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: “It’s not just all about money. It’s all about putting our experience into action, helping families, and helping our communities. That’s our mission.” [12:03] “Our mission is to make a positive impact on the lives of the families and communities we serve. That’s what we live every single day.” — Silvia Sarhadian [16:40] “It’s not like we have to, we get to do this, and we do it with love.” — Silvia Sarhadian [20:00] “You are the CEO of your own classroom. What are the needs and challenges of your classroom, and how can you make it a better place?” — Silvia Sarhadian [30:19] “Never lead from fear.” — Silvia Sarhadian [39:51]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Child Care Success Summit Grow Your Center Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal Silvia on LinkedIn The Learning Experience Make A Wish Foundation New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators

This week I am joined by rockstar Rachel Supalla. Rachel is a multi-site owner of Discovery Kidzone in Montana as well as one of the newest coaches here at The Child Care Success Company. She has shared her expertise as a national speaker at Association for Early Learning Leaders, NAEYC, and more. We dive into Rachel’s unique strengths, her creative quest to culture building (and budgeting!), a special curriculum she developed that’s a blend of Montessori, Reggio, and mindfulness, as well as some savvy financial planning.   Key Takeaways: [7:43] Rachel is now officially one of the coaches here at The Child Care Success Company.  She discusses some of her goals and integrating her personal approaches to clients. [9:54] Rachel has been in the industry for 24 years and has an extensive background, complete with multiple certifications and degrees. [12:27] Discovery Kidzone also has branches in California that Rachel’s partner, Alex, runs. [14:55] Taking advantage of PPP and grants were part of the best practices that Rachel used to stay financially viable through the pandemic.  [19:00] Specific ways Rachel kept culture really high for staff, parents, and the community, during the pains of the pandemic. [22:30] Rachel shares how she has developed her Zoom preschool model. [27:00] Diving into the unique curriculum Rachel developed that blends Montessori, Reggio, and brain-based learning around mindfulness. [30:59] More about the training that Rachel does for AELL, NAEYC, regionally, and possibly for The Child Care Success Company. [33:40] Ways Rachel wants to expand in 2021 including new centers, summer camps, & books. [34:45] Rachel just started doing EOS. So… What the Heck Is EOS? [36:29] Rachel and Kris both dive deeper into the financial piece of the business. [42:02] How does Rachel define a Child Care Rockstar? [43:18] Some things Rachel is into right now including Tony Robbins, The Happiness Guide, Leadershift, and Free to Focus. [45:42] Fun fact about Rachel: She went to high school with John Maxwell’s (Leadershift author) daughter. Now that she’s a Child Care Success coach, she’ll become John Maxwell certified!   Quotes:   “In a time when you’re facing unprecedented sadness, anxiety, and fear — such as 2020 with the pandemic — how can you shift your team into a place of abundance, happiness, and gratitude?” — Kris   “I’ll do whatever it takes, but I just don’t want to have a big layoff.” — Rachel “The company culture was really the biggest thing because it was keeping the staff happy and feeling important.” — Rachel “I wanted to be on offense; for the entire pandemic that was my goal. I didn’t want to play defense.” — Rachel “Know your numbers.” — Kris “Child care owners and leaders are special not only because they have incredible strength and drive, but also have giant hearts. And sometimes those giant hearts can get in the way!” — Rachel   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Rachel Supalla Instagram Discovery Kidzone John Maxwell Tony Robbins The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators: Secrets to Living Your Best Life In and Out of the Classroom, by Brian Duprey and Kris Murray Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace, by John C. Maxwell Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less, by Michael Hyatt  Association for Early Learning Leaders NAEYC What the Heck Is EOS?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS, by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer  

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:   “Let’s look at our lives and figure out what we really, really want because this is not a dress rehearsal and I want you to not be stuck in your life.” “It can be super fun but also super challenging to work with family.” “Keep working on it, keep going, don’t give up.”   “Tenacity is what has carried us through; being able to not give up and not give in.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Pettengill Academy Straight Up: Honest, Unfiltered, As-Real-As-I-Can-Put-It Advice for Life’s Biggest Challenges, by Trent Shelton Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reactions, by Jon Taffer  

In this episode, Kris is joined by the mother-daughter team and owners of Kids In Action, Heather Jensen and Diane Havens, located in Kingwood Texas. They share their stories of having a business survive two natural disasters, how they were able to still stay positive, and the importance of building strong relationships. Because of their strength and resilience, they were crowned this year’s winners of the Child Care Rockstar 2020 contest.   Key Takeaways: [9:40] Diane started the center in 1998 and it has come a long way. Now, Heather and Diane are able to use their facility seven days a week through birthday parties, classes, and private rentals. [15:00] Fun fact reveal: Diane is a washboard player, and Heather is a huge Harry Potter fan (and even has a Potter tattoo on her wrist!). [17:35] Kids In Action was hit by two natural disasters. The first was a flood that scarily left children stranded on the second floor. [19:45] The women immediately sprung into action looking for an alternate location for their center and were fortunate to lease a local church. [22:55] The only thing more critical than flood insurance to Kids In Action’s survival was the relationships they had built over the years. After about four months of rebuilding, they were able to get the center back to full enrollment. A month after being open; a hurricane hit the center. [27:06] Their relationships with the local schools and the Child Care Success Academy were a big element in feeling supported and getting back on track. [28:30] They lost quite a few families after the second disaster and decided they had to flood-proof their building to reassure parents and staff. Giving up and closing the business was never an option for them. [35:13] Their biggest goal was to keep paying the teachers and to maintain the culture they had built. They got a lot of ideas and support from the Child Care Success Academy Facebook group. [38:02] Kris couldn’t be happier that Heather and Diane won the Child Care Rockstar contest. They are shining examples of leadership, getting back on your feet, and connecting with your community. [42:45] One thing they would have done differently? Taken a business course. Thankfully, they learned a lot from the Child Care Success Academy.   Quotes: “Your relationships you develop along the way of the business are so critical.” “Sometimes enduring adversity together makes a team stronger.” “One of our core values is fun.” “That’s it. We’re going to be rockstars!” “We never once thought that we wouldn’t keep going.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Kids In Action Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life, by Ron Clark Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals, by Rachel Hollis Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek Child Care Millionaire: Secrets to Building a Profitable 7 or 8 Figure Child Care Business, by Brian Duprey Patti Komara on YouTube

In this powerful and super fun episode, Jody Marquis joins Kris to take a deep dive into mind-blowing concepts such as important questions to ask both yourself and your team, tips for language and scripts when having difficult situations, and shifts we can do to get out of the Drama Triangle and into receiving abundance. Jody also explains the importance of doing self-work when working with kids and shares more on how the Chance for Change Institute works with leaders to transform themselves through their mindset, beliefs, and habits.   Key Takeaways: [6:28] The Chance for Change Institute in Vermont supports teachers and leaders in training so everyone comes to work happy and ready to do their best for the kids. One passion of Jody’s is working with diverse groups and helping them step into their best selves, no matter what cards life has previously handed them. [13:44] People are operating from their own belief systems. It can be powerful to shift from taking everything personally into asking people the right questions to find out where they are coming from, and what they are really looking to get out of life. The more we get clarity on our own limiting beliefs, the more we can move out of negativity and be present in our jobs and relationships. [17:00] Those that work with children have even more responsibility to manage their own energy and mindsets. One of Kris’s favorite phrases in leadership is “help me understand,” and that is also a concept that can be helpful in the classroom to defuse potential fights or bad behavior. [18:10] According to the research data, eight out of 10 people that come into the Early Childhood Care field carry limiting beliefs from their own childhood trauma. The first step is to have empathy and realize where people are coming from. [23:40] Now is the time for the child care industry to claim our rightful spot as a professional social service that can step up in the time of a pandemic. It is an opportunity to help in our communities and assist parents with navigating through this tough time. [27:16] Even during a pandemic we can still look for the beauty and focus on abundance, not lack. [28:30] Overcoming fear is being able to do specific things to move out of negative thought cycles and the Drama Triangle of blame, shame, and complaining. [48:12] The more we can get into the vibration of love, the more we set ourselves up to manifest and receive.   Quotes: “We can only give back to children what we have within ourselves.” “We all have the ability to be coaches for others.” “The definition of courage is when fear and love collide, and love wins.” — Jack Russell   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Bruce Lipton Brené Brown Happy for No Reason The Energy Codes Conscious Leadership Group Self-Sustaining Leadership [email protected] Jody Marquis Facebook  

Alvin Ayusa is a true example of a Child Care Rockstar, immigrating from the Philippines and living separated from his family for ten years, to now owning two locations in California at 90% enrollment. Alvin shares how his background in systems and software automation helped him understand integral practices in marketing and enrollment, and how the Leadership Mastery class helped him develop a high-level culture. Alvin and Kris discuss some of the amazing action items Just 4 Kids took, including adjusting phone scripts and virtual tours, spreading community goodwill, and clear communication.   Key Takeaways: [6:33] Alvin has a background in software and analytics and lived apart from his family for ten years when he immigrated to the United States. Upon his wife coming to the United States, they thought about a daycare business, but it wasn’t her calling. He had a friend in Las Vegas who purchased a preschool, and it helped show him that it was a business step that may be worth it for him and his family. [11:33] Alvin’s first preschool was acquired in October 2018, and the second one was just over six months after. One is 190 capacity and the other is 36, with eighteen employees and two directors. Alvin and his wife both take a hands-on role, both working from home and going into the schools sometimes one to two times a month. [14:37] Fun fact: Alvin was very close to becoming a Catholic priest. Now with his wife and three kids, he is obviously meant to be doing what is on his path now! [17:48] Alvin was able to jump into a lot of the tech that helps schools and centers be more successful and combine it with the knowledge he previously had through his tech background. [22:24] Alvin took the COVID-19 news seriously from the start and took immediate action by sending a letter to parents and allocating his website space to become a landing page for parents to go and read real-time FAQs and all previous communication. [29:46] In addition to discounts and avoiding layoffs as much as possible, Alvin and his team did a goodwill series video campaign that connected the community and their competitors. With a 90% enrollment rate, Alvin and his hard-working team deserve a big kudos. [35:06] The pandemic was the first time they were able to implement their e-packet and created one specifically focused on COVID-19. [43:05] Alvin’s staff understood what they were going through and saw the value of themselves through the Leadership Mastery class. Everyone is on the same page and speaking the same language.   Quotes: “When you were talking about leads and funnels, this is my world!” — Alvin “I thought I would be leaving that world I love for the last seven years of my life, and now I’m able to do it in my own business, which is why it’s so thrilling for me.” — Alvin “With this crisis comes amazing innovation if you look for it and you implement it.” — Kris “When you empower them [your staff] to have their own skin in the game for their own leadership journey but you support them, it’s an amazing thing.” — Kris   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Just 4 Kids Preschool  

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: “Our main goal is to help get children and their families the skills they need when the world doesn’t go their way.” “I’m actually super excited for our industry and what’s ahead of us.” “We are going to take better care of the things that are most important to us moving forward, both personally and professionally.” “If you don’t adapt, you get left behind.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Tym the Trainer National Child Care Association Dr. Becky Bailey Frog Street Texas Licensed Childcare Association Madonna — “Truth or Dare” 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  

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: This is a special happy-hour celebratory episode because your fearless leader Kris is newly engaged! Vernon is a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker. He is loved for his authentic and inspiring way of delivering speeches, and always injects humor and a fresh perspective in his talks. In 2015, Vernon launched Directors Leadership Solutions to help directors on their path to success. He helps leaders with everything, including having difficult conversations, smoothing out clear communication, how to handle parent complaints, and developing a culture that stays loyal and engaged. You can’t shoulder the stress of keeping your school alive and vibrant on your own. Three pieces of financial advice to survive and thrive during this time: use your EDD wisely, take a good look at your payroll to see if it’s too high, don’t apologize or feel guilty for going up on your rates in the fall. Even if you don’t know exactly all the answers, parents appreciate the communication of just touching base to let them know what you are working on, and what is, at least, coming next. Your team needs to know how important enrollment is, and leaders can communicate that in a sensitive yet clear way. The better you treat your employees, the better they treat the children.   Quotes: “If you are tired of being a victim, take action.” “Without connection, there is suffering.” — Brene Brown “The fuller the program, the better the quality will be.” “Treat your employees as well as you want the kids treated.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Directors Leadership Solutions Vernon Mason, Jr Bari Baumgardner Palm Beach Preschool [email protected]  

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: Communication. If you are the owner or director, communication with your parents is so essential right now. Decentralization of decision making/teacher empowerment and giving teachers more choices Creativity and Innovation. When we let teachers make decisions, cool things can happen like busy bags and car parades. More openness and adoption to screen time and technology in the classroom Focusing on not what just is expected in health and safety, but how to stand out and provide a quality environment [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: “It’s your responsibility to look after your community, your employees, and your customers.” “Social impact is good for business.” “Even if you have no answers, it doesn’t matter. You still have to stay in touch.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange The Dream Manager Simon Sinek HiMama The Preschool Podcast

This week, Kris talks with another international guest, Gary Peirce, who is the owner of Hopes & Dreams Nursery in the Isle of Man, a tiny island between Ireland and the UK. Gary gets opens up and gets vulnerable on what it’s really like to run the school together as a husband and wife duo, with his wife Laura leading the charge on the school curriculum. Gary also talks about the mindset change that occurred as he grew from being an owner to a leader and the detailed story of amazing core value development that has happened within their business. Finally, Gary and Kris talk about the tangible positive results that occur when your team feels supported, aligned, and appreciated even during a challenging time.   Key Takeaways: [8:53] Gary and his wife Laura own Hopes & Dreams Nursery, located on an island called the Isle of Man, which is the size of a small town. They have six settings on the Island, and since the island is self-governing, they can adapt their curriculum and even include extra cool opportunities such as outdoor exploration and nature-based learning. [15:11] Gary and Laura are constantly pushing themselves and their team to discover ways to make learning fun and effective. [20:59] With five kids, Gary has got himself a very own real-life version of the Brady Bunch. [26:05] Hopes & Dreams Nursery has very strong core values, and their mission is to inspire the youth to become the best citizens they can be in the island community for generations to come. [27:55] No matter what their role or rank, everyone at Hopes & Dreams takes their job seriously and understands how fundamentally important they are in the organization. It is also up to everyone to lead the best they can in their individual roles. [30:36] Gary took his team all the way to Las Vegas, where he set up a field trip to Zappos to show them what great management and culture looked like. [41:22] You can look at your failures as a stepping stone to success, and Gary is very vulnerable and open about how he turned his mindset around while transitioning from an owner to a leader. [42:39] Gary took his core values and launched them into his culture by creating a workbook that could provide congruence across the team. As a testament to his great leadership, his team voluntarily took a pay cut during the pandemic to save money.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Zappos Hopes & Dreams The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny, by Robin Sharma The Leader Without a Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life, by Robin Sharma Life’s Golden Ticket: A Story about Second Chances, by Brendon Burchard  

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: “One of the coolest aspects of hosting is a show is that you have the opportunity to build real relationships with your heroes.” “The bad bosses or coaches were the ones who knew it all and had it all figured out. They knew all the answers.” “Part of leadership is showing up. Your presence is required.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange The Learning Leader Show Welcome to Management: How to Grow From Top Performer to Excellent Leader, by Ryan Hawk Miami University Todd Wagner John Maxwell Admiral Lloyd Mustin Stan McChrystal Les Brown Tony Robbins Tim Ferriss 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 Simon Sinek Dan Sullivan  

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: “Our system is all about continuous improvement.” Quality in health and safety is going to be one of the key things that will differentiate your centers from other centers.” “Part of being a happy human is having work that fulfills you.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Grow Your Center Health and Safety Checklists 1Place Lizard’s Tale Ep 4: Evan Goldman Martin Bing The Lean Start-Up The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work  

Bruce Spurr, Co-Founder of Grow Your Center, joins the show today. Kris and Bruce talk about what sets Grow Your Center apart as the only world-class digital marketing agency serving the early childhood industry exclusively. Bruce shares what advertising and marketing trends he is seeing that are working in the child care industry, how schools can add value in their advertising while they are still closed. He also explains the importance of producing goodwill content and how the Three H's of social media will help you build rapport and stay top of mind with families in the future.   Key Takeaways: [3:48] It is a great time to advertise your message for a very low cost, producing a phenomenal return on investment.  [7:12] Parents are noticing what schools are helping and supporting their community now, and some are even wondering why they haven’t heard from their current preschool. It is up to your leadership team to figure out ways to reach out and spread goodwill in the community. [14:33] Your ad needs to add value in some way, and follow the strategy of Goodwill Hunting. You are building rapport in the marketplace by producing Goodwill content, and Build rapport in your marketplace by producing Goodwill content and then hunt (or harvest) your newly engaged families and parents to tour your school.  [19:05] Consistently is key when creating brand recognition and trust.  [22:02] Bruce recommends having advertising and content that includes the Three H’s: content that is humorous, helpful, and heartfelt. [27:51] “Did You Know” and “How To” videos can be a fun and compelling way to engage families and show just how much knowledge early educators have. [41:42] By currently advertising what are you doing currently in terms of goodwill and helping the community, you will be more likely to be top-of-mind to parents when it's time to return back to "normal" and they will feel more confident about enrolling when schools do open back up. [46:23] One of the biggest mistakes people make is forgetting to put a call to action in their advertising. Make sure all your ads and media include ways for people to connect with you and get in touch with you. Bruce recommends making all your phone numbers textable, and provide an easy avenue for someone to call you (and have you answer).   Quotes: “If you are not being proactive with your families and showing you love them, you are missing the boat.” “This is a time for goodwill, as well as a time for innovation.” “It’s amazing the things that early educators, that the general public does not know.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange Grow Your Center

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Child Care Authority Child Care Exchange SBA Loans Trent Sheldon Will Bowen

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion Preschool Mis Amigos Facebook Ep 34: “Giving Children the World with Dawn Uribe”

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: 1. Start an online preschool free to existing parents or with a small fee to new parents. 2. Take all the blog posts and content you have already written and pull them together to write a book. 3. Work on the outdoor appearance of your school so that by the time we are back in session, it’s even more beautiful and landscaped! [35:43] Just some of the successful and innovative companies that were created in economic downtime include: Pinterest, Uber, Airbnb, Slack, Venmo, and Square.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit — offering $1 ticket Grow Your Center Treasury Camp Gladiator

Ron McGuckin has gained a national reputation as the “Child Care Lawyer,” and trains thousands of child care professionals on a variety of issues including personal, administration, management, and legal issues. He joins the show to talk about how he got into child care and came to own Ronald McGuckin and Associates Law Firm, and what kinds of processes people should have in place for managing employee behavior. He also addresses the new issues that arise dealing with COVID-19, and ways we can best protect our classrooms and staff to ensure everyone stays on the same message and mission.   Key Takeaways: [2:23] At Ron’s law firm, they represent child care agencies in PA and NJ. But he personally also has consulting agreements with child care agencies across the country. [3:06] Ron got involved with the Headstart program and saw a need for better legal representation in the field. [7:53] You would never guess it, but Ron considers himself to be somewhat shy. He is also starting up a new comedy hobby, performing and hosting a comedy night at the Civic Center. [14:49] A few failures along the way does not mean success isn't possible. They are learning lessons that we can grow from. [15:05] One way child care leaders can protect themselves is by letting go of toxic people, and not waiting too long to do it. [19:15] Mean what you say, be intentional, and be sure the staff has a clear understanding of company policies. [31:27] Be sure you have thorough policy and service agreements that outline the different possible scenarios in which schools can get shut down or temporarily closed. [40:30] Great leaders take their time training and onboarding their people. They understand that the process is not one to be rushed, and it will pay off when you have a culture that knows how to work within their business and speak to children. When there are shortcuts, children suffer.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Child Time, Inc. Child Provider Law Model Child Care Health Policies

Leslie Shriver, Empire member of The Child Care Success Academy and owner of Small Wonders Discovery and Learning Center in Ohio, joins the show about how they stand out from the competition in a rural area, getting freedom in the day-to-day of your business, and the strategy she used to expand from one to five locations since 2011.   Key Takeaways: [1:02] Started in 2011 with one center and has grown to five. They are about 85% full, which for her is great. She was a teacher and administrator of a center and has been in the field since 2004. She opened up the center as a response to needing to send her daughter to a preschool that she felt secure about, where the staff was engaged and the culture was positive. [6:46] Leslie has more flexibility now that she works from home and loves knowing she has helped other people become leaders so they can help her run things smoothly. [8:55] Small Wonders offers white diapers, formula, and freshly cooked food at no cost to the parents, which sets them apart from their competitors. The fourth location is also in a lab school, which serves as a feeder for potential new hires from the graduating students. [13:59] They are hiring all the time, which is normal. They track their culture and work on employee engagement, but the industry average is about 43%. [20:28] Small Wonder’s enrollment rate is 90%, which is extremely high. [24:11] Leslie grows her leadership from within by pulling employees that she trusts and believes in out of the classroom and into administrative positions. [27:37] A child care rockstar is someone who feels passionately about what they do and feels in their heart they are making a positive difference in the lives of their family and co-workers. [34:16] Offers for the subsidy market can be an offer for gas and groceries, gift cards, or a drawing for a fun weekend pass that parents and kids would love. [37:02] Leslie originally had a partner, but ended up opening the school and doing the journey on her own. The experience taught her that she is even more capable than she believed.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Child Time, Inc. Small Wonders Discovery and Learning Center The 77 Best Strategies to Grow Your Early Childhood Program: Proven, Cutting-Edge Strategies Your Competitors Are Probably Not Using, by Kris Murray Grow Your Center Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman The Promise of a New Day: A Book of Daily Meditations, by Karen Casey Perry Marshall

