Child Care Rockstar Radio

Jennifer welcomes Rachel Chaisson, owner and CEO of A Joyful Noise Preschool and Child Care in Maine. Rachel's journey is incredible: after earning her GED and raising three children as a single mother, she began working in child care as a teacher and eventually grew into the owner of three successful early learning centers serving more than 200 children and families each year.   Rachel talks abou...

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Ben Poswalk, Director of Business Development at The Child Care Success Company, for a chat about what really separates owners who keep growing from the ones who stay stuck in the same overwhelm, year after year. Because after years of working with child care owners in every stage of the journey, Ben has seen the patterns clearly: where owners break through...

For years, child care marketing followed a pretty familiar formula: build a beautiful website, drive traffic, collect reviews, book tours, and convert families once they walk through the door. But in 2026, that path just is not as neat or predictable as it used to be. Families are researching differently, AI is changing how information gets found, and many parents are making decisions long before...

Most child care owners do not think about crisis management until they are already in the middle of one, and by then emotions are high, information is moving fast, and every response matters. In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Marsha Archer, president of M-Squared PR and Crisis Management, for a practical conversation about what it really means to protect your brand before something goes wro...

Kris Murray returns! In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Kris for a timely conversation about what is really changing in child care in 2026 and what owners cannot afford to ignore. Together, they look at the current market from a bigger-picture view, from AI and parent decision-making to enrollment shifts, differentiation, and the growing pressure to clearly communicate the value of what you...

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Thomas Brawner, owner and CFO of Alta Schoolhouse in Lakeland, Florida, to talk about what it really looks like to grow with intention. Thomas shares how he made the decision to overstaff his first location so he could create the space to focus on expansion, prepare for a second school, and keep the first one strong at the same time.   Their conversation ge...

In this episode, Jennifer opens with an honest reflection on control and the emotional weight so many child care owners carry without even realizing it. That sets the stage for a real conversation with Barbara Tedrow, owner of A Gold Star Academy and a multi-site child care leader in New Mexico, about what it looks like to build a strong team on paper and yet still feel like too much of the busine...

Real leadership takes time, clarity, and the willingness to slow down and lead with intention. In this episode, Jennifer reflects on a recent VIP Day at the Child Care Success Company's new corporate office in New Orleans, and the perspective owners can gain when they step out of the daily rush long enough to think differently about how they lead. That sets up her conversation with Toni Bedford, o...

In this episode, Jennifer shares a personal moment that slowed her down and clarified what matters most: impact, leadership, and protecting what's been entrusted to you. That framing sets the tone for a grounded conversation with Sharita "Rita" Brown, a long-time early childhood leader and Child Care Success Company coach, about one of the fears many owners carry quietly — the allegation that can...

A new season of Child Care Rockstar Radio begins with Jennifer Conner, CEO of the Child Care Success company, stepping in as host! Jennifer shares the real behind-the-scenes of her own journey: buying a struggling center, realizing "love and passion" alone won't sustain a business long-term, and learning how systems, finances, and leadership create the stability that protects your mission. Then Je...

In this heartfelt sendoff episode, Kris sits down with her very first hire, Camille St. Martin, for a deeply meaningful conversation about the postpartum experience, nervous system regulation, and the importance of truly seeing and supporting new moms. Camille, now a mother of two and the founder of Ritual Movement Mama, shares how her own experience of isolation and identity loss after childbirth...

 Are you ready to grow stronger as a leader and show up bigger for your center? This week, Kris sits down with Cynthia Maher, owner and founder of Bedford Child Development Center in Michigan, and a proud finalist in the 2025 Child Care Rockstar Contest. Cynthia shares what it felt like to be on that big stage, the personal breakthroughs she experienced, and the mindset shifts that are helping her...

Kyleigh Tolman and Keaton Ross are the powerhouse sister duo behind Klever Kidz Academy in rural Southeast Oklahoma. With three centers and over 300 children served, Kyleigh and Keaton have built something deeply rooted in family, community, and intentional leadership.   During their chat with Kris, they share how they've infused fun, core values, and heart into their culture, from heart-shaped ta...

