Child Care Rockstar Radio (Kris Murray)
Explore every episode of Child Care Rockstar Radio
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Nov 2017 | The Power of Innovation and Collaboration with Marnie Forestieri | 00:48:30 | |
My guest today is an early childhood business powerhouse, whom I have yet to meet in person but who has inspired me and many others in the field. Marnie Forestieri is Chief Learning Officer and Co-Founder at Amazing Explorers Academy in Florida, which she helped build from the ground up and now has two busy and thriving locations. She tells us about her journey, how STEM folds into her mission of innovation and problem-solving in early childhood, and the group approach and empowerment process of hiring new teachers, all the way up to the onboarding process. Marnie brought her professional expertise outside of early childhood and embraced it to start her own game and ultimately change some of the rules. I love how Marnie promotes from within and helps groom her own for more leadership and success.
Key Takeaways: [3:02] Marnie moved to the United States 10 years ago as an investor, and first purchased a franchise for almost a decade. She found three things that told her she had a different calling: the need to innovate, to introduce STEM toys, and the opportunity to bridge a gap between the educators and business people. [5:34] Her first step to opening Amazing Explorers Academy was a lot of research and travel to try to come up with comparisons in other countries. She knew it had to be tailored to the needs and standards of our countries. Her reporter background helped in creating the framework of what needed to be done. [13:18] STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is becoming the new trend in education. By the time children are in third grade, one-third of the boys and girls have lost their interest in these topics. [16:09] They are opening nine more schools this year. Marnie shares how their innovative and group approach to the interview process and intensive training for new hires makes sure they are empowered and held accountable. [24:07] Every part of what Amazing Explorers Academy does needs to have accountability, children’s assessments, or a KPI. [30:46] Marnie believes in leading by example and that their biggest asset is the people that make up the business. [34:32] Amazing Explorers Academy has a bright future and is on the path to growing into new states and markets. They are opening their first prototype in Lake Nona, Florida, which is an area known for innovation. [37:45] According to Marnie, teachers are rockstars. Anyone that spends a whole day with a bunch of two-year-olds knows it’s not an easy job!
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon, by Brad Stone
More About Marnie: Marnie is an entrepreneur with a passion for education and innovation with an ability to translate market trends into successful business models and innovations. Marnie and the education team have been recognized nationally and collaborated to design a line of STEM toys for Kaplan Early Learning and write books for Gryphon House. Marnie has been recognized in the industry nationally, including finalist of the award “Director of the Year” and the winner of the “Center of the Year” award by FACCM. Prior to starting her career in education, she was a reporter for CNN Spanish and later became the VP of marketing of a telecommunications company. Marnie holds a BS in business administration, a Director’s credential, CDA (Child Development Associate) and is a graduate of Stanford University Latino Entrepreneurs Leaders Program. | |||
| 21 Dec 2023 | Maria Ahrens: Helping Moms Feel Comfortable and Supported | 01:01:47 | |
Kris welcomes Maria Ahrens, Owner of Paper Planes Early Learning Center in Mount Sinai, NY, for an inspiring conversation on transparent and open communication and embracing the special parts of yourself in leadership. During their talk, Maria shares more about what makes Paper Planes unique and provides valuable tips for team engagement and teacher retention. She also reflects on the benefits of being part of the Academy and receiving mentorship in the industry.
Key Takeaways: [2:10] The inspiration behind Maria opening Paper Planes in September of 2020, and how opening during the pandemic affected their journey. [3:42] Paper Planes is licensed for 100 and has a special license for continuity of care. They have a current staff of 25. [4:44] How Maria got into the world of ECE. [5:29] Maria grew up in a ski resort in New York and worked in childcare centers there. [8:48] The transition of leaving Denver and going back to New York. [11:01] Fun Fact: Maria is a doula and certified birth educator. [12:35] One of the selling points of Maria’s business is her ability to connect with people and provide an open and transparent environment. [14:03] A few more of Paper Planes’ selling points are the play-based model, transparency in all departments, and training the staff to have hard conversations. [20:55] How Kris got into a good flow doing Facebook Live recordings. [22:24] The importance of making the teachers feel important and learning how to communicate in a way that helps others grow. [29:11] How the academy helps Maria stay on track with having systems in place. [31:27] Taking away the anxiety that comes with being understaffed. [34:44] How Maria overcame staffing challenges in 2022. [40:40] How Maria utilized Grow Your Center and the ways it freed up her time. [42:39] How Child Care Success and coaching have impacted Maria’s mindset and helped her with productivity, while spending time with her family. [45:20] What is next for Maria in 2024, both personally and professionally? [50:10] A reminder that you don’t have to stay stuck and it’s okay to invest in yourself. [52:19] You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a lot of impact.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 13 Mar 2019 | Implementation and Speed To Results with Michelle Smith-Lank | 00:56:44 | |
Michelle Smith-Lank has been in the Child Care Success Academy for several years and a true definition of a Child Care Rockstar. She talks about how she got into the field and came to open Kids World Learning Center and the lessons in growth, marketing, and expansion she has learned throughout her career.
Key Takeaways: [1:32] When Michelle purchased Kids World originally, they were licensed for 69 children; now they are licensed for 156. [5:25] Michelle had a strong business background in Scholastic items and as a college representative and brought that knowledge to opening her preschool. [9:23] In this industry it is important to have a mentor. Find someone that supports your growth and helps you dream big and develop a road map to get there. [10:17] Michelle is fully enrolled and looking at a building adjacent to her that will possibly take them into 200. [13:38] Michelle builds in flexibility to adapt to the situation and the needs in the community. [14:22] Kids World is part of the Early Learning and Literacy Grant and healthy grants to support fresh and organic food for the children. It is truly a family affair, as Michelle’s daughter, son, and mother are all involved in the school. [17:02] Michelle was born in Germany and can’t be still too long before embarking on her next travel. Her family was in the military and it taught her to embrace different cultures so everyone can benefit. [19:58] Michelle joined the State Association and found out about grants they wanted to apply to. She also is part of the Quality Rated System in Georgia and the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. It is important to put yourself in a space where you find out grants that may be available to you. [25:48] When she got back from the Summit in Orlando, Michelle was so inspired that she wrote down everything she and her team needed to implement (over 70!) and got to work on every single item. [33:35] A clean environment helps with workflow and productivity. [35:11] Michelle is all about #experiences this year. She works 1-2 days a week out of the center, and practices self-care to keep herself fresh and rejuvenated. [38:44] Michelle found strong resources and support when joining up with Kris and the Child Care Success Academy, and it showed her just how much help other people can offer. [44:20] Take action. You can learn the best material but unless you put it into action you won’t see the results that are possible.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions
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| 11 Sep 2019 | Making a Difference in a Big Way Smart Goals, Engagement, and Singing our Way to Success with Marcia St. Hilaire Finn | 00:48:14 | |
Marcia St. Hilaire Finn, Managing Owner and Director of Bright Star Early Care and Preschool, lights up wherever she is with her enthusiasm, energy, and positive attitude. She joins the show to talk about her start in Dominica and how she ended up in Washington D.C., her advice on setting smart goals, and shares her logistics on her teacher engagement and culture of fun and dedication. Marcia also discusses how her background in Pediatric Nursing helps Bright Star stand out, along with their attention to serving the children and their families using music, language studies, and healthy living.
Key Takeaways: [12:22] Marcia is originally from Dominica in the Eastern Carribean and traveled to America as a nanny over 35 years ago. Her love of helping children and their families led her to become a pediatric nurse. [14:40] After Marcia gave birth to her two daughters, she wanted to explore the child care market, and wanted to combine her leadership skills with real-life child care experience. [17:05] Fun fact: for the longest time, Marcia was known as Chris on the island! It took a while for her to adjust to Marcia. [18:05] Bright Star has been NAC accredited for six years, and Marcia was very grateful for the help and support while they put together the application themselves. [19:33] Bright Star adds the component of art to their STEM program, making it STEAM. They serve children from six weeks to eight years old and offer project-based experiences where children can make things and follow them all the way through to see how they operate. [22:12] A few of the things that Bright Star offers that help them to stand out from their competition is that they offer onsite home-cooked meals, a garden, yoga, music history, and of course, Marcia’s background in pediatric nursing. [25:17] Marcia works from home one day a week and uses her in school time to engage and have lunch with teachers and children and her one-on-one meetings. [26:34] Marcia has a deep love for music and appreciates the way it can uplift and connect us. She is always singing to her staff and celebrating their birthdays and big achievements. [30:34] The teachers and Marcia have monthly one-on-one meetings, where they can discuss tangible issues, goals and future plans. She also brings them to annual team building resorts and provides ongoing educational support. [40:12] Marcia’s advice is to visit a lot of schools so you can see different types of leadership styles. Also, be sure to work in a daycare or with children so you can see what it feels like, and will appreciate the hard work of your team even further. Also, be sure to keep an eye on your finances, and keep track of the money in the business so you can make your program bigger and better without having to worry about payroll or a rainy day fund. [45:03] To Marcia, a child care rockstar is someone that embraces the best in the children and helps them improve to be a better citizen and leader for tomorrow.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company National Accreditation Commission | |||
| 16 Jan 2020 | Empowering Staff, Understanding Data, and Committing to Culture with Neydary Zambrano | 00:48:30 | |
Neydary Zambrano won Owner of the Year at the 2019 Child Care Success Summit, and this week she shares her wisdom on growing enrollment, marketing, staff happiness, and culture. Neydary talks about the metamorphosis her school, Magic Memories, has gone through in 2019, now with nine locations throughout Pennsylvania. She and Kris also talk about the responsibility that a true child care rockstar has, how CRM has helped her track and understand data, and the importance of empowering directors and teachers.
Key Takeaways: [1:09] Magic Memories started as one center with 65 children and now has nine locations throughout Pennsylvania with an enrollment of 570 and 140 staff members. They focus on learning through play and socialization. [2:19] Neydary has been in the field for 13 years and also has experience in management and social services. It was after her daughter’s food allergy left her yearning for a school with procedures and policies that got followed that ended up with her deciding that her next move would be in childcare management. [6:51] Fun Fact: As a Venezuelan, Neydary loves to get out and dance! Music is very important to her and her culture. [12:22] The pieces fell in place for Neydary to purchase the centers, and their first focus has been the culture. [19:46] Neydary saw firsthand that when you treat your staff with love and respect, they will give you so much more than what you can ask for. [24:02] A few key tools that helped Neydary and Magic Memories greatly with marketing is to never stop advertising, utilize Facebook, CRM, and Grow Your Center. [28:48] Growing as a leader has helped not only Neydary grow, but her team also expands with knowledge and confidence. [33:07] Neydary defines a rockstar as a supporting caring leader who is willing to grow, and also go above and beyond to help others. This title is fulfilling but does come with the responsibility of making decisions for people outside yourself.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company
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| 07 May 2020 | Finding Hope and Stirring Up Your Own Inspiration with Donna Thornton-Roberts | 00:58:03 | |
This week, Kris is joined by friend and seasoned veteran of the early learning industry, Donna Thorton-Roberts. Donna shares some of her knowledge about being effective, prepared, and proactive during this time, along with some wisdom she personally has gained from going through some tough times in her career, which included going from three to nineteen schools in six years. Donna and Kris also talk about the importance of hiring the right people, offering services to the community, and developing a plan to hit the ground running when society opens back up.
Key Takeaways: [1:15] Donna started her career in 1976, so she has seen some scary times and knows it is just a season we will come out of. It’s important for leaders to show others hope and strength, and to also know about important resources that can help their business and organization. [5:58] Donna is in the beautiful mountain area of Virginia, and loves all things leadership and developing leaders. For fun, she loves sharpening her own saw and is going for a Ph.D. in leadership. She loves doing a lot of reading, writing, and keeping busy with her 13 grandchildren. [11:34] The two most important things Donna did while growing from three to nineteen schools was to fine-tune the process of growth, enrollment, and consistent leadership, and to hire the right people. [24:32] Donna currently has seven schools and made sure each of them will be prepared with a written plan for when school does return. It’s important to have a written plan for marketing, enrollment, marketing, and social media along with maintaining a connection with the community as a source of help. [29:47] Leaders should get to know their applicants on a personal level, and not just their culture and vision, but also their heart. Asking them who impacted their life as a teacher and why gives a glimpse into what kind of teacher they may be. [33:42] When you are leading and serving the community within your own values, you are less likely to care if someone doesn’t like you and you understand it’s impossible to be everyone’s cup of tea. [38:45] Learn from Donna’s experience — take action and be decisive. For her, it was the decision to close a school and open back up as a rebranded new school.
Quotes: ● “We need to instill some hope and excitement about our future because we are going to come through this.” ● “The key to our quality is reflected by the people we hire.” ● “Don’t sit back and wait. We need to take action on the things we can do.”
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket | |||
| 22 Jun 2018 | How to Get Great Reviews and Handle the Bad Ones with Sharon Foster | 00:50:58 | |
Sharon Foster, owner and operator of Bells Ferry Learning Center, joins Kris today for a conversation on how to build positive parent relationships, customer service, and how owners and staff can protect themselves during bad reviews or negative social media comments. They discuss strategies on enforcing policies, the proper mindset regarding payment, and when it’s okay to respond to a negative review, and tips of what to say so you stay responsive and professional, yet firm in your own values and vision. Sharon also shares the ways she has had to pivot her vision as both a leader and business owner over the years to make sure her product was meeting the needs of the market.
Key Takeaways: [2:52] As a special thank you, Kris will be choosing comments left on the podcast page, blog or iTunes and mentioning them on this show! If you want your school to be mentioned, be sure to write it in the comment. You can check out the podcast page on the website here. [6:24] Another special thank you gift! Just for listening to this episode, you can save $100 off when you use the code “rockstar” for the Child Care Success Summit. [7:33] Sharon entered the field with Kinder Care in 1979 and became a Kids R Kids franchisee in 2001, and is now the owner and operator of Bells Ferry Learning Center, which has two locations. She is also working with a partner on a new venture called Georgia Afterschool Program. Sharon is the author of Ready? Set? Kindergarten!, a month-by-month guide for preparing your child for Kindergarten. She is currently serving as the President-Elect of the Georgia Child Care Association. Sharon’s schools are in the suburbs of Atlanta, within a four-mile radius. [10:07] At the age of 12, Sharon volunteered at KinderCare, where her younger brother attended. She kept at it and was earning a paycheck by the young age of only 13. She continued on to other jobs but always knew that her heart was in child care. Flash to a few years later, when she became a franchise owner for Kids R Kids, which then became rebranded Bells Ferry Learning Center. Rebranding made a huge difference due to the location she was in, as many of her potential customers were intimidated by the prices of a large national chain. [14:42] Sharon is a huge fan of the Zac Brown Band, has been to three different countries to see them, and celebrated her 50th birthday by seeing them in Austin, Texas! [16:12] The tagline for Bells Ferry is “Love is Spoken Here.” [17:24] Your message and product both need to match what your market wants, the results they are interested in, and what they are able to afford. [19:19] The original location stays at about 175, year round, as they have three state-funded Pre-K programs that keep summer attendance up. The Marietta location is about 60% of their 198 enrollment. [21:39] Sharon’s first coping mechanism for a negative review or feedback is to contact Kris. Finding a trusted colleague or mentor to rationally talk things over can help immensely. [22:38] A common thread of Sharon’s negative reviews has been with the family has owed money. They may even try to use a bad review as a type of blackmail to have their debt lowered or erased. Sharon and Kris recommend enforcing the payment rule and continuing to work on the mindset that you deserve to be paid in full and on time. [24:52] Surround yourself with the people that love you and your business, and they will help you through the negative reviews. Also, the energy around the reviews tends to dwindle off after about 48 hours. [27:02] Sharon shares a story on how responding to one negative review ended up gaining her 12 new enrollments. [28:45] Sharon does not try to spend time and energy online pleading the case of an invalid review. One suggestion of how to model good customer service language is to look at hotels’ responses that are proactive and positive towards their customer concerns and complaints. [33:41] While Sharon jumps in and helps out in almost every aspect of the business, she focuses on the payroll, online advertising and supporting the directors and delegating the rest. She is always available to her staff as a sounding board but takes pride in setting them up to be self-sufficient and confident in their own independent leadership decisions. [37:14] Sharon and Kris recommend being sure you have at least six months of operating capital and three cycles of payroll before starting the business officially. Start marketing earlier and more than you think to get a good flow of enrollment within the first six months. If you need help finding a business and marketing resource, check out the Child Care Marketing Boot Camp. [40:29] Sharon sees a rockstar as someone that dedicates themselves day in and day out to child care, no matter what position or level they are at! [46:19] Sharon wrote Ready? Set? Kindergarten! with her teachers as a month-by-month hands-on activity guide for parents. Mentioned in This Episode:Child Care Marketing Solutions Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Georgia Child Care Association Child Care Marketing Boot Camp Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life, by Ron Clark
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| 13 Sep 2018 | Is M-A-T-H a Four-Letter Word in Your Business? | 00:33:17 | |
You may think of it as a dirty word, but really, it can be the key to peace of mind, freedom, and clarity in your business. It’s Math. Today, Kris will inspire you to get started tracking so you can live a lifestyle of abundance and make your teachers happier by giving them more benefits, which in turn equals happy kids and happy parents. She gives specific examples and real-world case studies of simple equations to put your money and time into the business where it’s most needed and gives the four categories of metrics. Enjoy the episode and we promise not to make you do any calculus.
Key Takeaways: [2:25] Kris recaps some insights and inspirations from recent episodes. Past guests have shed an interesting light on taking risks, amazing video marketing techniques and how to survive and thrive after negative parent reviews. For the full episode list, click here. [6:13] Math provides a proper measuring system and metric to help us focus on the right things in our business, rather than blindly throwing stuff at the wall without actually fixing the problem. [9:29] In her book The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide, Kris lays out the four categories of metrics:
[10:40] Enrollment funnel metrics are based on lead flow and conversion. The first thing she does with clients is to help them set up the tools and structures for consistent tracking. From that, they look at the conversions compared to the leads and put the core concepts into place to restructure and get on track to higher enrollments. [18:06] Kris gives a case study example of Gold Star member Nina using her math to take some extra funds and bonus her staff, set up some fun marketing to drive more enrollments and add value to the relationships of her existing parents.
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| 10 Dec 2020 | Choosing Broadway Over Mom's Basement with Bari Baumgardner | 01:00:30 | |
I am thrilled to have Bari Baumgardner on the podcast to share her truly inspiring journey. Bari is the founder of SAGE Event Management; a boutique event production company best known for creating a purpose-driven payday for speakers, authors, and influencers with her “Sales IS Service” approach. If you’re ready to take your own personal leap, this episode will really resonate with you. Get ready to take some notes on Bari’s sales approach, enrollment theory, and her infectious belief in trusting in yourself.
Key Takeaways: [4:45] Highlights of Bari’s professional journey in event planning, including pivoting to a tech company during the pandemic, and how it parallels with Kris’ journey. [8:51] What Bari does for fun where she lives in Murrells Inlet, SC. [12:19] Fun fact about Bari: She wants to be a drummer (even though she has no rhythm)! [14:55] Bari’s Broadway vs. Basement story; how she took a big leap at a critical time, said yes to herself, and moved to NYC. It ended up being the most important thing she’s ever done. [27:43] Tips Bari has on enrollment theory, more on her mantra “Sales IS Service,” and digging into the hierarchy of objections. [37:41] The importance of applying the “tell me more” approach when talking to families interested in your child care centers. Make it more about the connection than the “sale.” [41:25] The hierarchy of enrollment is as important as the hierarchy of objections. [44:03] How the vibe and success of The Child Care Success Academy has changed since Kris laid out the Guiding Principles two years ago. [45:45] What Bari has learned about successfully running a business with her spouse without it affecting her marriage; especially division of labor and asking for support, not permission. [52:14] What Bari is watching and reading to stay inspired.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Mastering the Rockefeller Habits The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
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| 31 Aug 2023 | New Practices for Emotional Intelligence in ECE with Dr. Donna Housman | 00:45:49 | |
Join Kris in an enlightening conversation this week with Dr. Donna Housman, a prominent figure in child emotional development. Dr. Donna discusses the vital role of emotional regulation for both children and educators in bolstering mental health and effective learning. Dr. Donna talks about her work in aiding emotionally challenged youth to integrate neuroscience into the innovative Housman Institute lab school. She talks about her intention behind getting the children's books aligned with curriculum and expert tips for emotional regulation, such as deep breathing. Kris and Donna address the current mental health landscape and the need for all of us to learn to identify and accept our big emotions, at any age.
Key Takeaways: [2:20] Dr. Donna talks about starting as a psychologist working with children and adolescents struggling with issues around depression, anxiety, and trauma. She talks about the common threads she saw between them in managing and dealing with big emotions. [3:10] Dr. Donna started her child development center in the ’80s, with emotional development at the core of the entire center. [3:56] The importance of understanding that the educator is essential and foundational in helping children develop as they continue to grow and develop is critical. [5:15] Developing the Housman Institute lab school, and tying in research in neuroscience, while addressing the needs of the children, families, and training needs of the educator. [7:30] Why is it important for children to be exposed to emotional regulation skills and competencies? [10:38] Dr. Donna talks about discerning between emotions and connecting our behavior to emotions. [12:44] The four quadrants of our emotional regulations that help us identify, understand, express, and manage these big emotions. [16:12] What are some of the resources that the Housman Institute provides for both children and educators? [18:42] Dr. Donna talks about the children’s books they have created to align with their curriculum. [23:02] Dr. Donna provides some great tips for emotional regulation including deep breathing to calm the nerves and accepting all your feelings and emotions, knowing that you don’t have to act on them. [27:12] The training programs for both leaders and children. [28:14] We are in a mental health pandemic and need to focus on helping each other and future generations. [30:39] The “Make Peace Table” is a way to unite emotion and cognition. [32:55] What is in the future for Dr. Donna and her team in 2024 and beyond?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 05 Jul 2024 | Latrice Galloway: Meet The Child Care Chic | 00:48:20 | |
Kris rolls out the pink carpet for Latrice Galloway, one of the most inspirational, dynamic, and business-savvy women in the early learning industry today. She talks about The Childcare Chic blog, The Childcare Clique community, and her upcoming Born to Teach conference at which Kris will be speaking. Latrice drops some golden wisdom on the two things every ECE professional must know. She also gives some great tips on avoiding common industry missteps, the value of using coaches, and having the right mindset and leadership.
Key Takeaways: [3:17] Kris recaps her four-day Mastermind Retreat! [9:44] Latrice joins and talks about working with her sister and The Childcare Chic. [11:30] Latrice’s first employee was her mom, who is now retired as a super-grandma. [16:28] Before Latrice started changing lives with children, she used to change lives with felons, using her degree in criminal justice. [20:40] How Latrice set herself apart. [22:37] How Latrice has grown as a leader. [24:09] Latrice’s leadership style. [27:18] Tips on having hard conversations with staff. [29:19] Latrice’s two key pieces of advice for ECE. [33:18] The mindset mistakes Latrice most often sees in the industry. [35:18] Growth and trends in ECE and what’s next for Latrice. [40:16] Latrice defines a Childcare Rockstar. [41:14] Catch Kris at the Born to Teach conference!
