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

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 local market and building a strong, credible team - including hiring a respected architect - as keys to finally launching the school; throughout the conversation, Thomas shares insights into his innovative approaches to marketing, staffing, and growing the new childcare business, demonstrating the rewards that can come from pursuing your vision with the right support system in place. 

 

Key Takeaways:

[5:40] Check out Kris’s new website! https://krismurray.com/

[9:03] Thomas joins the show from Lakeland, Florida. 

[9:38] Alta Schoolhouse opened in April 2022, and is a Montessori inspired pre-school. 

[11:00] Thomas talks about why he and his wife chose Florida.  

[12:50] How he and his wife handle the different roles and responsibilities. 

[15:05] Fun fact: Thomas is Argentinian and has a close affinity for the culture…especially soccer! 

[16:25] The Montessori inspired component. 

[18:25] How Thomas found the Child Care Success Academy. 

[22:10] Falling in love with the real estate development side of building Alta Schoolhouse. 

[23:25] The two locations that failed before the final Alta location, and what Thomas learned from the process. 

[25:15] Investing in the right team at the beginning will save you money and earn you respect down the road. 

[27:35] The different types of marketing they utilized, including the power of Mom’s Groups! 

[29:47] Fun offerings at tours and open houses. 

[32:20] The importance of knowing your market and doing your homework. 

[32:35] Staffing and building confidence within leadership. 

[35:31] Team retention and finding new members. 

[38:17] Alta is a young and vibrant environment. 

[41:01] The idea of starting another location in the near future. 

[42:02] Thomas talks about managing finances as a self described “spreadsheet fiend” and secret shopping locations before they opened. 

[47:18] Thomas’s advice for people looking to get into the industry: go for it! 

 

Quotes:

•  “The work life balance is truly, truly a gift in this industry.” [14:16] - Thomas 

• “It's been an absolutely incredible experience ever since joining the community and just the wealth of knowledge that you can get so quickly. It’s pretty invaluable.” [20:08] - Thomas 

• “The moment that we hired this architect and he walked into the doors of the city hall with us, the city planners and everybody on staff took us seriously. We were no longer two kids that had a dream and were trying to open up school. We were now business professionals with the backing of an architectural firm that was well known in Lakeland and respected in Lakeland. That is what gave us the credibility that we needed to be taken seriously.” [24:53] - Thomas 

• “We were able to build a wait list and have enough desire for what we were offering, where we were able to be in the green on day one.” [27:11] - Thomas 

• “They (your team) get confidence from good leadership.” [34:22] - Thomas 

• “I'm constantly looking at what other centers in our area are paying, and it's my goal to pay more than them.” [35:51] - Thomas 

• “It’s obviously an income for my family, but it's provided a community and just a sense of fulfillment in creating jobs, creating happiness through, through the kids and students and parents that are under your care. Go for it!” [37:14] - Thomas 

 

Sponsored By:

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)

Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Kris Murray

@iamkrismurray

The Child Care Success Company

The Child Care Success Academy

The Child Care Success Summit

Grow Your Center

Childcare Education Institute: use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal

Alta Schoolhouse 

@altaschoolhouse