always feel like work. I’d be at work with the kids and my team, then go home and work on books and finances. As I learnedand scaled, I got some of that time back.”
Hamill has scaled Weebleworld up to three locations: Weebleworld Child Care Center, for babies, toddlers and preschoolers; Weebleworld Learning Academy 4K, for 4K children; and Weebleworld Kids’ Clubhouse, for school-age children.
“WHEDA, SBA, and WBD have all played a huge role in my business’ success,” she says. “I also really value the business coaching I’ve received from the UW-Madison Small Business Development Center (SBDC).”
Hamill has been working with SBDC director Michelle Somes-Booher for more than five years.
“Michelle has been a life-saver to me on numerous occasions,” Hamill says. “From strategic planning months or years in advance to grow my business, to last-minute crisis scenarios, she has been my rock! She has a plethora of invaluable resources, and I don’t know what I’d do without her. I’m very grateful for the SBDC and everything they offer to support and encourage small business owners like me.”
A recovering people pleaser, Hamill has learned to set boundaries to protect her sanity and her business. For example, she must charge late fees when parents show up past closing time to pick up their children.
“I’ve learned to address issues head-on right away and not let them fester and become bigger issues,” she says. “Hint: I’ve been doing this for 17 years, and they never self-correct.”
Staying enthusiastic
Hamill says she loves coming to work every day because of her team and the impact they can make every day. Weebleworld’s core values are child first, fun, positivity, and teamwork, and everything they do incorporates those values. A goal is to make Weebleworld a fun, inviting place, where children, families, and staff want to be, so they come up with special ways to celebrate, like summer parties with families.
“I come in every day, and I know it will be fun,” she says. “I come in and see smiling teachers, who are engaged and active and supported by the leadership. It’s a place people want to be. Parents know their children will be well cared for. That’s our reputation in the community.”
Hamill’s overarching goal is to positively impact other people.
“I want to create a positive place for children and families, and I want my team to grow and become the best versions of themselves,” she says.
Expanding into new business areas
Real estate has always been a passion of Hamill’s, and after building her third child care location, she decided to move into the multifamily housing market. Over the past two years, Hamill and her fiancé and partner, Jake Ellingworth, have been steadily growing Kismet Development into a trusted name in multifamily housing throughout Dane County and the surrounding area.
Together with Jake’s construction company, Kismet Construction, they have built or acquired over 25 units. Their focus is on ground-up multifamily construction. They hold and rent the properties themselves or sell and exchange them to reinvest in new opportunities.
“It’s a model that gives us the flexibility to grow strategically, while delivering well-built, thoughtfully designed housing to communities that need it,” Hamill says. “What sets us apart is our hands-on approach—we’re involved in every step of the process, from concept to construction to management. That commitment has allowed us to move quickly, adapt to market needs, and maintain high standards across every project we touch. We’re proud of what we’ve built so far and excited about what’s ahead for Kismet Development. As we continue to scale, our goal remains the same: to create lasting value for the communities we serve and for the people who call our properties home.”