Quotes: ● “My staff brag about me as their leader. That makes you feel like, Okay, I’m doing something.” — Latrice [25:35] ● “Fast forward to today, I’m a person that you can follow, but I’m going to get in there with you.” — Latrice [24:09] ● “Yes, you have to create those boundaries, but I can still treat them well. We can still laugh, but at the end of the day, they know that I am still their leader and they still have a job to do.” — Latrice [24:49] ● “Invest in your team. If you don’t have a team to help you enforce those policies, they go out the window.” — Latrice [29:30] ● “The trend is: go to the conference. Invest in yourself. Hire the coach. I think that’s great because people are investing their knowledge so they can go back and grow these programs and offer amazing services to their families and students.” — Latrice [39:47] ● “It costs too much to have a coach, but do you know how much you’re going to lose trying to do this on your own?” — Latrice [40:28]
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal
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| 16 Aug 2018 | A Relentless Focus on Positive, Healthy Culture with Joe and Lucy Lawrence | 00:45:18 | |
Joe and Lucy, owners and founders of Little Sprouts in Wisconsin, have an intentionality in everything they do, whether it’s their international flavor, their passion for staying mindful for eco-consciousness, or how they develop their team to show consistent leadership and cohesive culture. They talk with Kris today about working together successfully as a married couple, challenges they have faced and overcome as entrepreneurs, and what’s next on the horizon for their team.
Key Takeaways: [3:31] Leading up to building their center, Joe and Lucy were putting in 18-hour days themselves making sure the foundation and structure were set in place. [4:02] Joe and Lucy share their story of how they met, their long-distance relationship, and the decision to get married. [7:50] Fun facts! Joe’s life became complete on the day that he swam with a group of sea turtles in Malaysia. Lucy has been surprising herself with some solid gardening skills. [9:54] Joe and Lucy have always seen a slow and steady growth in their schools, which gives them ample space and time to re-adjust and strategize how to get things even better. [13:04] Joe and Lucy’s purpose of building people up so they can serve others provides a solid reason for their “why.” From that, they developed a vision of exactly what their culture means to them and started integrating it into everything they did. [17:09] Finding a balance between work and personal life is certainly tough but Joe and Lucy intentionally make it a priority to put their marriage first. They went on a marriage retreat a few months ago and found it very beneficial to unplug and spend quality time together. Trust in decision-making and clear boundaries are two critical components of any successful team, especially a married one. [21:38] Joe enjoys building operations and procedures, while Lucy enjoys doing bookkeeping, tax, and payroll. [25:20] Joining a Mastermind group has turned up the heat on Joe and Lucy’s confidence, passion, and belief in themselves. Supporting yourself with others helps you find resources you may never have thought possible, and brings solutions that would be tough to tackle on your own. [27:23] The Four C’s that Kris learned from Dan Sullivan: Commitment, Courage, Capability, and Confidence. Rinse and repeat! [28:43] Balancing the big-picture vision with the day-to-day details is a very common challenge, and one Joe and Lucy work on daily. Communication is key; strategic planning and finding a great coach or mentor are all ways to stay on track. [33:09] Joe and Lucy define a rockstar as someone that pushes ahead with the trials we are faced with while making a difference for the better.
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| 27 Sep 2018 | A Non-Traditional (and fun) Approach to Child Care with Andrea Wortman | 00:50:54 | |
Andrea Wortman is all about doing things from a non-traditional and slow but steady approach. She runs an after-school program in the Portland, Oregon area with 11 locations, and has worked with the school systems to forge a relationship where she is contracted to take space and run her after-school programs out of the schools.
We talk about a different model of how to do effective, fun and profitable early learning in an after-school program that doesn’t require you to buy any real estate. We also discuss the challenges that come with this model; how Andrea reduced her staff turnover and doubled her revenue and number of locations in the recent years. Key Takeaways: [6:29] Andrea’s school is the Club K After School Zone, a full after-school daycare service for families with 60 employees and over 500 kids served. She discusses how she fell into child care and education, and never saw herself as an owner and operator of a successful company. This fall, Club K will have 11 locations in three districts spread out in the metropolitan Portland area. [12:05] Andrea enjoyed her job at working at a Montessori school, and that began her path of many years and energy spent in childcare. [13:39] Andrea discusses the conveniences and challenges of her stand-alone program. They have anywhere from 30-60 kids in a gym or cafeteria, and everything must be portable, flexible (and cheerful) in case they need to be moved. There are responsibilities of the traditional model that Andrea and her team are free from, including no maintenance and bussing. [17:44] They have added more Club K locations every year, and the process is different depending on the particular district. [21:34] Andrea has a pretty natural fit for her marketing, as she has access to the kids that attend the school. They do have families that attend her program that do not attend the school, so at some point, they may be doing bussing programs. [22:34] Andrea is figuring out how to serve lower socioeconomic communities better, including scholarships. [25:01] Club K’s revenue has doubled since joining the Child Care Success Academy, and she is serving twice as many kids. [27:15] It is imperative for the staff to roll with the older kids and keep one step ahead of them so they aren’t always standing in line waiting. Andrea ensures her staff is connected with the kids and ready to have fun with a sense of humor. [28:09] Club K’s employees range from age 16-year-old high school student to adults in their early 70’s. The commonality is they all love kids and come together to provide a service for working families. [31:52] Culture is very important at Club K. Andrea has built a team focused on solutions, with a bright and sunny optimistic attitude. They still have challenges, but they handle it with a team mentality with kind and thoughtful actions instead of ruminating on something out of their control. She has a leadership team that is in charge of social events and gives achievement points for additional pay. [42:52] Learning how to speak up and confidently voice her opinion was one of the biggest shifts Andrea has made professionally over the past several years. [45:13] To Andrea, a rock star is the whole package of someone that has fun, sees the humor in life, and gets their job done while encouraging their team.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Success, by Kris Murray Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It…and Why the Rest Don’t, by Verne Harnish Success for Teens: Real Teens Talk About Using the Slight Edge, by John Fleming
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| 21 Jan 2021 | Overcoming Licensing Challenges with Danielle Paige | 00:53:07 | |
I am thrilled to welcome Danielle Paige back to the podcast! She first appeared in episode 60 and today we are going to talk all about licensing. Danielle now owns two centers, Academic Explorers, in New York and she talks us through how she expanded to her second location. She shares some of the challenges she overcame during licensing, what she might have done differently, how she chose her second location, what sets her brand apart, and more. Danielle also shares how she can help YOU with your licensing goals.
Key Takeaways: [1:31] Danielle shares what it's like being an offsite owner to her two New York-based schools. [3:47] Danielle discusses what the jump has been like going from owning one school to two. [6:16] Kris asks Danielle if there is anything she would do differently during her opening process if she could do it over again. [9:35] Danielle shares what she believes sets her centers apart from the rest in her area in terms of branding. [16:15] Danielle gives a personal scoop on what's going on at home with her. [19:22] Danielle shares her story of how she overcame a troubling relationship with her licensing rep. [29:09] Kris asks Danielle what features she was looking for while looking for a second location and how she was able to get it up and running so quickly after closing on the deal. [35:05] Danielle talks about her journey to becoming a child care licensing consultant, how she can help child care owners with their licensing goals, and how you can reach out to her directly for questions and help. [40:10] Danielle shares some of her favorite go-to websites for business and market research news. Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Academic Explorers on Instagram Academic Explorers on Facebook
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| 16 Mar 2023 | It's The Little Things! A Powerful Case Study of School Excellence with Beth Davis | 00:48:27 | |
Beth Davis, Owner and Director of Kids for Kids in Miami, Florida, and the first Change the World winner in 2020 joins Kris to discuss team empowerment, employee engagement, and consistency in leadership. During the conversation, they highlight the importance of small gestures of appreciation for employees, as well as the significant impact they can have on overall team morale. Beth also shares insights on creating a safe and welcoming culture for parents, including the use of virtual tours and a state-of-the-art website.
Key Takeaways: [6:44] Beth is the owner and director of Kids for Kids in Miami Florida. This year’s capacity is 175 with a really healthy waitlist. [9:42] 18 years ago, Beth left the comforts of her classroom to purchase a little struggling child care center in a strip mall, and the rest is history. [10:28] What are some of the things Beth has done that she feels have been the most important contributors or changemakers to improve school culture? [12:09] Aside from school safety, there are a lot of little things you can do to make staff feel appreciated. [13:42] Beth shares the little things she does to show gratitude to the teachers such as giving out a weekly gift card, providing an awesome coffee machine, and treating them to lunch. Professionally, she supports their growth and also gives them a business card so they know they are a childcare professional. [20:13] How has Beth’s dedication to paying her teachers well and creating a great culture over the years transformed into actual energy in the classroom? [24:29] Beth talks about her book and the credibility behind being an author. She also talks about a few tools she likes including a beautiful website, Brightwheel, and Intelli-Kids. [35:42] Trust your team. [46:28] Fun Fact: Beth loves clowning around. Her first job at 12 years old was to appear as a balloon puppet-making clown for children’s birthdays!
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Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal | |||
| 19 Jul 2018 | How to Win in Digital Marketing with Bruce Spurr | 00:59:52 | |
In today’s episode, Digital Marketing Expert and real-life Rocket Scientist Bruce Spurr joins Kris for a talk on how to win the digital marketing game using Facebook ads, Google Maps, and Google Search. They touch upon how to get your school to stand out, even above the “big boys” of advertising, ways to leverage your ad no matter how small your budget, what consists of a great ad, and how to use digital marketing to keep your enrollment high or fill the empty spaces. He and Kris reminisce of the olden days before social media, and ways that they have learned to adapt and work together in the current landscape to help child care owners overcome their challenges in the field. Strap in, and get ready to launch into the digital marketing stratosphere!
Key Takeaways: [4:22] Special announcement! The Child Care Success Summit announces their celebrity speaker, Les Brown. Les is one of the world’s top motivational speakers, and he himself has a tie in the child care market, so this is one experience not to miss. They are almost at 80% full, so be sure to get the tickets while they last, using promo code: ROCKSTAR to get a $100 discount off the full price. [7:31] Bruce and Kris met while at the Frank Kern Mastermind Group. [8:52] Fun Fact: Bruce has some Lebanese ties in his family, and traveling with his wife is one of his favorite parts of the way he has set up his life. He calls into today’s episode from Beirut, Lebanon and gives us an update on the current political climate and perspective there. [10:52] Bruce shares how he went from a physical labor job as a construction worker, to entrepreneur building e-commerce sites, then marketing and advertising. He has a Degree in Physics and Engineering and is a rocket scientist by education. [11:40] He was at the Web 2.0 Conference when Twitter was launched, and one of the first thousand people to open up a Twitter account. [15:42] All the owners Bruce has had the chance to meet are kind and loving people, driven by a purpose to help. They are in it for the passion of making a difference in the lives of children and leaving a legacy, but often are run by their business, instead of running their business. When Kris and Bruce work with the owner together, they win the battle of hiring in a tight labor market and the battle of filling up the school in a competitive community. [21:54] Bruce explains why people need to do Facebook ads, and how it’s important for people both just indirectly scrolling and also searching in a focused manner for child care centers geographically close to them. [25:54] SEO used to be about getting listed on a page, now it’s about getting listed in Places and Maps. Google is smart and figured out the search algorithm on a specific school in general, and organic articles and information on how to pick a school in general. It is a huge game changer and Kris and Bruce have even seen people triple their results once they get the Google Maps piece of the puzzle figured out. [30:00] When Bruce works with clients to determine the lifetime value of the customer, it is clear spending the initial marketing money to attract them is a drop in the bucket to secure them long-term. [33:40] The “Insights” tab on Facebook is a magical place, where you can look for your most popular posts, what gets the highest engagement (aka hunting for unicorns) and what gets the normal or not so big response (the donkey). Bruce explains how to drill down to hit your target market in a Boosted Post and why you may want to use Targeted Ads for an even more specific reach. [38:28] Even just $5-$10 can be a great budget to start Boosting and Re-Boosting your post. When something works, keep doing the same. [40:41] Bruce explains the difference between the two different types of ads. For an ad that is simple and straightforward with an offer or incentive for enrollment, they call it a “tuition credit” instead of a discount. [47:59] The biggest challenge Bruce has had is focusing on one thing and not getting too distracted by opportunity. [53:59] Your school’s success depends on getting yourself in the digital marketing game. It is a fun journey to play around and see what part of it you like best, whether it’s creating videos, managing the back end of ads or posting photos and captions. [56:05] Invest in some tools such as a selfie stick and mic to enhance the quality of your videos and audio.
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| 05 Apr 2018 | Committed to Growth and Development with Ben Poswalk | 00:46:58 | |
Today’s episode features a great talk with Ben Poswalk, Executive Director of Paradise Place Preschool. Ben came to Kris as her only local client in Crested Butte, Colorado, with some challenges in the enrollment, marketing, and staffing departments. Once Ben got rolling he not only doubled his enrollment and increased his income by 70%, but won Marketer of the Year and now is making a huge impact in the lives of his children, his staff, and school. Kris talks with Ben about his own mindset shift, how he communicates his own “why” and how it impacted the energy and passion of his teachers. Ben also shares his advice for those about to go into the nonprofit realm, his challenges as an Executive Director, and why Space Mountain in Disneyland will always be a memorable ride for him. Key Takeaways: [7:51] Kris is joined by her guest, Ben Poswalk, Executive Director of Paradise Place Preschool. He and Kris are neighbors, both located in the beautiful and small community of Crested Butte, Colorado. [8:23] Fun fact: Crested Butte is the wildflower capital of Colorado! [9:12] Ben shares his background from going to the Air Force ROTC, to teaching preschool, and then running a nonprofit. [11:36] He met Kris at a time when he was feeling very challenged with some of the aspects of raising money, marketing, and handling his staff. He found the coaching to help him “unsink the Titanic” and find happiness in his career again. [17:04] Joining a peer group where the members are at a level where you want to be can help you level up in your career and mindset way quicker than doing it on your own. [21:29] When you share your ‘why’ and your vision, that’s what attracts people to want to work with you and do business with you. One of Ben’s greatest visions is to help children reveal their kindness to one another, their own community, and the entire planet. Once he got clear and communicated that to his staff, they understood the driving force and the pieces started to align better. [25:26] Ben gets to know the human side of his teachers first and foremost. He invests time and energy in both group and one-on-one settings. He pulls his core values of integrity, kindness, and passion in the interview process, and looks for someone that aligns with the “tribe” of his school and their company culture. [35:36] As an Executive Director, Ben finds his relationship with the Board very important and one that needs fostering, especially as a nonprofit. [38:51] You should have enough in the bank so that you could pay three payrolls in case an emergency happens. [39:25] Ben defines a rockstar as somebody that just naturally lives and breathes the passion that comes from working with children.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, by Simon Sinek Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself, by Sean Stephenson
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| 24 Mar 2022 | Be the Change You Wish To See With Stephanie Parra | 00:49:31 | |
Kris welcomes Stephanie Parra, Executive Director of All In Education, a non-profit advocacy group for underserved communities and families, particularly the Latino communities. Stephanie talks about All In’s mission to focus on closing the performance gap of Latino students and the Latino community and how we can help parents be more confident partners in the education process alongside teachers. She and Kris talk about developing value-based leaders, why being a daring leader is important to shake up the status quo, and how early education leaders are the foundation of closing that gap for our children. Stephanie talks about some of the challenges she has overcome while building her team from scratch, and she shares some statistics about why the next generation of Latino students is so crucial to the success of Arizona and beyond.
Key Takeaways: [8:59] Education advocacy organization, All In Education, is proudly serving communities across the state of Arizona. Stephanie talks about how she got involved, and how All In was created to focus on closing the opportunity gaps that exist for Latino students in the state. [10:28] If we are going to close the opportunity gaps for students, we have to really focus on closing the representation gaps. What does that truly mean? [12:00] Stephanie talks about her background as a first-generation American, coming from a Mexican immigrant family, with her father working in farm labor. Her education is in higher education, and while studying college students, she saw herself in the research. [23:05] Stephanie talks about the Parent Educator Academy, and how this foundational leadership program builds bridges between the school and home. [24:44] How does the Academy get such high engagement and get parents to understand the education system and support their kids? [33:28] Stephanie talks about a recent article she wrote on developing values-based and daring education leaders. How can educators be better leaders? [35:42] Daring leadership matters. The more we are willing to be bold, courageous, and daring, the more we can be fully connected to our community and get better outcomes for our kids. [39:19] What can early education leaders do to help support the underserved gap? [43:59] Early education is the foundation of helping the underserved communities thrive and gain equal footing.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Developing Values-Based Daring Education Leaders
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| 11 Feb 2020 | Implementing Core Values From Top to Bottom with Karla McCurry | 00:50:33 | |
Karla McCurry and her husband Doug own Palm Beach Preschools in Florida, now with three bustling and successful locations. Karla joins the show to talk with Kris about the lessons she learned after deciding to become a preschool owner, and how their school focuses on social-emotional learning in a play-based environment. Karla shares how she hires and trains based upon Palm Beach Preschool’s core values, and how learning how to manage people well is one of the biggest components that have led them to success.
Key Takeaways: [1:19] Palm Beach Preschool is a play-based center that also focuses on social-emotional learning. They are actively in expansion mode, with three locations and an overall capacity of 426 children. [4:03] Karla had a background as a speech pathologist and they decided to open their own center after looking for one for their own children. [5:25] Karla got through the challenge of owning a business during the economic downturn and recession in 2007 and she persevered even in the face of staff and families having to leave. [9:17] Fun fact: Karla was also a hairstylist and attended beauty school but much rather prefers the role she is in now. [14:40] Managing people well is one of Karla’s biggest components to success. She and her team are diligent on hiring and have implemented working interviews to make sure potential candidates are the right fit. [17:55] Branding and marketing have been another focus of Palm Beach Preschools. They launched a new website a year ago, and are always making sure they stay current and make it parent-friendly. [20:01] Palm Beach Preschool’s core values set their marketing apart. The values build upon one another in a value stack: Create an emotionally supportive environment, respect one another, trust, have fun, and then you are in the zone for quality education. When you are clear on your values and operate in a framework and foundation built upon them, it closes the gap and everyone from customers, parents, and teachers understand what the organization is about. [31:39] Karla’s daughter Alexis is their Enrollment Specialist and her great attitude and hard work ethic are social proof of the school’s core values. [33:15] Karla invested in learning more about the Conscious Discipline Method, and it has worked extremely well for them. [39:09] Having a tribe and community is important, and Karla’s mastermind group has shown her it’s okay to step back, delegate, and not try to do everything yourself. [40:07] A child care rockstar is someone who perseveres and gets up to keep going even during the tough times.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Ep 1: “The Beauty of Persistence” | |||
| 07 Apr 2022 | The Real Deal on Eliminating Overwhelm from your Life with Tanya Dalton | 00:41:50 | |
Kris welcomes nationally recognized productivity expert, Founder & CEO of inkWELL Press Productivity Co., bestselling author, speaker, and growth strategist, Tanya Dalton, this week. Tanya talks about a few of her most successful habits and hacks for getting out of overwhelm and harnessing your energy in a way that makes you productive, efficient, and refreshed. Tanya first talks about why so many of us are overwhelmed in both our professional and personal life, the beauty of boundaries, and more about the inspiration behind her first book, The Joy of Missing Out, and her new book On Purpose. Tanya and Kris also discuss how to not apologize for letting go of things that no longer serve you, following your unique vision, and why she decided to take a break from social media along with what she has gained from the experience.
Key Takeaways: [10:31] Tanya started her entrepreneurial journey back in 2008 and shares the conversation she had with her husband on an old-school wall phone that changed everything. She went from a stay-at-home mom with $50 to invest in a business to grow to seven figures in 18 months. [14:02] It’s important first to believe in yourself and your mission before you expect anyone else to. [16:10] As Tanya scaled and grew, she integrated a lot of the productivity principles into the business that she teaches today. [18:41] It’s choosing not to do all the things and narrow in to focus on the end goal, the vision, and the purpose behind your business. [19:29] Tanya discusses setting strong boundaries and how she focuses her energy on home and work at the appropriate times, without letting the two blend together as much as possible. [22:08] Tanya tells us about JOMO — the JOY of missing out rather than the fear! [31:29] Why did Tanya decide to go off social media on Jan 1? What has her experience been like? [35:30] Tanya talks about the Pareto principle, which is the idea that small effort creates big results. [40:34] If you feel stuck, just 15 minutes in action can create momentum. Take quick action on something you can do right at that moment, no matter how small it seems.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, by Simon Sinek The Road Less Stupid, by Keith J. Cunningham
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| 14 Jan 2021 | Bringing High-Quality Care to Our Inner Cities with Jamarrion Tabor | 00:53:05 | |
In this new episode, I am joined by Jamarrion Tabor of Madalyn’s House Childcare in Georgia. I couldn’t think of a more heartfelt, fun, and creative thinker to speak to than Jamarrion. She is bringing her vision of high-quality early child care and education to inner-city, minority, and underserved children, as well as single parents. She tells us about her background in the inner city, her approach to pampering and appreciating her teachers, her financial growth, and her fast journey to becoming an Empire Level member of The Child Care Success Academy. Enjoy and Happy New Year, everyone!
Key Takeaways:
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Tulip’s Learning Academy on Facebook M House Childcare on Instagram Child Care Millionaire (on Amazon) 48 Laws of Power (on Amazon) Think and Grow Rich (on Amazon)
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| 20 Aug 2020 | Embracing the Pandemic: The Ultimate Leader Shift to the Positive with Linda Hassapis | 00:39:38 | |
Linda Hassapis is the owner of Magical Beginnings daycares and learning centers, with six locations around the Boston area. Linda shares her beginnings in the industry from opening up a childcare facility in her home to now growing Magical Beginnings with a full staff and bustling capacity. Linda talks about the importance of teamwork, how her culture got even stronger throughout the pandemic, and ways they have communicated with their families to make sure there is nothing but trust and confidence in sending their children to school.
Key Takeaways: [7:12] Magical Beginnings has six locations, which keeps Linda very busy. The capacity is up to about 65% even during the pandemic, with 500 children and more expected in the fall. [8:43] Linda has been in the industry since 1990 and opened up a family childcare in her home before she had her two children. [11:02] It’s definitely a family affair at Magical Beginnings — Linda’s daughter has dreams to help run the company and has been working there since she was 16. [12:19] Fun Fact: Linda is a huge Bon Jovi fan, and will always catch him when he comes to town. [14:58] During the pandemic, Linda kept four locations open, which was really great for the staff and families. Despite needing to use all PPE gear, they still encouraged play and joy through music and connection. [15:06] Linda kept the company culture high by checking in with staff and making sure they were personally each okay. They also used the Emergency Care funding to service the teachers and children, so there was no extra cost at a time when the families needed it most. [22:18] Magical Beginnings did a Zoom call with parents about how things would look when they opened up the schools, and that way parents felt more in the know and secure about what to expect. [24:11] Linda joined an advocacy group called Daycare United, where she felt supported by other leaders with a similar passion to make sure teachers get the respect they need. [27:00] The pandemic has shifted Linda’s mindset to be okay with uncertainty and she and her team have adapted amazingly to the current realities of the necessary safety precautions. [34:39] If Linda could go back and do it again, she would take more business classes and get more experience with negotiation.
