Child Care Rockstar Radio

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with leadership coach and longtime child care rockstar Jen Slavin for a conversation about what great leadership actually looks like when you strip away the title, the checklist, and the fancy job description. After decades in early childhood education, helping grow a child care organization from one school to nine and coaching more than 1,000 owners and leaders, Jen has learned that leadership usually shows up in the smallest moments: how you say hello, how you respond when someone makes a mistake, whether your team knows which version of you is walking through the door, and whether you do what you said you were going to do.   Jen and Jennifer dig into the tiny pause between reacting and responding, why your team will copy what you model far faster than they will memorize a policy, and what happens when compassion quietly turns into avoiding accountability. They also talk about hitting the leadership reset button when you have let things slide, having those conversations nobody particularly wants to have, and choosing one small leadership habit to work on instead of trying to reinvent yourself by Monday morning. And because this is Jen Slavin, there is also plenty of sparkle, a little glitter, and even a reminder that sometimes leadership practice starts with not losing it when somebody cuts you off on the highway!   Key Takeaways: [4:48] Jen says great leadership is usually found in ordinary moments, consistency, presence, and whether people know they can rely on you. [8:08] Leadership does not require a title because people naturally recognize and follow the people who consistently show up for others. [10:26] Your team will learn far more from watching how you handle mistakes, stress, parents, and problems than they will from reading a written policy. [10:26] Big reactions do not stop mistakes from happening, but they can make your team stop telling you when something goes wrong. [14:05] Strong leadership starts with self-awareness and recognizing the small gap between what happens and how you choose to respond. [15:30] Sometimes one of the strongest things a leader can do is pause, admit they need a moment, and come back with a thoughtful response instead of an emotional one. [20:05] Jen shares how Dare to Lead helped her recognize the stories we create in our own heads and how quickly those stories can shape the way we treat someone. [23:19] The behaviors you repeatedly overlook eventually become part of the standard your team believes is acceptable. [24:30] Addressing a small issue early can prevent it from growing into a much harder conversation, performance plan, or serious liability later. [30:57] If you have allowed certain behaviors for months or years, you can still reset expectations without pretending yesterday never happened. [31:48] Jen recommends bringing the team into your leadership reset and being transparent that your expectations, and your own leadership habits, are changing. [35:02] A reset can also include asking your team where they see gaps in your leadership and giving them a voice in how everyone moves forward together. [37:17] Reading one great book or hearing one great podcast is not enough because becoming a stronger leader requires repeated practice. [39:59] Leadership may come more naturally to some people than others, but everyone still has moments where patience, body language, and emotional regulation require intentional work. [43:45] If you want to lead differently, start with one small behavior instead of attempting a complete personality overhaul overnight. [44:18] Jen recommends choosing one leadership habit, asking someone to hold you accountable, and practicing it long enough for it to truly become part of how you show up. [47:42] The more consistently you practice patience, compassion, and regulation in every part of your life, the more naturally those qualities show up in your leadership too. [50:05] Jen leaves leaders with a perfect reminder: keep spreading your sparkle!   Quotes:   "I think it's never about the big moments. It's never about the title. I think it's just in the ordinary." — Jen Slavin [4:48]   "If we react big, people aren't going to stop making mistakes. They're just going to stop telling us." — Jen Slavin [10:26]   "There's that little gap in between this just happened. I need to get here. It's sort of like the little pause in the middle of where you get to decide which road you're taking." — Jen Slavin [14:05]   "It's not just about hearing it once; it's about that constant practice." — Jen Slavin [37:17]   "Just keep spreading your sparkle." — Jen Slavin [50:05]   Sponsored By: Procare Solutions — Visit Procare Solutions and find out what running your center feels like when you finally have the right tools.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray Jennifer Conner 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 Jen Slavin

In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Matthew Booher, Co-Founder and Partnerships lead at Clad, to talk about something every childcare owner cares about, whether they enjoy talking about it or not: getting paid! You can have strong enrollment, healthy tuition numbers, and even profit on paper, but if parent payments or subsidy dollars are arriving late, it can still feel like you are constantly wondering where the cash went.   With nearly 30 years in the PreK-12 world, Matthew brings a big-picture view of the financial challenges child care businesses are facing right now and some surprisingly creative ways to solve them. Jennifer and Matthew talk about creating more consistent cash flow, taking the uncomfortable job of chasing payments off an owner's plate, finding capital for things like payroll or a new playground, and even using financial tools to support enrollment growth. Most importantly, this conversation is about giving owners more stability and more time to get back to the reason they opened their doors in the first place: serving children and families.   Key Takeaways: [5:18] Matthew shares how nearly 30 years in the PreK-12 industry eventually led him to join Clad and its mission of helping schools and child care centers. [7:02] Consistent cash flow can take a major financial and mental burden off owners so they can spend more time focused on children and families. [8:10] Late parent payments and inconsistent subsidy dollars are challenges showing up across the industry, so owners struggling with them are definitely not alone. [9:30] Matthew says one of the most consistent financial trends right now is actually inconsistency, which makes predictability even more valuable. [11:14] Matthew shares how access to short-term capital helped one center cover payroll during a difficult summer and another invest in a new playground. [11:45] Clad's model includes three main areas: consistent weekly cash flow, tools to support enrollment growth, and access to capital for investing back into the business. [12:57] Rather than treating every center the same, Matthew starts by understanding the owner's story, community, and specific financial needs. [14:40] Clad began with a former school owner who was tired of spending his time chasing tuition payments instead of doing the work he loved. [18:17] Centers can use Clad without replacing all of their existing software, making it more of an activation than a full technology overhaul. [19:21] Parent payments and subsidy funds can both be included so owners have a more predictable picture of what is actually reaching their bank account. [20:41] Consistent cash flow can give owners the working capital they need to make improvements that help their center stand out and grow. [24:18] Matthew encourages owners to take an honest look at whether money is really arriving on time, because a few late payments here and there add up. [25:00] Owners should also watch subsidy payments closely and connect with other providers when payment problems may be affecting an entire community. [26:16] Jennifer points out that big-hearted child care owners can easily become lenient about tuition without realizing how much those delays impact the business. [28:35] The goal of better financial systems is not to give owners one more thing to manage, but to get business tasks out of the way so they can return to their why. [30:18] Matthew understands why the model can sound too good to be true and encourages owners to do their homework and talk directly with centers already using it. [31:42] Even an owner who thinks cash flow is perfectly fine may discover another opportunity, from funding growth to opening an additional location.   Quotes:  "The one consistency we're seeing in the trends is that things are inconsistent." — Matthew [9:30]   "We'll cover your payroll for a few months. And it saved her business, and it literally saved her." — Matthew [11:14]   "He spent most of his time as a school owner chasing payments and getting parents to pay on time, and so he was not able to do what his passion was, which is to teach." — Matthew [14:40]   "Clad is not an implementation; it's an activation." — Matthew [18:17]   Sponsored By: Procare Solutions — Visit Procare Solutions and find out what running your center feels like when you finally have the right tools.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray Jennifer Conner 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 Clad: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

In this solo episode, Jennifer gets personal about the invisible rules so many child care owners carry without ever realizing it. Rules telling you that you have to be everything to everyone, that you can't let people see you struggle, and that things should always be perfect and look a certain way. Nobody actually handed her those rules, but for years, she lived like they were written in stone.   Jennifer shares what it took to slowly unlearn them, from letting go of control and trusting a leadership team, to realizing she did not have to become a polished version of herself to be respected as a leader, to finally believing that profit and purpose can live in the same business. She also talks about the trip to Mexico that showed her the center could survive without her for a week, and why sometimes the permission you need in one season is completely different from the permission you need in the next.   