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Early Childhood Business Made Easy: Preschool, Childcare & Play Cafe Success Strategies
Transform your preschool, childcare center, or play cafe from chaotic overwhelm into a profitable, time-freedom business. Host Kelley Peake, former KinderCare executive and owner of multiple seven-figure early childhood businesses, shares proven strategies for enrollment growth, team management, marketing that works, and operational systems that actually stick.
You'll Learn How To: ✨ Increase preschool enrollment and retention without expensive ads ✨ Hire and keep great teachers in a competitive market ✨ Grow play cafe traffic and party bookings consistently ✨ Structure your services for maximum profit (without raising tuition) ✨ Build systems that free up your time instead of stealing it ✨ Market to modern parents who value quality over price ✨ Scale your early childhood business without burning out
This Podcast Is For: → Preschool owners and directors drowning in daily chaos → Childcare operators struggling with staffing and slim margins → Play cafe and enrichment program owners wanting more bookings → Working moms building early childhood businesses while raising families → Anyone who started their EC business to make a difference—not to work 60-hour weeks
Kelley doesn't teach theory. She shares real strategies from 25+ years operating Peake Academy (boutique preschool), Play Boutique (indoor play cafe), and coaching hundreds of early childhood businesses through her Shine Membership and CEO Mentorship programs. Every episode delivers actionable systems you can implement this week.
Popular Topics: Early childhood business operations, preschool marketing strategies, childcare enrollment systems, play cafe revenue growth, hiring and retention for early childhood, parent communication frameworks, pricing strategies for preschools, operational efficiency, work-life balance for childcare owners.
Stop sacrificing your family to serve other families. Learn to rewrite the rules of business for early childhood at peakecreative.com.
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168 Episodes
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Send a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we challenge one of the most damaging myths in the early childhood industry—that 2–5% profit margins are “normal” and unavoidable. 💸 If you’re working 50+ hours a week with full enrollment and timely payments, yet barely breaking even, you’re not failing—you’ve been handed a story that keeps good leaders small, exhausted, and stuck. ⚙️ Confident Early Childhood Operators reject razor-thin margins. They understand the five p...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we tackle the financial blind spot that keeps so many early childhood owners stuck—earning revenue without real clarity on profitability. 📊 If enrollment is strong and families are paying on time, yet you’re unsure whether you’re actually making money or just staying busy, you’re not alone. Most EC leaders were never taught how to read financials built for ratio-dependent businesses. ⚙️ Confident Early Childhood Operator...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we break down why staying busy doesn’t always mean your business is growing—and how to finally focus on what actually moves the needle. 📝 If your to-do list feels endless and your days are packed, yet your profits haven’t improved, you’re not failing—you’re reacting. Motion often disguises itself as progress, especially in early childhood businesses where everything feels urgent. ⚙️ Confident Early Childhood Operators do...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we tackle why offering more programs doesn’t always lead to more profit—and how to find the true sweet spot in your services. 🧩 If you’re juggling toddler classes, enrichment add-ons, camps, events, and special programs but your margins haven’t moved, you may be confusing activity with profitability. Some offerings quietly drain your time and energy while giving very little back. ⚙️ Confident Early Childhood Operators do...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we break down why so much early childhood marketing feels exhausting—and why “posting more” rarely leads to full enrollment. 📱 If you’re spending hours creating content, showing up consistently, and following online marketing advice—yet your phone stays quiet—you’re not doing anything wrong. Most marketing strategies weren’t designed for early childhood programs where families research for weeks and decide over months. ⚙...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we uncover the real reason so many early childhood programs stay stuck on the hiring hamster wheel—and why traditional retention advice keeps falling flat. 👥 If you’re losing great teachers every few months and starting to wonder if “no one wants to work anymore,” you’re not wrong—but you are being given solutions that don’t work in ratio-dependent businesses with razor-thin margins. ⚙️ Confident Early Childhood Operator...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we’re rethinking what it really means to plan for the year ahead in a ratio-dependent early childhood business. 📋 You didn’t fail at your goals—and you’re not disorganized. The truth is, most goal-setting frameworks weren’t built for people-powered programs where staffing, parent needs, and licensing realities can shift everything in a single day. 🔭 When you move beyond isolated goals and build a clear, protected vision ...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we’re diving into what it really takes to build financial stability in a ratio-dependent early childhood business—without sacrificing quality or burning yourself out. 💸 If you’re cutting expenses, monitoring every purchase, and still feeling like the numbers never quite work, you’re not alone. Traditional budgeting advice wasn’t designed for ECE businesses where revenue is tied to staffing ratios and flexibility is limit...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we’re exploring how to transform parent communication from overwhelming and reactive into confident, connected partnership. 🧡 If you’re sending updates, answering questions, and trying to stay available—but still facing endless concerns and last-minute conversations—you’re not doing anything wrong. Traditional communication strategies simply don’t work in early childhood settings where emotions, routines, and development...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we’re diving into what true balance looks like for early childhood educators and owners—beyond planners, boundaries, or another color-coded schedule. ⏳ If your days feel chaotic, your evenings disappear into catch-up mode, and every “solution” you’ve tried falls apart the moment ratios shift or a parent needs you, you’re not alone. Traditional productivity advice simply doesn’t fit the realities of early childhood. ⚙️ We...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we explore what it really takes to build a profitable early childhood business that doesn’t rely on you being “on” 24/7. 💼 If you’re exhausted from carrying every task, decision, and fire on your shoulders—yet still not seeing the profit you expect—there’s nothing wrong with you. The traditional business advice you’ve been given simply doesn’t fit the realities of a ratio-dependent, relationship-driven industry. ⚙️ We br...
Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we dig into how clear policies and communication systems transform parent partnerships—and why most leaders stay stuck answering the same questions again and again. 📩 If you’re rewriting emails, clarifying expectations, and still feeling like families aren’t aligned, the issue isn’t parent behavior. It’s unclear systems trying to support a relationship-driven business. In this conversation, we break down how to build com...
Send us a text 💡 In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we break down what it truly means to build happiness into the operational core of your early childhood program — not as a bonus, but as a strategic advantage. When children feel restless, teachers feel drained, and joy feels fleeting, most leaders respond with more activities, more themes, or more staff-appreciation efforts. But these short-term boosts don’t work in ratio-dependent environments where the system determines...
Send us a text 💡 In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we explore why even the most well-intentioned parent communication can sometimes miss the mark. You’re sending updates, hosting events, and answering every question—yet families still feel disconnected. The issue isn’t how much you communicate, but how you invite parents into the journey. Discover how to shift from simply informing to truly empowering families—so they see you not just as a service provider, but as a trust...
Send us a text In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we dive into the missing link between passion and profit in the childcare industry. Many owners celebrate full enrollment and packed events—yet still feel the financial strain each month. The difference lies in having a purposeful profit plan that ties your vision directly to your numbers. Discover how to shift from reacting to your finances to leading with intention—so you can build a business that pays you consistently, s...
Send us a text Feeling like there’s never enough left over—even when your classrooms are full? You’re not alone. With most childcare businesses operating on razor-thin margins, every dollar truly counts. 💡 In this episode, discover how to make your money go further without raising tuition or cutting corners. You’ll learn how to align your spending with your mission, eliminate hidden money leaks, and plan ahead with clarity and confidence. Imagine a business that supports your team, delights f...
Send us a text Tired of repeating yourself to parents—or fixing miscommunications that could’ve been avoided? You’re not alone. 💡 In this episode, discover how clear, simple Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can turn daily communication chaos into calm, consistent connection. You’ll learn how to streamline updates, set clear expectations, and build trust that strengthens your entire community. Imagine parents who feel informed, a team that speaks with one voice, and a business that runs sm...
Send us a text ✨ Growth in your early childhood business isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most. In this episode, discover how to create meaningful, memorable experiences that families can’t stop talking about—without adding more to your plate. Learn how to refine your core services, empower your team, and turn everyday routines into moments that inspire loyalty, referrals, and genuine impact. 💡 When children feel truly seen and celebrated, your business becomes more than a...
Send us a text 🎙️ Struggling with parent partnerships? You’re not alone—and the solution is simpler than you think. 💡 In this episode, discover how to build trust, invite collaboration, and turn communication into real connection—without adding to your already full plate. 💬 Imagine parents becoming your biggest advocates instead of your biggest headaches. With the right rhythm of communication and intentional touchpoints, you’ll reduce complaints, boost retention, and spark referrals that gro...
Send us a text 🎙️ What if the strongest leader in your business is already on your team—just waiting to be uncovered? In this episode, discover how to spot hidden talent, create growth opportunities, and turn untapped potential into confident leaders who share the load. 💡 Imagine a business where your team steps up with initiative, your culture thrives, and you finally stop carrying everything alone. 👉 Ready to unlock the leaders hiding in plain sight? Tune in now and start building the thriv...
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Thank you, Kelly, for your amazing tips. Would you please link every episode of the podcast to the related website content?