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Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Your World-Class Assistant, by Michael Hyatt
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| 08 Oct 2019 | Culture, Metrics, and Execution with Lisa Giancarli | 00:49:41 | |
Lisa Giancarli is the Executive Director and Owner of Over the Rainbow Child Development Center, located in Bordentown, New Jersey. Lisa followed her passion to own her own business and fell in love with childcare after acquiring the center in 2011. She talks about the improvements she and her husband made when starting Over the Rainbow from the bottom up, the specific things she has done to create a culture in line with the overall company vision, and the benefits she received when really looking at her metrics and taking action steps based upon them.
Key Takeaways: [3:13] Lisa’s husband is a REALTOR®, and they bought the Over the Rainbow building as an investment in 2011. Her plan was to run it until they got a deal but she ended up taking it on and 8 years later, the rest is history. [6:10] Lisa proves that it is possible to learn as you go. She became a student of the childcare business and they went from a barebones school to one that utilizes technology and state-of-the-art electronic reporting and data collecting. [9:36] Lisa and her husband Joe not only work great together but they are also high school sweethearts who have been married 28 years. [9:54] While you are working hard and building your business, self-care is not only important but it’s also essential. [13:34] The Director position is a huge component of success in the school. Lisa realized firsthand how important it is to listen to the team and foster an environment where people can speak up. [17:38] When one toxic person leaves, sometimes more follow. [20:45] In an age of electronic communication and quick responses, a well thought out handwritten note goes a long way to create a personal touch and show that you care. [21:28] Lisa tracks enrollment weekly and reviews her metrics to create a realistic view of where her business is. This wasn’t always the case but she found much more control and power once they started consistently looking at metrics. [28:45] Lisa’s top pillars to success in the field:
[36:287] A rockstar is one who learns what they need to do and figures out how to do it. They understand, plan, and execute.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company
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| 25 Jun 2020 | How Profit and High Quality Can Go Hand In Hand with Vernon Mason | 01:04:59 | |
This week features a special working-happy-hour episode with beloved guest Vernon Mason. Vernon has been an early childhood administrator for over 20 years and also owned four centers with locations in North Carolina before selling them to a national buyer. Vernon and Kris talk about the future of early childhood and how quality ties in with profitability. Vernon also shares his love for visiting schools on professional development day, and how we can stay connected to our staff and culture while we adjust to getting back to school in the pandemic.
Key Takeaways:
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Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Directors Leadership Solutions vernondirectorsleadership@gmail.com
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| 22 Sep 2022 | A Growth Mindset in Action with Shana del Castillo | 00:39:31 | |
Kris is joined this week by the incredible and accomplished Shana del Castillo, owner of a Growing Room Learning Center. Shana has two large locations with about 200 kids at each school and is dedicated to maintaining a high culture and leadership team that is engaged and on fire. Shana shares some tips for success in hiring the right people and keeping them, marketing to make your brand stick out, and getting in the right mindset to help yourself and support your team around you. Shana talks about overcoming challenges by pouring time and energy into herself, and she gives some great resources for other books and podcasts that have been super valuable to her professional and personal growth.
Key Takeaways: [9:09] Growing Room is a small franchise, and Shana has been there for seven years and counting. [9:38] Shana is a single mom and very busy with three teenage daughters! Soon, there will also be a cute puppy added to the mix. [13:12] Shana talks about best practices in a hiring process that helps others stay passionate about their training and better define their goals and dreams. [15:41] Shana’s team maintains a super high level of culture, so what makes it so good? Shana said a few of the things her team appreciates most is a quarterly bonus, competitive pay, and regular staff appreciation. [25:55] Shana is also a pediatric sleep coach and has worked with parents all around the world. [26:30] Shana talks about pouring a lot of time and energy into her self-growth and how it has all paid off. She also attributes part of her success to coaches. [31:23] If teachers are excited about what’s going on outside the classroom, they’re going to bring that energy right back into the classroom. [32:03] Fun Fact: Shana’s first job was at Magic Kingdom on Main Street, USA! [35:26] You’ve gotta keep yourself strong, healthy, and in a positive place if you’re going to be a good parent, business owner, or even just a good friend. [36:03] A child care rockstar to Shana is someone who is on the cutting edge of always learning, growing with new ideas and situations, and looking for new resources. [36:56] At the end of the day for Shana, it’s about consistency, servant leadership, and love.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company | |||
| 15 Jan 2019 | Giving Children the World with Dawn Uribe | 00:53:40 | |
Dawn Uribe, the owner of Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion Preschool, joins Kris today to talk about her vast expansion mode and how she came to the vision of owning a Spanish immersion school. Dawn is a game changer in her marketplace and she has some great golden nuggets on how to drive your vision forward with a system for freedom, why it’s necessary to schedule in time to focus on goals, how to finance your expansion, delegate to your team, and break through fear. She also discusses challenges that are unique to her situation and gives some practical tips for owning your inner rockstar.
Key Takeaways: [2:56] While much of the Child Care Success Team is remote, Kris recommends using Slack and Zoom as communication platforms. [8:31] Dawn purchased the first Mis Amigos in 2005. At the time she wanted a way for her son to learn Spanish and ended up developing a passion for both business and leadership. It has grown into two locations — one in Hopkins with seven rooms and a capacity of 92, and another in St. Paul with a location of their own and a capacity of 85. There are also new locations on the horizon, as Dawn and her team are certainly in growth mode. [16:21] Donna has two boys, ages 19 and 16 and her husband Gary helps out in numerous ways. [18:03] Fun fact: singing is a lifelong passion of Dawn’s, and she has been at it since she was 2. [20:07] Dawn had a strong interest in teaching herself and her children more about the world and different cultures. There are a host of benefits that come with children learning new languages — research has shown it sparks an interest in lifelong learning and a wider world perspective. [25:46] Communication is a challenge for any early child care business, but Dawn has even more to work with. While the majority of her staff are from a different country, and the fact that they hold staff meetings in Spanish, she is always focused on communication between both between management staff and teachers, and also between parents and teachers. [31:39] While Dawn is in fast expansion mode, she also stays open to opportunities that come up along the way. [37:32] There is much to be gained from community involvement, and developing a strong network. [45:28] Trust, but verify. It is important to empower and delegate your team and to give them the freedom to handle situations with them trusting that you are there as a coach and mentor if needed. [48:35] Dawn defines a rockstar as someone improving the industry with professionalism.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”
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| 25 Apr 2024 | Creating a World Worth Being In with Raj Jana | 00:42:41 | |
Kris welcomes Raj Jana, co-founder and CEO of the mental health app Liber8. Raj shares his entrepreneurial journey and how he created Liber8 to help people manage stress and mental health. He and Kris discuss their passion for entrepreneurship and using their gifts to help others. They talk about the importance of improving our world and mindfully creating a world worth living in through compassion and small acts of kindness. Raj highlights Liber8 programs, including emotional lab reports and group coaching cohorts, which help users better understand their triggers and find tailored tools for personal growth.
Use Code CHILDCARE10 to get 10% off Liber8
Key Takeaways: [6:18] Raj talks about Liber8 and his journey in entrepreneurship. [8:30] How Raj finally got off the hamster wheel of healing to shift into real and inspired action. [9:33] The start of Liber8. [15:08] What Raj loves most about entrepreneurship. [18:47] The impact that The 4-Hour Work Week had on Raj and Kris. [21:16] Breakups can be emotional, but can also be a great time to rediscover yourself and peel back new, exciting layers. [22:36] How Liber8 can help with burnout. [28:05] What can someone expect when doing a session with Liber8? [28:56] How we can “be the ripple.” [36:05] The people who had an impact on Raj along his entrepreneurial journey.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.
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| 06 Oct 2022 | Getting Your Powerful Message to the Right Audience with Kim Walsh Phillips | 00:44:40 | |
Kris welcomes very special guest Kim Walsh Phillips, founder of the business coaching and education company Powerful Professionals, best-selling author, and MBA-free self-made millionaire. Kim is the behind-the-scenes secret weapon of some of the biggest names in business, including Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank and Dan Kennedy, and went from 32 clients to over 11,000 clients in less than a year. Kim shares some six- and seven-figure tips for social media marketing, automation, and email copy. She and Kris discuss how to make sure your message goes out to the right people, and that it keeps them entertained and engaged throughout the whole process. Kim shares a great tool for creating weekly videos, and how you can both have a beautiful family that you spend time with and a highly successful career.
Key Takeaways: [10:16] Kim talks about starting a coaching business and finding a way to scale it so that she can still get her kids off the bus each day. [12:38] Kim shares great advice from a former Surgeon General to never tell your children you have to go to work but to instead frame it in a way that you get to go make an impact. [19:30] There are certain brands that do a great job of email marketing, such as Disney. [20:58] What is the difference between direct response and regular brand advertising? [22:29] You can pull engaging and entertaining content, even into a sales pitch. [23:21] A Dan Kennedyism: the number-one sin of marketing is being boring. Remember to bring forth your personality and fun, and get creative on how you can charm parents. [24:40] Kim names some great tools to get inspiration: Swipe File and theSkimm. [28:02] Kim discusses how her journey and relationship with social media have changed. [29:41] Kim shares how to note what you don’t like, what you do, and the story to create a 10-video plan all at once, that will go out once a week. [40:19] Kim explains the success she and her team has had hiring people based on personality type rather than just skill. This way, everyone can get to work in their zone of genius.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company | |||
| 05 Dec 2024 | Ep. 190 — Fail Your Way To Success with Constance Sholar Cherry | 00:46:23 | |
This week, Kris welcomes Constance Sholar Cherry, the powerhouse owner of Creative Home Academy, to share her remarkable journey from home daycare to running multiple thriving centers. Constance discusses her growth through challenges, especially navigating the launch of her center during the pandemic, and emphasizes the “don’t just survive, thrive” mindset. Constance also highlights the value of creating a positive culture, personal development for staff, and the rewards of seeing children go from surviving to thriving.
Key Takeaways: [9:15] Constance joins the show and shares the capacity and recent expansion of Creative Home Academy. [10:48] Launching her commercial center during the challenges of April 2020. [12:09] Why Constance stays passionate about early childhood education. [14:14] Fun fact: Constance used to show and breed big, beautiful Cane Corso dogs! [16:41] What sets Creative Home Academy apart, including its screen-free environment and commitment to high-quality nutrition. [18:53] Constance discusses the importance of showing up as a leader and gaining her team’s trust. [20:53] Onboarding new team members with a thriving mindset and fun team culture. [24:02] Teacher appreciation week is a whole vibe… massages with training as well? Yes, please! [26:56] Constance’s mindset during the pandemic and how she overcame obstacles. [32:52] The value of failing your way to success. [35:26] Constance shares how her grandmother and mother inspired her journey. [36:18] The story of how Constance joined the Academy and how it changed her life for the better. [39:26] Exciting plans for 2025, including new pre-K programs.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal
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| 04 Feb 2021 | Rolling With the Changes Into A Successful 2021 with Brittany Luther | 00:34:01 | |
In this episode, I am so happy to be joined by the wonderful Brittney Luther. Brittney is an early childhood education leader, owner of two Young Sprouts locations in Texas, and an Empire member in our Child Care Success Academy. During our time together, she shares so many valuable nuggets of knowledge and strategies that she’s learned throughout her journey in the ECE industry that she accredits to her expansion. Brittney also provides us with an inside look at how has been able to grow and retain her enrollment, how she's utilized e-packets to set her schools apart from the rest in her area, and the strategies that she uses to find the right people and parents. There's a takeaway for every listener in this episode! We also have some exciting announcements! On our next episode, Episode 100, the surprise guest will be (drumroll) Ali Brown, one of the top female entrepreneurs and coaches in the world! Then we will be relaunching a new series of video content with short coaching tidbits at the whiteboard called “The Coaching Connection” on our YouTube channel. We are thrilled for these and lots of other great things to look forward to in 2021!
Key Takeaways: [00:01] Kris shares some exciting Child Care Success Company updates and announcements. [12:02] Brittney shares a bit about her background and what inspired her to get her start in the child care business. [13:04] Brittney shares what her current enrollment looks like in both of her centers. [15:25] Brittney shares how her centers set themselves apart from others in her area and what some of their unique benefits are. [17:09] Brittney reveals the biggest business challenge that she has faced so far and how she's been able to overcome it. [21:00] Kris asks Brittney if she has any more vision for expansion and if so what it looks like. [21:42] Kris asks Brittany to share what marketing strategies she has found to work for her market regarding enrollment. [23:24] Brittney shares what "must-have" qualities she looks for when hiring a director and an enrollment specialist. [29:29] Kris asks Brittney to shares one thing that she would do differently if she had to begin her ECE journey all over again?
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Sponsored By:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy
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| 29 Sep 2017 | Raising the Level of Professionalism, Respect, and Hustle with Summer Picha and Katie Wagoner | 00:38:02 | |
This week’s episode features Child Care Rockstar Radio’s first guest interview — the awesome Summer Picha and Katie Wagoner, Peaceful Valley Montessori! Summer and Katie have been partners together for about eight years and have increased their business by 10x, going from a small but mighty 30-child Montessori to two school locations with almost 300 children. They represent the type of child care rockstar that impact the community from a place of authentic education and intent and are proof positive that you can manifest your dreams. We hear how they went from teachers themselves to business owners, their mission to impact children, families, and teachers and what the future holds for more growth and expansion.
Key Takeaways: [2:55] Summer and Katie started the business 8 years ago. They were two teachers and were inspired after attending a conference. They started with 30 students and expanded their business by 10 by expanding into two campuses. [5:09] They hire primarily young women of many different backgrounds and levels of education. They highly encourage their staff to continue with education. [7:49] They looked at other successful leaders in different industries and fields and applied them to their own personal model. [11:02] Summer and Katie share an insight on hustle, and how an accidental email led to a giant opportunity. [14:28] They lean on people in their network who have a positive mindset and prior experiences for support. Honesty is key. [17:01] Joining a mastermind can really help connect you with skills and a mindset of success and friendship. Local experts can help mentor you, or if there is not one locally, check out ones such as the Child Care Success Academy! [20:05] Summer and Katie touch upon their leadership philosophy of attracting the best talent in their teachers, and then encouraging them to grow. They set the tone at the beginning so everyone is aware of their values and expectations in the professional culture. [26:04] The Montessori approach is unique and Summer and Katie both have worked all the positions within the Montessori world, so they can handle all issues with a sense of perspective and experience. [30:13] The ladies discuss the challenges and pressures of expanding into two larger schools, and maintaining personal relationships when they are busy and stretched thin.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions 6 Months to 6 Figures, by Peter Voogd
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| 15 Apr 2021 | Planting SEEDs For Future Growth and Success with Mallorie Malloy-Coe | 00:45:04 | |
In today’s episode, I am pleased to share the positivity and inspiration of Mallorie Malloy-Coe. Mallorie is a childcare veteran, joining the industry when she was only 14, and the owner and founder of Inheritance Academy in Baltimore. She talks to us about her core values which she refers to as “SEED,” branding, attracting and retaining the right people, her unique events, building culture, her superpower, her plans to expand and help others grow, and more.
Key Takeaways:
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Sponsored By:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Inheritance Academy on Facebook Inheritance Academy on Instagram Mallorie Malloy-Coe on Facebook | |||
| 22 Mar 2018 | Resources and Support for Childhood Education with Ron Spreeuwenberg | 00:44:53 | |
In today’s episode, Kris features Ron Spreeuwenberg. Ron is the co-founder and CEO of HiMama, an app for daycares that allows parents to better connect with their children during the day. Ron is a heart-centered leader serving the early childhood education industry with technology and interconnecting his community. He talks with Kris about what inspired him to get into early childhood and create the HiMama app, the balance between visibility and empowerment, the innovation of his benchmark survey, his own adventures in podcasting, and how he is committed to the vision of helping childhood education get more support and resources.
Key Takeaways: [1:34] Kris just returned from Orlando from a behind-the-scenes experience for child care leaders at a Disney Service Bootcamp. If you missed out, don’t worry, as we are hoping to do another trip in the spring of 2020. [4:04] Child Care Marketing is in the middle of Enrollment Bootcamp. If you did not get to sign up for the Enrollment Bootcamp challenge this time, we are taking a waiting list for the next one. [8:06] Kris welcomes her guest Ron Spreeuwenberg. He is on the software side of early education. He shares his journey from a corporate engineering and business background to consulting and then taking a leap in starting HiMama. [11:33] Ron learned about the gap in investment and challenges within the child care area and it stood out to him that he could make a difference. [12:20] Ron is based in Toronto and is a new father. Fun fact: he comes from a long line of mushroom farmers in both the Netherlands and Canada. [17:05] They are very particular about how they design their HiMama app. The three core ideals that drive their development are the educational component, empowering educators, and a simple and easy to use interface. [19:51] HiMama is supporting the community in many ways, including the weekly podcast, the benchmark survey, the ECE of the year award, driving forward positive core values, or having their 25% of their employees possess a background in the early childcare field. [27:01] HiMama provides a tool to support teachers and ensures they get proper training to make the process as simplistic as possible. Reporting and organizing information should be made easier through the app, not something that adds an extra source of stress. [31:32] Kris highly recommends engaging in the Benchmark Report. The survey comes out in the fall, and they keep it open until February. If you participate in the survey you get first access when it comes out, and data customized to your own needs. [34:07] With over 100 episodes of The Preschool Podcast, Ron is on the leading edge of understanding trends and knowing what qualities of leadership from others can emerge when given the correct resources and support. [38:47] Ron would cite one of his biggest challenges is creating and maintaining an engaged team. [41:20] A true rockstar to Ron is a leader that is authentic, always learning, open minded, action-oriented, compassionate and not afraid to make change happen.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions | |||
| 10 Mar 2022 | An ECE Pioneer: The Secrets of Her Success with Carol Levins | 00:53:32 | |
Kris welcomes Early Education pioneer Carol Levins to the show. Carol created a school from nothing and ended up with a business that now has 14 locations, serving over 3,500 children. Carol talks about how a passion for learning sparked her path in education, how she crafted her teaching positions to elevate her teachers and keep them for 20‒35 years, how her door to door marketing led her to get to know the families on a personal level, and her advice for exiting a business. Carol and Kris also talk about how to know when it’s time to walk away vs. when to hang on, overcoming challenges that arise during growth, and why consistency in branding matters.
Key Takeaways: [10:16] Carol explains how it all started with a passion for learning. [14:56] What was Carol’s journey like, exiting in February of 2017? What did she learn from that experience? [15:15] Carol splits her time between Las Vegas and Park City and has traveled all over the world. She has eight grandchildren that are all boys, and she loves a good ski session! [16:29] Fun fact: you would never believe it if you knew Carol today, but she was very shy as a child and worked hard to overcome it. [17:21] Carol and Kris talk about the importance of branding. [20:01] What has Carol done culturally and operationally to maintain consistency throughout her 14 different schools? [23:30] Carol talks about overcoming the challenges and adjusting to growth and expansion. [23:33] Why was Carol’s nickname, “the form master”? [25:48] Carol remodeled her school inside and out, which first had a lot of pushback, but her team ultimately saw how it helped them. [27:48] In coaching, that’s the big difference maker between people that can scale and who are successful and the people that stay small. They are unable to get out of the day-to-day because they’re not focused enough on the money side. [29:00] What does Carol look for in a franchisee? [33:40] The most important thing is to understand what your mission statement is. For Carol, it’s to provide the highest quality early childhood educational program available. [34:44] How you build your culture and how you build your loyalty is what makes you successful as an owner. [43:45] If you want loyal staff, you've got to be a loyal owner. [50:12] Every child matters, even if you are full. Carol reminds us that every single person that inquires about your school is your first child.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy
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| 30 Jul 2020 | Four Steps to Get Out of the Overwhelm Loop | 00:40:32 | |
It’s a common feeling for entrepreneurs, business owners, and directors to feel completely overwhelmed and unable to get to the core of their purpose because they are so busy on the ‘hot mess express’ putting out fires every day. Kris takes this week’s episode to give a road map to get out of the loop of overwhelm with four practical steps. She also shares details about the 5-Day Crush Your Fall Enrollment program, and why this super affordable game charger of a program may be the best thing you can do for your business, this year.
Key Takeaways: [2:31] Kris shares that manifesting and all the self-work really does work! She is living in her dream home by the river and marrying the man of her dreams, running a flourishing business, and even now rafting the Grand Canyon. However, it takes time, effort, and focus to really do the work. [13:04] Feeling constantly overwhelmed can have you feeling drained, exhausted, and frustrated that you aren’t getting to your bigger goals. Implementing these four steps consistently will set you up with a road map to free up time and energy to what is really important, but also give space for the expected emergencies that pop up in life. [15:49] #1: Mindset and Beliefs. Have faith that you can take action and that this can work for you. Your mindset patterns and beliefs can either keep you stuck or propel you to a life that is balanced and abundant. Practice gratitude and know that you both have the tools inside of yourself, plus a community that cares and supports you here. [18:22] #2: Focus on Getting and Keeping Clients. This includes spending a little time to make sure you are on point with your enrollment tracking system, phone script, tour system and script, follow up calls, etc! Also, double down on inexpensive marketing such as promotions and email blasts. [22:40] #3. Money Management. Cash flow is freedom. Know your profit margin and break-even numbers, and how much you have coming in and out every month. [23:01] #4. Calendar Management. You have to take control, track your time, and set priorities so your team knows when you are in head-down work mode vs. open office hours for time, parent calls, and greetings. Block out your time and set it where everyone could see, and you may even have to rearrange your talent to make sure everyone on the bus is sitting on the right seat. [33:13] When you follow this roadmap, it frees up more time for establishing the best curriculum and culture, so the kids and families are getting their very best.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket The 5-Day Crush Your Fall Enrollment Challenge “Secrets to Maintaining Full Enrollment During a Crisis with Alvin Ayusa” “Implementation Equals Speedy Results — Michelle Smith Lank”
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| 26 Oct 2023 | Maria Dos Santos: From Venezuela to Florida: Driven By Impact | 00:44:32 | |
In this episode, Kris welcomes the awesome Maria dos Santos, a childcare entrepreneur hailing from Florida with Venezuelan roots. Maria founded My First Academy, a thriving venture with three locations, each catering to around 100 children, and she’s not stopping there — she’s gearing up for the opening of her fourth location in December 2023. Maria’s commitment to her business and her “whatever it takes” mindset, deeply rooted in her upbringing, are evident in her approach to life and her work with her family and team.
During the conversation, Maria shares the unique benefits and value components that distinguish her school. Maria also discusses her leadership style and how she has nurtured her team while scaling her enterprise. Lastly, she shares the influential figures in her life and her ongoing commitment to giving back to her community and supporting families, parents, and educators.
Key Takeaways: [5:44] Kris gives up sugar!? What about Halloween? [6:59] The beauty that comes with sticking to your commitments. [11:23] Maria joins the show from Orlando, Florida. [11:57] Maria talks about My First Academy and getting the key for their fourth location. [13:19] What inspired Maria to get into the field? [15:09] Maria’s Venezuelan roots and working with her daughter. [18:05] Fun fact: Maria is a personal trainer and has traveled all over the world because of her father’s career as a Navy Seal. [19:09] What sets My First Academy apart? [28:19] Lessons from scaling and expanding. [31:21] What technology does Maria find useful? [34:35] What GYC services is Maria using? [37:01] Maria talks about what we can expect from her in 2024 and beyond.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 22 Jun 2023 | Built to Sell with Jennifer Conner | 00:52:34 | |
Kris welcomes Jennifer Conner, the Director of Coaching at the Child Care Success Company. She first gives an update on her move to Mexico and shares her inspiring story of exiting her business and transitioning to a full-time role as Director of Coaching. Jennifer’s natural talent for building operations manuals and systems, combined with her leadership skills, has allowed her to scale and grow the company’s processes and automation. She shares valuable insights on how she and her team valued the business, organized the necessary paperwork, and set her successor up for success. This episode is particularly relevant for those looking to build their businesses with an eye toward future sales and expansion. Lastly, Kris and Jennifer also discuss a transformative book that provides a framework for stepping out of the day-to-day operations and achieving maximum value when exiting your business.