Veronica Nelson of Child Time, Inc. schools in Salt Lake City joins the show to talk about leading through example, what benefits she has experienced as a Child Care Success Academy Empire member, and what happens when owners have to step back in the day-to-day business. Ronnie and Kris also have a vulnerable and authentic conversation about how to know when it’s time to let a staff member go, and how to build a strong environment that encourages honesty and loyalty.   Key Takeaways: [:55] Child Time, Inc. now has four locations in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, and each school is different. Their capacity is a 309 max, and are doing quite well with their enrollment. [4:54] Veronica has three very helpful sons, and her 19-year-old, Nate, is working full-time at one of the schools. [5:58] Veronica got started with her career in the child care industry when working at a summer youth program when she was 15. She loved what she did, and went on to get many credentials in child care. [7:02] We must continue to learn and be open to learning from others. Success is not an island, and it only makes us stronger when we network and help others. [8:52] Fun fact: Veronica is known as the “Martha Stewart of Utah”! She is your go-to woman for all things creative, whether it’s gardening, decorating, or entertaining. [15:57] Veronica shares her experience of learning to separate her head from her heart and part ways with an employee that had been at the school for quite some time. After the employee left, Veronica dove in headfirst and worked tirelessly to show her staff that she was willing to do exactly what she asked of them. [27:30] You can tell the culture of a place by the feeling, and a leader must jump right into action and not waste time when they get the vibe that staff doesn’t want to be there anymore. [45:01] Listen to your intuition. For Veronica, she now completely trusts her internal assessment of a classroom. She is open to hearing feedback from others, but nothing can replace her gut feeling.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Child Time, Inc.

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Palm Beach Preschool Intellikids ChildCare CRM Conscious Discipline Ep 1: “The Beauty of Persistence” Dare To Lead, by Brené Brown The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael E. Gerber Church for Entrepreneurs Podcast

Danielle Paige opened Academic Explorers in Roosevelt, New York, and has built the business to a place where she is at 95% full capacity, and able to work remotely with an extremely capable and dedicated team. She joins the show to talk about the systems and leadership components she put into place that have made the most difference, and how she is able to successfully run her school from Philadelphia. Danielle also talks about how a true rockstar never gives up, and the lessons she learned from experience that she would recommend to those that are just starting out.   Key Takeaways: [1:24] Academic Explorers is a Preschool and Enrichment Center in Roosevelt New York, with a total enrollment of 90 children. Danielle always dreamed of being a teacher, and opening a home daycare in 2014 was her first experience in owning a business. [6:34] Fun Fact: Danielle has had a YouTube channel since 2012, and gives tips for child care providers. [10:21] Danielle found Kris on YouTube, then jumped on a call with Brian who introduced her to the Academy. [14:52] A few major shifts that Danielle made in her work that really made a difference include advertising on Facebook, standing by policies and not being afraid of the outcome, finding mentors and coaches, and getting clear about establishing and implementing core values and service standards. She is also able to work remotely because she has set up clear boundaries and funnels who parents work with, and handles the in-person needs when she comes to the school. [22:49] Danielle highly recommends ChildCare CRM to those looking to help manage the program and boost enrollment. [27:11] If Danielle could do it all again, she would market before her doors were open, and promote to get the word out. [30:16] Danielle views a rockstar as someone who perseveres even during tough times and never gives up.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Family First with Steve Lloyd Get Out! But Before You Go...: Practical Steps to Turn Your Zero into a Hero or Set Them Free!by Vernon H. Mason Jr. Built on Values: Creating an Enviable Culture that Outperforms the Competition, by Ann Rhoades YouTube.com/danichristine Academic Explorers [email protected]

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Magic Memories @MagicMemories The Slight Edge Grow Your Center Think and Grow Rich Atomic Habits EntreLeadership

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. Gather the facts so you can operate from fact rather than from speculation. No one should do it alone. Have others around to help. Be calm, clear, and confident as you move into communication. Effective communication is what makes the listener feel heard and understood. Open the lines of communication and make staff aware that they can funnel all questions to the appropriate contact. Remind staff to act in a way that reflects the mission of the center, and that they model good behavior. Leaders should lead with empathy, and learn to communicate in a tone that comes across and calm and deliberate. If a procedure did not go as it is intended to, the institution must take responsibility.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit The Jane Group McDonald’s University [email protected] Sir Ken Robinson TED Talk  

Victoria Lynch and her team at First Discovery Children’s Academy in Virginia are having what she feels is the best year yet, and she explains what exactly her process has been for their expansion, growth, and most importantly — fun. Victoria shares with Kris how game-changing it was to finally hire an Executive Director, her methods for delegating, and which of her marketing efforts provided the largest enrollment boosts. Victoria also shares the wisdom she has learned since beginning her journey with First Academy and why a true child care rockstar never gives up on their dreams.    Key Takeaways: [1:08] Victoria is up to three First Discovery locations in Virginia, and she has been in the business for over 10 years. She and Kris agree that it takes time and hours to master your craft and a decade in the business certainly helps. [7:03] Victoria hired an Executive Director who has been with her for eight years. She helps immensely by taking some of the day-to-day stuff off her plate so she can focus on her tasks and not get too distracted. [11:24] Victoria has had much success in implementing the EOS structure for effective and efficient meetings that give others on her team a chance to identify, discuss, and solve their issues. [16:24] When Victoria provided her team with an enrollment gaining incentive of having the change to go on a vacation, she saw a 20% increase in enrollment from it. She also provided them with peer mentors and helps build them up to have a well-rounded experience, both personally and professionally. [26:39] Victoria has a great mindset and it inspires others around her. She realizes that a true child care rockstar doesn’t wait for the right time to go after their goals. They also have emotional resilience, and understand that quitting is not an option. [35:21] If she could do it all again, from day one Victoria would start tracking and implementing different marketing strategies, start collecting parent testimonials and reviews, and take clarity breaks.    Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit First Discovery Children’s Academy EOS Worldwide The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life, by Todd Herman High-Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, by Brandon Burchard  

Nina Lemon, Owner and Founder of the Lemon Tree Academy in Georgia, has the enthusiasm and commitment to action and implementation of a true Child Care Rockstar. She talks with Kris about how she went from a pediatric nurse to a businesswoman with two full locations, the biggest challenges she faced as she scaled up and out, and how her love of HGTV plays into making her centers a welcoming environment for children and their families. Key Takeaways: Nina has been in child care for six years and grew up around kids as part of her large family. She started as a pediatric nurse and very much enjoyed a job at the local elementary school so much she decided to dedicate more of her time and energy to the industry. Once she had her daughter, she figured out a way to carve a path where she could work where her daughter went to daycare, and now she just opened a second location at full capacity. Fun fact — Nina’s father was in construction and the love carried down to her! Her other career in a different world would be in construction, but for now, she enjoys using her HGTV knowledge to make her schools even better. Her first location went from four paying kids and her daughter to 50, and then to a full location of 94. Nina’s biggest challenge when opening up Lemon Tree Academy and expanding to the second location was learning to expand her comfort zone outside of the classroom. She rose to the occasion and saw the importance of training, duplicating successful methods, and being a positive example to her team. Three other action items that Nina implemented at Lemon Tree that she saw produce positive results were: 1. Creating training videos for staff so they could understand policies and procedures. 2. Share events and accomplishments on Facebook. 3. Reward the staff for their hard work and dedication. Nina’s mindset shifted when she understood her value, worth, and what she brought to her community. A true child care rockstar to Nina is someone that is always learning and growing and uses their power to also motivate and help others.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Lemon Tree Academy  LemonTree Academy on Facebook Property Brothers | HGTV  The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth, by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life,by Ron Clark  

This week, Kris is thrilled to chat with Judy Bradby, winner of the 2019 Child Care Rockstar Award. As a Pediatric Nurse with over 30 years of experience, Judy saw a need for a place for children who had no other place to go to learn and grow. She opened up LeaRN Lily Child Development Center and through much trial and error and overcoming adversity, now has tripled her enrollment in just 8 months. Judy talks about her nursing background, her mission behind LeaRN Lily, the mistakes she learned along the way, and her vision for the future to provide medical daycare to children all across the country.   Key Takeaways: Judy has a background in Pediatric Nursing and is an RN with 30-plus years of experience. She saw a need for the children to have a place to go, and also for a place that parents could drop their kids off at with trust and comfort so they could work and earn a living as well. She opened LeaRN Lily and currently has a capacity of 60 with 44 children enrolled. Fun fact: Judy met her husband in an online chat room, and they have a teenage son together. But don’t worry, she did a background check on him first before meeting IRL (in real life)! When there is a will, there is away. Judy sold her jewelry to become part of the Child Care Success Academy and came back from her first event with a notebook and a half filled with things to start implementing. Judy has gone through Enrollment Boot Camp four times, each time learning something new and valuable. She has changed her mindset and attitude to become more approachable, a true leader, and transparent about what she is looking for in terms of her staff. She now hires her staff with more intention towards the mission and based on their value, instead of coming from a place of desperation and fear. At LeaRN Lily, the program is inclusive for every child. Everyone in the same class is integrated with one another in both learning and play. Judy and her staff had great success in marketing when they became more active on Facebook and getting out more in the community, including working with the local children’s hospital. They also made crafts that parents couldn’t help but love, making them happy to leave the school a great review. One of Judy’s big goals in the future is to expand LeaRN Lily, and possibly franchise it so children all across the country can get the same opportunity. It doesn’t matter if it’s one center or 17, if you are doing the work and taking inspired action, you should be proud of yourself and go for the big dreams. Judy did, and that is what landed her the Rockstar award of 2019.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Bar Rescue LeaRN Lily Contact Judy: [email protected]  

Kris starts this week off with a big announcement — her new book, Rockstar Stories, is out and available! She then dives into the three principles of one of the most important success strategy books out there today, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. These three principles and their associated action items are the foundation for manifesting your dream life and creating a space where the universe rewards you with what it is you actually seek. Then, Kris gives two real-life examples of what happens when you follow the principles, and also why persistence is key if it doesn’t go perfectly at first.   Key Takeaways: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is so much more than a book. It’s a manifestation guide, roadmap to getting your mindset right, and resource for creating habits that work for us instead of holding us back. It comes from the successful strategies from over 500 multi-millionaires and powerful business owners, leaders, and thinkers. Know what you want, and make it specific. Write down a specific and detailed description of what your perfect day would look like, your perfect relationship, health, etc. When we take the time to declare it and cement it in our subconscious, our brain believes it has actually occurred and we are living our dream life. Feel the burning desire. Wealth represents your value to others. The 6 steps to acquiring more wealth: Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. Decide exactly what you will offer for that money? Select a date to possess the money. Create a definite plan and implement it immediately. Summarize 1-4 into a clear written statement. Read this statement 2X daily out loud (once before you go to bed and once in the morning), and see/feel yourself already possessing the money. Kris shares a success story of Beth Davis from Kids for Kids Academy where she took what she learned, put it in an actionized plan, and communicated it authentically to her team. If you are struggling with enrollment, look to the people that have said yes and learn more about them, or figure out a way to show your value to the market. Don’t give up if your dream doesn’t come to fruition right away. Stay persistent. Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit The Genius Network Annual Conference Les Brown Ep #001: The Beauty of Persistence Kids for Kids Academy The Ron Clark Academy Rockstar Stories — click on link to get the book for free  Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill  

