Creator LaRon Hines: What one small business taught me about community, opportunity & impact

Growing up in Brookhaven, Mississippi, I was surrounded by the community-centered work my mom, Katrina Hines, built through her nonprofit organization Elevate the Village. More than just a childcare center, it was a place where kids learned, families found support, and the community came together. With the support from my family in Mississippi, I was able to turn these lived experiences into a platform career centered around storytelling and humor. In fact, my first viral series, Are You Smarter Than a Preschooler?, began at Elevate the Village, a place that had already spent years supporting children and families throughout Brookhaven long before the cameras arrived.

For more than a decade, Katrina has built more than a childcare business. Through her daycare, after-school programs, and nonprofit organization, she has helped create opportunities and safe spaces for families throughout Brookhaven. Many parents depended on her business not only for childcare but for consistency, trust, and support while balancing work and family life.

As the business grew, it also created jobs within the community and became a space where relationships were built across generations of families. Returning home from Los Angeles as an adult gave me a completely different perspective on the ripple effect that one small business can have on an entire community.

For this installment of the Intuit QuickBooks Ask The Expert series, I sat down with my mother Katrina to better understand the realities of entrepreneurship, what motivates her to continue showing up for the community every day, and how local businesses can create impact far beyond what people see on the surface. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from our conversation.

How small businesses become community anchors

In communities like Brookhaven, small businesses often become part of people’s everyday lives. My mom’s childcare center became a place families relied on for years—not only for childcare, but for stability, trust, and support. Through her after-school program, older children who had aged out of daycare still had access to a safe environment where they could continue learning, building friendships, and staying connected to positive influences after school.

Over the years, the business also became a source of employment within the community, creating opportunities for local workers and helping support families throughout the city. Through Elevate the Village, my mom expanded that impact even further by organizing events and initiatives that provided resources and experiences for families who may not otherwise have access to them.

Seeing how many people were connected through one business made me realize that small businesses often create ripple effects far beyond the services they provide. They become gathering places, support systems, and opportunities for entire communities. More than that, they’re often the backbone of the community—key to driving local economies in ways that empower the people they serve and give residents a stronger sense of agency and opportunity in how they show up for their community in their everyday lives.

According to findings from the Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report 2025, small businesses continue playing a major role in strengthening local economies and supporting employment opportunities within communities across the country. Seeing that impact firsthand in my hometown made those statistics feel personal.

From observation to understanding: Lessons from a family business

Growing up around the daycare, I don’t think I fully understood how much work went into maintaining a business that so many people depended on every day. I saw the long hours, early mornings, problem-solving, and constant responsibility, but as a kid, it simply felt normal because it was my everyday life. What I didn’t realize is how this space is one of a kind and that its success to this day is truly something to be proud of. According to the 2026 Business Owner Report, about 65% of small businesses fail within the first 10 years. This means only 35% make it to the decade mark. Not only has my mom’s business beat the odds, but she’s doing so while driving positive impact on those around her. 

Looking back now, I also realize how much of my own career and creativity were shaped by that environment. Without my mom’s perseverance in creating that space years ago, Are You Smarter Than a Preschooler may have never existed. What started as a childcare center in Brookhaven eventually became the foundation for content that went viral and reached millions of people online. Watching my mom build and evolve her business over time has made me realize that with the right support, one business can create opportunities far beyond what anyone initially imagines. 

What it takes to sustain a community-focused business

During our conversation, my mom shared how entrepreneurship requires constant adaptability, resilience, and commitment to the people you serve. Beyond running daily operations, she spoke about the responsibility of continuing to show up for families and children who rely on the programs and spaces she’s built throughout the years.

One thing that stood out to me most was how much of entrepreneurship happens behind the scenes. Small business owners are often balancing leadership, organization, customer relationships, staffing, and long-term planning all at once. According to the Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Research Hub, organization and operational consistency continue to be major factors in long-term small business sustainability and growth. At Elevate the Village, that consistency has been reflected in the work itself—demonstrating for over more than a decade how steady operations and community commitment can sustain meaningful impact over time.

Returning home reminded me that some of the most impactful community leaders are often the people quietly serving others every single day through the businesses and opportunities they create for the people around them.

This experience also gave me a deeper understanding on the role small businesses play in shaping communities like mine. Businesses like my mom’s don’t just provide services. They create opportunities, safe spaces, relationships, and long-lasting support systems for the people around them that help communities grow and thrive over time.

The impact of one small business can extend far beyond its walls, creating ripple effects that influence families, careers, and entire communities for years to come.

Huge thank you to Katrina Hines and all small business owners continuing to make a positive impact in the communities they serve every day.

To learn more about resources available for entrepreneurs and small business owners, visit Intuit QuickBooks.