Key Takeaways: [5:50] We get to know Jennifer from her home office, just a little north of Tulum, Mexico. She gives a quick highlight of her background in early education and how it was not the path she expected. [10:16] Jennifer’s decision to move to Mexico. [13:47] Jennifer talks about the emotional highs and lows that come with changing ownership. If you are in the process of exiting or changing ownership structure, it’s very normal to ping pong back and forth. [17:40] How did Jennifer structure the financial side of the buyout? [21:47] The benefits of having a clear cut on the operating accounts. [23:33] Fun Fact: the director opened up a second business, and Jennifer loves the idea that selling her business to her may have given her more confidence and the empowerment to go even bigger. [28:33] Why she encouraged the new owner to rebrand and have her own name. [29:05] Adopting video during the pandemic to keep connection with families. [37:14] Subsidy vs. private pay and the lessons Jennifer learned. [41:25] Creating systems that would make it easy for the next person, and making a video about them instead of having to repeat the same things. [44:17] Why you may not want to be the one steam cleaning your carpets on a Saturday, and learning to have your business run without you needing to be the one working on it all the time.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You, by John Warrillow
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| 21 Apr 2022 | The Secret of Being Happy Every Day with Marshall Goldsmith | 00:28:55 | |
Kris welcomes world-renowned coach and author Marshall Goldsmith for a fun conversation on learning to accept feedback, balancing achievement and aspirations, and the fact that we all need help. Marshall talks about his new book, The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment, and the reasons he sees people forgetting to be happy. Marshall gives a few practical and easy tips to get you out of the constant achievement mindset and into one of appreciation and joy. He and Kris also discuss how great leaders aren’t afraid to do any of the jobs around them. Tune in for a super great chat, as we learn from the man coaching many of the top leaders and executives today. Key Takeaways: [4:48] Most humans get stuck in a level of just living from day to day and being reactive instead of being intentional. [5:08] When we are solely focused on achievement, we can forget to enjoy the day-to-day process of living. Marshall talks about working with top executives and leaders who have the accomplishment part down but are learning to enjoy the present moment every day. [8:19] It’s hard to not get addicted to achievement. While it’s great to achieve for the sake of achieving, it’s important not to confuse it with happiness. [11:29] One of the reasons people aren’t happy is because they forget to be happy! [13:03] Everyone needs help, and that’s okay. Marshall discusses how even the top athletes and top performers need a coach, including him. [15:21] Marshall reminds us to not worry so much, and not to get so fixated on the outcome of things that we enjoy the journey. [17:04] Don’t wait and don’t hesitate! [20:36] Marshall talks about adopting 15 people and teaching them all he knows, for zero cost. The expectation is that they move it forward and help someone else. [23:43] Great leaders walk the talk and are willing to do any job in their organization. Marshall shares a great story about Frances Hesselbein. [24:36] You have to have the courage to get the necessary feedback that will help you grow.
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Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy | |||
| 17 Aug 2023 | From Transactional To Relational: Making an Impact for Families with Solomon and Michelle Logan | 00:48:13 | |
Kris welcomes the husband and wife team, Solomon and Michelle Logan, of Logan’s Treehouse Childcare. Based out of Louisville, Kentucky, they are going on center number three and impacting close to 450 children a day. In the episode, they talk about the beauty of embracing the right timing, learning from mistakes, and their mission to solve problems in their community and commit to a family-focused brand. They discuss the actual features in their schools that help them differentiate and be top-notch and the benefits that come from building a family-like atmosphere.
Key Takeaways: [3:54] Kris talks about her own Mamma Mia moment coming up, and where she will be on some of her fun upcoming travels! [9:05] Solomon and Michelle talk about their play-based and family-centered atmosphere. [11:48] Why did one of their locations close down, and when can we expect it to be back up? [14:46] The vision behind Logan’s Treehouse and how they made it happen, step by step. [16:56] Their commitment to strive to make that family-like atmosphere and build strong relationships with their families. [19:25] Solomon and Michelle talk about their personal life and the need to be structured with so much going on! [20:51] Fun fact! Solomon is the king of the BBQ and makes a mean brisket, and Michelle originally comes from sunny Miami. [22:35] Tips to create an environment that is more relational than transactional. [25:14] Strategies for working together as a husband-and-wife team. [30:10] The challenge of opening a center right when COVID-19 hit in 2020 and how they dealt with losing families and staff, and instead turned it into a positive. [34:10] How did they find the academy and decide to take it seriously? [38:19] What is EOS and how can it help people know who does what and to bring clarity around job responsibilities and roles? [39:18] What is a childcare rockstar to Solomon and Michelle? [40:26] What is next for Solomon and Michelle in 2023 and beyond?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.
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| 09 Sep 2021 | Why Different Is Better Than Good with Mike Michalowicz | 00:31:10 | |
Author and speaker Mike Michalowicz brings his wisdom and expertise to the podcast this week. Mike talks with Kris about his bestseller, Profit First, and his latest book, Get Different, created to inspire small business owners to get out of the sea of sameness and stand out. He and Kris talk about why being different is the first way to garner success, how we can be less fearful about being authentic, and Mike explains the passion behind his mission to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty.
Key Takeaways: [8:45] Mike shares the setbacks that he has had throughout his career that have actually ended up acting as the setups to his success, and how he took the lessons he learned during those setbacks to create content that can help entrepreneurs learn to be permanently profitable. [11:04] It’s almost impossible to change ourselves but it’s very possible to channel ourselves. [13:39] Mike shares the most common mistakes that he sees small business owners fall prey to. [14:50] When something different is present, we pay attention to it. Garnering attention is the first step to garnering business. [16:22] Mike describes what he believes is the "ultimate act of kindness" as a small business owner/entrepreneur. [17:05] Mike explains how the way we we treat our customers and do business is the best example of our marketing and the way we build trust with prospects. [20:23] Mike shares some examples of businesses he has worked with that have gone from boring and basic to standing out. [23:40] Standing out can be scary, but when we believe that what we offer can help people, it is our responsibility to get the word out.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: PB&J TV — Don’t forget to mention Kris Murray for a special offer!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored! by Mike Michalowicz
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| 19 Jan 2023 | The Real Truth About Boss Mode with Bruce Spurr | 00:57:55 | |
Kris welcomes friend and Grow Your Center partner Bruce Spurr back to the show. They first talk about how they got to be co-founders and work partners, and the recent developments of Grow Your Center. Then, they jump into the topic of “boss mode”: what it really means to be in boss mode, and how to tell if you are in hustle or grind mode instead. Bruce and Kris share some practical tips for getting out of working tirelessly in your business and how to become a data-driven business so you are making the most of your time, energy, and money. At the end of the episode, Kris shares how you can join her and Bruce’s Boss Mode Book Club and level up within an active and successful community.
Key Takeaways: [4:36] You can now ask Kris questions and join the podcast community! [8:31] If you have an idea for the podcast tribe, let Kris know! Otherwise, it may also have to just be #podsquad. [12:29] Kris and Bruce have been working together for 5-plus years. [13:24] Bruce gives more details about Grow Your Center and who the target client is. [14:15] GYC can also help you leverage and optimize your CRM software. [17:21] Bruce defines “boss mode” and how we can work on our business instead of in it. [19:02] How to gauge if you are moving towards boss mode, already there, or far away from it, using the hours of your work week. [21:39] How can Kris’s puppy training class be a good example of doing the hard work upfront so that you can reap the benefits later? [23:23] The faster you can get from fear to curiosity, the faster people succeed and flourish in their life. [27:45] In order to ask the right questions, we need to look at the data. [28:40] What behaviors do boss-mode people exemplify? [36:57] How important a return on investment and time is when playing in boss mode. [37:20] Ways you can set up your business to be data-driven from the start. [38:49] If you fill up those last 10 spots, that’s six figures. [39:31] Hire it out if you’re not good at technology! [51:58] It may take more investment up front, but you can time block and put the hours in ahead, to free up more energy and time later. [53:45] What is Boss Mode Book Club? [56:16] Not exactly where you want to be? Forgive yourself right away, and then work quickly to turn it around. You can recommit yourself in a moment.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy
Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal
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| 26 Sep 2024 | Silvia Sarhadian: Never Lead From Fear | 00:48:22 | |
Kris welcomes Silvia Sarhadian, an Empire member of the Childcare Success Academy and owner of two franchise locations of The Learning Experience. Silvia shares her journey from a career in chemistry and banking to early childhood education, where she discovered her true passion. She highlights the importance of resilient leadership, communication, and fostering a collaborative environment in her centers. Silvia also talks about her personal growth, some great tips for empowering your staff, and her commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Key Takeaways: [5:56] Silvia discusses her transition from a career in banking and chemistry to owning early childhood education centers and finding her passion. [10:21] Silvia’s journey started in 2016 with the support of her husband, helping her gain the confidence to start her first center. [13:19] The importance of having clear goals for business success and expansion. Silvia’s vision includes opening three to four more schools and reaching a business valuation of $10 million. [14:12] Fun fact! Silvia is a ballroom dancer! [15:11] Silvia’s schools and community involvement, including the Make-A-Wish partnership. [17:29] She reflects on how her communication style and leadership have evolved over the years, emphasizing the need for clear communication with her team and the importance of involving teachers in decision-making. [27:46] Silvia shares her strategies for developing a growth mindset and the role resilience plays in fostering confidence and effective leadership. [30:00] She talks about her focus on professional development, offering workshops, retreats, and resources for teachers to improve classroom management and early intervention techniques. [35:22] Silvia’s vision for the future includes integrating early intervention programs and differentiated instruction into her centers to meet the unique needs of every child. [39:51] Silvia reflects on the importance of never leading from fear and prioritizing hiring staff aligned with the company’s vision.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) | |||
| 08 Sep 2022 | Innovation in the Classroom: A New Way to Help Kids Read with Jodi McMaster | 00:44:15 | |
Kris welcomes Jodi McMaster, an incredible innovator, teacher, and the force behind Circus Vowels. Jodi talks about how she created Circus Vowels to help kids learn to read in an intuitive and interactive way. She talks about the real-world success she’s seen with the product and gives her advice on how you can add more value, celebrate the small wins, and play a bigger game. She and Kris also share some great takeaways on growth vs. fixed mindset and you will have to guess which one was able to fly at zero gravity without an issue!
Key Takeaways: [13:00] Jodi talks about how she saw the need to create a strategy for reading and comprehension that ultimately led to Circus Vowels. She innovated to create something that kept kids engaged and could easily help other kids learn. [13:54] If kids are engaged in their lesson and can move their bodies, they are going to learn and remember better than if they just had to sit still. If they can also teach others, they typically will remember 90% of what it is they taught. [18:29] Fun fact: Jodi is an adrenaline rush junkie, and she loves outdoorsy and sporty challenges (including a zero-gravity flight!). [20:50] Jodi talks about real-life tangible results from Circus Vowels, including her students growing an average of two years of reading growth in just one school year. [23:40] It’s important to celebrate the small wins of children and show that you believe in them. [34:10] With reports now showing that 1 in 10 children can be diagnosed with dyslexia, why are innovations like Circus Vowels important?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy | |||
| 02 Jul 2020 | What to Do When The World Doesn’t Go Your Way with Tym the Trainer | 00:56:01 | |
Tym the Trainer has been holding Early Childhood Education workshops and cruises for over ten years and leads his own school brand in Texas, with six locations. Tym joins the show to talk about innovation in school systems, conscious discipline, and navigating the new paradigm in our world to do things differently and innovate post-pandemic. Tym and Kris also discuss how we can think outside the box in the new normal and appreciate the pause button we’ve been given.
Key Takeaways: [10:34] Tym and his team started their programs with a focus on creating a unique environment that fostered self-regulation and social and emotional development for young children. Tym is a very busy guy with his hands in a lot of different pies. Half of his business is training and consulting, and the other half is operations. They continue to build and acquire different properties along with a solid after-school program that provides support for children after their day at public school. [13:54] Great leaders play offense by mapping out what the future is going to look like as best they can, post-pandemic. People that approach their business with a spirit of innovation will have a better chance of succeeding and pivoting to what the market needs. [16:39] School leaders need to reach out to the media and send out press releases communicating that the industry is here to stay, we aren’t crumbling, and we don’t need reform. [20:18] Fun fact: Tym is as big of a Madonna fan as you can imagine. [24:41] We have to adapt to the new normal and think way outside the box to put together programs, clubs, and activities that will provide children the best education for the current times. [34:05] The after-school programs will be a huge opportunity to innovate and supplement the gaps typical schools may be missing. [36:16] Tym has found profound results using Conscious Discipline in his culture from everything regarding the way teachers manage their classrooms, staff turnover, and leadership. [41:53] One of the main things Conscious Discipline helped with was providing a skill set for adults and children to react appropriately and regulate emotions when things don’t go their way. [45:14] Tym shares a story of overcoming a challenge while acquiring two properties at the same time in 2013, which he will never do again! His advice from this situation was to not bite off more than you can chew, learn to say no, and be careful what you wish for because you might get it, times two. [49:29] Tym defines a Child Care Rockstar as someone who is proud, passionate, and purposeful about their work in early education.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket National Child Care Association Texas Licensed Childcare Association The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, by Jon Gordon The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work, by Jon Gordon
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| 01 Mar 2018 | Defining Your Dream Life, Delegation, and Working From the Beach with Jennifer Conner | 00:51:17 | |
Today, Kris and special guest, Jennifer Conner from AppleTree Kids, uncover the secret sauce on how to manage your preschools from the beach, or wherever your dream life may take you. They give the inside scoop how to delegate appropriately, grow from within, empower your teams and have backup systems in place so that you can have the freedom to grow your business and just work on the things that you love. Jennifer is a master of delegation, a model of business success, and now proudly has two locations with a waiting list and a very committed and dedicated staff. Find out how she decided to define her dream life, make the move to Mexico, and how it has positively impacted her work and personal life. As a coach and leader, she strives to keep learning and sharpening her own saw, which leads to a great impact on her staff and leadership team, and ripples out to many children and their lives.
Key Takeaways: [3:16] The inspiring and extraordinary Jennifer Connor is today’s guest. She is the owner of Appletree Kids, which has two locations in Louisiana. In 2012, she took a leap and flew to Denver to attend her first ever Child Care Summit event. There, Kris helped her triple her enrollment and expand to her second location and eventually hired her to be a coach. [4:28 Jennifer was doing outside sales when approached with the offer to purchase the childcare center her children went to. She was hesitant at first but prayed with her husband about it and the signs were clear that it was the right decision where they should start to make a difference. This location was a challenge for many reasons, and set Jennifer on the path for her mission and knew she had to work hard and make a difference. [11:46] Jennifer and her husband found love at a point in their life when they knew that they wanted and what was important to them. [14:29] Jennifer shares how she decided to take a chance and attend the Child Care Summit in 2012, leading her to the Bootcamp as well. She felt encouraged and empowered to demonstrate her original connection to marketing and sales, and also rediscovered her “why” and main purpose. [17:58] In a mystery call, Kris and her team found that Jennifer was the poster child for following the phone script that Kris gave her, yet another reason she gets results from implementing the system already set out in place. [19:17] She decided to play a bigger game and expand to two locations after joining the Summit and finding herself surrounded by others that are also in major growth mode. There was a center down the road going out of business, and she took advantage of the situation to make that location her next venture. [25:50] Jennifer’s ripple effect got larger when she joined the coaching program, and now impacts many children through her leadership team and staff. [28:09] They started vacationing in Mexico and liked the way the general lifestyle naturally changed both herself and her family. She finds more of a traditional value culture than an entitlement culture. [36:03] Learning how to delegate properly herself and to find ways to empower her team has been an invaluable skill Jennifer has learned. [48:02] Jennifer’s blog is Barefoot Bikini Beach Life, follow her adventures here!
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions
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| 28 Mar 2024 | Unstoppable: A Global Vision of Massive Impact with Kishani Woldberhan | 00:45:38 | |
Kris welcomes the very inspirational Kishani Woldberhan of Kids Early Learning Centers, now operating four locations in Texas with plans for expansion into Ethiopia. Kishani talks about bringing Montessori-inspired education to underserved communities, and her vision for building two new schools in Ethiopia with a combined capacity of over 3,000 students. She offers valuable advice on setting clear goals, implementing strong systems and accountability, and using technology like Slack and QR codes to effectively lead a growing business. She and Kris also talk about embracing the difficult things and realizing the sky's the limit when it comes to realizing your vision.
Key Takeaways: [7:12] Kishani joins the show from Arlington, Texas, and talks more about Kids Early Learning Centers. [7:39] Kishani talks about the four locations currently running and the plan to expand to Ethiopia. [10:11] Fun Facts: Kishani came to the United States on a VISA as a Montessori teacher from Sri Lanka. She is now a mother of five and a grandma! [13:30] Buying a center during the pandemic but opening it in 2021. [14:50] What sets KIDS Early Learning Centers apart in the market. [17:54] Working with Grow Your Center. [20:16] How they made their vision become a reality and why they are bringing the brand to Ethiopia. [22:35] The school will be from toddlers to high school. [26:33] Advice for others wanting to open up a school internationally. [29:02] The sky's the limit when you put in the hard work and act with purpose and strategy. [31:07] Keep the end in mind and work backward when working towards your goals. [32:03] Giving your staff the tools they need to succeed. [35:14] How Kishani communicates with her leadership team. [41:50] How being a member of the Academy has helped Kishani and the importance of finding mentors. [43:06] Keep your eyes peeled for Kishani’s program for a childcare management system, which will come out in June. [43:25] Fun Fact: Kishani is a party planner and decorator at heart.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 25 Aug 2022 | Money is a Reflection of What You Feel You’re Worth with Rachelle Calina | 00:43:08 | |
It’s all about money, finances, and recognizing your worth this week, with Rachelle Calina, CPA and Founder of Honest Buck Accounting. Rachelle shares her journey into starting a fantastic early learning accounting and financial metrics firm, and details some financial benchmarks and best practices to be set up for success no matter your size, capacity, or what’s happening in the outside world. Rachelle and Kris talk about how to add value to your customers, measuring your money metrics, and how to use simple math and forecasting tools to drive more profit into your business. Rachelle shines a light on a few critical key indicators you should be measuring to gauge financial success in your business.
Key Takeaways: [9:01] Rachelle was a CPA for 12 years and focused primarily on early childhood education businesses. Honest Buck works with anything that has to do with education, which could be schools, daycare centers, music programs, etc. [11:37] Fun fact: Rachelle is a cat mom to four fur babies and even has her very own Simba, just like Kris! [14:20] Rachelle talks about the financial landscape post-pandemic, and the blessing and curse of government grant money. [18:29] If you don’t have money in the bank account, you’re not going to make it. Rachelle would say have three months’ worth of expenses in the bank, ideally six months. [20:07] Rachelle comes across two types of people in the childcare industry: those that know their value, and those that don’t. [21:59] Rachelle explains why she thinks that it is challenging for childcare owners and leaders to be confident with their money and to have an eyes-wide-open approach versus a head-in-the-sand approach. [25:44] Rachelle talks about some powerful tools you can use to monitor, report, and forecast your expenses and books, one being FathomHQ. [29:19] Knowing how much is your fixed expenses is really powerful. [30:20] Write this down: payroll plus rent needs to be at or below 70% of income revenue. [40:27] How can we reframe our mindset to be excited to pay taxes?! [41:08] What should you look for when reviewing monthly financial statements?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company | |||
| 24 Sep 2019 | What We Need to Know About School Security with Jason Russell | 00:51:38 | |
This week, Jason Russell, former police officer, Secret Service agent and current founder of Secure Education Consultants, talks to us about the important subject of school security. Jason merged his experience in security and crisis communication with his wife’s knowledge of child care centers and early education to bring a unique service to the market. Jason shares with Kris what exactly SEC does, the assessment process he goes through to make sure schools are secure, the common gaps in security he sees, and how we can move forward to ensure our schools have the highest level of security.
Key Takeaways: [1:48] Jason founded Secure Education Consultants back in 2012, after a 20-year career as a police officer in Michigan and with the Secret Service. While working with the Secret Service, he established safety and security for high profile events and individuals. [3:20] SEC started as a way for Jason to protect his own children and he couldn’t find anything like what he was looking for, so he started it himself. The original plan was to stay small but SEC grew quickly and began servicing larger businesses with consultants at the highest level of expertise. [4:24] Jason met his wife while working as a personal trainer in his downtime while also working for the Secret Service Agent. Her background in owning a child care center plus his security background was a great mix for their next step in developing SEC. At one point, Jason sold SEC but later bought it back, and although doing that worked out well for him at the time, he doesn't recommend making that a part of a business plan. [6:52] Tragic events such as Sandy Hook spurred Jason to become even more deeply immersed in the unique nature of providing security to younger-aged kids. [13:46] Jason’s company looks at everything that touches safety and security including entrance and how the facility operates. They do an in-depth assessment of the physical features of security, the process and procedure set in place, and how the relationship is between the two things and between the leadership and the staff. They then give actionable and practical fixes so the school can make changes based upon what will have the highest level of impact on security. [17:10] SEC offers Virtual Certification Programs, so they can provide their assessment online and by phone, making sure teachers and staff acquire the knowledge and training they need. [21:35] The common gaps Jason sees in security are no secure entry, security measures being used incorrectly or staff being unsure how to use them in time of an emergency, code words that are not in the best practice, and no proper training to carry out the plan. [31:23] SEC can also help with crisis management, and providing a crisis plan to help people communicate their message correctly. [36:07] If Jason had to do things all over again, he would diversify his education to learn more about the business end of things.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Milestones Child Development Center The Gift Of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence, by Gavin de Becker Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
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| 30 May 2020 | Improving Health and Safety Processes in the Current Times with Martin Bing | 00:49:14 | |
The state of the world presently is placing an emphasis on schools upping their game in many ways, with the quality of health and safety being at the forefront of importance. Martin Bing joins the show this week to talk about how his company, 1Place Childcare, provides a tool for leaders and schools to feel secure about their compliance, training, processes, and procedures. 1Place can make sure your plans are well executed and that staff is well trained to ensure a consistently high level of health and safety. Martin and Kris also talk about what new protocols they are seeing in response to COVID-19, how 1Place can visually demonstrate success, and the importance of creating checklists in this time of a new landscape.