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: Never stop learning about the business and immersing yourself in the industry. A happy family and happy staff build the business and foster high retention. Be open to the outside-of-the-box ideas from all people on your team. Don’t resist growth and change or advice from others who have done it before you.  [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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Over the Rainbow Ann Rhoades ChildCare CRM The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People, by Gary Chapman and Paul White Child Care Millionaire: Secrets to Building a Profitable 7 or 8 Figure Child Care Business, by Brian Duprey StrengthsFinder ProCare KidReports  

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Secure Education Consultants Milestones Child Development Center ChildCare CRM 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 [email protected]  

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit National Accreditation Commission Sinach — “I Know Who I Am” The Circle Maker, by Mark Batterson Les Brown John Maxwell Simon Sinek Bright Start Early Care

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:   Mindset. Celebrate the wins, and share out loud about what’s going right in your business. Note your progress and write it down. Track your data and note improvement in numbers. Child Care Success Method members greatly sharpen their winning mindset. You also get to hear other people’s wins, and how they broke through a huge accomplishment in case it’s something you can implement yourself. Full enrollment. When you have full enrollment, you are able to get out of survival mode and drive revenue back into the business. Culture of Excellence. You gain freedom when you work with an incredible team of A-players that are all aligned with the values and vision of the company. This is where we also systematically automate the business so we are able to level up and the team is able to work on the business, not in it. Building your Empire. This is the level of expansion, high-level freedom, and wealth planning. You work on building your empire long-term, and whatever type of legacy is important to you.       Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Traction:  Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman EOS Worldwide Episode 30 – “Implementing the EOS Model with Heart — Stuart Robertson” | Nov 22, 2018 The Four Hour Workweek Appletree Academy The Teaching Tree Leap2Learn Episode 41 – “Creating a Culture Where Children Come First | Jennifer Vazquez” | April 25, 2019 Sunny Start Preschool

Lety and Raoul of Springview Academy in Florida join the show today to talk about working as a married couple, the cute story of how they met and became a partnership, and spotting teacher burnout. They are both highly focused on professional development, active leadership and creating a culture that serves children and their families yet also provides the staff with a healthy amount of freedom and autonomy. They also talk about how they went from 125 children to 350, almost tripling their attendance, and the strategies of success that keep them at the top of their game.   Key Takeaways: [13:01] Lety and Raoul of Springview Academy are married and they structure the business to highlight each of their strengths. Raoul focuses on the billing and financial aspect, while Lety is the primary contact for parents, directors and other teachers. [13:50] Lety has an education background with over 13 years of experience in the field of early childhood, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, which is something that gives them quite an edge over their competitors. Her biggest accomplishment, though, is being a parent and having a special needs child. [16:44] Lety and Raoul partnered early on in their relationship, with a business transaction first before marriage. Raoul’s offering to give her a loan worked out quite well for both of them, and now they are happily married and partners, three years later. [21:19] Miami is very competitive for child care centers. Besides Lety’s background in education, other success strategies that set them apart include going above and beyond in communication with parents, great follow-through, and fun activities. [24:09] It’s important for leaders to recognize burnout in their staff. Lety actively manages it by paying attention to who may be burnt out and having transparent conversations on what it is they need to feel energized and fresh. They also have put back-up systems in place to give teachers time off when they need to recharge, even if it’s not paid. [29:02] Lety and Raoul partake in same page meetings and use the days after conferences as a chance to get away on an extra honeymoon. [31:33] Some of their key success strategies since joining the Academy includes educating themselves on CRM, knowing the metrics of their business, and getting real about their numbers. [32:55] Just by charging weekly instead of monthly, Lety and Raoul made $50k annually. [38:48] Springview runs like a small company with attention to the people and culture, but like a big company with systematization, structure, and autonomy. Tools like sales scripts and phone scripts create freedom and consistency. [47:46] To Leddy and Raoul, a rock star is someone that helps others, and has a life that is both professionally and personally fulfilling. They create high-quality programs and have a great company culture, but aren’t afraid to get off the grid and focus on personal connection. [52:49] Lety and Raoul expanded into K-5 by demand from their parents. They are on fire now, but there were growing pains and learning lessons along the way. From a marketing standpoint, it was the same, but from an administration standpoint, it was a whole new ballgame.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit The Road Less Stupid, by Keith J. Cunningham Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life, by Ron Clark Springview Academy VPK  Grow Your Center Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman Florida Early Learning Coalitions Brian Duprey  The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness, by Jeff Olson and John David Mann Child Care Millionaire: Secrets to Building a Profitable 7 or 8 Figure Child Care Business, by Brian Duprey

Bobby Franzo, Co-Founder and team lead of pb&j TV, joins the show this week. One of the best practices that we would like to see utilized as a tool to help reduce risk and have full enrollment is to have cameras in the classroom. Bobby and the pb&j team is leading the charge of this industry, using state of the art technology and cutting edge services. Bobby talks about why he and his brother founded pb&j, what he learned in growing the business for over 10 years, and how having cameras in the school sets you apart from others. He also talks about how cameras empower both the schools and teachers while giving parents peace of mind, the technology trends he sees growing even more in the future, and the key dos and don’ts when looking to use cameras.   Key Takeaways: [10:08] Rick and his brother Bobby co-founded pb&j TV, which was named while peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were being made during a brainstorming session. They were both young entrepreneurs, and now have over 500 hundred childcare centers using their technology. [16:15] Fun fact! Rick picked up an appreciation for all things food and cooking through his mom. Just don’t ask him to clean up while he works! [18:40] While childcare centers are the main focus of pb&j, they are also starting to expand into covering sports, nursing homes, and pet care centers. [20:46] There are many benefits to schools using camera systems. These include better staff performance, more productive and safer classrooms, risk management and higher enrollment. [25:08] Cameras build trust with parents, which in turn leads to great ROI. And despite hacking being possible with virtually any site, pb&j builds an infrastructure that meets and exceeds online banking standards. [31:22] pb&j has also created Stream Shield, which is a way to detect and prevent against parents taking screenshots. [32:57] Over the past seven years, preschools are adapting to tech including smart boards, digital check-ins, and Alexa devices in each classroom. [38:53] pb&j is committed to teacher dedicated content and recognizing a job well done. Their Classroom Hero program provides positive feedback for teachers and celebrates them for a job well done. [43:13] You can’t be afraid to fail. Be patient and trust the process. Mistakes are just learning opportunities.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit pb&j TV WatchMeGrow  Childcare Association of Louisiana Kiddie Academy Classroom Hero Gary Vaynerchuk

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: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Glenn Morshower  Glenn Morshower Facebook Dallas Theatre Center  Kalita Humphreys Theatre  Embracing Your Story with Les Brown  [email protected]

Mike Garatoni of Growing Kids Learning Centers in Indiana joins the show to talk about scaling up, growing, and advice for schools of any size to grow and expand even more. He and his wife Beth found high-quality care quite limited as parents themselves and knew they wanted to help be part of the solution. Mike and Kris talk about the importance of starting from the end goal and working back, delegation, how he empowers his directors, and challenges they faced in the early scale-up phases. They also talk about simple tweaks that have made a huge difference and what we can expect from Mike and Growing Kids in the future.   Key Takeaways: [3:02] Mike and his wife Beth started with one Growing Kids Center that was a franchise, and have since developed nine schools with a total capacity of 1,750 children and 350 staff. They are also very busy with their own six kids ranging in age from 25 to 11, and four dogs! [6:06] Start with the end game in mind, and work your way backward from there. When you define clearly what it is you want, you can work from there and make sure you aren’t wasting your own time and energy with what does not serve you. [14:28] A major key to success is systems thinking and delegation. It is important to set a procedure and structure in place so other people can do it, and do it correctly. Leaders also can’t fall prey to thinking they are the only one in a certain role that is able to do the job correctly. [20:31] Most owners don’t hire the right director and have to restaff this pivotal role often, wasting time and energy. Mike describes how at Growing Kids they distribute the workflow so it doesn’t all fall on the director. This also empowers people in other roles to make decisions. [27:23] The hardest point is starting up a center and going from one up to two and three. Once three centers are in place, adding more is almost just a juggling act that does become easier with time when the right systems and people are in place, and the team is aware of the values. [33:12] It’s important to fully know your radius when picking a location. This will determine your marketing, the messages in that marketing, and how far you plan on trying to reach. [37:30] Once you hit two or three centers, you may want to hire an enrollment coordinator. This “call center” can be one person in charge of calling the leads back and making sure time is spent doing the proper follow up at the most effective times. [45:14] Take some time and be deliberate in planning. Make a plan and take the time to evaluate it throughout the year with your team to make sure everyone is on track.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Growing Kids The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael E. Gerber Childcare CRM The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson and John David Mann Built on Values, by Ann Rhoades Simon Sinek

Many of you saw Les Brown speak live at the Child Care Success Summit in Dallas, and saw first-hand how his words can be life-changing and bring you to both laughter and tears. Today he joins the show to talk with Kris about the influences on his own life and path, his tenets for quality and joy in our lives, and why embracing and sharing our story is critical to really shape the lives of children and their families. Les is one of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers and is a highly-sought-after resource in business circles ranging from Fortune 500 CEOs, small business owners, non-profit and community leaders all over the world.   Key Takeaways: [4:30] Les is a former foster child and was a high-energy kid in special education that felt misunderstood until he found a friend in a speech teacher. Teachers have the power to disrupt limiting beliefs and challenge children to realize they are good enough for success. [9:11] Working changes our perspective of life. You must work on yourself continuously, and hone in on your communication skills. It shows people who we are and gives us the power to open doors to our opportunities. [11:54] Les’s advice for a successful life both on the inside and outside: Surround yourself both personally and professionally with OQPs (Only Quality People). Set aside time to center yourself and work on your mind. Don’t make other people’s problems your own. Give to yourself first, and once your cup overflows you can give to others. Laughter is truly the best medicine. Be intentional about your happiness. Get enough rest, and fill your day with high-quality content from what you read to what you listen to. [22:03] Les is a 27-year prostate cancer conqueror. He is a shining example of embracing the joy and opportunities of life and using his lessons to be of service to others. [23:17] People do business with who they know, like and trust. This is why you must get to know your own story so you can share it with others.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Les Brown Les Brown You Got to Be Hungry Tour

