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BRENDA KONDOS & TRICIA DAVIS

Brenda Kondos and Tricia Davis are the owners of Toddlin' Time Playgym of Fredericksburg

Date published: 2/6/2008

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS: Toddlin' Time is a small franchise that was started by a mother named Tanya Wallace in Manassas. We bought into it and have been in business for almost 11 years. Toddlin' Time is a play gym for children and their caregivers--a place to play and explore on safe equipment and mats. Our brightly colored room contains balls of all sizes, trampolines, climbing and building equipment, riding toys, push toys, imagination toys and much more. Children can enjoy free play, circle time, musical instruments, parachute play and felt board fun while enhancing gross motor skills and socialization with other children. Our classes include different age groups and meet once a week for 45 minutes on weekday mornings with a free extra class on Fridays. We also provide private birthday parties that are fun and worry-free for the parents. The age range is 10 months to 4 years.

LOCATION: 2011 Princess Anne St. in Fredericksburg.

EDUCATION: Kondos has an associate degree in social sciences. Davis attended Mary Washington College and Roosevelt University in Chicago.

FAMILY: Kondos is married with two daughters, ages 13 and 17. Davis is married with three daughters: 9, 11 and 13.

CAREER HISTORY: Kondos: Rental company bookkeeper, retail and sales, optometrist assistant, and assistant to ophthalmologist and eye surgeon. Davis: Paralegal.

FIRST JOB: Kondos: Bookkeeper for a rental company. Davis: First real job was as paralegal in Washington. Worked at Carl's Ice Cream at 16. Also worked at the downtown library as a teenager.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? Kondos: Brick, N.J. Davis: Born in Germany but grew up in Fredericksburg.

HOW DID YOU END UP OWNING TODDLIN' TIME? Our children went to Toddlin' Time when they were little and enjoyed it so much that we both agreed it was the perfect business for us as parents of small children. It offered flexibility and growth potential.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS? You have to keep up with your competition, always give 100 percent, stay current with new ideas and changes when necessary, and treat your customers well.

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Date published: 2/6/2008