Key Takeaways: [10:33] Martin has a background in both IT and accounting, and is a self-described process nerd, just like Kris. His interest in entrepreneurialism led to his founding 1Place when he identified a need for an online tool to measure processes and easily share information and solve problems. [12:48] 1Place provides a way for owners and leaders to streamline processes, use checklists for training and documentation, and have oversight over multiple locations. This is extra relevant to the times now, where schools must show extra compliance for health and safety issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [14:42] Fun Facts: Martin is a third-generation New Zealander. His wife, Wing Wei Chan, is also a published author of the book Lizard’s Tale. [19:10] A few of the new Health and Safety protocols in response to COVID-19 include upped hygiene measures, temperature screenings, and creating systems for social distancing. [24:09] 1Place provides a sophisticated answer for a workflow that allows issues and problems to be dealt with as close to real-time as possible. Instead of seeing an issue and needing to write it down to deal with later, users can contact the maintenance team right away to fix the problem. [30:50] Showing videos and photos really do tell the story of how your school is stepping up, and people will remember and choose you because of that. Once you get your checklist down, you can do videos to demonstrate your school’s compliance to help comfort parents and show that you take measures seriously. [36:18] 1Place is also a tool that can provide the answers for why a certain pattern of issues keeps popping up, whether it’s a broken process, training, or in the leadership. [44:25] Creating checklists can give us a sense of control, and helps us deal with stress.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work
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| 16 Jun 2022 | Play and Wellness as Learning Foundations with Drew Vernon | 00:33:10 | |
It’s all about the power of play this week as Kris welcomes Drew Vernon, the U.S. Marketing Lead at tonies, a popular European children’s audio system that has recently launched in the United States. Drew talks about his former experience as Brand Director at Lego and in marketing at Procter and Gamble, and how it helps him now in his role with tonies. Drew shares why he believes a child who is a strong player is also a strong learner, problem solver, and a more overall happy person. Drew explains how tonies provide an amazing learning tool for social and emotional wellness and screen-free enrichment. Let’s play!
Key Takeaways: [7:45] Yes, Drew is a Denver Broncos fan! [8:10] How did Drew’s path lead him to a role as the Marketing Director for tonies? He also explains how working for P&G and Lego, along with opening his own child care center, influenced how he blended marketing with knowing how important it is for good communication and quality service. [12:17] Fun fact: Drew lived in Japan and was actually a Japanese tour guide. He also speaks enough Japanese to order at a restaurant, and get some nods from the chefs. [16:15] Drew explains the mission behind tonies, an imagination-building, screen-free digital listening experience. [18:25] Drew talks about the influencer marketing outreach to educators and childcare professionals and partnering with other companies to promote mindfulness and relaxation tools for children. [26:54] Drew’s advice would be to realize and recognize the impact you can have upon future generations, and not to take it lightly.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy tonies — ENTER CODE “toniepodcast” for 15% off purchase of a starter set. | |||
| 18 Jan 2018 | Stay Recession Proof and Financially Healthy: A Compass and a Heart | 00:44:40 | |
Kris opens up today’s episode with a thank you to all of her past guests and a fun recap of the amazing conversations over the past nine episodes. Next, she gives tips and keys on how to financially protect yourself and become recession proof. Then, she gives the top two essential tips on how to have a full house, and why you need to get started today. Finally, an exciting new announcement regarding the Enrollment Bootcamp Challenge!
Key Takeaways: [1:47] Kris gives a thank you to all of her past guests in 2017 and gives a quick overview of all the fun happenings over the past nine episodes. [5:07] Her aim is twofold: Protect early childhood business owners from threats and risks and help you strengthen your business. The second is innovation and growth in a way that is prosperous and fun for all involved. [18:02] Three rules to protect yourself financially and being recession-proof: 1. Know your cash situation, and how much you have access to. Make a list and do some financial housekeeping so you are aware of your total access to cash and liquidity. 2. Look at your financial decisions and take them seriously, whether it’s hiring and employee expansion, taxes; save more and live below your means. 3. Have a full house (full enrollment) now. This gives you the power to do rate increases and possibly charge a waitlist fee and summer holding fee. [29:28] Kris gives the top two essential tips on how to have a full house. 1. To be found. 2. To build trust. [39:32] Exciting new announcement! Kris has decided to bring back the Enrollment Bootcamp Challenge live training. It’s a five-week course that is the bread and butter of what she teaches and will be updated in 2018. More information on Enrollment Bootcamp.
Mentioned in This Episode: | |||
| 15 Feb 2024 | From Tolerating Mediocrity to Finding Big Momentum with John & Tracy LaBreche | 00:49:41 | |
In this episode, Kris welcomes John and Tracy LaBreche from Ardent Preschool and Daycare, with seven locations in Alabama. John and Tracy share their journey into developing Ardent’s value system and building a strong and happy team. They talk about their desire to not burn their team out during the pandemic and facing staffing shortages and enrollment declines, and they discuss how they turned things around while maintaining a healthy work-life balance for employees. John and Tracy share some great insight into rewarding good attendance, their commitment to data-driven decision-making, and a few of their favorite benefits from joining the Academy.
Key Takeaways: [5:20] Ardent currently has seven locations, and close to 1600 students enrolled with a waitlist of just over 500. They also have 300 employees. [6:42] John and Tracy talk about how they got started in child care and how Ardent came to be. [10:15] In addition to their busy work life, John and Tracy have a large family with six kids. [12:23] Fun fact: if you are looking for a great tequila, ask John! As for Tracy, she will be reading a few of her favorite books including Traction, What The Heck is EOS, and The Alter Ego. [16:40] Tracy and John’s commitment to making sure the people, teachers, and admin are enthusiastic and passionate about Ardent’s mission. [17:46] Exceeding the expectations of parents. [18:10] Ardent is also a Christian company, so they include Christian-related Bible studies and curriculum. [25:42] Overcoming challenges over the pandemic by learning to push enrollment, stay focused, and not be complacent. [30:42] Now they are at 91% enrollment, which was their goal. [30:56] Coming off the Summit, John and Tracy rescaled, brought on one of their existing staff to be a full-scale enrollment specialist, and hired an internal recruiter to help with bringing teachers on board. [31:17] The importance of having a fast response to applicants and tracking all data. [36:44] How Ardent maintains good retention and a happy culture. [37:02] Breaking down Ardent to Ability, Respect, Dependability, Engaging, Nurturing, and Team Player. [47:46] The ROI of academy membership. [46:22] Culture is the glue that will hold you together in the face of challenges.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. Childcare Center Success: How to Maximize Profits and Minimize Mistakes. | |||
| 18 Jun 2020 | COVID-19 and The Early Childhood Business Climate: Trends and Innovations with Ron Spreeuwenberg | 00:49:39 | |
Ron Spreeuwenberg, CEO of Co-Founder of HiMama and host of The Preschool Podcast, joins Kris on the show this week. Ron talks about how HiMama is providing answers and support in the COVID-19 crisis, the surprising results from their survey, and what five things your school can do to come out of the crisis the most successfully and financially viable as possible.
Key Takeaways: [4:45] Kris just made a huge dream come to life. After wanting to live in a river home for more than 12 years, she will be living in a beautiful river home in Colorado. [12:41] Rob’s dad had a huge impact on him to be a leader in the community and industry, so when creating HiMama, he set out to start a business that scratched his entrepreneurial itch but also had a social impact and made a meaningful difference in the world. [13:23] HiMama started in 2013, and now is built up to have 75 employees. [16:38] Doing the right thing is the right thing to do. At HiMama, one of the core values is “own positive change,” because no one is going to do it for you. [20:15] The five important things Rob is seeing in the landscape now for early learning centers through the COVID-19 pandemic:
[27:33] Even if they have to be out of the box and a little different from the norm during this time, schools can still focus on fun activities and ideas to keep in touch with parents. [36:30] Focus on what you can control, and what the best version of a post-COVID-19 center can look like. [38:21] In the HiMama survey, the answers were clear that this is a time to band together and talk with your community and what it is you can do to serve them in a way they feel comfortable about. [47:10] Ron’s podcast The Preschool Podcast is up to 200 episodes now. It is a great remote way to hear conversations between top industry leaders and gain inspiration to take into your work.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket | |||
| 04 Jun 2020 | Why Lifelong Learning Makes You a Better Leader with Ryan Hawk | 00:46:19 | |
This week, Kris is joined by Ryan Hawk, author, speaker, thought leader, and host of The Learning Leader Show, a podcast that has millions of listeners and much industry acclaim. Ryan talks about his rising role as an NFL Quarterback, and how he pivoted to creating a show that allows him to have deep and thoughtful conversations with top leaders from all over the world. Ryan gives us a glimpse into what the world of leadership holds for early learning leaders, and practical lessons to provide to your business and beyond. He also shares a few of his favorite guests from The Learning Leader Show, and life-changing takeaways that came out of their episode.
Key Takeaways: [6:42] Ryan played football at two colleges and even pursued a path to the NFL. The experience taught him a lot and he still draws from the lessons he learned as an athlete. [9:26] Ryan created The Learning Leader Show podcast as a way to show his continuing education as a leader, and start a public conversation between leaders all around the world. [12:42] Ryan’s wife and daughters are his ultimate “why” to inspire and lead, to show them it is possible to create your own life by following your own intellectual curiosity and vigor. [14:37] There are four commonalities that Ryan has found in the best coaches and leaders in his life. First being, they aggressively pursue their curiosity to learn more and strive to get better. [19:27] Great leaders over-deliver on a consistent basis, and they look for ways to make an impact and a significant difference. [24:40] Leaders should understand just how powerful they are; this will help them use their power for good. [28:48] It is important for owners to be engaged in the actual school management, to show up and meet parents on school tours. You can still work on the business, but show up as a leader at the integral times to communicate your mission and your vision. [31:10] Books are a magical thing, and it doesn’t cost a lot to acquire knowledge through the power of books. [37:28] An effective leader does all three consistently every day: manage, lead, and coach. [43:22] Two of the most important attributes and habits Kris has found from interviewing so many leaders are 1.) fast action and 2.) constant working on mindset.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Welcome to Management: How to Grow From Top Performer to Excellent Leader, by Ryan Hawk Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
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| 27 Aug 2019 | Asset Creation for Long Term Success | 00:49:45 | |
Kris Murray shares how the Child Care Success Company works with leaders all over the globe to help them create their road map for a lifetime of business success. She reflects on the last decade of growing the company and celebrates the success and the impact she's made on the industry. She talks in detail about her proven process, "The Kris Murray Method," and how you can model it in your own brand. Kris shares the assets you need to develop for best results in your own business growth, and the importance of using automation when you can. She even highlights some success stories of a few her Child Care Success Academy™ members thriving after employing the Kris Murray Method themselves.
Key Takeaways: [3:22] It’s important to set aside some time out of the busy schedule to spend with loved ones. These are the experiences that matter, no matter how big or small. [10:05] The Child Care Success Method can greatly help give assets and levels to follow with a clear path and step by step support. [11:28] The four levels of assets in Child Care Success Method/Kris Murray Method:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman Episode 30 – “Implementing the EOS Model with Heart — Stuart Robertson” | Nov 22, 2018 Episode 41 – “Creating a Culture Where Children Come First | Jennifer Vazquez” | April 25, 2019 | |||
| 06 May 2019 | The Value of Embracing Sales with Eric Lofholm | 00:58:47 | |
Eric Lofholm is President and CEO of Eric Lofholm International, an organization he founded to professionally train people on the art and science of selling. Eric has used his own successful sales background to help anyone dramatically improve in all areas, including income and happiness. He joins the show today to talk about enrollment building and how his system can apply to a classroom setting. He also discusses the influence of silence, selling equaling service, and pre-framing the sale.
Key Takeaways: [4:41] Eric went from being on quota probation to being a top producer once he found the work of Dr. Moine. He found that it was also a great platform to enhance his natural calling of being able to teach without any professional training. [5:05] Eric worked for Tony Robbins for 3 years. Through this process decided he wanted to help people understand the process of sales. [8:27] People tend to think of those in sales as arm twisters, manipulators, and used car salespeople. It is normal to have a resistance to sales, which is why we must see it from another viewpoint. [11:51] Part of the language of influence is silence. [13:54] Pre-framing the order at the beginning lets people know what is in store for them and sets an expectation of what will happen on the tour. This also gives no pressure on you other than choreographing and delivering the best presentation possible. [22:42] When you feel as though your preschool is the best, in your heart, and it provides a solution, you owe it to you the parents and child to be of service and lead them to the best choice. [25:10] It is crucial to prepare your presentation. Eric mapped out the steps and they are: ● Build trust and rapport. ● Do an agenda strip to let them know how the tour will go. ● Ask probing questions. Find out what they want and care about, and how you can give it to them. ● Share stories. ● Walk them through the close, mentioning scarcity (if it’s true) using the “because” frame. ● Invite them to take one of the slots. ● A thank you gift goes a long way. [38:09] An advanced technique is to show the parents that the existing children in the school are potential new friends for their child. [40:10] If Eric was to go back and do his business again, he would have found advisors and expanded his product line. [45:14] Social media is a great way to tell your story and connect with others.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions
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| 04 Mar 2021 | Helping Employees Achieve Their Personal and Professional Dreams with Alix Hall | 00:55:44 | |
I am so excited to welcome our guest today who has over FOUR DECADES of experience in early childhood education. Alix Hall has seven centers in California, Discovery Tree and Arista Schools, and is also partnered with Child Care Business Coach Rachel Supalla on multiple Montana locations of Discovery KidZone. Alix has developed a leadership style focused on uplifting women, promoting from within, and building a network of people who love to work and grow with her. Her eclectic curriculum philosophy is a unique blend that is mainly influenced by Piaget and RIE and encourages multi-age grouping. This episode will inspire you to have pride in the field of early childhood education, implement new technologies, strive for trickle-down leadership, and as Alix says, “Just go for it!”
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Sponsored By:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Dream Manager, by Matthew Kelly Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know, by John C. Maxwell Good Leaders Ask Great Questions: Your Foundation for Successful Leadership, by John C. Maxwell Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek | |||
| 14 Mar 2024 | My Solo Adventure in Hawaii | 00:52:32 | |
Aloha! In this solo episode, Kris shares more about her month in Hawaii — why she decided to head to island life, the logistics behind her adventures, and how you can use her story as inspiration to make space in your life. She goes deeper into detail about the important strategic implementation steps that allowed her to live her best life and take time to relax, breathe in the salty ocean air, and be led by intuition. Kris talks about the importance of joining a Mastermind group that fits your personal and professional goals, more about ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), and how to travel solo like a pro.
Key Takeaways: [4:12] Kris walks us through a grounding exercise to bring presence and mindfulness into the conversation. [6:52] Kris shares her experience of the major change from moving to Crested Butte, Colorado after living in Chicago. [8:55] Why Hawaii is so special to Kris and how visiting the islands has changed her life. [10:31] Intentionally creating space in her life. [11:18] Embracing the flow state and being led by intuition. [20:07] Some of the adventures Kris has enjoyed in Hawaii, including whale watching, snorkeling, and meeting new people. [22:17] Being confident while solo traveling. [25:37] Kris walks us through the intentions behind crafting her exit from the business. [28:10] The importance of finding a Mastermind group. [29:00] The pros and upsides of an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). [35:34] Kris talks about finding the new CEO and sharing the ESOP plan with the leadership team, along with why ESOP’s can be positive for employee retention. [45:31] Kris’s upcoming trips, including Ecuador and Burning Man!
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Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 15 Feb 2018 | Fun, Flexibility, and Family with Tameenah Adams | 00:40:39 | |
Today, Kris has the pleasure of talking with Tameenah Adams, owner and leader of Happy Faces Early Learning Academy. Tameenah is a true rock star and shares her core values, vision, and how she has become a transparent and empowered leader that people want to follow. Between her family at Happy Faces and her own seven children, Tameenah plays with some game-changing strategies, high values and a vision that is open to adapt to her environment. She loves promoting herself and her business out in the community and commits herself to being of service and sharing her gifts to lift up herself and those around her.
Key Takeaways: [4:14] Kris welcomes today’s guest, Tameenah Adams, owner and leader of Happy Faces Early Learning Academy in the DC area. Her mom got into the business in 1987 and Tameenah joined her to help grow the brand and business with now up to 168 children in their primary location. [7:57] Tameenah compares herself to Mother Hubbard, taking children in to care for them. She loves to play roulette and has a winning strategy she likes to keep to herself! [11:03] She recently had a personal tragedy that took her away from the business for 6-8 months. Her staff jumped in and helped run the business, which she found to be a blessing. [13:26] Tameenah opened up a second employer-sponsored location. [19:06] Even with a staff of over 55 people, Tameenah still makes sure it has the family feel where everyone involved feels part of something big and important. [20:53] Happy Faces is 97% subsidized. She shares how this makes her extra vigilant about making sure her budget and business matters are all tightened up and on point. [27:56] Always keep your business cards out and available. You never know who you will come across that is a potential client or resource. [28:45] She was never a book reader until she came to the Summit! Now she also enjoys listening to Audible books on her commute and throughout her day. [31:38] Tameenah defines a child care rockstar as the person that comes into the field and keeps looking for a way to make their vision work, no matter what the challenges or obstacles. They are committed to their goals and are not afraid to put in the effort and personal development and share their gifts with the world. [33:32] One of the biggest challenges Tameenah has faced is keeping herself motivated. She overcomes a plateau by feeding herself new uplifting information and surrounding herself with inspiring people.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon, by Brad Stone | |||
| 13 Aug 2020 | Leadership and Mindset Shifts from an ECE Veteran with Pamela Piekarski | 00:54:42 | |
Pamela Piekarski is the President and CEO of Exploring Minds Academy, which has two programs in two different states: Colorado and Kansas. Pamela joins the show this week to discuss her journey into ECE as a Kindergarten teacher in 1978, and share a few amazing golden nuggets of advice and wisdom she has gained from a long and successful career. Pamela talks about her work in Bilingual studies, the value of a coach and mentoring peer group, and how we can feel confident about raising tuition rates. She and Kris also talk about the foundational pieces to have in place before delegating, and how to get out of overwhelm to work on your business instead of in it.
Key Takeaways: [1:00] Exploring Minds Academy has two locations, one in Colorado and one in Kansas. This showed Pamela the different needs for each culture, and her responsibilities as the operating director fluctuate according to the two different locations. [12:20] Pamela opened her first child care center in 1985 and used her bilingual resources to connect even further with the children and their families. [18:22] Fun fact: Pamela spends most of her time living in Kansas enjoying work and her 11 grandchildren while her husband holds down the ranch in beautiful Colorado. [22:38] Having a good coach and mentor helps us see outside of ourselves and shines a light on our blind spots. [30:31] Our leadership is inside of the culture, and when you view your job as an “occupation” you want not only yourself but others around you to succeed and reach their goals and dreams. [33:38] Pamela had a mindset shift that gave her the confidence to raise her tuition rates, which she had not done in several years. It is important to have strong communication with families so they know the value that comes with the rates, and why your school and programs are worth it. [41:51] Leaders must delegate so they aren’t in the weeds all the time mowing the grass. This means you must trust the people around you and honor the skills and talents that they have. [46:03] Pamela defines a child care rockstar as someone who can be flexible to adapt to new circumstances. A rockstar is different, according to the community, environment, and culture, but they always have passion and drive.
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Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket
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| 02 Mar 2023 | A Harmonious and Playful Approach to Life with Kyle Brown | 00:50:56 | |
Get ready to get pumped up this week, as Kris introduces us to her good friend and personal trainer, author, and entrepreneur Kyle Brown. He talks about his journey into the fitness industry and how he got into his current mission of working with heart-centered entrepreneurs on their self-mastery in every way. He and Kris talk about the importance of fitness inside and outside the classroom, having a fitness mindset, and how we can start to make little changes that have big results. Kyle talks about what’s next for his business, his new book, and Rapid Harmony.
Key Takeaways: [3:15] What are some of the highlights of Kyle’s journey and how has it shifted over time? [8:30] The importance of harmonizing the divine masculine and divine feminine within. [9:04] How the idea of Rapid Harmony came about. [11:35] Kyle talks about moving to Colorado and more about his personal life with his wife and kids. [13:30] Kyle reveals a fun fact about seeing the Grateful Dead at a concert that Kris just happened to be at too! [16:40] How does fitness contribute to one’s quality of life? [17:36] Self-confidence comes from really having a powerful mind inside of a healthy fit body. [18:25] When you are optimized, your brain is so fast that you think clearly and you think from a higher consciousness; a more elevated level. [20:02] How can we optimize and create more time to take care of ourselves while we’re doing other things? [26:07] How leaders can lead by example with their team that fitness is important and not just another task on their list. Meeting on the playground, anyone? [30:29] We can only hold space and have the capacity to hold space for others, for the level of which we have gone through ourselves. Kyle talks about how his missions and values translate into parenthood. [35:31] As a parent, you are a leader and you are leading your kids to the possibility of what their lives can be. [39:44] Kyle shares his favorite core value for his business.
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Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal | |||
| 20 Jun 2024 | Crystal & Ricardo Romero: How to Increase Staff Retention by 10x in Seven Months | 00:59:24 | |
From 120% staff turnover annually to just 14% in seven months? It may sound like a dream scenario, but for Kris’s guests this week, it’s reality. Kris welcomes Crystal and Ricardo Romero from the New Mexico Early Learning Academy, currently serving three amazing locations. They share some game-changing tips on hiring the right people, onboarding, and staff retention. Crystal and Ricardo talk about working as a couple and how it helps their overall mission and keeps them both energized and focused, their approach to expansion, and the extra perks they offer to keep their staff satisfied personally and professionally. Get ready to be inspired!
Key Takeaways: [8:49] Crystal and Ricardo talk about their school, New Mexico Early Learning Academy, currently with 3 locations. [11:05] Their different journeys into early childhood education. [14:23] Yes, Crystal and Ricardo spend almost every moment together, and they love it! [15:12] They share about their blended family and how their work and personal lives are fully blended. [16:24] How Crystal and Ricardo love spending their free time (together, of course) and being intentional about breaks. [19:31] Fun fact: if you need some cool shoe inspiration, check out Crystal’s renovated home office! It’s now a sneaker closet. [21:53] Crediting the Academy for success. [25:40] Remembering the basics of fostering authentic and meaningful relationships. [27:01] Crystal and Ricardo get into the specifics of hiring and making onboarding engaging and less intimidating. [31:14] More about how they reduced turnover from 120% to 14% in seven months. [32:47] Getting intentional about lowering the turnover rate. [34:24] Realizing the give and take of making staff happy and still meeting their goals while working on the overall mission and vision. [41:09] Overcoming any struggles as a husband and wife team. [43:08] The other businesses that keep Crystal and Ricardo busy. [47:27] Their approach to expansion.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 12 Feb 2019 | Why a Values-Based Approach is a Game Changer for Companies Big and Small with Ann Rhoades | 00:46:54 | |
Ann Rhoades joins the show to discuss her extremely important and successful careers at Southwest Airlines and JetBlue, and shares more about the extraordinary service she and her team at People Ink provide for leaders looking to shape and define their culture. A highly sought-after speaker and author behind the book Built on Values, she provides inspiration and strategic direction for many companies around the world. Ann talks about why core values are integral to the success of the culture, how we define and determine a great culture, interviewing tips for hiring players aligned with the company value systems, and the qualities of good leadership.
