Libsyn Directory

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

Child Care Rockstar Radio

Release Date: 12/31/2024

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

Child Care Rockstar Radio

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

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

TOPICS