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.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Janet Lansbury Ohio Voices for Learning Kent State Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments, by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter TLC Academy 

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Brighton Montessori Tony Robbins Cold Plunge The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness, by Jeff Olson and John David Mann Rachel Hollis Built on Values: Creating an Enviable Culture that Outperforms the Competition, by Ann Rhoades with Nancy Shepherdson Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, by Brené Brown Doing Today Podcast  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit HiMama.com/benchmark Dr. Moine Michael Gerber Eric Lofholm Eric Lofholm LinkedIn  

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: Do your own research. Join a group of others that have done before what you are trying to do.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit HiMama.com/benchmark A Sunny Start Preschool Born to Learn Preschool The Secret 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 [email protected]

Troy Howard, with the customer reviews and referrals system SoTellUs, joins the show to talk about his passion for combining technology and marketing and how it led him to become an entrepreneur and industry disruptor in the online review space. He and Kris talk about creating social proof, why reviews are so important to us in marketing, reviews and referrals, how to handle negative reviews, and the most powerful elements inside a review.   Key Takeaways: [12:25] SoTellUs started as a website design company and then became more of an online ad agency. In 2009, they decided they wanted to make a shift in the business and differentiate themselves from the rest of the agencies. They started developing their own software that they would sell to customers, and the rest is history. [14:56] SoTellUs serves a vast number of industries, with child care being one of the largest. [17:09] For three years, Troy was a commercial airline pilot and flew a $50 million jet for three different companies. [19:14] Social proof is defined by how we make decisions based on what others around us are doing and giving us proof that they are good decisions. [20:35] 88% of consumers will believe a review as a though a friend has told them the information. Reviews are right behind referrals because we tend to fall into the group mindset of expecting the same outcome as those around it. [22:32] You want the reviews to be as personal as possible and put a face to the words. You also want people to share an experience or story. [27:14] There is an inherent distrust in testimonials because people know they could be made up directly from the owner or employees. Reviews with real people, pictures and videos create more trust. [30:17] How to handle negative reviews: 1. Try to be aware of problems before they become a negative review. 2. Have a bunch of positive reviews already in place. 3. Take a 24-hour cooling off period, and don’t respond from an emotional state. Approach it from the perspective of a potential client instead of being defensive. [34:35] Automation frees up time and energy and also helps keep the recency going. You want to have either an email marketing system or text message system that will constantly be reaching out asking for reviews. Also, in your email signatures, put a link for parents to click one link to leave a review. [36:43] You have a 20-30% chance of getting a review by text, and up to a 50-70% chance by asking the parent personally. [46:37] Troy brings up superstar Carla’s success story from the Palm Beach Pre-School. [49:04] Instead of talking about the facts, talk about the stories and the challenges that have been overcome.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit HiMama.com/benchmark SoTellUs/Kris — 30free  Dr. Robert Cialdini Bright Local Marketing Secrets Podcast Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz  

Knowing what insurance policies to have and making sure your coverage is the highest quality is of the utmost importance for a child care business owner. Today, Kris talks with Samantha Phillips of Aleaf Insurance about the three top biggest insurance mistakes she sees in the child care field that are common or very concerning in insurance policies and how we can best address them. They also talk about what policies you should have — no matter the size of your school, case studies of actual child care owners changing their insurance to provide better coverage, and how to avoid situations that cause financial ruin and loss.   Key Takeaways: [10:38] Samantha serves around 100 preschools nationwide while pursuing her passion at Aleaf, located in Frisco, Texas. [14:08] Samantha worked her way up from receptionist and self-studied her way to become a branch manager. She was doing great at work but needed to take care of her physical health and spend more time with her family. She then got an opportunity to create a unit strictly dedicated to child care for Aleaf, and this gave her the work/life balance at a place that represented her values. [16:02] The values important to Samantha that she gets to represent at Aleaf are transparency, punctuality, fairness, integrity, and friendship. [22:26] One of the biggest mistakes that Samantha sees is folks not knowing what their business income limit for interruption is. She recommends an amount of up to 12 months of revenue plus expenses. Another mistake is owners paying parents out of pocket instead of using an accident medical policy. [30:47] The foundational policies that Samantha recommends, regardless of school size are accident medical, business auto liability and a commercial package policy. [34:29] Samantha gives an example from New Wonders Learning Center in New York where they increased certain policies and saved money overall. [43:37] Three takeaways from Samantha: 1. When it comes to insurance, quality over quantity. 2. As a child care center, if you are charging premium prices for enrollment, why wouldn’t you apply that to the business insurance you get as well? 3. If you are premium is not even, then you are most likely in surplus lines, which should really just be a backup and not your first choice.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit HiMama.com/benchmark Camp Gladiator Child Care Millionaire: Secrets to Building a Profitable 7 or 8 Figure Child Care Business,  by Brian Duprey Early Childhood Investigations [email protected] Aleaf Insurance  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Kids World Learning Center Don’t Go! Slight Edge Simon Sinek  

In this week’s episode, we flip the podcast and replay the conversation Kris recently had with Ron Spreeuwenburg from The Preschool Podcast. They discuss why marketing strategies are important for child care, the change in the landscape of how people should market, and the two main buckets to be sure your strategy is covering. Kris also discusses how to build trust and rapport with potential and existing parents, and why it’s okay to show the whole world how cool and innovative your work is.   Key Takeaways: [1:22] The Preschool Podcast is brought to you by HiMama, a platform for learning from leading professionals in early childhood education. [7:28] The North American Child Care Benchmark Study is here, and would love your help in providing a broader base to the sample size. The more data, the better. [13:59] Any business needs to market so they can be found by the best clients and maximize their enrollment. [15:34] Even at 90% enrolled, you are still leaving thousands of dollars on the table. [16:30] The two buckets that Kris feels are important to cover in digital marketing are researching and social media. [19:34] Visibility on Google is key to enrollment. When parents are googling “child care” or “daycare” in your location, it is important to be one of the top results. [24:48] Schools should have a business page, and it is more about engagement now than likes. While targeted ads can be more direct, we should think of Facebook as a tool to bolster human engagement and connection. Pictures, videos, and comments are great ways to start a conversation and add texture to the community. [30:58] The more real and human a business is on Facebook, the more it will build trust from Millennial parents. [37:58] Many business owners just want to focus on their business and not dive into social media. That is fine, just make sure you have an expert such as Kris Murray’s team on board to make sure you have your bases covered. [38:10] Don’t be shy about sharing all the great and exciting stuff you are doing on your website and social media!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit The Preschool Podcast HiMama Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategies for Child Care HiMama/Benchmark  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Built on Values: Creating an Enviable Culture that Outperforms the Competition, by Ann Rhoades and Nancy Shepherdson Ann Rhoades Peopleink 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Episode 32 – “Margins, Culture, and Servant Leadership with Tony D’Agostino” Dec 20, 2018 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7, by Joanna Faber and Julie King DiscoverEd Consulting  Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman Magic Memories  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Mis Amigos “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”  

This week, Kris shares a tried and true roadmap for exactly how she sets and achieves goals. If you are looking to make 2019 the best year yet, listen in, as you will get concrete examples to apply to your personal and professional life. Kris gives great insight on how to get traction towards actually accomplishing your goals, the importance of a tribe, and ways to stay accountable once things are in motion.   Key Takeaways: [2:12] Thank you for all your support in this podcast in 2018; we are growing big in 2019! We are the top podcast in the business of child care, and it’s because of your support and sharing. This year was fantastic for the Child Care Success Academy. We grew by 45%, and are now strong with 140 motivated and successful members. [5:55] Many of us have weight loss and fitness goals but fail to stick with them or we have no clue where to begin. One way to build in accountability is to join a tribe or mastermind with a community that will support you and help you keep on track. For Kris, 2019 is going to be about fitness, both physically and financially. [14:20] Acti0n Item: Write out five to six goals you want to achieve that are specific, time-bound, measurable, attainable, and somewhat realistic. [17:53] What are you leaving behind in 2019 that doesn’t serve your highest calling? Negative self-talk, mindset patterns, toxic relationships — all can be left behind in the new year to make a path toward moving forward. [19:38] By Jan 15, 75% of people abandon their resolutions. Writing down your dreams and resolutions is the difference between people making progress in their lives, and those sitting idly on the sidelines. [28:13] A simple piece of paper with three columns: Goal, Why/Motivation, and Progress is an inexpensive and efficient way to begin. [29:10] When we read the statement as though it happens, our brain tells our body that this is possible.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit The Dream Manager, by Matthew Kelly  

Do you have people that show up inspired by your vision? Questions to ask yourself as you build a business and a legacy that stands for excellence in the field. Kris welcomes the Director of Marketing and Child Care Extraordinaire Sindye Alexander, who started out as a client and then grew her center in Michigan from the beginning of doing home daycare. They talk about how Sindye started the business as a way to earn income while spending time with her kids, the impact culture has on both its own business and the community around it, and a peek into her brand new book Relationship Roadmap, chock full of strategies on how to create a culture of excellence.   Key Takeaways: [4:53] The holiday season can be one of joy and merriment, but it can also be a struggle. Kris reminds us that we aren’t alone, and on the Child Care Success website, you can find ways not only to grow your business but also to work on your mindset and live a happier life. [8:28] Sindye started in child care after having her first daughter and seeing how much she was making a difference in the families around her. She combined her business savvy and high-value childcare skills into making a full-blown new career for herself and it wasn’t long before she was full and turning clients away. She then opened a small center which filled up and moved up to a larger center licensed with a capacity of 120. [12:25] Sindye loves her job as the Director of Marketing and sees it an opportunity to impact and touch as many lives as possible. [14:52] Sindye shares the most heartwarming and adorable (sorry Sindye’s husband!) story about how a school dance in 1988 led to them being each other’s soul mates for life. [19:54] Culture affects everything from the turnover of staff and employee hiring and retention to corporate engagement. Sindye explains how quality care in our teachers affects emotional aspects, financial opportunities, and even a child’s brain development. [24:13] If you have a positive and caring culture in your childcare environment, your team will be helpful and positive. They will be solution based, and excited to contribute because of a mutual trust and respect. [26:48] It takes time to develop a collaborative culture but there are some steps to begin right away. Sindye’s answer might not be super popular or easy to hear — the culture reflects the leadership. Also, no matter what level of status an employee has, they could always actively strive to communicate in an approachable and positive way. [30:02] It is important for leaders to be aware of how they communicate with their team, their mindset, and how they manage stress effectively. [36:36] While the staff will probably eat all the donuts you get them, Sindye shares that real inspiration comes providing structure and a strong foundation. Appreciation and connection are two huge things that cost no money but make a big difference. [47:38] Sindye recommends finding a financial advisor to help you, no matter where you are in your journey. [53:08] Sindye defines a child care rockstar as someone that works to positively impact the early years, and in turn, makes a lifelong difference.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Patrick M. Lencioni Relationship Roadmap: Real-World Strategies for Building a Positive, Collaborative Culture in Your Preschool, by Sindye Alexander Child Care Millionaire: Secrets to Building a Profitable 7 or 8 Figure Child Care Business, by Brian Duprey  

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.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman  Focus: The Future Of Your Company Depends on It, by Al Ries  Next Level Traction EOS Worldwide Organizational Checkup The Dream Manager, by Matthew Kelly The Tim Ferriss Show 

Arike Aiyetigbo, Founder and Director of Fountain Montessori Preschool, joins the show from her office and home of the school in London, England. Originally, from Nigeria, Arike is a passionate educator whose mission is to grow her influence by partnering with like-minded parents. She shares her journey how she got into the business of nurseries as a mom herself and saw a gap in what she needed, how she has expanded and grown in the business over the past 11 years, and what she would do differently. Arike also speaks about her branding, the nursery and childcare market in the UK, and the shifts she has experienced as an owner to get her name out there in a bigger way.   Key Takeaways: [2:05] When Arike herself was looking for a preschool for her daughter, she knew she needed somewhere that would run longer than the average two-and-a-half-to-three-hour day. She started to research the Montessori structure and mission and soon realized there was a gap in the market for the Montessori type of nursery. She embarked on attaining the proper education and set up in a church hall in 2007. [3:19] Arike has two facilities, one in Colindale and the other in Edgware, with a combined enrollment of 126 students. [4:46] Knowledge of and attendance at Montessori schools had a spike in London when the Prince of Wales enrolled his grandson in a Montessori school! [8:03] Arike has recruited a team of highly-skilled staff, and they all take feedback from parents very seriously to learn and see what they could do even better. [13:10] Simplifying and streamlining prices are key. Choosing fewer options and only keeping the logical ones has been a real eye-opener for Arike and her team. [17:13] In the UK, childcare provided by the government starts at the age of two, and makes up only about 10% of the market share. [24:01] Arike is looking to grow the business to at least five locations, and streamlining her team and process even more as she scales. [27:51] Fun Fact! Arike loves traveling with her family, especially deep sea diving with her daughter. She does scuba diving and one of her favorite experiences was diving in Egypt. [28:58] To Arike, a rockstar is someone who feels no mountain is too high and no valley is too deep. Their work serves not only themselves but those around them with generations in the future in mind.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Fountain Montessori Preschool Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman The Secret of Happy Children: Why Children Behave the Way They Do — and What You Can Do to Help Them to be Optimistic, Loving, Capable and Happy, by Steve Biddulph Clearly Outstanding: A practical guide to creating outstanding practice in Early Years Settings, by Becky Miller

Charlie Marcotty and Marcy Lee, co-owners of the First Circle Learning Center in Lexington, Mass, join the show today to discuss the key lessons they have learned from over 21 years in early childhood expertise. They bring the excitement, enthusiasm, and partnership in everything they do, and have gone from a school with artificial plants hanging from the ceiling to a school with full enrollment and a waitlist. Today, they talk about filling a gap of adding more education and administration to the child care aspect, how they divide and conquer in their partnership, and the action items and goals they prioritize the highest. Key Takeaways: [2:07] Charlie and Marcy first started working together at a non-profit and loved working together so much they wanted to explore other options that had both social impact and flexibility. A neighbor mentioned her child care center was for sale, and although they both thought it was a joke at first, they took it seriously and it opened up a whole new world. [5:56] Their expertise was the administration end of things and it took them close to 10 years to feel their culture, materials, team, and structure in place. [7:20] One learning lesson: network and look outside yourself for help while you are building a program. You never know where and when you may find support. [10:40] Always have your eyes moving on the future, and the past to learn from your mistakes. [12:40] Charlie and Marcy take pride in the great relationship with their staff and have made it through tough financial times through the support of their staff. [17:17] Despite their different backgrounds, Charlie and Marcy have shared values and work ethic and their partnership is so strong they even have a celebrity name: Charcy. [18:44] As an actress and improviser, Marcy can speak on the spot about difficult things and resolve emotional things. Charlie is always looking to see what needs to be done and keeps the business organized and on track. [25:08] Charlie and Marcy share their journey into joining Child Care Success Academy and how finding a coach and support group helped them develop a tribe of like-minded and successful individuals. [32:21] Their perspective is that where they are now is a stepping stone for more, and they are actively working on closing in locations for future space(s). [36:08] Charlie’s and Marcy’s goals to make things done right, from the smallest detail to a large implementation, are expected of everyone on the team. They also have been prioritizing and effectively accomplishing their goals and turning thoughts and ideas into action. [41:35] Growth takes time, especially for teachers. Charlie and Marcy find success when they implement changes at a slow and structured pace. [43:29] A child care rockstar is someone who is making use of all the resources that are available. They are open and receptive to change and growth, and even the idea that they may not have all the answers.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit First Circle Learning Center Shawn Stevenson Simon Sinek What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, By Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter Calm

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit  Grow Your Center  The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Success, by Kris Murray  Enrollment Bootcamp  Club K After School Zone  Club K After School Facebook  Scaling Up: How a Few Companies  Make It…and Why  the Rest Don’t, by Verne Harnish A Complaint is a Gift: Using Customer Feedback as a Strategic Tool, by Janelle Barlow and Claus Møller The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness, by Jeff Olson and John David Mann  Success for Teens: Real Teens Talk About Using the Slight Edge, by John Fleming  

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: 1. Customer value and acquisition. 2. Enrollment Funnel 3. Marketing ROI 4. Staff and Parent Retention    [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. Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit  Grow Your Center  The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide  Enrollment Bootcamp  Child Care Success Summit Contest

Today’s guest is Josh Visser, a proponent of education and play within an active learning environment. Josh and Kris talk about his school, De Kinderen Huis, and its mission to provide growth through movement and play-based discovery. He also talks about his cool hobbies including his impressive Rubik’s Cube and school bus renovating skills, his process for getting inspired and inspiring his team around him, and how he saw and decided to pursue a child-care opportunity. Josh and his team have set themselves apart in the market and built a vibrant and abundant school with over 50 children enrolled in less than five months.   Key Takeaways: [4:23] Kris will be the keynote speaker and host of a breakout workshop at the Georgia Child Care Association Fall Owners & Directors Conference on September 27. [6:45] Josh shares his journey from a high school math teacher to a business owner. He came full circle a few months ago when he combined his experience in education and knowledge in sales and corporate business. [8:35] Josh decided to go forth and embark on his business venture when witnessing the lack of child care in his area. He had the available space and declared that within one month he would open a child-care facility. [11:35] Josh makes great use of his spare time and loves to stay busy. He also owns and runs a longtime DJ business, flips houses, and is currently converting a school bus into an RV with his children. [16:22] It’s important to make connections with people both personally and professionally that have done before what you are wanting to do, so they can help guide you down the path. [16:57] De Kinderen Huis is a wide-open 25,000-square-foot facility and 17,000 square feet of that is an indoor turf football field. They utilize this for their classroom centers so the children can be active and provides a way for him and his team to stand out in the community. [19:57] Once Josh got his vision in place, it was time to build his team. It wasn’t all smooth sailing and luckily Josh had the right support and knowledge to make the right choices to overcome the challenges. [24:30] Josh is matched with Coach Jennifer, who also was featured on the podcast in Ep #13. He has surrounded himself with others in growth mode and in turn, gives back what he learns to his team. [27:01] Josh’s licensed capacity is 90. In just a few months they went from 8 to 45 kids. Acquiring them was a mix of word of mouth, personal connections, and marketing. Josh’s goal is to be at 80% capacity by the end of October, so stay tuned! Open houses, Facebook ads, and email marketing were all tactics that served them to meet and connect with community members who also may be potential families. Josh finds that he is able to target those in the community with a big pull, they will be the best and biggest advocates and can also provide valuable feedback. [32:38] Kris and Josh talk pricing, and how even one dollar makes a difference when it comes to their pricing strategies. [35:32] All of Josh’s business are an ode to his Dutch background, and Pella, Iowa is a Dutch community. [39:40] There are no failures as long as you learn a lesson, have the right attitude, and communicate with your team and staff.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit WORK SMART, Not Hard!, by Jane Schulte Kick Ass — Mel Robbins Simply Brilliant: How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways, by William C. Taylor De Kinderen Huis @De Kinderen Huis

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.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit  Little Sprouts Academy  Dan Sullivan’s Four C’s The E-Myth  Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, by Jeff Olson

Lucy Cook, Co-Owner of Amaze Education Group, calls in from Australia as the special first international Child Care Rockstar Radio guest. Lucy talks about how she stays sane in running and growing her business to nine locations, the creative way her team communicates with the families, what her corporate office looks like, and the importance of a rock star team and a strong staff culture to keep you going. Lucy is also an expert in outdoor education, and how to stay connected with your staff and clients as you scale.   Key Takeaways: [8:10] Lucy was a Physical Education and Science  Teacher, and while working her way up as a decision-maker and school board member, she found a preschool and took on the lease. After spending some time running that school, she realized that children needed a place to run around and spend time in nature vs. sitting idly at a desk. [11:27] Lucy speaks about her life and home and how she manages her four boys as a single (and eligible) working and busy mom. [13:42] Fun fact — Lucy has the license to drive a truck or 22 seat bus! [16:07] Lucy’s school has grown to four preschool locations and five outdoor locations. Her vision originally was to have great connections with families and grow children in a way that sets them up for success in primary school and their continuing education. [19:22] How does one keep the personal touch within a school when scaling up and adding locations? First, it’s important to remain connected to your staff and families and maintain consistency when creating the culture. Staff desires to be validated for their hard work, and families want to interface with the school leaders. Even upon hiring, the staff is aware of the company culture and philosophy. [22:37] Lucy expects her Facebook admins to post photos, videos, and social media engagement at least once a week. Even though Lucy has multiple locations, she keeps her social media aligned with one brand. She also uses several different ways to contact her families and potential clients including Child Care CRM, texts, email, and phone calls. [31:04] Lucy walks us through the administrative side of Amaze and how they are set up for scaling and growth. Fun fact: there is an even a Mel B and Mel C in her team, leading to being aptly nicknamed the “Spice Girls.” She makes sure there are backup and support for managing staff and found it reassuring to find such an amazing group of people. [35:02] After periods of growth you need a period of stability to make sure all systems are in working order and that the goals and “why” are in focus and streamlined. [41:02] Lucy looks back on the year that she lost 17 families at her school, and realizes that she can get through pretty much anything. She also faced a recent challenge head-on in the form of needing to part with a long time employee that had previously been a large part of her journey. [45:05] No matter where you live, you can learn from Lucy’s passion and innovation of outdoor education. Your Outdoor Childcare focuses on the Bush Kindy philosophy of forest schools in Scandinavian and the importance of taking children outdoors. [47:46] A real rockstar to Lucy is someone that thinks bigger than just themselves and is open to changing the status quo to make a real difference in the life of kids.   Quotes: “You need a rock star team if you are going to grow.” “Parenting is hard work, and I can empathize and relate to all the families we serve.” “We are shaping little people’s futures, and I never take that lightly.” “I wanted to be personal, and part a family, so Amaze Education was born.” “It takes a village to grow a child, and to support a family.” “You can never over communicate.” “You can always see when a child is learning, you never have to ask.” “Surround yourself with amazing people.” “Being able to recognize opportunities is a skill, but so is turning things down.”   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Carbondale Wild West Radio AMAZE KindyHub Amaze Kids Conference and Event Care Your Outdoor Child Care @AmazeEducation The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan Childcare Design Facebook Page Under The Tuscan Sun The Power of One: A Novel, by Bryce Courtenay