Key Takeaways: [2:48] Ann speaks about the development of her interest in working with people and leadership. She noticed the consistencies around organizations that were successful in creating a productive and accountable culture and sought to help others create and execute sustainable well-defined core values. [6:48] Ann lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and loves being in the mountain air. She loves to travel herself and is extremely excited to announce a new model to bring the cost of travel back to basics with values from the onset. [11:36] We can determine if our culture is working by talking openly with our existing employees, looking at the data, turnover, and customer satisfaction. [14:34] When building a culture from scratch, it’s imperative to get the right people in the room. We define the behaviors, and look at how the A players behave as a model for all to emulate. [18:40] Values and language that a company chooses to align with may change over time due to growth and global expansion. [20:55] Ann’s advice for interviewing is to ask more about past behaviors as they relate to values than about why someone wants to work for your particular company. [27:53] If you are the CEO and leader, you have to be visible and engaged. [31:08] One of Ann’s future goals is to learn more languages and immerse herself in other cultures. [32:08] Ann defines a leadership rockstar as someone that leads by example and is very confident but not arrogant. [33:52] Ann wrote her book Built on Values as a prescriptive to help people understand the science and methodology of building a culture. This is a great resource for smaller companies who also may not be able to afford someone to come in and has practical action items that make a measured difference. [39:52] Core value shout outs are great for highlighting employees that live and breathe a particular value.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb | |||
| 21 Nov 2018 | Implementing the EOS Model with Heart with Stuart Robertson | 00:50:43 | |
Stuart Robinson is a brilliant yet heart-centered entrepreneur and business coach. Today, Stuart talks with Kris about forming his tech company at the age of 27, selling it in 2015 and his new path as an EOS Professional Implementer. He first had experience with EOS as a business owner before he made it his full-time passion. They talk about the EOS model and why it makes businesses more scalable, profitable and effective, the Six Components, case studies of clients he has helped and ideas for business owners to effectively solve critical issues.
Key Takeaways: [1:44] EOS stands for Entrepreneurial Operating System. [3:44] Stuart got into this business as a result of the success he had implementing the EOS at his own company, and experienced how life-changing it was for him and those around him. He found it through a leadership peer group and discovered that helping others was really his passion. [5:41] Stuart grew up in Colorado, and now lives in Boulder. He loves the outdoors and all the experiences Colorado has to offer. [9:30] Gino Wickman founded EOS based on the discovery that when strengthening six key components, many of the day-to-day issues that pop up are resolved. The EOS model is a framework and a way to see your business at its very root. [10:11] The Six Key Components of EOS covered in Traction: 1. The Vision Component — making sure you are clear on where you want to take your business and how you want to get there. 2. The People Component — the right people in your organization that share the vision and can help you execute daily upon that vision. 3. The Data Component — running the business on numbers and true data, rather than egos or opinions. 4. The Issues Component — getting issues from every level out on paper and making sure you are working towards a real solution. 5. The Process Component — this is the component that is most neglected, but is extremely important to focus on. Knowing what exactly makes their business unique, the process behind how it runs, and what value each sector brings to the whole. 6. The Traction Component — creating a laser focus on the important initiatives (“rocks”) as a company and proper execution of the vision.
[14:39] The components are tied together in a meeting pulse, to make sure everyone is spending their time wisely and effectively in meetings. [16:01] EOS Implementation has become a global initiative, and Stuart says there are about 200 implementers around the world currently. [19:11] In the EOS process, everyone in the organization has a number and a scorecard. The 1, 2, or 3 measurables (KPI’s) are what is expected of that individual on a weekly basis to keep track of measurable goals. [23:42] The first day Stuart meets with a client is called their “focus day.” This is where they implement all the foundational tools into their business and get everyone on the same page of the vision. [26:08] IDS stands for Identify, Discuss, and Solve. This helps to uncover the root cause of an issue, so it can be solved for good instead of just putting a band-aid over the symptoms. [32:55] If he could do it all over again, Stuart would have looked for help and support from others earlier in his journey.
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| 17 Dec 2020 | The Five Guardians with Mecca Johnson | 01:01:24 | |
Mecca Johnson is an incredible and heartfelt speaker, trainer, and founder of the professional development consulting company My Joy Speaks. Her long and very successful career in early childhood education with Primrose Schools plus corporate experience led her to develop The Five Guardians of Life, which she shares in this week’s episode. Mecca and Kris also talk about finding gratitude in times of stress, why a healthy body matters to a positive mindset, and a few of their favorite resources for sharpening your leadership skills.
Key Takeaways: [13:50] Mecca found her calling working with kids and, while doing so, recognized a strong need for leadership. Her passion for both education and leadership led her to develop training for educators and directors. [14:05] Mecca discusses the professional and personal gains she got from working with Primrose Schools for 19 years and from her mentor Dr. Mary Zurn. [18:03] Kris and Mecca are both Maxwell Certified, and that also had a big impact on both their leadership today. [18:33] Mecca’s mother is the wittiest and sharpest 97-year-old you will meet. Taking care of her has been a blessing for Mecca, showing her true compassion and patience. Although this pandemic has provided major setbacks for just about everyone, spending more time with her mother has been a blessing. [22:27] Respect the cook at your school! Take it from Mecca, who will be fine if she never cooks scrambled eggs for 400 kids at a time again. [26:38] We need to have just as much respect and dedication to customer service for the teachers as we ask them to have for the parents. [30:47] Tough love doesn’t always mean doing exactly what the people around us want. It means doing what will be best for them in the long run. [33:28] These are the Five Guardians of Life that Mecca developed from her extensive experience of developing and training top directors.
[48:05] We can almost always find something to be grateful for. Mecca and Kris share the joy that comes from developing a consistent practice of writing in a gratitude journal. [50:14] Focus on hope.
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Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Kris Murray Challenge - starts December 28th! Hope Rises: Make Your Life, Love & Leadership Soar, by Dr. Randy Ross | |||
| 05 Jun 2019 | Tell Your Story, and Then Never Stop Telling It with Alison Pfeister and Alexandra Kroon | 00:55:43 | |
In this inspirational episode, we hear from Kris’s very first client Alison Pfeister and her daughter Alexandra Kroon. Their school, the TLC Academy for Young Children in Hudson, Ohio is a family owned business, founded by Alison and her husband in 1989 after the birth of Alexandra, who now serves as the director. Alison shares the story of how TLC continues to be successful after many years, highlights of her journey as an early child care business owner, and provides resources and inspiration for building a culture of play, respect, and transparency.
Key Takeaways: [2:52] Big announcement — the company name has changed! Instead of Child Care Marketing Solutions, it is now the Child Care Success Company. Kris couldn’t be more excited for the rebrand and it fits the mission and vision perfectly. [13:06] Kent and Alison decided to create their own child development center that would provide the best in care and education. They couldn’t find any they felt 100% certain about, so they put their careers on hold and renovated a church. They opened TLC in March of 1990. Their daughter Alexandra was the first baby, and now she is the Director. They used her as the standard and now it’s come three generations in with Alexandra’s children attending the school. [15:19] Usually the cycle of enrollment tightly follows employment and jobs in this country. That is a major reason why schools must work hard to become recession-proof and build the strength of their business. [16:02] TLC is at 75-80 max capacity with a high retention rate, and it has been almost 30 years since the doors of TLC first sprang open, but the motto remains the same: The best is the least we can do for your child. [22:51] Kris and her team’s vision is to make a difference in the lives of one million children. They are in the process of tracking exactly how many, but they think they’ve touched 750,000 children so far. Pretty close! [28:24] Yes, there is a mud kitchen at TLC! Along with a garden, components of an outdoor classroom, a Farm-to-Table program and walking field trips. Experiential learning is very important and they like to foster a connection with nature. [33:46] At TLC, they encourage teachers to remember that each child is different and it’s important to be flexible when coming up with solutions. [36:11] Consistency in training is important, and letting the teachers feel heard is one of the ways they can keep them healthy and happy. TLC also offers professional development, organizational structure, and the blessing to grow and learn if they need to experience something even bigger. [42:43] To Alison and Alexandra, being a child care rockstar is someone that has the ability to create safety for the children and the patience and dedication to develop a bond with both the kids and parents. [48:45] College programs with young ECE students are often great resources for student teachers.
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| 05 May 2022 | Stronger Mindset, Stronger Business with Donna Naleway | 00:45:58 | |
Kris welcomes Donna Naleway, Owner & Director of Kid Country Childcare, celebrating her 20th anniversary in business. In October 2015, Kid Country Childcare earned the Silver Circle of Quality designation from ExceleRate Illinois, the state’s quality recognition and improvement system for early learning and development providers. Donna was also the runner-up for the annual Child Care Rockstar Radio Contest this year. Since joining the Child Care Success Academy just two years ago at the height of the pandemic, Donna has learned and changed so much about her business. She shares her top enrollment strategies, how automation has changed her business, why mindset is everything, and much more.
Key Takeaways: [7:17] Donna gives an overview of how she got into the business of childcare, what her current enrollment looks like, and how she’ll be celebrating 20 years in business. [12:36] Fun Fact about Donna: when she met her husband she laid out her entire business plan for him so her career goals were loud and clear. [14:09] All about Donna’s ever-growing family life. [15:32] How the Child Care Success Academy inspired Donna to expand her business. [16:39] Donna has built a brand over the last two decades that includes putting the children first, getting outside, and getting high-quality certification. [21:24] Getting her systems automated and using CRM are two of the biggest game-changers Donna has implemented since joining the Academy. [22:35] How thinking outside the box with a virtual assistant has made a huge impact on Donna’s business. [24:22] The Academy has taught Donna the art of delegating different tasks as well as other key improvements. [26:46] Changing mindset and surrounding yourself with the right people can change everything. [28:48] Donna’s investment in automation has paid off in dividends. [30:38] Plain and simple; Donna made filling her enrollment spots the top priority. [33:29] It’s okay to override the guilt in charging families knowing you’re giving them quality staff and quality offerings. [36:31] What was it like for Donna to tell her story on stage at The Child Care Success Summit… and how you can too! [40:51] How Donna defines a Child Care Rockstar. [41:38] What books is Donna reading? [42:53] A final reminder that mindset really is everything.
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Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Rock Star Stories: Success Secrets of Preschool Leaders Around the Globe The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Success The 77 Best Strategies to Grow Your Early Childhood Program
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| 03 Nov 2022 | Making Your Voice Heard: Advocacy in ECE with Ellen Reynolds | 00:46:16 | |
Kris first fills us in all about the Child Care Success Summit that just took place last month in Nashville, and what an amazing time that was had by all. She then welcomes Ellen Reynolds, the CEO of the Georgia Child Care Association. Ellen talks about her background in law and love of all things education, and how it got her into lobbying, advocacy, and effecting change at the policy level. She talks about the complexity of how regulated the childcare industry is, and how you can become more involved as an advocate in the world of ECE to impact positive change.
Key Takeaways: [6:49] What an amazing summit! #bestsummitever. Special thanks to the incredible Lisa Nichols. [10:40] The Georgia Child Care Association represents 3,200 licensed childcare providers in Georgia, with members all across the state. Ellen started lobbying on behalf of the association 20 years ago when it was just herself and just five people. In 2017, she took over as the CEO. [12:59] Ellen was also a lawyer. Her role at GCCA represents her family upbringing: her mom was an award-winning educator and her dad was a small business owner. [14:40] Ellen hopes at some point that GCCA can help other states grow their associations. [16:52] Three ways that you can help get your voice heard and be an agent of change:
[19:44] If you haven’t joined already, be sure to hop on and say hi on the new Child Care Champions Facebook Group page. It’s not just advocacy tips, but business success resources. [21:51] Ellen gives her advice on if you have to start a group from scratch or when your state doesn’t have a strong association already. [24:32] At GCCA, they look out for all members. [30:40] Great childcare advocates know that you have to work with people on both sides of the aisle, and your main mission is to forward important issues for the growth and health of the childcare industry. [31:12] Childcare is not a partisan issue. [38:56] Childcare is one of the highest-regulated industries in the world, and we have a responsibility to make sure that those regulations, policies, and laws are in our best interest whenever we can impact that. [42:41] How people can be best prepared for the future financially, especially with elections on the horizon.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy | |||
| 08 Apr 2020 | Money and Mindset — Surviving the COVID-19 Crisis | 00:42:28 | |
Despite the challenging times we are currently in, Kris reminds us that there are ways we can use our time productively and even shift from feeling powerless to powerful. She uses this episode to share tips and strategies to create awareness about our financial situation and our mindset, and also discusses the Paycheck Protection Program, how to use a cash forecasting sheet, and case studies of successful companies that have used innovation to thrive during similar times in history.
Key Takeaways: [4:01] Kris explains a program called the Paycheck Protection Program, which you can check out here. This can be a lifeline and a source of financial relief. The point of it is to promote the retention of employees by subsidizing small businesses. [11:03] Understand your cash picture and all the different variables to project and forecast where your cash is going in the next couple of months. Using a spreadsheet will give you a realistic look at cash flow. [13:40] Grab as much funding and loan protection as you can that makes sense for your business. Many of the expenses will be forgivable, and it will help keep our employees with us instead of letting them go. [19:47] Be sure you jump on the Paycheck Protection Program sooner rather than later, as you have until June 30, for now. [20:05] The Economic Injury Disaster Loan allows businesses expedited access to capital through an emergency fund. [23:29] This can be a time that we experience stress and high anxiety, and it is normal for that to affect our decision making. It is important to stay informed, but not fall prey to sensationalism and fear in the news. [25:55] Get creative on how you can shift into a place of power and how you can reach your personal best at home. [30:02] Three ideas to continue work during this time:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket | |||
| 01 Dec 2022 | Part 1 of My Spiritual Journey: The Eckhart Tolle Retreat | 00:56:04 | |
In this special solo episode, Kris dives into her recent experience while attending Eckhart Tolle’s “The Depths of Being” retreat, with his amazing wife and teaching partner Kim. Kris dives deep into learning to let go of outcomes and expectations and shares some key learnings and takeaways while embarking on this spiritual journey in the beautiful land of Maui, Hawaii. She opens up about some personal changes as well, and what she has learned about just letting go and relaxing into what is throughout the process. At the end, Kris shares a few easy ways that you can practice becoming more present in the moment and how doing so can help both your business and those around you, while bringing you a great amount of peace.
Key Takeaways: [7:23] Kris talks about the five-day retreat (and overall eight-day trip) with the famed Eckhart himself, and his beautiful wife, spiritual teacher, and creator Kim Eng. [12:44] Kris dives into the first topic: intuition and how to listen to your inner knowing. [14:44] The universe actually wants to bring you whatever you want. You just have to learn how to manifest it. [20:34] We need to remember that we are human beings, and not always human doings. [25:45] The more you let the little triggers build, the more emotional stress and pain you are going to have, and the less happy you’re going to be. [27:57] What are a “pain body” and a “pain body attack”? [34:04] It is a lifelong practice to see what triggers you and reflect on the pain instead of just reacting. What are the people, places, and situations teaching you? [38:38] The practice is about coming back to a place of neutrality. To come back to a place where you’re in a space of openness and acceptance and you’re not resistant to the “is-ness” that is. [41:33] Kris talks about the ending of her personal relationship and the lessons she is practicing about letting go of attachment and expectations and going more with the flow. She opens up about the energetic shift that came with this practice. [42:50] Once you let go of your attachment, the resistance usually goes away, and you get back to neutral. [45:07] Notice where your mind is at this moment. Are you in the present moment? [49:44] Kris got a message from the divine during a moment of stillness on the yoga mat. It told her: child care, and listening to that has certainly led her to the beautiful life she has now, with so many wonderful people in it.
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Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal | |||
| 02 Jan 2020 | Crisis, Communication, and Planning with Jane Hulbert | 00:46:21 | |
Jane Hulbert of The Jane Group joins the show to talk about her crisis communication firm, and how she landed working in education. Jane shares her background working at large companies like McDonald’s, and how it prepared her for helping educational leaders put together a plan of action for times of crisis. Jane discusses the importance of doing the right thing, the events that shifted crisis communication in schools, and the main steps leaders and their team should take in times of crisis.
Key Takeaways: The Jane Group is a crisis communication consulting firm focused on schools, camps, and daycare centers, both in the U.S. and internationally. Jane was working part-time and responding to a wide variety of issues within schools and camps. She developed a niche where she had a breadth and depth of understanding of not only crisis but teaching people how to respond. Two events that created a pivotal shift in school crisis communication were the Columbine shooting and the exposing of Catholic church child abuse. Jane has three consultants at The Jane Group that work remotely, as well as her husband helping and overseas contacts. Here are a few of the steps in effective crisis communication. Jane and Kris both recommend having a detailed and written crisis plan, along with training two times a year to create an understanding and muscle memory of how to respond.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company
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| 08 Jul 2021 | You Are a Badass: Believe in Yourself with Karina Wyllie | 00:51:00 | |
Today’s episode will inspire you to get out there and be the true badass that you are! My guest today, Karina Wyllie, is a motivated self-starter that owns two home daycares in New York, Koala Park Daycare. While an incredibly accomplished entrepreneur, Karina is still committed to being a forever student in the school of leadership. She takes cues from Tony Robbins, Simon Sinek, The Child Care Success Academy, and more, and it trickles down effortlessly to her staff. We talk about how she operates her schools, what her priorities and insights are coming out of COVID-19, the importance of a growth mindset, and some different ways to think about leadership. This is an authentic and raw conversation filled with so many resources to get you to believe in your biggest asset; you!
Key Takeaways:
Quotes:
“Me.” — Karina
Sponsored By: PB&J TV — Don’t forget to mention Kris Murray for a special offer!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Simon Sinek Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
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| 23 May 2019 | Overcoming Adversity and Bringing Out the Best In People with Leann and Jake Chamberlain | 01:04:19 | |
This episode we are joined by Leann and Jake Chamberlain, husband and wife team that run Brighton Montessori in Brighton, Michigan. Leann was the recent winner of the Child Care Rockstar contest, and her vulnerable and authentic approach won the hearts of everyone there. They talk about what it felt like to get out of their comfort zone to enter the contest, the ways they continue to grow their enrollment and connect with the community, the unique challenges of working at a Montessori, and what’s next for the dynamic duo.
Key Takeaways: [3:21] Leann and Jake have three children, all of whom were surprised with a trip to Disney after she won the Child Care Rockstar contest! [4:42] Brighton Montessori is in its third year currently, and the capacity is 100 students. [9:21] Fun fact! Leann was a competitive figure skater that even traveled for the sport, and Jake is one of those brave people that take cold showers. [11:02] Leann and Jake entered the Child Care Rockstar contest just with the intention to get out of their comfort zones and try something new. They ended up winning, connecting with a great tribe of people and learning a ton of new information to bring back to their school. [12:49] Next year, the Rockstar contest is going to be a “Margarita and Flip Flops” themed party in Orlando with a $5,000 cash prize. [20:05] Leeann and Jake built a program around the community they were in, and discuss their challenges of retention when they opened in Sept. 2016. They knew they needed help with tripling their enrollment for the first year, and that is when Leann found Kris and the Summit. They took the Amtrak train to the Summit and found a tribe and a whole new set of resources. They pooled together everything they learned, and discussed core values with the teachers, got CRM and implemented email marketing, more follow up, and better tours. [30:26] LeAnn’s “why” is to bring out the best in people. When she approaches anyone, it’s aligned with the core values of integrity, honesty, commitment, passion, and partnership. [32:28] People tend to have pre-existing ideas of what a Montessori school is, but Leann and Jake take the time to fully explain and educate families the level of quality and the unique differences that make them stand out. [37:52] Their mindset shifts were persistence, patience, and more faith in abundance. [42:51] Goal-setting is a huge part of success. Leann writes out Post-It Notes and immediately adds a new goal as soon as they hit one. [47:28] A rockstar to Leann is someone that knows their “why” and executes it with empathy, perseverance, and love. To Jake, it’s someone that takes action on their goals with courage.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions
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| 25 May 2023 | The Hiring Success Formula with Ashley Ryan | 00:51:24 | |
Ashley Ryan is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Grow Your Center. She shares her super successful hiring formula based on extensive research and her personal experience. She and Kris talk about attracting great candidates, red flags to look for even before hiring someone, how to stand out and show your personality, and great tips for onboarding in an organized and methodical fashion. Ashley and Kris also emphasize the importance of calculating turnover rates and treating hiring as a sales and marketing process aligned with your brand. Lastly, the two explore the value of incorporating test tasks to provide a realistic preview of candidates’ capabilities.
Key Takeaways: [7:18] How did Ashley make her way from starting her own web agency and working with other female entrepreneurs to Grow Your Center? [11:18] Fun fact — Ashley is a motorcycle mama! She thinks Kris should get a bike too. [13:36] The importance of knowing your company values and providing growth. [15:04] Benefits can be more than just time off. [16:56] Growth opportunities mean different things for different people. [18:22] Having a good manager, good reviews, and competitive salaries are all crucial to succeed in hiring. [20:57] Know how to calculate your turnover. [21:44] Hiring is essentially sales and marketing. Whatever your brand is, be intentional and think through each piece in advance. [27:52] What tools are best to stay organized and to keep following up? [31:59] Ashley talks about her hiring rating system. A few of the measurements they discuss are:
[38:30] The importance of a test task to show what it will really be like working with them. [40:29] When hiring, listen to your gut. Save yourself pain and payroll by not hiring the wrong person. [46:09] Any tips for onboarding? [49:52] How Grow Your Center has been revamped and what Ashley is excited about for the future.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal | |||
| 17 Jul 2019 | Playing for a Living with Glenn Morshower | 00:52:24 | |
One of the busiest character actors in Hollywood today, Glenn Morshower, joins the show to talk with Kris. Glenn has appeared in over 200 film and television projects in a career spanning four decades including the FOX hit series 24. Glenn talks about discovering his love for theatre at a young age, and some career highlights that catapulted him forward. He also shares his wonder and optimistic perspective on life, gives us permission to be silly and joyful, and to focus on gratitude when looking to expand and manifest abundance.
Key Takeaways: [4:17] Glenn discovered his love of theatre and acting in what he calls part of his “natural organic earth school curriculum.” How cool! He went to go see a play at the local theatre and was hooked immediately. From there he landed a national TV commercial, the film Drive-In, and it took him out to the West Coast. [10:13] We are innate math defiers; it is in our DNA to succeed and make our way. Glenn embraces this framework and uses this as a template for living rather than being gripped by fear. [15:13] You can have the hardest or most difficult year of your life, but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean the worst. Glenn lost his dear friend and soul brother, and his beloved brother. Through tragedy and grief, we can find love and connection in ourselves and others. [19:28] The answer to a full and rich life is to fall in love with it just as it is, and just as it is not. [23:11] A strong vision will outsee the naysayers. When we are wholly optimistic and aligned with our mission, we win. [26:36] Most people stop playing because they feel too old or that life should be serious. Playing is what part of keeps us youthful and happy. [32:03] Our thoughts become our destiny. Glenn reminds us to take good care of both our heart and mind, and disallow any toxic influence in. [35:40] Great leaders allow themselves and others to lead with the authentic them. This sets the tone of reality and no one is left with false expectations about the other based on the presentational self. [37:59] What we focus on expands, and we are only competing with ourselves. When looking to create more abundance, we must first focus on the good around us and practice gratitude in our daily lives.
Mentioned in This Episode: | |||
| 21 Nov 2024 | Ep. 189 — The Power of Story with Jon Sieber | 00:49:25 | |
It’s all about the story this week as Kris welcomes Jon Sieber, Co-Founder of Story Time Learning, and Story Time Chess, an innovative early learning and education-based product for kids and adults of all ages. Jon shares how he went from theater to chess to Story Time, the power of storytelling to help children learn complicated concepts such as chess or coding, and the importance of storytelling in creating meaningful connections and learning experiences. He and Kris also talk about the importance of consistency in personal and professional goals, and the future exciting plans for Story Time Learning.
