Her Story
About Clarivel
Clarivel Rosanna Martinez Gross is the Founder and Executive Director of Tata's Day Care LLC and Tata's Day Care Center LLC in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
She established her first child care business in honor of her late mother, who dedicated more than 30 years of her life to teaching. Inspired by her mother's legacy of love, education, and service, Clarivel created a program where children are nurtured academically, emotionally, and socially in a safe and loving environment.
Before entering the early childhood field, Clarivel built a successful career in business administration, marketing, advertising, and sales in the Dominican Republic. After immigrating to the United States, she transformed her professional experience into entrepreneurship, combining strong business leadership with a passion for child development.
Today, she leads one of the area's bilingual child care programs while advocating for high-quality early learning, professional development, and greater support for providers and families. She is committed to helping children build strong foundations for lifelong success while creating opportunities for working parents to thrive.
Clarivel is recognized for her leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence. Beyond operating her child care programs, she mentors providers, collaborates with community organizations, and works to improve access to quality early childhood education throughout West Michigan.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Clarivel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my faith in God, perseverance, continuous learning, and a genuine passion for serving children and families. Every challenge has become an opportunity to grow. I believe that success comes from working with integrity, treating people with kindness, and never losing sight of your purpose. My mother's legacy continues to inspire me to lead with compassion, excellence, and service.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never stop learning, and never let your current circumstances define your future. Every obstacle can become an opportunity if you're willing to work hard, remain humble, and keep moving forward. Success is built one decision at a time.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Choose this profession because you truly love children and believe in the power of early education—not simply because it is a business opportunity. Caring for young children is one of the greatest responsibilities a person can have. Lead with compassion, invest in your education, embrace continuous improvement, and remember that every child you serve has the potential to change the world. Your work can make a lifelong difference for children, families, and your community.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest challenges facing the child care industry is ensuring sustainable funding while maintaining high-quality programs and retaining qualified educators. Access to affordable child care remains a significant need for many working families.
As a Latina entrepreneur, I have also experienced barriers that immigrant and minority business owners sometimes face, including bias and unequal access to opportunities. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to advocating for greater equity, diversity, and inclusion within the early childhood education community.
At the same time, there is tremendous opportunity to expand access to high-quality early learning, strengthen the child care workforce, embrace innovation, and build stronger partnerships that better support children, families, and providers.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith, integrity, compassion, excellence, perseverance, and service guide every decision I make. I believe every child deserves to feel loved, safe, respected, and encouraged to reach their full potential.
I hope to be remembered not only as a successful entrepreneur but as someone who positively impacted children's lives and supported families during one of the most important stages of their children's development. My mission is to create a lasting legacy of love, education, and opportunity that honors my mother's example and inspires future generations.
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