Child Care Rockstar Radio

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.

 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Today, Kris and special guest, Jennifer Connor 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. 

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.

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.

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!

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!

We talk with Brian and Carol Duprey 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.