Child Care Rockstar Radio

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 prof...

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...

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...

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 fac...

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 y...

  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 us...

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 u...

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 re...

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...

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 maki...

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 structur...

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 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 t...

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...

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 v...

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 episod...

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 regardi...

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...

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 Bri...

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 u...

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...

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...

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 hi...

In today's episode we are joined by child care rockstar Donna Jensen, owner of the Learning Station. Donna's passion for creating an enriching, safe, and supportive environment is inspiring and the reason why she is always full with a long waiting list of potential families. We hear Donna's background from working at a local preschool to owning a franchise and ultimately leading to what has become...

This week's episode features Child Care Rockstar Radio's first guest interview — the awesome Summer Picha and Katie Wagoner, Peaceful Valley Montessori! Summer and Katie have been partners together for about eight years and have increased their business by 10x, going from a small but mighty 30-child Montessori to two school locations with almost 300 children. They represent the type of child care...