 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.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit  Les Brown  Frank Kern  Google Maps Google Business  Facebook  Preschool Podcast 

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Center Stage Preschool Don Alley The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron Super Kicks Karate Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money — That The Poor And Middle Class Do Not!, by Robert T. Kiyosaki 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 John Maxwell  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List KinderCare Kids R Kids Bells Ferry Learning Center Ready? Set? Kindergarten!: A month-by-month guide for preparing your child for Kindergarten, by Sharon Foster Georgia Child Care Association Zac Brown Band Child Care Marketing Boot Camp Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life, by Ron Clark Canva  

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: 1. Family First 2. Fun 3. Respect 4. Integrity 5. Progressive [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. 1. Safety 2. Consistency and Reliability 3. Responsiveness 4. Friendliness [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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Busy Little Hands Early Learning Center The Book of Mormon The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, by Jeff Olson The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work, by Shawn Achor [email protected]

Nan Rikard, owner and founder of Big Blue Marble Academy, is an incredible powerhouse with an instinct for good business and a big, giving heart. She talks with Kris about her journey of over 30 years in the EEC industry, her passion on giving back in her own family, how she grew to 24 childcare locations in just a few years and assembled such a strong team with a bonded mission and vision in making a positive impact on the world. She shares the three things that are a must when looking for a new site and tips and tricks for making the deal of your dreams.   Key Takeaways: [5:17] E-mail Kris directly at [email protected] to get her resources on wilderness therapy and therapeutic boarding school. [7:42] In 2012, Nan founded Big Blue Marble Academy. Her curriculum, Passport to Learning, focuses on the importance of cultural awareness, language immersion and giving back through heart projects. [9:15] Nan always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and originally taught dance to upwards of 200 children at a time. She combined her love for dance and teaching children with her passion for business and first sought out a job in preschool. That burst the childcare concept for her of people just needing help in the morning for a few hours, and the rest was history. [11:15] Nan shares her journey of roles in going from Regional Director to a team leader, operations, CEO and COO. [13:37] Nan has four children. She recently adopted one of her daughters and is an advocate for adoption; her whole family has grown with love. [17:16] One of Nan’s inspirations when starting Big Blue Marble was to create a brand that appreciates diversity in language, religion, and upbringing. [25:04] Nan credits a lot of her success with having solid and trustworthy connections in the industry. When the opportunity came to grow, she got creative and thought about who she already had relationships with that could help be part of the team. [28:24] The three things Nan takes into account for when possibly pursuing an acquisition: Is it good for the children? Is it good for the company as a whole and our bottom line? Is it going to make a difference with the staff? [34:02] Nan goes on a deep dive on what she looks for when making a deal and building out her team, enrollment, and infrastructure. She combines a solid business strategy that is tried and true, integrated with heart-centered leadership. [39:45] Nan’s target is a 15% to 20% profit margin in a year. [43:36] One of the biggest challenges Nan has overcome throughout her career was living and staying in front of the economic downturn in 2008. That shaped the versatility and flexibility of how she prepares for the future. [47:05] Nan defines a child care rockstar: a people person that puts others first. Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Big Blue Marble Academy The Disney Way: Harnessing the Management Secrets of Disney in Your Company, by Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson From Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap.And Others Don't, by Jim Collins  

Julie Roy joins Kris today to share her experience of how she started as an educator in Canada and went on to own nine centers of the Montessori Educational Centers in Omaha, Nebraska. They talk about concrete strategies for how to grow your business, as Julie’s now has a waiting list and is looking to expand into even more locations in the upcoming years. Kris and Julie also share how to structure your corporate office to give you support to grow, how often you really need to be in your location, mindset traps to be careful to avoid, and getting everyone on board with your vision and mission. Julie truly leads by example and empowers those around her while maintaining a presence as the personal face of her brand. Enjoy!   Key Takeaways: [1:04] It is possible to both grow your business and also feel as though you have personal freedom. [2:20]Our guest today is Julie Roy. Julie owns nine centers — all part of her Montessori Educational Centers brand in Omaha, Nebraska. [5:50] Julie was going to school for law, but took a job in childcare and fell in love with the Montessori classroom model and philosophy and the education industry. She grew a school in Canada and loved it so much she was up for the challenge of growing a school on her own. After owning and selling six schools in Canada she decided she couldn’t live without doing her passion for owning and directing a Montessori and ended up moving herself and her family to Omaha, Nebraska. [11:35] Julie attributes her strong drive to growing up with a single mom and seeing that she needed to work hard to get anything she wanted. [12:55] Her vision is to touch the lives of 1,000 kids every day with the Montessori philosophy. [14:42] Julie explains the different roles inside her teams and the structure of leadership as it relates to day-to-day communication internally and with parents. [21:06] Julie is sure from the beginning that she clearly communicates her values, vision, and mission so her directors know how to react and manage certain situations that arise. She shows her personality from an ownership level from the beginning; she has empowered her employees to be responsible yet is there to coach them and give them guidance when needed. [29:23] When Julie bought the schools, they were at about 50% of their current enrollment. The insights she gained at the Summit shifted her to a mindset of enrollment and adding unique quality and exceptional experiences in their marketplace. [34:29] Julie has her eye on building a school where they can have a corporate office out of, implement a childcare staffing solutions agency, and grow to 15 locations. [38:41] Finding the available resources and cash flow to start and grow in the first years were the biggest challenges Julie and her husband had when first starting. [41:23] Every hurdle we face as a business owner is an opportunity to grow and change our model.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Simon Sinek The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, by Daniel Coyle H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle. by Brad Lomenick

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Paradise Place Start with Why Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, by Simon Sinek Driving Leaders: Lessons in high-performance leadership drawn from endurance racing, by Chris Cappy and Scott Good Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself, by Sean Stephenson    

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List HiMama ChildCare Benchmark Report The Preschool Podcast

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Appletree Kids Built to Sell 80/20 Sales and Marketing Barefoot Bikini Beach Life  

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Enrollment Bootcamp The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon, by Brad Stone Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio Happy Faces LA

Kris is joined by very special guest, friend, skiing buddy, and founder of ChildCare CRM software, Chuck Gibbs. Kris and Chuck have much in common. They both started their businesses around early 2010 and are here eight years later, still great friends with a love for Colorado, working hand-in-hand on impacting the childcare industry and helping others toward their goals and dreams. In this episode, they do a deep dive on what you should be measuring in your business, some game-changing resources you can apply to your business, case studies and success stories on CRM, the specifics of how business owners can utilize ChildCare CRM to provide clarity around the enrollment funnel, as well as the use of automation so one can be enrolling people as they sleep or are on vacation! Now ChildCare CRM has the niche of providing the best software to improve enrollment and retention within childcare centers. Chuck’s software is now in over 2,500 schools in multiple countries, so he also shares an interesting take on childcare between countries and how his vision for his own business has grown and changed over time. He has started 19 companies, so he has some great and sound advice on challenges as an entrepreneur at every level.   Key Takeaways: [3:37] Kris welcomes her guest, Chuck Gibbs. He shares his background and involvement in software in the childcare industries. [6:26] When Chuck first started, he reached out to over 100 different centers, and visited many of them personally. Only 37% of the time did they take his contact information and then only 20% of the time did he get followed up with. [13:48] Chuck speaks on how the original passion and dedication for changing the world and making a deep impact has stayed the same, but their goal has changed. At first, it was to improve communication and build a business that was a lifestyle business. Once he reached that goal he expanded his vision to impact more globally. [17:26] Both Kris and Chuck find being in a mastermind group with other entrepreneurs crucial to self-development personally and professionally. [30:01] Chuck shares some of his travel experiences as they relate to the childcare industry. He is surprised at how similar the experiences are. He cites New Zealand and Australia as having some of the most child-centered curricula. One of the key differences, however, is the tolerance for risk in the play areas. [32:14] Finding great people, knowing your metrics, focus, and perseverance are some of the top factors of success that Chuck has learned along the way. [43:02] 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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Enrollment Bootcamp Chuck Gibbs Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, by W. Chan Kim,‎ Renée Mauborgne Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, by Gino Wickman Conversational Capacity: The Secret to Building Successful Teams That Perform When the Pressure Is On, by Craig Weber    

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Enrollment Bootcamp

In today’s episode, Kris is joined with one of her favorite friends in the industry, Vernon Mason. Vernon has over 25 years of experience in early childhood. He shares with us his journey of how he started and some of the key points that allowed him to grow from a school of 30 into now five locations. Vernon is an inspiration as a leader and rockstar! Vernon makes it fun and open, from making the snacks in a classroom to helping directors find the confidence and skills to be great leaders themselves. They also cover hiring and letting employees go, his rewards and motivation systems, and what’s next in his career!   Key Takeaways: [:52] Today’s guest is Vernon Mason. He has been in early childhood for over 25 years, and with a $5,000 credit card in 1991, he and his mom opened a small child care center that grew to 125 children. In 1999, it was destroyed by a natural disaster, and he rebuilt and has since grown into 5 locations. [5:28] One of Vernon’s original schools grew and expanded, but then got flooded due to a hurricane. They were closed for 2 days then moved to a downtown location for a year, where the parents would drive out of their way just to go to the school. Within two years he doubled the attendance, and grew the number of teachers he hired, as well. [7:27] Vernon thanks Kris for helping to rejuvenate him in a time of burnout from the stress of expansion. Getting clear on his to do list and his day became a way to get him more focused with an efficient strategy to work on high-payoff activities. [11:54] Loyalty, openness, and incentives are very big to Vernon when hiring and working with his directors. [16:25] They are focusing a lot of attention on good attendance, and he has a great rewards program for those with great and near perfect attendance. They also give a reward for going above and beyond with a sense of enthusiasm and energy. [22:19] Vernon gives tips and shares his own experiences on being able to let someone go that isn’t a fit for the company in a respectful and professional manner. [29:52] Having a “three strikes rule” is a good tool to maintain core values within the company. [43:26] A key to good leadership is vulnerability and letting people see your imperfections. [45:24] Vernon has done 16 keynote talks this year, so he may be taking a little keynote break! His second book will also be out soon.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber Don’t Go!: A Practical Guide for Tackling Employee Turnover, by Vernon H Mason The Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness, by David J. Rendall The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, by Jon Gordon Directors Leadership Solutions  