Key Takeaways: [2:35] Jennifer shares why permission is not something we learn once, because every new season of life seems to require a new kind of it. [4:07] Many owners are living by rules nobody ever actually gave them, from doing everything themselves to putting the business ahead of their own needs. [6:59] Jennifer looks back on the season when necessity turned into control, and she convinced herself she had to personally protect every part of the business. [9:00] Being needed by everyone may feel important at first, but eventually it can start to feel like being trapped by everyone. [9:32] Learning to delegate meant accepting that someone else did not have to do everything exactly the way Jennifer would do it. [10:40] Sometimes 80% done by someone else is far better than 100% done by an exhausted and resentful owner. [13:20] None of Jennifer's later opportunities would have opened if she had stayed in the belief that she was the only person who could do things right. [16:07] Jennifer shares how living under other people's expectations slowly turned her into a more acceptable version of herself that did not actually feel like her. [17:50] Moving to Mexico helped Jennifer realize the freedom was not about becoming somebody new, but finally being able to be herself. [24:03] Jennifer shares how putting herself last became such a habit that she sometimes wore exhaustion and self-sacrifice like a badge of honor. [25:16] A week away in Mexico showed Jennifer that her leadership team could handle the business without needing her to control every detail. [26:57] A difficult season may require sacrifice, but it cannot become the permanent price of being a business owner. [27:27] The permission you need changes as your life changes, from permission to delegate to permission to lead, simplify, grow, or pivot. [32:52] Changing your mind does not always mean the old decision was wrong; sometimes it means you have more information, and you are in a different season now.   Quotes:  "Eventually being needed by everyone starts to feel a whole lot like being trapped by everyone." — Jennifer [9:00]   "80% done by someone else was sometimes better than 100% done by an exhausted, sometimes resentful, very tired owner who could not keep carrying everything and doing everything herself." — Jennifer [10:40]   "The freedom was, I can finally just be me." — Jennifer [17:50]   "Profit and purpose are 100 percent not enemies. They actually go hand in hand." — Jennifer [22:53]   "I had built a business because I wanted it to help me build a life, not the opposite." — Jennifer [26:30]   "A hard season cannot become the permanent price of ownership." — Jennifer [26:57]   Sponsored By: Procare Solutions — Visit Procare Solutions and find out what running your center feels like when you finally have the right tools.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray Jennifer Conner 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

This episode could save you money, hours, and maybe a few future Saturdays pushing an overflowing cart through a warehouse store! Jennifer sits down with Kris Davis, Senior Director at Food & Supply Source, who brings more than 30 years of experience in food distribution and procurement. After decades of helping restaurant owners find hidden money, make smarter purchasing decisions, and operate more efficiently, Kris is now bringing that same expertise to child care centers and other organizations serving children.   Kris and Jennifer dig into a part of the business that many owners rarely stop to analyze: what are you really spending to feed each child? They talk about the true cost of grocery runs, when using a distributor makes sense, the products that deserve the closest look, CACFP compliance, portion sizes, food waste, and how seemingly tiny changes can add up to thousands of dollars a year.    Key Takeaways: [2:45] Jennifer looks back on years of "shopping Saturdays" and realizes that saving a few pennies at the store may have been costing her hours of valuable time. [9:16] Kris shares how more than 30 years in food service and distribution taught her to find hidden money inside businesses that looked successful on the surface. [13:10] One of the first numbers every owner should know is their true food cost per child per day. [14:55] Kris says a center feeding 50 to 60 children could have around $10,000 a year hiding inside its food costs. [17:12] Buying from a distributor can mean bulk savings, consistent products, fewer scavenger hunts around town, and a whole lot of time back. [18:19] Owners should consider the value of their own time instead of treating hours spent grocery shopping as if they are free. [22:40] Before switching to a distributor, look at practical things like storage space, case sizes, delivery minimums, and whether you can use the food before it expires. [30:56] Kris starts a food cost review with the invoices and focuses first on the high-volume products that have the biggest impact on the bottom line. [35:52] The right product choice can improve CACFP compliance and lower costs, including one sausage swap Kris says saved more than $6,000 a year. [39:45] Kris recommends occasionally looking at what is being thrown away because food waste is one of the clearest places to spot money leaving the building. [42:00] Registered dietitians and nutrition specialists can take the complicated CACFP calculations and documentation off an owner's plate. [45:30] Food & Supply Source can start with a cost-benefit analysis to show owners what they are currently paying and where savings may be available.                                                                              [48:09] Kris shares real examples ranging from $18,000 a year in savings to one organization saving $400 every week simply by changing brands.                                                                                               [50:48] Kris leaves listeners with an immediate money-saving tip: check the price of the applesauce brand you are buying! Quotes: "Sometimes improving your bottom line doesn't require a brand new revenue stream or a massive change to your business. Sometimes the money is already there; you just have to know where to look." [8:08] - Jennifer    "The first thing I'm going to want to do is I want to look at number one, your invoices. So you're going to show me your invoices, and then this is where we really start to take a deep dive into your food costs." [31:16] - Kris    "With our program, it's completely free. There's no cost. There's no contract. If you hate us, you can leave. But we're going to help you save money. We're going to do all the work for you. We're not for everyone, but I really think that we should be. I like to think that we are." [43:50] - Kris  Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray Jennifer Conner 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 Kris Davis LinkedIn Food and Supply Source

Jennifer sits down with a true magic maker, Tammy England! Tammy is part of the team at The Child Care Success Company and often one of the first friendly faces members many of you have already met, but long before joining the team, she spent 29 years teaching, training teachers, mentoring educators, and finding creative ways to help children fall in love with learning. She also happens to be Jennifer's cousin who feels much more like a sister, which makes this conversation especially sweet.   Tammy shares how their grandmother Mimi taught them that magic can be created with imagination, patience, cookie dough, pretend hotels, and an RV that suddenly becomes an apartment. She brings that same spirit into the classroom through dramatic play, sensory experiences, nature, animals, imagination, and plenty of opportunities to get messy. Jennifer and Tammy also talk about understanding behavior as communication, partnering with parents, and creating classrooms where children feel safe, excited, and free to explore.   Key Takeaways: [8:05] Tammy shares how 29 years of teaching, along with the influence of Mimi and Mary Poppins, shaped her love of making learning magical. [11:54] Children are experiencing so many things for the first time, which gives teachers the incredible opportunity to become magic makers. [14:00] Tammy shares how finding something positive in a struggling child changed the experience for both the child and her worried mother. [18:52] When a child is struggling, start by looking at the environment, finding something positive to praise, and giving the child ownership in the classroom. [20:56] Observing exactly what happened without assigning emotions can help teachers understand what a child's behavior is communicating. [23:24] Parents do not need a list of everything their child did wrong, but they do need to understand where their child needs support and how they can help. [25:13] Small personal connections with families help build the trust that every strong child care relationship depends on. [26:38] Tammy's dream classroom brings nature inside and includes animals, hands-on learning, movement, books, art, and a calming space. [28:02] Preschool classrooms should be built around how young children actually learn instead of looking like miniature kindergarten classrooms. [31:53] When behavior problems keep showing up, look at the classroom setup and whether the environment meets the needs of the children currently in it. [33:46] Meaningful learning experiences do not have to come from an expensive catalog, as Tammy proves with everything from loose parts to a real octopus sensory experience. [35:27] Items that look like junk to adults can become pure magic when children are given the freedom to explore and create with them. [38:08] Letting children help with everyday activities like baking can build confidence, pride, and a genuine excitement for learning. [38:56] Candy corn math, sensory tubs, and rainbow writing are a few of Tammy's favorite ways to make early learning irresistible. [45:03] Tammy closes with a hilarious reminder that preschoolers can create unexpected mischief anywhere, including a dramatic play at a flower shop.   Quotes: "Some of the most magical classrooms are built with cardboard boxes, sensory bins, imagination, patience, and a teacher who genuinely loves being there." — Jennifer [5:34]   "Before we were business owners, before we were leaders, most of us simply just wanted to make a difference in a child's life, and that's still the greatest work we get to do." — Jennifer [6:02]   "These kids, for the most part, are experiencing these things for the very first time, and so getting to plan these things out, you become a magic maker, and it's one of the best jobs in the world." — Tammy [11:54]   "Most of the time, every reaction, every behavior is a communication, and so if you look at it that way, what are they communicating?" — Tammy [21:08]   "Every classroom should have a cozy corner for children to regulate." — Tammy [44:44]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use code CCSC5 to claim a free course!   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray @iamkrismurray Jennifer Conner 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 Tammy Lee England