Episode 206 with Regina Miller - Leadership Lessons in Child Care
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Kris welcomes the joy-inducing and magnetic Regina Miller, a nationally recognized trainer, author, and owner of Trailblazers Academy in Wichita, Kansas. With nearly five decades in early childhood education and 35 years in leadership, Regina shares fantastic insight into what it really takes to lead a team, stay connected as an owner, and build lasting impact in your center. Regina shares some great takeaways from her new book Leadership Lessons, including how to hire smarter, mentor without ego, and avoid becoming an absentee owner. Kris and Regina also talk about how to stay...
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Episode 204 with Whitney Burkman - From Home to Center: Young Leadership in Action
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Kris welcomes young inspiration and rising leader Whitney Burkman, owner of Magnolia Academy in Payson, Utah. Whitney shares more about her journey from in-home childcare to a full 125-spot center before age 30. She talks about building confidence as a young business owner, gives some great advice for hiring, marketing strategies, leadership challenges, and the critical role of mindset in growing her successful childcare business. Key Takeaways: [4:55] Whitney opened Magnolia in 2022, and they are currently at 122 enrollments. [7:43] Opening a center at age 27 and what inspired...
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Episode 203 with Brett Neller — What’s Your Customer Journey? (And Why You Should Care)
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Kris welcomes Brett Neller, CEO of LineLeader by ChildcareCRM, to explore the real meaning of the customer journey in child care, and why it’s critical for sustainable growth. Brett shares insights from his professional evolution, including how dropping his kids off at care centers helped him deeply understand the needs of operators. He and Kris talk about enrollment challenges, operational bottlenecks, mapping a full customer journey, and how automation can power human connection, not replace it. They also discuss fear-based leadership, what small businesses often get wrong in...
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Episode 202 with Adrianne Agulla — A Great Story of Scaling Up and Growth
Child Care Rockstar Radio
In this episode, Adrianne Agulla, CEO of Hamilton Heights Child Development Centers in Nebraska and the true definition of an education entrepreneur, joins Kris. Adrianne shares how she went from working in the corporate world to owning six successful daycares and a catering business called Milton’s Amazing Kitchen. Together, she and Kris talk about growing from three to six locations, empowering a leadership team, using VAs to streamline operations, creating a strong scorecard, and what it really takes to scale with excellence. Adrianne goes through the very real ups and downs of growing...
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Episode 201 with Zac Alcampo — Gamification in Parenting AND Business
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Zac Alcampo, Creative Director at Grow Your Center, brings a fresh perspective to leadership, culture, and creativity in early education. With two decades of experience in the gaming industry, Zac is a dynamic entrepreneur and inventive strategist who has helped build immersive digital experiences that merge gamification, artificial intelligence, and user engagement. Now, he’s applying those same ideas to the world of child care — reimagining everything from team collaboration to marketing to parenting itself. In this episode, Zac joins Kris to talk about gamification in...
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Episode 200 with Vernon Mason — Every Day Is A Gift
Child Care Rockstar Radio
He’s back! The great Vernon Mason returns as one of the podcast’s most popular guests to help celebrate this milestone 200th episode. He and Kris reflect on leadership, legacy, and what it really means to be present. In this episode, Vernon shares his beautiful wisdom and journey from growing up in an in-home child care program to building and selling a five-site child care business, and now helping grow The Nest into a 52-location powerhouse. Together, he and Kris chat about the realities of leadership today including accountability, toxic positivity, turnover trends, universal...
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Episode 199 with Rachel Davis — Follow Your True Calling
Child Care Rockstar Radio
This is an inspiring and impactful episode with Rachel Davis, founder of Children’s Promise Centers, an early childhood program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Operating 20 hours daily, her centers provide critical support for working families often overlooked by traditional child care models. Rachel chats with Kris about her journey from the Denver Rescue Mission to creating a faith-driven, community-focused child care network where high standards, deep relationships, and genuine care intersect. She shares the heart behind her mission to support nontraditional working...
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Episode 198 with Jessica Harris: Be The CEO of Your Life
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Jessica Harris is the owner of Four Sisters Childcare in Linden, Utah — a thriving center named after her four daughters. Alongside her husband, she’s built a program that’s now serving 91 full-time equivalent students with a capacity of 86 and a waitlist. But her real work goes beyond enrollment. In this episode, Jessica shares her journey from running a home daycare to leading a full-blown center, all while growing as a leader, navigating fear, and learning how to truly step into her power. She opens up about the deep personal habits that ground her, the way she teaches...
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Ep 197 with Neshanta Linson: Creating an Extended Family In Her Community
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Neshanta Linson is the owner of Hermes Enchanted Garden, a boutique early childhood program in Lower Alabama. Starting as a home-based daycare, her center has grown into a thriving, community-driven school that blends classical education, family values, and a strong sense of connection. Beyond her role as a business owner, Neshanta is deeply committed to servant leadership, fostering an environment where families, staff, and children feel like an extended family. In this episode, she shares how she built a family-centered school culture where staff and parents feel truly connected. Neshanta...
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Ep. 196 with The Sisters (M. Mercedes & Maria Consuela): What Does ECE Stand For? Empathy-Courage-Excellence
Child Care Rockstar Radio
Kris welcomes The Sisters, Sister M. Mercedes Diaz and Sister Maria Consuela Garzón of St. Francis Daycare Center in Alton, Illinois, who also just happen to be the winners of the 2024 Child Care Rockstar Contest! In this episode, the sisters share their journey of leading a 45‑year‑old institution, discussing their leap into early childhood education without prior daycare experience, transforming systems post‑COVID, and embracing a “whatever it takes” mindset. Their story reveals the heart, courage, and excellence that define a true ECE rockstar. Key Takeaways: ...
info_outlineIt’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 Time Learning.
Key Takeaways:
[4:10] Congrats to Sister Mercedes for being named the new Rock Star!
[8:33] Jon joins the show from Brooklyn, New York.
[9:30] How a chess tutoring company evolved into Story Time Learning.
[13:26] Jon is a direct descendant of which royal figure from history?
[20:01] How can you use the power of storytelling?
[25:42] Jon highlights the success of their program in Singapore and the interest from parents and educators.
[28:16] Shaping 450‒500 preschools.
[30:27] Kris shares a great story on how she and Jon met.
[35:24] The key lessons Jon has learned as an entrepreneur.
[37:02] The importance of positivity, consistency, and showing up every day.
[41:47] What’s next for Story Time?
Quotes:
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“Children are capable of learning big, complex things like chess or coding if you throw out the rule book and you tell them fun, engaging, silly stories and let them discover the rules, rather than use rote memorization or rules that they have to stick to.” — Jon [10:26]
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“The same way that I train my teachers or tutors in New York City, we can train teachers, educators, librarians, anywhere in the world, to deliver our fun, engaging curriculum.” — Jon [12:10]
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“The power of story is one of the most powerful things you can do as a business owner, as a marketer, as anybody who’s trying to make a difference.” — Jon [19:27]
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“Storytelling is what we think is the best vehicle to deliver something.” — Jon [20:48]
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“We feel very strongly about the powerful tool and the vehicle that is storytelling.” — Jon [21:32]
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“You have to be positive and optimistic and believe in what you do. And if you approach things with eternal optimism and the ability to show up day after day, you will expose yourself to enough surface area that you will start getting ‘lucky.’” — Jon [37:21]
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“Consistency over time equals success.” — Jon [37:53]
Sponsored By:
ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)
Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Child Care Success Company
The Child Care Success Academy
Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal