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 engaged, inspire your staff, and create a culture that works, starting at the top.

Key Takeaways:

[5:05 ] Some exciting new info about the Summit!                                                                                           [7:06 ] Regina brings more than 47 years of experience in early childhood and 35 years in leadership, with a clear focus on mentorship, literacy, and building long-term community impact.

[8:58 ] After losing her daughter in 2022, Regina downsized her center to honor her daughter’s dream and now focuses on a smaller, literacy-driven program model.
[11:46 ] She has no plans to retire and emphasizes purpose-driven longevity in leadership, reinforced by consistent self-care and boundaries.

[14:13 ] The beauty of an early wake-up time.
[17:02 ] Her newest book, Leadership Lessons, was years in the making and centers on transparency, personal growth, and lessons from mistakes made as a leader.
[20:34 ] Regina encourages leaders to stop being intimidated by talented hires. She views strong team members as a resource to grow the organization, not as a threat.
[23:18 ] New directors often assume the title alone is enough. Regina challenges them to build systems, listen to input, and avoid siloed decision-making.
[25:59 ] Veteran leaders can become disconnected. She emphasizes the importance of owners remaining present and actively involved in culture-building.
[30:18 ] Regina is deeply involved in policy advocacy and stresses the need for early educators to be consistently vocal with legislators, not just during funding crises.

[34:04 ] Fun fact: You may catch Regina on the dance floor, and she moved for four hours at her own birthday party!
[34:24 ] Joy and energy are core to Regina’s leadership style, and she believes team morale can be shifted through presence, celebration, and meaningful connection.

[36:13 ] The connection between dancing and leadership.<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; te