Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Ruffin.
Hi Natalie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my career in the world of education. I taught kindergarten and first grade for eight years. I also obtained my Master’s Degree as a reading specialist. As most folks know, teaching is not the most lucrative career so I always had side jobs during nights/weekends and in the summer. I did a lot of nannying and retail work, but my most meaningful side job was being a counselor at Steve & Kate’s Camp in Alexandria, VA. I loved how different it was from being a teacher. The only objective was for the campers to have fun.
I worked at the Alexandria, VA location of Steve & Kate’s Camp for two summers working my way up to being an assistant director. Then, life had different plans. My partner got his dream job working for a professional baseball team in Minnesota. We moved right before Covid and he started working for the Minnesota Twins and I found a teaching job right in the heart of Minneapolis. Then, Covid hit. We were trapped in a tiny 600 sq ft apartment. He was talking stats and I was singing the ABCs on a computer in my closet trying to teach Kindergarten digitally (not for the faint of heart).
We had a busy Covid—we got married, had a baby and then the opportunity of a lifetime came up. Steve & Kate’s Camp was looking to open a location in Minneapolis. I had stayed in touch with Steve & Kate’s and they knew I was living in Minneapolis. They offered me the position of Director and to open the very first location in the state of Minnesota.
It was a tough decision to leave teaching but ultimately, I knew it was the right one. I opened the very first Steve & Kate’s Camp in downtown Minneapolis in 2022. We started out small but we have practically doubled every year since then! Now we are maxing out our location and looking to expand in the Twin Cities.
Now I spend my summers running camp, with my very own camper at my side and my off season helping with our National Marketing Campaigns. Sometimes you don’t end up doing what you planned, and sometimes that is a good thing!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Thankfully running Steve & Kate’s Camp has been a relatively smooth road. I have always been a very organized person who loves systems- and when running a camp, you need a ton of good systems. It was also super helpful that I was able to work there as a counselor to see the uniqueness of the program.
One huge hurdle was when we found out that we were going to be licensed as a daycare. Our headquarters and licensing team were super supportive in ensuring we followed all of the protocol to get camp running. Now I feel like I could be a licensor for the state knowing all of the rules and regulations.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Steve & Kate’s Camp is a unique child care option that specializes in flexibility for families and choice for kids. Our campers can choose from our amazing activities such as coding, robotics, baking, sewing, arts & crafts, sports & rec as well as a variety of special activities like bounce houses, slip N slides and enjoying a pie in the face on Pie Day Friday. Campers can bounce back and forth between the activities that they are passionate about and would never have to participate in activities that they are not interested in.
Adults have that same flexibility in that they do not have to preselect camp days and can send their campers whenever they want! As long as a camper has a day pass in their account (and their State Required Paperwork completed), they can just show up! We also refund unused day passes at the end of the summer. So there is no paying for camp days that you don’t use!
As a parent myself, I am most proud of our flexibility. You know kids are unpredictable so it is hard to predict a whole summer schedule- and with Steve & Kate’s, you don’t have to!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Thankfully, childcare can’t be taken over by robots… at least I don’t think it can! If anything, we see growing numbers every year. Families are seeking engaging summer programs to get their kids up and moving! We are a good fit!
Pricing:
- Summer Day Pass- $118/day
- Buy 15+ Day Passes per child and receive our 15-day rate. $103/15+ days
- Summer Pass- $3,090/summer
- We also offer need-based financial aid to qualifying families.
Contact Info:
