Libsyn Directory

Confident Leadership & A Strong Marriage with Rick and Nancy Kodama

Release Date: 05/24/2024

Ep. 192: Thomas Brawner - Build a Great Team Around You

Child Care Rockstar Radio

Kris welcomes Thomas Brawner, Owner and CFO of Alta Schoolhouse, a Montessori-inspired preschool located in Lakeland, Florida. Thomas first talks about his and his wife's journey to Lakeland - his wife had previous experience as a director at a childcare center, while Thomas came from a business background but shared a passion for working with kids. Thomas provides an inspiring glimpse into the strategies he and his wife used to successfully open Alta Schoolhouse, after facing challenges with their first two location attempts, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dynamics of their...

Ep. 191: The Power of Story with Brenda and Geordie McClay

Child Care Rockstar Radio

In this episode, host Kris Murray welcomes Brenda and Geordie McClay, the dynamic husband-wife team behind Bright Ideas Child Care and Learning Center. Brenda and Geordie share their remarkable journey, from Brenda's initial desire to be an elementary school teacher to opening their first childcare center in 2009 and expanding to a second location in 2020. The McClays discuss the challenges they’ve faced, particularly with hiring quality staff during the pandemic, and the strategies they’ve employed to overcome these hurdles. This includes partnering with local high schools to develop an...

Ep. 190 — Fail Your Way To Success with Constance Sholar Cherry

Child Care Rockstar Radio

This week, Kris welcomes Constance Sholar Cherry, the powerhouse owner of Creative Home Academy, to share her remarkable journey from home daycare to running multiple thriving centers. Constance discusses her growth through challenges, especially navigating the launch of her center during the pandemic, and emphasizes the “don’t just survive, thrive” mindset. Constance also highlights the value of creating a positive culture, personal development for staff, and the rewards of seeing children go from surviving to thriving. Key Takeaways: [9:15] Constance joins the show and...

Ep. 189 — The Power of Story with Jon Sieber

Child Care Rockstar Radio

It’s all about the story this week as Kris welcomes Jon Sieber, Co-Founder of Story Time Learning, and Story Time Chess, an innovative early learning and education-based product for kids and adults of all ages. Jon shares how he went from theater to chess to Story Time, the power of storytelling to help children learn complicated concepts such as chess or coding, and the importance of storytelling in creating meaningful connections and learning experiences. He and Kris also talk about the importance of consistency in personal and professional goals, and the future exciting plans for Story...

Kris Murray: What Would You Love?

Child Care Rockstar Radio

What would you love in your life? This week, Kris goes solo to explore the power of possibility and heeding the universe’s call—wet pants and all. She recaps highlights from the Child Care Success Summit and reflects on her own journey from CEO to strategic founder. This shift, she shares, has opened doors to new passions and personal growth. Through her transformation, Kris inspires listeners to step outside their comfort zones and fully embrace life’s possibilities. At the end of the episode, she talks about her new coaching, combining conscious leadership with business badassery....

Kim Lannin: The Inch Way — Steps to Create An Empowered School Culture

Child Care Rockstar Radio

Kris welcomes the awesome Kim Lannin, member of the Child Care Success Academy and owner of Inch by Inch Childcare, Inc. for the past 18 years. Kim shares her inspiring journey of building a successful child care business, overcoming early challenges through the support of the Academy, and developing a unique “Inch Way” philosophy centered on exceptional customer service and a collaborative, hands-on leadership approach. Key Takeaways: [2:47] Kim provides an overview of her business, Inch by Inch Childcare, Inc., which she has owned for 18 years. The school has a current...

Ashley Varouhas: Deepen Your Roots and Succeeding Through Relationships

Child Care Rockstar Radio

This episode features Ashley Varouhas, a young powerhouse, dynamic child care leader, owner, and coach at the Child Care Success Academy. Ashley shares her journey from teacher to owner and administrator, and how she integrates her passion for early childhood education into her two successful centers. They discuss the importance of strong leadership, staff retention, and cultivating a unique school environment that meets the needs of both children and teachers. Ashley also shares some great strategies for business growth, managing multiple centers, and how fostering relationships is key to...

Silvia Sarhadian: Never Lead From Fear

Child Care Rockstar Radio

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...

Patricia and Megan Williams: The Path to Joy in Entreprenuership in Mother-Daughter Team

Child Care Rockstar Radio

Kris welcomes the dynamic mother-daughter duo of Patricia and Megan Williams. As members of the Child Care Success Academy's Empire track, Patricia and Megan share their inspiring journey of joyful entrepreneurship and the profound impact they are making — not just in the United States, but globally. Patricia and Megan talk about the challenges they overcame to grow their successful child care business, American Care Academy, including strategies for boosting enrollment, improving cash flow, and cultivating a positive, community-driven culture. They also shine a light on Patricia's...

Tasha Santistevan: Leading Teams Out of Conflict and Into Collaboration

Child Care Rockstar Radio

Kris welcomes Tasha Santistevan, the Executive Director at Child Time Inc. and a coach for the Child Care Success Academy. Tasha shares her journey from a high school summer job in childcare to her current leadership roles. She discusses her passion for empowering directors and leaders in the childcare industry, offering insights on conflict resolution, collaborative leadership, and the importance of work-life balance. Tasha provides a unique perspective both as an active executive director and coach on the challenges and rewards of leadership in early childhood education, emphasizing the...

More Episodes

The story this week starts with pizza, so you know it’s going to be a good one! Kris welcomes Rick and Nancy Kodama from Kid’s World Learning Center. Rick and Nancy are a husband-and-wife team based near Houston, Texas. They share some great tips on having a business together as a married couple for over three decades. They chat with Kris about their journey from owning Domino’s Pizza franchises to transitioning into early childhood education and give perspective on how having four sons affected their overall managing style and work-life balance. They also talk about how joining the Childcare Success Academy impacted Nancy’s leadership growth and confidence in running their school.

Key Takeaways:

[3:42] Kris set herself a goal of visiting all seven continents and speaks a bit about her Amazonian adventures.

[6:35] Rick and Nancy join from Texas.

[8:00] Kid’s World started in 2012 and now has a capacity of 262. They have nine classrooms.

[9:12] Rick and Nancy share more about their four sons and family background.

[15:03] How they went from a Domino’s Pizza franchise to Kid’s World, and lessons learned along the way.

[20:01] Remembering that you’re in a relationship business, and true connections matter.

[23:09] Fun fact! Talk about a large family — Rick has over 150 relatives in California.

[25:38] Leading without micromanaging.

[26:37] What The Child Care Success Academy has taught them about leadership.

[32:14] Communication, respect, and overcoming challenges as partners.

[44:18] The “other” Nancy at Domino’s that inspired our Nancy.

[46:18] What’s next for this husband-and-wife duo?

Quotes:

“Our vision for our school is to serve more children in our community.” — Nancy [8:32]
“With five locations, it was just not enough to sustain a supervisor. So it's either grow, or go.” — Nancy [16:06]
“When people ask me how I spend 12 hours at the childcare, I say that’s nothing. Working 6‒6:30 pm is nothing.” — Nancy [19:32]
“It’s not a transactional business. It’s a transformation business.” — Kris [20:36]
“We’re not just watching your babies here, we’re teaching them. When I say we’re teaching curriculum, and all the things that I’m saying that we’re going to deliver, I make sure that my staff is going to do that. That’s what is important to me.” — Nancy [48:02]

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