Today Kris is joined with very special and inspiring guests, Brian and Carol Duprey! Brian Duprey is a seasoned 20-year veteran in the childcare industry. Along with his wife Carol, they have opened and operated eight different childcare centers in central Maine and currently, own five schools. They have been married for over 26 years and have five children and four grandchildren. We talk with Brian and Carol about their very inspiring mindset and attitude, overcoming challenges along the way of becoming business leaders, strategies they use when hiring great teachers, and how after all these years of working together they still end each night holding hands! Success and a winning attitude are woven into everything they do, and it is their mission to help others and inspire them to live the best life possible.   Key Takeaways: [4:24] Our guests today are Brian and Carol Duprey. They are seasoned veterans of over 20 years in the childcare industry, and just happen to be married! Together they have opened and operated eight child care centers in Maine. Brian helps Kris in the Child Care Success Academy, and both are amazing and inspirational human beings! [6:14] Brian and Carol met while they were in the Navy, and tried a few different businesses before child care. They moved to Maine with no money or jobs and just a dream of becoming business owners together. Carol was the one with her foot first in the child care door, with opening their first daycare. This lead to them opening their first center and proved to people why they should get the necessary help in order to get funded. [9:46] During the recession they had seven centers open, and they had some funding cut along with losing a lot of children. In eight years of business, they have only had to lay off one person. [12:39] They have been married for 26 years, and have done every business venture together, including one where Carol was the Mayor of their town for one year! [17:50] Carol tends to deal with the peacekeeping between staff and the parents, addressing their concerns and overall customer service. Brian deals a little more with the money and sales, negotiations and strategic component. [20:35] They discuss how their children help run their business and how fulfilling it is to have such great and compassionate children that share the passion for great childcare. [25:41] They have a pretty low turnover but find that when someone leaves another great person arrives. A lot of their workforce has even left and then returned back to work with them. [32:14] Brian has a gratitude journal that he writes things he is thankful for and this helps put him in a mindset of positive gratitude for the entire day. [36:56] Brian manifested working with Kris! He dreamt himself speaking and working with Kris, and sure enough, it came true!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, by Jeff Olson His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage, by Willard F. Jr. Harley John Maxwell Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself, by Sean Stephenson Little Angels Early Learning Center Almighty Beginnings Child Care Mindset Academy

Kym Pomares has blossomed into an amazing force as the owner of Courthouse Academy in Virginia Beach. She is an inspiration, always combining work and play and is now leading her school as a culture of excellence and doing great things. Courthouse Academy is a traditional & Spanish Immersion Preschool and Elementary School. She is always growing and making a bigger impact in the world, and opens up in an honest and candid conversation about the challenges she has overcome throughout her time in this industry, and how she handled them and persevered like a true rockstar.   Key Takeaways: [1:37] Kym was also the winner of the Child Care Rockstar 2017 Award that took place at the Child Care Summit. Congrats to her! [2:50] Kym got her Masters in Audiology and Speech Pathology, and at one point swore she wouldn’t work with children! She then followed a path of working at a Preschool and then opened Courthouse Academy 25 years ago. It has grown immensely and now has over 230 children enrolled. [5:30] Adding Spanish immersion classes was the idea of her daughter, and her family is very strong in Cuban heritage and has spent time traveling around there taking in the customs. [8:22] Kym recounts time spent in Cuba with her daughter, and some of the lessons they learned that she put into play within building Courthouse Academy. [12:27] When building a business it’s not always completely a skyrocket of money and success from the start. Kym has had some trying times and feels it’s crucial to stay positive and work hard no matter what the challenges. [14:38] The very first step after her first Summit was changing the way incoming phone calls were organized. [18:10] Sometimes showing vulnerability doesn’t always result in the exact outcome you are hoping for, but it’s important to keep going and working within your values. [35:03] Kym defines a rockstar as someone that has a vision for the future, isn’t afraid of hard work, and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Courthouse Academy Courthouse Academy Team and Background DuoLingo The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, by Jeff Olson

I am thrilled to bring you Holly Elissa Bruno on today’s episode. She has a huge heart and has seven decades of wisdom to bring to you in times of change. She is an expert in legal issues as a “recovering attorney,” and has great advice on how to run a business with clear policies that protect you. We talk to Holly about persistence through challenges, the curved line of our paths, how knowing the law manages our expectations, trends and innovation within the industry, and being of support to the unique and authentic leaders making a difference in our future.   Key Takeaways: [8:13] Holly began in education and discovered that she would love to work with children while they are still open and forming their attitudes in early childhood. Along the way, she became a professor, attorney, and taught a course called “The Human Side of Management.” She had a great blessing of meeting and networking with early childhood leaders and felt inspired to continue on the path of changing lives. [13:37] Holly feels most passionate and inspired when working with leaders that work with children. Even though the work is so powerful, a lot of times we are seen as glorified babysitters, caregivers, or lucky to get paid to work with children. [18:41] Holly’s intention is to keep learning always and she has a fascination with life, travel and education. [21:49] One of the things she did to change her life immensely was to take her experience with law and travel and bring it into co-writing her book Managing Legal Risks in Early Childhood Programs. [29:07] Holly gives examples of when the law can be facilitative rather than restrictive, and how certain policies can help get an honest reference for a potential employee. [39:51] Children should get outdoors and have a free and fun environment. We don’t recommend eating dirt but there is something fun to making a mud pie or splashing in a puddle. [43:10] Holly defines herself as a recovering work addict. She is much less focused now on her accomplishments and to do list and more on being present. [45:57] It’s about the four L’s: living, loving, learning and laughing. Holly pulls it into one practice each day by asking “How much today was my life touched by love, and how much did I open my heart?” [52:16] If a child doesn’t feel safe the child can’t relax enough to learn. Until a child feels safe he/she can’t feel love and absorb any type of education. [56:03] Holly defines a rockstar as someone that is so true to themselves that they can use all of their unique and authentic self to make a difference.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Holly Elissa Bruno ChildCareExchange —  Articles are titled “Hold the Phone” / “Hold Harmless for Babysitting” Julie Bartkus   Quotes: “I saw that if I wanted to make a difference on earth, early childhood was the place to be.” “You change a child’s life — you change the world.” “We are a field of wisdom and a field of building relationships.” “When you are present with a child, there is something beautiful that comes about.”   More About Holly Elissa Bruno: Holly Elissa Bruno, MA, JD, is an award-winning, best-selling author, international keynote speaker, ground-breaking radio host, and seasoned team builder. She served as Assistant Attorney General for the state of Maine and Assistant Dean at the University of Maine School of Law. While working as Associate Professor and Dean of Faculty at the University of Maine-Augusta, Holly Elissa was selected “Outstanding Professor.” An alumna of Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management, she taught leadership courses for The McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership and Wheelock College. iTunes has ranked Holly Elissa’s radio programs in its top 200 K-12 podcasts. Tune in to Holly Elissa’s online radio program, Heart to Heart Conversations on Leadership: Your guide to making a difference at BAMRadioNetwork.com.

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: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Amazing Explorers Academy The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon, by Brad Stone STEM Play: Integrating Inquiry into Learning Centers, by Deirdre Sheridan Englehart, EdD Debby Mitchell, Junie Albers-Biddle, Kelly Jennings-Towle, and  Marnie Forestieri Growing Up Wild Dale Carnegie     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.

Our episode this week is chock full of industry insights, innovative ideas, and nuggets of wisdom that you can plug right into your child care or preschool business! We are joined by the amazing Evan Goldman from Early Education Group. Evan is a true veteran in the industry and his take on the growth and change in the landscape is truly inspiring. He shares his family’s impressive background in high-quality early education and then he and Kris do a deep dive on several topics related to the business of early learning. Tune in to hear Evan’s advice on how to find your unique messaging in such a competitive field, an insider view on how funding and regulations could be improved and what a true rock star is to him. We think Evan is a rock star himself, and maybe we'll even have him as a return guest one day as he and Kris hike up Machu Picchu!   Key Takeaways: [1:02] Kris gives a wrapup of a very successful Child Care Success Summit 2017 Conference in Chicago. Thank you to everyone that helped make this transformative and amazing event a success. [6:43] Evan was influenced by his parents at a young age to make a difference in the education world. His parents were educational entrepreneurs and pioneers in the industry for over 40 years. His father was the provost of all the graduate education at Nova Southeastern University. His mother was a second-grade teacher and really valued early childhood education. Together they started a large chain in the early 80’s called Another Generation Preschool. Evan learned from the ground up and learned all aspects of the industry, including education, funding, organization, etc. [8:07] During Evan’s time at Kaplan he identified partnerships and funding streams and helped organizations meet their highest needs. [9:33] Evan lists a few of the changes he has seen in the industry over his many years of expertise and experience: massive consolidation and growth, state-funded Pre-K and subsidized child care, quality improvement systems, rating scales, and blended funding. It’s a much more competitive landscape with many more choices. [12:17] Evan is very tied to both Florida to North Carolina. He loves extreme travel and shares some of his recent amazing trips! [15:18] Evan’s current venture that he has been doing for the last decade is the Early Education Group. He shares his mission, clients and partners he works closely within all different industries. It is clear he is passionate about developing relationships with companies that have a mission to better education. [20:47] Strategic and high-quality messaging is something very important to both Evan and Kris. [28:33] Kris and Evan take a look at funding streams and how the model has changed over the past decades, with new challenges in both politics and technology. [36:59]  Evan shares his thoughts on common misconceptions within education and the value and experience of smaller neighborhood-based environments. [43:24] Evan describes the qualities a true rockstar has for him, using his experience of over three decades in the industry. [48:38] Evan gives the resources he would recommend people should get into right away to educate and inform yourself.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Holly Elissa Bruno Evan Goldman Kaplan Amazing Explorers Academy Zero to Three Childcare Aware How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul Tough Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don’t, by Jim Collins     About Evan: Evan Goldman is an early childhood business development consultant with twenty years of experience at the national, regional, state, and local levels. His strengths include a vast network of business relationships among federal, state, and local policymakers, in-depth knowledge of federal and state early childhood initiatives and funding streams, and an abundance of successes in negotiating and implementing important partnerships and collaborations at all levels. Mr. Goldman developed his own company in 2007, The Early Education Group, specializing in identifying and linking partners across public and private businesses, organizations, and governing bodies. Since its inception, The Early Education Group has brokered relationships for national e-learning, publishing, non-profit, and for-profit companies, as well as developed partnerships for higher education, state governments, and private foundations.