Key Takeaways: [4:10] Congrats to Sister Mercedes for being named the new Rock Star! [8:33] Jon joins the show from Brooklyn, New York. [9:30] How a chess tutoring company evolved into Story Time Learning. [13:26] Jon is a direct descendant of which royal figure from history? [20:01] How can you use the power of storytelling? [25:42] Jon highlights the success of their program in Singapore and the interest from parents and educators. [28:16] Shaping 450‒500 preschools. [30:27] Kris shares a great story on how she and Jon met. [35:24] The key lessons Jon has learned as an entrepreneur. [37:02] The importance of positivity, consistency, and showing up every day. [41:47] What’s next for Story Time?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal
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| 29 Feb 2024 | Kim Harris: Lifting People Up with “Big-Ups” | 00:48:22 | |
Kris welcomes the awesome Kim Harris, affectionately known as "Big Ups," from The Harris & Tucker School in Connecticut. Kim talks about getting her structures “right and tight” and how she stays on the pulse of good leadership. She talks more about the rich legacy of The Harris & Tucker School, and their mission to create superhero influencers and a culture that connects the whole community. She expounds more on Harris & Tucker’s values of respect, integrity, and faith-based education and how she has accomplished so many goals over the years, one of which was getting accredited.
Key Takeaways: [10:55] Kim joins the show and talks about Harris & Tucker schools, along with how it is a product of the civil unrest in the 60s. [12:00] Harris & Tucker becoming an urban epicenter and growth community. [15:23] Harris & Tucker is the only Black-woman, family-owned-and-operated, nationally accredited faith-based urban center in the area. [16:56] Kim speaks more about Harris & Tucker’s leadership structure. [20:56] The two big things that really set Harris & Tucker apart. [22:03] Creating superhero influencers. [24:28] Where did the phrase “big ups” come from? [25:04] Kim discusses taking on her new role after her mother’s passing and her vision for growth, including national accreditation. [27:03] The beauty of longevity in the community, along with values such as community connection and ongoing education. [28:02] Why the pandemic was the best thing that happened to the school. [33:26] The benefits they have seen since joining the Childcare Success Academy. [36:11] Automating operations and systems. [38:24] Plans for the cultural activities center. [41:27] The famous soap story! [44:13] Kim defines a childcare rockstar as someone who has helped to create a movement through transforming their community.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 29 Jan 2019 | Bringing Positivity and Integrity into Child Care with Jennifer Slavin | 00:56:55 | |
Jennifer Slavin is the Vice President of Operations at Magic Memories Child Development Centers. She has been working with children and entrepreneurial since she started her own business at age 11, “Best Babysitter.” Today, she discusses her path from starting as Director to growing with the company in the now three locations. She and Kris talk about the importance of having a director that holds everything together like glue, hiring based on core values, how her strategy of onboarding evolved, and how they have developed their culture. Jennifer leads with positivity and connection and shares how she manages conflict resolution and tips on how to have hard conversations.
Key Takeaways: [3:42] Even at a young age Jennifer loved combining her business talents and desire to work with children. When she was 11 she started her first business, “Best Babysitter.” [5:07] Jennifer is the high-level glue that holds it all together at Magic Memories. The key parts of her day include working on essential pieces of the operational side. She works directly with the Directors and Assistant Directors to make sure they are meeting their mark and sticking to their set standards. [8:04] Jennifer has a dedicated and loving family, all which help her in the work/life balance. As of this fall, her kids are enrolled in the Magic Memories Center. [12:33] They take a thoughtful approach to hiring at Magic Memories. They ask questions based on core values, look for how a candidate engages with other teachers, and take their time rather than hiring in a rapid-fire or desperate manner. They also hire within and keep A-list candidates always at the forefront of possible recruits. [21:44] Jennifer and her team at Magic Memories are always evolving the onboarding process. Currently, it is a 3-5 day training process that manages consistency and leads to the ultimate level of customer service for both parents and kids. [28:20] Jennifer leads with empathy and humility and it is apparent in the way she hands conflict resolution. She first looks to get to the root of the problem and connect heart-to-heart. She also encourages herself and others to cool down and get a handle on their own emotions to bring clarity and calm into the situation. She helps others remove their own blinders and shows her staff that to err is human but good learning lessons come out of the process. [33:57] Great cultures have a team that supports one another on the good days, and the not-so-good. [37:32] Jennifer describes a Rock Star as someone that finds joy in everything they do. [43:42] Find people that inspire you to mentor and coach you. [46:49] When you have fun with your culture and provide rewards and shout-outs, it creates a fabric of trust woven deep within the company.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions Episode 32 – “Margins, Culture, and Servant Leadership with Tony D’Agostino” Dec 20, 2018 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman
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| 21 Oct 2021 | Creating a Win Out of the Great Resignation | 00:31:20 | |
The Child Care Success Summit in Las Vegas just wrapped up, and there was so much love, support, and fun! On this week’s solo episode, Kris shares three takeaways from the Summit, from leaders and keynote speakers Marshall Goldsmith, Stedman Graham, and Andre Norman. Kris also discusses The Great Resignation, along with just how many people in almost every industry are leaving to find different work, and what we can learn from it when it comes to new ways of staffing to bring in and keep the right staff. Kris talks about things you can do to inspire your staff, how to really listen when they give you feedback on how to be better, and why you should dare to be dangerous.
Key Takeaways: [2:51] The Great Resignation is a term reflective of the record number of people quitting their jobs and looking for something different. The pandemic resulted in many employees looking at what they value, and shifting their work to find something more meaningful, possibly with more benefits, better wages, or more freedom. [3:03] Kris shares shocking statistics regarding how many people have left the workforce since the COVID pandemic began, which industries were the hardest hit from it, and what the top reasons were behind those people leaving their positions. [6:11] Kris explains the mindset shift that workers are having across all industries as a result of the pandemic. [6:43] Kris shares a feel-good reason why those working in the early child care industry are so unique. [12:06] Kris provides a few questions for us to reflect on in the upcoming weeks as we continue to look for A-player talent to join our teams and work to keep our current staff happy. [20:01] Kris shoutouts and congratulates this year's Child Care Rockstar that was awarded the prestigious honor on stage earlier this month in Las Vegas in front of the Summit audience.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: PB&J TV — Don’t forget to mention Kris Murray for a special offer!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company | |||
| 28 Sep 2023 | How to Exit Your Childcare Business the Right Way with Nathan Kelly | 00:46:02 | |
It’s an information-packed episode this week as Kris welcomes Nathan Kelly, an industry veteran and trusted figure from Founders Advisors. As the Director of the Consumer Practice at Founders, Nathan is responsible for business development, market process management, and coordinating the analyst team. In the conversation, Nathan talks with Kris about tips for business exits, expansion strategies, wealth building, key considerations for business owners, and the optimal timing for exiting your business. Plus, Nathan gives a sneak peek about an awesome new assessment tool that he will unveil when he takes the stage as one of the mainstage speakers at the upcoming Child Care Success Summit in Orlando!
Key Takeaways: [7:42] Some fun in store for the Summit, so make sure you join the waitlist. [11:57] More about Founders Advisors and the type of clients they serve. [13:03] More about Nathan’s personal life and being a busy dad of three. [14:34] Fun fact: Kris once competed in a mini ladies’ triathlon! [15:21] Nathan’s fun fact is that he once hiked 70 miles through the wilderness while in the Boy Scouts. [16:09] Tips for founders preparing for exit, and how long does the process usually take? [18:11] What are the most common pitfalls of people who want to exit? [21:49] The importance of measuring your KPIs. [23:10] What are some strategies that founders can develop in the three-year period while they get ready to exit? [25:35] The importance of market timing and personal timing. [28:29] How inflation has changed things and how leaders can make their pricing strategy reflect the current state of the market. [30:38] The two models in the childcare world: value-based and premium. [37:54] More about the assessment tool Nathan has created that will provide a quick and easy way to evaluate a business’s financial health and prepare for exit.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.
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| 29 Oct 2020 | Why You Should Use a Family Wealth Office to Get Rich with Jim Dew | 00:44:24 | |
Child Care Rockstar returns this week for the first time since the Child Care Success Summit. Kris is joined by Jim Dew, CEO of Dew Wealth Management and creator of the Functional Wealth Management process. Jim has 23 years of experience building wealth management for entrepreneurs and has been featured in Inc., Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, and more. He is also a sought-after speaker and author of Beyond a Million. Jim shares a few of the valuable lessons he learned while working as a door-to-door salesman that still apply to running a business. Jim dives deeper into his Protect, Manage and Grow approach to managing wealth and Kris shares a deeply personal story about wealth protection in her own family.
Key Takeaways: [:51] Kris reveals some highlights from the virtual Child Care Success Summit 2020 including meeting with one of her heroes; Simon Sinek. [6:51] The daycare business is essential and continues to thrive despite the challenges presented during the pandemic. [10:42] Jim and his wife, Mimi, help entrepreneurs like Kris that are generating more than $1M revenue to create virtual family offices. [13:03] In between his time being a public-school math teacher and his current career, Jim was a door-to-door salesperson. From that experience, he learned the importance of knowing your numbers; a lesson that applies to all entrepreneurs. [16:37] Jim’s approach focuses on three key outcomes; a compelling focus, wealth discovery, and an impeccable infrastructure. The three main areas he coordinates advice for his clients are Protect, Manage, and Grow. [18:08] Jim discusses common pitfalls he sees from his entrepreneurs and how his wealth management approach, including outsourcing to the right professionals, helps combat them. [25:08] The concept of the Family Wealth Office comes from observing billionaire strategy, but Jim adapts this structure for his entrepreneur clients and dives more thoroughly into his approach of Protect, Manage, and Grow. [28:43] Kris used Dew to help her to launch an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and talked about how it can be a game-changer for centers. Jim covers the key benefits of an ESOP and who it may be right for. [33:17] In regard to the Grow aspect, the first thing Jim talks about is tax planning. Another piece is investing outside of and diversifying your business. [36:23] Kris shares a deeply personal story about wealth management and protection in her own family that she encourages listeners to learn from, as well. [38:41] Jim tells an anecdote about a compelling focus technique that he learned from his personal trainer as it relates to entrepreneurs.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — Watch Summit Highlights! Beyond a Million: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook for Expanding Wealth, Freedom and Time Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It
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| 15 Dec 2022 | Part 2 of My Spiritual Journey: Meet Kirra Sherman | 00:57:41 | |
It’s a beautiful episode this week as Kris connects with one of her mentors, Kirra Sherman. They first talk about how life pulls us in different ways emotionally throughout our human journey, and how we can learn to face both the joyful and negative heartbreaking things with courage and an open heart. Kris and Kirra talk about how setting aside just 5 minutes a day to feel your feelings can have a profound effect on your whole life, what a pain body is, and how carrying around feelings of trauma can have an impact on us that we may not even be aware of.
Key Takeaways: [10:23] The importance of letting go of your projections of how things should be and accepting reality. [10:42] We don't have to call it spiritual for anybody, we could call it “okayness”. [14:20] When you start doing things that matter to you, your life as you know it may fall apart, and that’s okay. Kirra talks about someone that did the work and healed their marriage, but sometimes things can also go the other way. [18:57] What are some ways that we can learn to be open in sitting with discomfort? [24:29] Putting the awareness on the discomfort and on the feelings is life changing. [34:16] When do you know that you have reached enlightenment? Is it real? [34:22] There's no such thing as unworthiness. [39:43] When you see through the story, the less you react to it. [45:09] What really matters is your heart. One way to get into the habit of checking in with your heart is really asking yourself if this will matter years from now, and what your true feelings are in the moment. [50:33] Happiness is not a fix, it’s a change.
Quotes: [16:42] “Things that you worry about are the things that in your mind are so important, become less important, because what really becomes important are the things that truly matter.” - Kirra [34:22] “There's no such thing as unworthiness.” - Kirra [39:43] “When you see through the story, the less you react to it.” - Kirra [50:33] “Happiness is not a fix, it’s a change.” - Kirra
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy
Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal
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| 20 Jul 2023 | How to Scale Your ECE Business With Clarity and Vision with Rob Rubicco | 00:49:57 | |
In this episode, Kris sits down with Rob Rubicco, the entrepreneurial founder of Anna and Jack’s Treehouse, a childcare business with a unique blend of corporate experience and a family feel. Rob shares the incredible journey of he and his wife Christina, starting with Anna's Treehouse in a basement and scaling it to multiple locations. With his background in management consulting for renowned companies like Disney and Coca-Cola, Rob brings a corporate approach to customer experience in the childcare industry. Rob talks about the selling points that set Anna and Jack’s Treehouse apart, including their amazing programs, wonderful teachers, and even their homemade fresh pasta sauce. Rob emphasizes the importance of traditional values as a leader and the significance of setting clear expectations for teachers. He also shares his journey with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and how it has helped him scale his business with clarity and efficiency.
Key Takeaways: [6:37] The daycare that started it all, called Anna’s Treehouse, that started in a basement, then Jack’s Treehouse, and how it evolved into a commercial space. [11:01] Before getting into childcare, Rob was a management consultant, helping companies like Disney and Coca-Cola find ways to enhance their overall customer experience. [13:53] Taking care of the children of first responders during the pandemic. [17:19] We need less stigma around men in childcare and in leadership roles around childcare. [18:11] Fun fact: Rob is actually a trained chef, and even studied at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and appeared on the Food Network. [22:34] If their great programs and wonderful teachers don’t do the trick of enrollment, the fresh pasta sauce may just be the next best-selling point. [24:17] Some of the great selling points at Anna and Jack’s Treehouse that set them apart and give them that family feel. [29:33] Getting back to his traditional values as a leader. [30:29] The importance of setting expectations and communicating them clearly to teachers. [31:50] How Rob got into his EOS journey. [34:56] The structure of what EOS brings allows you to scale much more quickly and more pain-free with more clarity. [48:19] Using Trainual to systemize and build out their training platforms.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… And Others Don't, by Jim Collins The Finisher’s Journal: High Performance Planner
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| 07 Jun 2018 | Family First with Steve Lloyd | 00:56:22 | |
Steve Lloyd, visionary and co-owner of Busy Little Hands Learning Center, is a model of growing by leaps and bounds when you apply the right mindset, practices, and leadership in your school. Steve talks with Kris about his unconventional journey into child care, and how he and his mother Jessica have morphed and expanded Busy Little Hands with the help of some amazing and highly engaged staff. It’s a deep dive into the culture, core values, service standards, employee retention, motivating millennials, healthy communication habits, and how to create a pleasurable atmosphere with everyone involved being empowered and accountable.
Key Takeaways: [1:05] The Child Care Success Summit in Dallas is soon upon us. For those that have not registered yet, it has sold out over the past several years, so don’t sleep on it! It is October 25-27, and you can expect amazing speakers, new content, and over 700 owners and industry leaders sharing their tips for success in running schools. [5:09] And wait — there’s more! Kris has offered a special promo for podcast listeners only! When you purchase your Summit tickets at: Childcaresuccesssummit.com, enter the code: rockstar at checkout and receive an extra $100 off your ticket. The offer is good until the tickets sell out. [6:25] Busy Little Hands Learning Center in Centennial, CO has expanded to 131 kids and 33 team members. Steve Lloyd is co-owner along with his mom Jessica and her sister back in 2008. Steve and his wife have three kids. Steve in his third year of Platinum membership of the Child Care Success Academy. [9:45] Steve’s brother Sam inspired him with his mission to make a difference in people’s lives, and make his work really matter. He started studying medicine and worked as an ambulance paramedic. After a few years when his mother Jessica offered him work running the school, he followed that calling and is grateful now for making the right choice. They knew that investing in themselves first was of utmost importance to running a good business, and attended the Child Care Summit. [14:00] Steve also spends time with adolescents, as a dedicated volunteer Scout Master. [16:41] Their five-year plan: to have three to five schools in the Denver area over the next several years and for his mother Jessica to retire. [18:45] Defining your “why” with core values helps employees understand and respect the decisions and actions asked of them. [20:42] The five core values of Busy Little Hands that they hire upon and live by every day:
[24:02] Millenials are highly motivated by a sense of purpose, belonging and impact. The more they feel their work matters, the more invested they will be to live the core values of their school. [28:24] Core values define why you do what you do, but your service standards define how you do what you do. [29:39] Steve is very excited about Busy Little Hands service standards.
[37:34] Shaping your core values and service standards is a long-term process. It’s a marathon, not a sprint and takes time for everyone to adapt and agree but it’s worth the work it takes to implement them. [43:18] Steve is shifting towards the idea of a weekly Zoom meeting with his staff and compensating them for a casual evening meeting where staff get to be home and in the comfort of their own home. [48:42] When your boss is also your mother, the bar for creating an environment of excellence is set even higher. Steve feels that despite the challenges that have popped up along the way, they have made him an even better leader and decision maker. [51:21] Steve defines a rock star as someone that knows their vision, and takes steps towards it every day. Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Busy Little Hands Early Learning Center The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, by Jeff Olson | |||
| 10 Feb 2022 | Elevating Hard Conversations with Little Ones Featuring Dr. Lauren Starnes | 00:38:24 | |
Kris welcomes Dr. Lauren Starnes this week, VP of Early Childhood Education at Primrose Schools, where she supports curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. Lauren’s new book, Big Conversations with Little Children, helps provide tools and techniques to help teachers and leaders overcome the stress and hurdles in education. Dr. Lauren talks with Kris about the incredible growth of the Primrose franchise, now with 500 locations, the many hats that teachers wear, how we can build trust with children and parents, and the difference between honest answers and oversharing.
Key Takeaways: [8:27] As the VP of Early Childhood Education, Dr. Lauren’s job is to oversee everything that happens educationally within the four walls of Primrose Schools. With over 500 franchise locations, Primrose currently serves infants through kindergarten as well as before and after school. [10:02] Dr. Lauren’s team has many roles including diving deep into research and development of the curriculum, assessment accreditation, fixtures and equipment, and much more. [11:30] Lauren is the mother of two sons, both of whom keep her very busy with travel baseball. She also has a house full of assorted animals. [12:20] Fun fact: Lauren is a music lover of all genres, from country to R&B. [13:41] What are a couple of the top issues Lauren has seen taking place with teacher teams? How can we best set ourselves up to succeed? [14:28] We have to remember that teaching preschool is a difficult job already, and a stressful and multifaceted one. [15:15] Dr. Lauren discusses the importance of finding ways to support early childhood teachers, engage them, offer professional development, and pull them out of isolation. [17:30] The more we can relate to the family on a personal level, the more we’re going to be able to connect the chat on an educational level. [19:02] How can we help both children and parents develop and maintain trust? [20:19] Dr. Lauren discusses her book, Big Conversations with Little Children, and gives examples of a few questions children may have that warrants a conversation that is supportive and builds trust. [27:02] How do we give honest answers without scaring the child? [27:43] Teachers wear many hats. Families see teachers just beyond the classroom. Sometimes they are a physical therapist, behavioral counselor, personal therapist, doctor, and almost everything in between. Dr. Lauren’s book helps teachers develop a system where they can provide resources when the child or family needs a professional. [29:51] Dr. Lauren and Kris are both strong believers in mentorship. Kris talks about how her third-grade teacher helped set her up on a path of believing in herself.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading, by Bobby Herrera The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need from Grownups, by Erika Christakis Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership, by Maurice Sykes | |||
| 01 Oct 2020 | Becoming a Stronger, More Resilient Leader with Nefertiti Poyner | 00:50:46 | |
Kris couldn’t think of a better time to bring in the wonderful Dr. Nefertiti Poyner, to talk about resilience and the right protective factors that will serve us through the storms of life. In this episode, Dr. Poyner shares her unique insights for staying resilient in times of crisis and stress, how we can let go of toxic people and patterns in our lives, and advice for directors and leaders to get through the pandemic with a little more grace and sanity.
Key Takeaways: [12:20] Dr. Poyner always wanted to be a teacher and had great role models in her family and throughout her own upbringing. She loved teaching but could have used the knowledge she knows now about socio-emotional health and why some children struggle with balance. [14:30] The Devereux Center for Resilient Children provides assessments and reports for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. They also lead workshops and programs for helping adults learn how to fill their own cup, so they show up in the world with more empathy and compassion for others. [27:16] There is strength in asking for help. [29:13] Fun Fact: Dr. Poyner loves the Golden Girls and definitely would be a Sophia. [30:21] Having empathy for your team doesn’t mean you always have to agree with them. It means you are walking in their shoes because you would want them to do the same. [32:56] Teachers still have to prove all the time that they work hard and that their job and industry should be taken just as seriously as any other profession. [36:44] Protective factors don’t make challenging times go away, but they do buffer our experience. Examples of protective factors include:
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Devereux Center for Resilient Children
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| 11 Apr 2024 | An “Easy Button” For Child Care Management with Daniel Andrews and Sasha Reiss | 00:37:15 | |
It’s all about the best and brightest in software automation for schools this week, as Kris welcomes Daniel Andrews and Sasha Reiss, co-founders of Playground, an innovative childcare management software company. They first share Playground’s unique story of being friends since high school and creating a solution for their own families’ childcare centers. Daniel and Sasha highlight Playground’s differentiating features, such as drop-in care management and integrated payroll modules, and they share insights into hiring practices and their vision for AI in childcare. At the end of the episode, Daniel and Sasha share lessons they’ve learned on scaling their own company and fun yet powerful ways to maintain a happy company culture.
Register for our ECE tech webinar with Playground here: https://www.childcaresuccess.com/how-to-navigate-the-evolving-tech-landscape-for-enhanced-operational-efficiency-in-your-ece-business-may-2-2024-webinar/
Key Takeaways: [3:15] Kris announces the two-day virtual challenge, The Road to Freedom. [6:31] Playground’s founding story. [8:38] How does Playground’s mission and technology stand out in a crowded space? [11:37] Perspective on ECE’s past of being a slower adopter of technology, and how that’s changing. [12:53] The “grandma test.” [15:38] The lessons Sasha and Daniel have learned about scaling and growing a business. [17:09] Some of the tools and technology Playground uses. [20:09] The grounding and stabilizing force of working with family. [22:44] Personal and professional inspiration. [25:29] What they look for in new hires. [26:36] Playground’s short but effective interview process. [31:29] What’s next for the Playground team? [33:13] Using AI to improve family interactions, especially with communication, engagement, and lesson plans.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. Webinar: Emerging Technologies Revolutionizing the Childcare Industry
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| 12 Nov 2020 | A Dream of 10 Schools and a Cabin in the Woods with Chantel & Zack Pettengill | 00:51:02 | |
This week Kris is joined by Chantel and Zack Pettengill; a husband-wife duo and owners of the Pettengill Academy in Maine. They placed second in our Child Care Rockstar 2020 contest and have managed to keep their center nearly full during the pandemic. They also talk about overcoming the pitfalls they’ve had from licensing, parents, social media, and more that almost shut their doors.
Key Takeaways: [3:03] Kris shares some personal goals for 2021 and encourages you to set yours. [10:15] Some of the things that set Pettengill Academy apart include being Certified Eco-Healthy (pre-COVID-19), fresh foods, an education background, and a natural-based playground. [11:38] Chantel has been working in daycare for 20 years; starting with 10 kids in a basement to a 10,000 sq. foot facility with 144 capacity. [16:26] Fun fact about Chantel: She has a black belt in karate! Fun fact about Zack: He met Chantel in karate class. [19:04] Chantel talks about some initial problems she had with staff, parents, grandparents, licensing, turnover, and even child injuries reported, and what they learned from them. [24:14] In 2018 they started to turn things around when they developed a relationship with a new licensor and they met with Coach Brian. [25:13] Chantel and Zack share the way their systems and mindsets changed after meeting with the Child Care Success Academy and specific rewards they use for staff in their center. [30:47] Zack uses meditation, planners, and books to improve mindset. [34:48] So many of us have faced depression and difficult times during the pandemic; Kris talks with Chantel and Zack about the importance of community. [36:54] The biggest tips Chantel has for Marketing Enrollment are always paying attention to it, always advertising, and consistently following up. Personality is a big one as well as personalization, extra effort, and paying attention to the details. [44:28] A Child Care Rockstar to them means someone with perseverance, who can create a positive growth mindset in a tenacious and enthusiastic way.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reactions, by Jon Taffer
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| 08 Oct 2020 | The Powerful Benefits of Using a Coach with Brian Duprey | 00:44:22 | |
This week, Kris is joined by Brian Duprey, Certified Child Care Coach and the Director of Business Development at The Child Care Success Company. He is a 20-year veteran who came to his first Child Care Success Summit in 2015 and became a coach in 2017. Last year, Brian wrote his first book, Child Care Millionaire, for early childhood business owners wanting to grow their business into a (multi) million-dollar company, and he also co-authored The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Education with Kris. Kris and Brian discuss surviving COVID-19 as a child care center owner, money managing, marketing, expanding business, tour tips, escaping to Jamaica, and more.
Key Takeaways: [6:55] Brian talks about how his five locations, Little Angels, are operating during COVID-19. From closures to lowered capacity, to utilizing funding programs; he is now operating at a higher occupancy than pre-pandemic. [9:44] Brian shares his best tips for how his businesses survived the pandemic, including transparency with his employees, outreach to his competitors, donuts, and pizza. [12:45] Why anyone interested in expanding their business needs to (virtually) attend Brian’s breakout workshop “Innovation Expansion Opportunities” at The Child Care Reimagined Success Summit and why he recommends people should strive to be salmon. Yes, salmon. [14:33] Brian opened nine schools and has never borrowed from a bank; he owns four of his five buildings and he opened his first center with only $5,000. [16:20] Having multiple schools gives you more flexibility and helps you leverage staffing, productivity, profits, and more. Five schools are much easier to run than one. The hardest school to open is #2 because people are so emotionally invested in their first school and don’t want to relinquish control. [19:00] Buy in cash and quickly pay off debt so you, too, can spend half the year in Jamaica! [20:42] Thanks to the strategies learned from the Child Care Success Summit, Brian has done more with his business in the last five years than in the 15 years prior to the summit. [23:23] Brian talks about how a strategy session/coaching call works. Schedule your free call here! [28:12] The three major “pain points” Brian finds when coaching clients are enrollment, staffing, and the daily overwhelm. He dives deeper into how he approaches overcoming these and why there are tips he only teaches on these phone calls. [30:18] Treat tours like a sales call and other tour tips. [35:26] Brian is most proud of the book he co-authored with Kris; The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators. He values his educators and their happiness and wants to change the mindset to a place where they want to make a difference. Owners need to read this, too!
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Child Care Millionaire (Brian’s book on Amazon) The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators (Kris and Brian’s book on Amazon)
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| 08 Jun 2023 | Funding and Advocacy for ECE, Across All 50 States with Cindy Lehnhoff | 00:55:17 | |
Kris welcomes a special guest, Miss Cindy Lehnhoff, the director of the National Child Care Association. With over four decades of experience in the industry, including various roles within the learning care group, Cindy is passionate about strengthening and professionalizing the field. Cindy and Kris explore the world of advocacy and how to be our own best advocates. They discuss the importance of staying informed about policy changes and share insights on leveraging our political power as business owners or leaders. Cindy addresses misconceptions and fears around advocacy, debunking the notion that it requires an excessive time commitment, along with the vital role of engaging parents and teachers in this journey.
Key Takeaways: [10:48] Cindy’s background in child care and the path that got her into advocacy and the NCCA. [14:40] Cindy is now the Director of the NCCA. [16:49] Cindy and her high school sweetheart are still married and living in Florida, with three incredible adult children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren! [18:40] Fun Fact: Cindy didn’t choose a career in child care — it chose her! [21:02] How early childhood professionals aren’t often comfortable with advocating for themselves, and why it’s important. [22:34] Advice for people to build up confidence towards advocating for themselves using the three Cs: collaborate, connect, and communicate. [30:50] The CHIPS Act, and how we can do better with funding and creating a better ecosystem for education. [37:52] How do we engage more people in our communities? [39:20] What types of things does the National Child Care Association provide for its members? [45:38] There’s no industry more essential than child care if we want to get America back to work fully. [50:52] Options for accreditation, including NECPA.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal National Child Care Association
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| 19 Aug 2021 | Keeping It Real: Why We Struggle With Being Good Leaders Featuring Shelley Smith | 00:55:04 | |
In this incredibly powerful episode, Kris sits down with Shelley Smith, Culture Curator, Author, Speaker, and Consultant. Shelley has a passion for making the lives of others easier and less stressful and has created a world of incredible tools that serve as absolute game-changers. She talks about why culture matters and how to hire the right person and set them up for success, and shares some incredible stats around employee retention from some of her clients. Shelley and Kris talk about the return on investment that occurs when everyone is on board with the same mission and values, and the different tools she chooses to measure success and take action upon those results that really move the needle.
Key Takeaways:
Quotes:
Sponsored By: PB&J TV — Don’t forget to mention Kris Murray for a special offer!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company | |||
| 09 May 2024 | From Floater to Executive Director with Shannon Vasquez | 00:38:28 | |
Kris welcomes Shannon Vasquez, Executive Director of PB Schools. Shannon started as a floater in 2004 and has since grown the organization to 8 locations. In their chat, Shannon shares her journey from floater to leader and her goals for the upcoming year. She discusses how the Academy's training and coaching have helped her build confidence in her leadership abilities and implement strategic planning practices. She and Kris chat about growing collaborative teams and the importance of courageous leadership when facing challenges. Plus, Shannon shares some fun facts including one of her favorite ways to destress - watching true crime!
Key Takeaways: [7:37] Shannon talks about PB Preschool and celebrates her 20th work anniversary. [8:26] Shannon started as a floater. [9:47] Shannon’s favorite age to work with. [10:08] What a typical week looks like for Shannon. [12:27] Why starting from scratch can be a good thing. [13:29] Challenges in hiring and retaining staff. [13:33] Growth is happening, but there's still a long way to go in aligning company practices across two counties. [13:57] Shannon’s goals for 2024. [14:55] An update on enrollment. [15:50] The 8 schools combined hold a capacity of 878. [16:37] Fun fact: Shannon is a crime fan! [18:16] Shannon discusses the expansion. [21:28] How the business changed and morphed over the last eight years. [23:41] Feeling like a more confident leader and making friendships inside the Academy. [26:20] The importance of listening. [28:32] Winning Director of the Year. [31:03] How Shannon defines a childcare rockstar.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. “Ep. 61 — Stackable Core Values, Branding, and Managing People Well with Karla McCurry” | |||
| 23 Apr 2020 | How Dedication and Intention Make All the Difference with Lori Semke | 00:53:20 | |
Lori Semke is the Executive Director at Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion Preschool in Minnesota. She joins the show to share her game-changing strategies on weathering the storm as a team during tough times, why dedication and intention in enrollment really do make the difference, and what it is like working as a part of a Visionary/Integrator team with her schools owner and previous guest Dawn Uribe. Lori also shares her experience taking home the Director of the Year Award this past October at The Child Care Success Summit™ and how that honor has inspired her mission even further. Key Takeaways: [1:09] Mis Amigos is a Spanish Immersion Preschool and currently has three locations in Minnesota. [2:44] Lori has been the Executive Director at Mis Amigos since 2012 and worked before in the legal field as a litigator along with three years at the non-profit Children’s Law Center of Minnesota. While at the non-profit, it was apparent that she had a passion for both helping children and using her law background, which she gets to do plenty of both in her position at Mis Amigos. [5:07] Lori won the Director of the Year 2019 Award at The Child Care Success Summit™ this past October. Judging by the nominations that came flooding into Kris’s inbox, Lori is very well-loved by her team. [8:11] Lori wears many hats as the Executive Director, including enrollment, working with vendors and HR, and carrying out the visions for growth and expansion. She has to be focused both on the day-to-day and the larger picture. [12:53] It really moves the needle when you have one person focused on enrollment. Whether it’s an Enrollment Director or Specialist, they can make sure every step is well-thought-out and executed. [19:02] Families need to feel that they are wanted and that their enrollment is appreciated and welcomed. This is where a great leader needs to communicate with the team from the top down so they know exactly how to provide that concierge-type experience. [30:48] No matter how strong a team is, they will go through some challenging times together. This is where communication is key, so everyone can know what the plan is and their individual roles in keeping things balanced and healthy. [36:18] The team at Mis Amigos has greatly benefited from sharing their guidance as leaders and acting as mentors to help one another. [43:02] To Lori, a child care rockstar is someone that has overcome challenges despite obstacles, and remains to have a large passion for what they do. They are motivated to grow and love creating incredible experiences for those along their path.
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket | |||
| 28 Jul 2022 | Eliminating Isolation in This Crazy World with Maureen Thompson | 00:46:24 | |
Kris welcomes Maureen “Mo” Thompson, M.Ed., founder of the Rocky Mountain Kids Club, for the first live interview. Mo talks with Kris about creating a mobile learning space by outfitting her RV, how we can break barriers between children and adults, and how to help children embrace their weirdness. Mo discusses how reducing isolation might positively impact gun violence and how it’s up to the community to help children that have nowhere else to turn. It’s a powerful and insightful episode that is much needed in today’s world.
Key Takeaways: [11:41] A statement stuck with Maureen early on that she has always embraced in her career: “Kids are not available to learn unless they are emotionally stable.” [12:31] Maureen talks about creating a mobile meeting space during the pandemic, and how that has helped bring her fun and learning to more kids. [16:31] Parents should teach their children to accept those that are different than them that might seem "weird" to them at first, and always say yes when someone different asks if they can join you. to [17:12] Parents should teach their children to invite the weirdos and when someone asks if they can join you, the answer is always yes. [26:41] Maureen talks about her own challenging times in life and navigating loss. It’s important to ask for help and realize that we are all going through something. [27:39] In today’s job market, employers are looking for adaptability and emotional intelligence. [28:50] Kris and Maureen discuss the Sandy Hook Promises’s Start with Hello movement to teach empathy and reduce feelings of isolation, which in turn can reduce violence.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy | |||
| 19 May 2022 | Changing the World of Non-Profit Education with Joan Dillon | 00:52:38 | |
If you are feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and under-appreciated, this episode is for you. Kris welcomes friend and client Joan Dillon with the Glassboro Child Development Centers in New Jersey. Joan is also the “Change the World Winner,” and after hearing her talk about her commitment to her core values, it’s quite clear why. Joan talks about the shift she made from feeling like she needed to do everything at her center to learning to trust her team and helping them feel empowered and on board with the company’s values. Joan talks about taking control of her own health and wellness, and how that freed her up to put more energy into building up her team, leadership, and culture. She discusses how Glassboro has grown from an early childhood center to a multifaceted agency, and how she hires in accordance with her mission and core values in mind. Key Takeaways: [5:27] Kris gives an update on how she’s been “clearing out the junk” energetically, and making space for even more things to come with what she is aligned with at her highest level. [10:26] Glassboro Child Development Center is a private nonprofit organization, and Joan has been there since 1988 when she started out doing school-aged child care. [11:33] Joan is proud of the work they do to help families which they describe as ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, and employed). She was in an ALICE family herself and knows that they too deserve the highest quality of care and attention to detail. [16:00] Fun fact! Joan would describe herself as an even-tempered dance mom. Yes, they do exist! [21:54] Joan talks about driving to the Summit in 2017 because she had bad flight anxiety, and how the event changed her life and began to show her that she didn’t do everything all on her own. [28:22] Instead of asking for permission or forgiveness, ask for support. [29:05] You have to believe in yourself and believe in what could be, and then garner support for that. [30:36] Joan talks about how her team and leadership and culture got stronger, as she learned to ask for support. [33:20] Joan never knew life could be so much fun. [38:55] How does Joan hire and train to her core values, and what about when they brought everyone back after COVID-19? [42:14] Good leaders learn to take care of the managers in a way that helps them get what they need. [49:08] Employees should know that they are working there because they want to be, not because they have to. [50:11] Nonprofit doesn't have to mean reduced quality.
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy | |||
| 03 Aug 2023 | How to Create Waves of Positive Change In Your Communities with Robin Harris | 00:48:14 | |
Don't miss this powerful and heartfelt episode, featuring the incredible Miss Robin Harris. Driven by her passion to empower and motivate teachers within the school system, Robin shares invaluable insights on making a lasting impact on students’ lives through effective strategies that surpass standard expectations, promoting constant improvement and excellence. Robin discusses finding her energy and drive in the early childhood world, the unwavering motivation that enables her to be a guiding light to others, and details about her Level Up program, two schools, and her fun alter ego. Tune in for one of Kris’s favorite episodes!
Key Takeaways: [5:28] Robin talks about the Future Leaders Learning Academy, right outside of Houston in Spring, Texas. They have a capacity of 68; the Harris Academic Club has a capacity of 150. [7:03] How they got into offering homeschooling, and the benefits that students receive including a lot of personalized attention. [9:53] How Robin’s aunt and uncle helped her realize that she could be something more and make a big difference in the world. [12:15] Kris shares the story of Mrs. Irish, the teacher who made the biggest impact in her life. [15:55] Empowered teachers are the number one leverage point and the most important thing in education for children to fully thrive. [17:20] Robin has an alter ego?! OMG! [20:00] Robin talks about her interactive workbook, Success Looks Good On You. [21:37] Unique selling points or differentiation of Robin’s schools, and how the word of mouth and results do the promoting and selling on their own. [25:29] Robin helps teachers bring their energy and passion back for teaching, and big things happen. [29:32] How the open concept teaching works, and why both the future leaders and parents love it. [32:08] What strategy does Robin employ for the youngsters? [33:25] Robin talks about her Level Up curriculum. [43:01] What are Robin’s plans for 2023 and beyond, including the brilliant ABCDE awards?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal Level Up: 1-888-700-1017 | |||
| 02 Dec 2021 | Leaning Into Excellence with Jerzell Pierre-Louis | 00:43:40 | |
Kris kicks off this week with a fun new announcement about a recent purchase she made and then welcomes Jerzell Pierre-Louis, Founder of Sprout Early Education Center and Bloom Early Education Center. Ever since Kris heard Jerzell talking next to her table in Las Vegas, she knew she had to have her on. Jerzell shares her game-changing strategies for upping your marketing and enrollment, talks about leaving people better than we found them, and how to model the behavior you want to see to your team. Jerzell gets us jazzed about scaling bigger and better, and how she has overcome challenges by leaning in, asking for help, and surrounding herself with excellent people.
Key Takeaways: [6:22] Kris checked off one of her big dreams and bucket list items, and bought herself a beautiful metallic blue Porsche 911! [10:09] Jerzell has been an owner/operator for the past eight years but was also involved in the education field for over 20 years. She started Sprout in 2013 and officially opened the doors in 2014. Located in the Columbus area, they are full at a capacity of 71. [13:41] Fun Fact! She grew up in Mississippi and can hunt and use a crossbow! [14:07] What are the unique selling points that Jerzell and her team offer, and what does she feel sets her program apart from the competition? [19:24] Jerzell talks about how the pandemic has been the biggest business challenge she has faced, and how she shifted her focus to lean into the academy, her pod, and the resources that are available. [22:22] Sprout is intentional about developing leaders and sticking to Jerzell’s core values. Her life slogan is “It’s important for me to leave people better off than I found them.” [25:25] Jerzell shows her leaders the level of quality she expects by showing them how to love on the children, and what good care looks like. [30:00] What are the benefits of working within a pod? There are many, but some include execution, implementation, and accountability? [33:10] What changed for Jerzell when she started to invest in herself. How was hiring a coach a game-changer? [36:38] What is a rockstar to Jerzell? Someone that is an advocate, resilient, and understands their impact on our future generations.
Quotes:
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Ultimate Childcare Marketing Guide: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Success, by Kris Murray The 77 Best Strategies to Grow Your Early Childcare Program - FREE! The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds, By Michael Lewis | |||
| 23 Apr 2019 | Creating a Culture Where Children Come First with Jennifer Vazquez | 01:01:25 | |
Jennifer Vazquez, Owner of A Sunny Start Preschool, joins the show today. She talks about the culture of caring, how she sets herself apart from the competition in her three full locations in the Miami area, attracting great employees, and marketing techniques that have made the biggest changes in her enrollment growth.
Key Takeaways: [3:41] A Sunny Start Preschool has three locations in Florida, with all three schools being full at capacity. Jennifer prides her entire team on offering a great experience that focuses on the child first. [7:46] Jennifer looks to hire great people and offers them further training, education, and support to grow both professionally and personally. [12:21] A Sunny Start stays top-of-mind with existing and potential clients through social media posts and monthly newsletters. [18:33] It is extremely valuable to have someone solely focused on maintaining great quality social media and SEO within the school. They can help administrative staff stay focused while making sure communication is consistent and engaging. [19:44] A child care leader must have a belief in the quality of their school and not be afraid to market, hire and increase rates appropriately without fear. [28:16] Jennifer was in the mortgage and investment industry prior to child care and learned about owning a preschool through a friend in her professional network. When the real estate market crashed she lost almost everything and knew she needed to make a change in order to provide for her family. [31:47] Jennifer’s advice for business owners that want to grow and expand: don’t give up, keep a positive mindset, and stay focused on your goals. The success story of A Sunny Start’s three locations didn’t happen overnight, and much of the success was due to the great experience of the families plus the consistent marketing and outreach. [41:54] Learning to understand people and see failure as an opportunity is a large part of having a positive and winning mindset. We all have our weak moments but we grow and succeed when we move forward and focus on the importance of relationships and open dialogue. [43:54] Jennifer defines a Child Care Rockstar as “anyone that has a passion for molding a child and impacting their life.” [47:32] Jennifer’s words of wisdom from her experience:
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao, by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer The Power of Intention, by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek | |||
| 24 May 2024 | Confident Leadership & A Strong Marriage with Rick and Nancy Kodama | 00:55:00 | |
The story this week starts with pizza, so you know it’s going to be a good one! Kris welcomes Rick and Nancy Kodama from Kid’s World Learning Center. Rick and Nancy are a husband-and-wife team based near Houston, Texas. They share some great tips on having a business together as a married couple for over three decades. They chat with Kris about their journey from owning Domino’s Pizza franchises to transitioning into early childhood education and give perspective on how having four sons affected their overall managing style and work-life balance. They also talk about how joining the Childcare Success Academy impacted Nancy’s leadership growth and confidence in running their school.
Key Takeaways: [3:42] Kris set herself a goal of visiting all seven continents and speaks a bit about her Amazonian adventures. [6:35] Rick and Nancy join from Texas. [8:00] Kid’s World started in 2012 and now has a capacity of 262. They have nine classrooms. [9:12] Rick and Nancy share more about their four sons and family background. [15:03] How they went from a Domino’s Pizza franchise to Kid’s World, and lessons learned along the way. [20:01] Remembering that you’re in a relationship business, and true connections matter. [23:09] Fun fact! Talk about a large family — Rick has over 150 relatives in California. [25:38] Leading without micromanaging. [26:37] What The Child Care Success Academy has taught them about leadership. [32:14] Communication, respect, and overcoming challenges as partners. [44:18] The “other” Nancy at Domino’s that inspired our Nancy. [46:18] What’s next for this husband-and-wife duo?
Quotes:
Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode: The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal. | |||
| 05 Jul 2018 | The Epitome of Hustle with Don Alley | 00:52:57 | |
Don Alley is the owner of Center Stage Preschool in Ashburn, VA, and is an example of the results that unfold when you focus and dream big. Don has 30 years of experience in martial arts and has been running his three karate schools successfully for the last twenty years. He built his preschool from scratch in 2016 and quickly filled his location. He joins Kris for a great chat including ways to use playfulness and personality to stand out of the crowd and set yourself apart with high-level marketing assets, expert tips on how to delegate successfully, his future plans of expansion and growth within his schools, and how he manages running multiple brands. This episode is chock full of action items you can use to shift your business right away, so be sure to take some notes of what changes you can begin to implement immediately.
Key Takeaways: [2:40] Fun Fact: A Facebook ad with video usually outperforms a regular post with just a photo by double the amount. A professionally edited video is great, but even just a homemade one from your phone still does the trick. [3:29] Don is our newest Platinum Plus member in the Child Care Success Academy. [4:35] As a special thank you, Kris will be choosing comments left on the podcast page, blog or iTunes and mentioning them on this show! If you want your school to be mentioned, be sure to write it in the comment. You can check out the podcast page on the website here. And, just for listening to this episode, you can save $100 off when you use the code “rockstar” for the Child Care Success Summit. [7:41] Don merged his passion for karate, child care, and theater to create a place for children to experience a unique and challenging curriculum. [11:28] Don married his elementary school crush after he randomly bumped into her years later, and had the courage to ask her out. [12:58] Pick up the pen and journal. It’s therapeutic, and even just writing one page a day is a great way to get the flow moving. Don cites the book The Artist’s Way as a great way to get started. [16:52] Don leverages both of his businesses, and uses the customer base and geographic proximity as supportive tools for recommending the other. [19:14] To have ten locations by the end of 2020 is Don’s goal for the next several years. He also loves helping people figure out their “aha” moments, so consulting and some business-to-business endeavors may be on the horizon as well. [25:57] Don may be the owner of Center Stage, but he thinks of himself and his business assistant/partner Heather as the co-founders. Heather has been instrumental in helping him run his life and business in an organized fashion, so he felt great about both of them working in tandem to create their dreams from scratch with her as Director. He gave her a ton of autonomy within a structure, and she ran with it and is a leader herself while taking a lot off Don’s plate. [30:01] New hires and potential team members must have the right attitude and energy first, as that is something that is next to impossible to train into someone. [30:43] Center Stage’s capacity is 54 and they are currently full, especially thanks to the Enrollment Boot Camp. [32:58] Don uses person-to-person marketing for his karate schools. They will attend events, festivals and give away a guest pass to bring people in. He realized quickly that he needed a different strategy for preschool, and the internet was the best way to make it happen. He first created a flashcard video, and within a short time he had over 30,000 views and was getting recognized in the community as the “preschool guy”! [38:33] If you feel too shy or introverted to put yourself on camera, there are still many workarounds for making great videos, including using kids, another employee that would love to be the face of the business, or taking acting or coaching classes to develop on-camera skills. [45:50] Don’s karate training and mentors taught him to always learn, find solutions, and level up. He uses that mindset for growth in his own profession and the way he inspires others to think of bigger solutions to big problems. [46:56] Don’s definition of a rockstar is someone who is trying to add a tremendous amount of value to their communities with their business, at a level where they themselves have delegated the role of Director.
Mentioned in This Episode: Child Care Marketing Solutions The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron Flash Card Video Marketing Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom, by Robert T. Kiyosaki Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill
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