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! In this episode, Kris sits down with Megan Ferring, a dynamic regional director at Hamilton Heights Child Development Center, where her 16-year journey began as a preschool teacher. Megan's deep commitment to both operational excellence and playful leadership recently earned her the Director of the Year award.   Kris and Megan talk about how Hamilton Heights app...

This week, Kris welcomes LaVonda Paul, a trailblazing early childhood leader and fourth-generation entrepreneur, for an inspiring conversation about legacy, leadership, and the power of showing up. As the owner of Small Impressions Child Development Center in Taylors, South Carolina, LaVonda has spent 19 years building a community-first program. In the episode, LaVonda talks with Kris about how sh...

It's solo episode time! Kris shares insights from her new book, The Antidote to Fear , and outlines three practical ways to trust yourself and the process. She talks about embracing fear and self-doubt, including her "yoga mat" moment that changed her career direction. Kris discusses manifestation as a giving process and highlights the importance of creating quiet spaces for intuition and growth....

Kris welcomes Vance Morris, former security guard turned Disney leader and successful entrepreneur, for a trip to the happiest place on earth — great customer service! Vance helps business owners get, serve, and keep clients for life through creating experiences and response-required marketing. He shares real-world strategies to delight customers, build community buzz, and drive word-of-mouth refe...

Kris welcomes Ashanti Ordone, the Founder and CEO of Gifted & Talented Academy, and the 2025/26 Child Care Rock Star Award winner! They talk about expanding from a home daycare to three locations, transforming her school's culture, and overcoming challenges in the early childhood education landscape. Ashanti shares her powerful story of building a thriving early learning center, detailing how she...

Want to stop the revolving door of teachers and create a rock-solid childcare team? Kris talks with Jami Hartmann from Trainual about how the right systems can transform your center's operations. They dig into practical strategies for finding great staff, training them effectively, and keeping them motivated. Jami shares some great insights on getting your whole team aligned, creating smooth onboa...

Kris welcomes Josh and Pamela Hernandez, owners of Montessori Kids Universe Stone Oak. The duo talks about their path into early childhood education and opening up MKU, tips for starting out with cash flow out of the gate, and enrollment strategies that worked for them. They also chat with Kris about using referral rewards, how they balance family and business, marketing tools that help them build...

Kris welcomes "The Jens", aka Jennifer House (CEO) and Jenni Grawvunder (COO) of Children's Choice Preschool, to share the remarkable story behind their 12-center child care empire in San Diego County. What started as a nonprofit program with 25 children has grown into a thriving operation serving nearly 1,300 kids across 11 centers (with a 12th on the way) and supported by a team of over 300 staf...

Kris welcomes Dominique Gill, heart-centered leader and owner of Unique Kids Childcare in Nashville and Smyrna, Tennessee, to share her journey to multi-site child care leader. Dominique opens up about starting as a young mother seeking affordable child care, working in exchange for tuition, and eventually moving from home-based care to two thriving centers. Dominique built her program around love...

Kris sits down with Tea Shong and Trina Romanowski, the powerhouse mother-daughter duo behind a thriving, multi-site early childhood business in Michigan. Winners of the Partnership of the Year Award at the Child Care Success Summit, Tea and Trina share how they scaled from an in-home daycare to three high-quality centers, all rooted in purpose and shared vision. They discuss navigating family dyn...

Kris is joined by longtime friend, business visionary, and rockstar early childhood leader Rachel Supalla. Rachel is the founder of Vision Tree, a TEDx speaker, and the author of The Playful Leader's Toolkit , a book packed with wisdom on leading with joy, grounding, and energy. With 10 schools across Montana and Utah, Rachel shares how she's scaled her business while embracing what she calls "rub...

Kris welcomes Gigi Schweikert, CEO of Lightbridge Academy, to explore what it takes to lead at scale and stay grounded in the human side of early childhood education. With 85 centers across the U.S., Gigi shares how she thinks about quality, culture, and decision-making at the organizational level, and why trust is still the best metric. They discuss industry trends, mentorship, and the habits tha...