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In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate and Cindy Morgan tackle something every childcare director needs but few actually have: written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for staff training and compliance. They dig into why keeping training records organized is such a common violation across states, and how easy it is to lose track of CPR renewals, background checks, and training hours.

They share some really practical tips, like having staff swap files during meetings for a fresh set of eyes, and how automated reminders in tools like One Place Childcare can seriously save your sanity!

Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate Woodward Young drops some serious truth bombs about why handing a new hire a handbook and saying "let us know if you have questions" just doesn't cut it. She breaks down the real difference between orientation, training, and onboarding, and why completing a training checklist doesn't automatically mean someone is competent. Kate walks you through a practical 90-day onboarding framework and reminds us that great staff doesn't rise to the role alone: they need modeling, practice, feedback, and genuine support.

Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate and Erica sit down for a really inspiring chat about what's next when you've spent decades in early childhood education. Erica shares her incredible 27-year journey from furniture sales to childcare director in just four months, to opening her own chain of schools! They dig into recognizing early childhood as a true profession, finding your successor, and exploring new paths like speaking, coaching, or pursuing further education.
Whether you're feeling stagnant or just curious about your next chapter, this one's definitely worth a listen!

Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode, you'll meet Danielle, who has spent nearly 35 years in early childhood education, and her story of how she got there is genuinely heartwarming! She sits down to talk about leading multiple childcare centers, the real challenges of managing diverse teams, and why listening to understand beats listening to respond every time.

The big conversation? Switching childcare management software after some serious billing nightmares. Spoiler: they landed on Playground Software, and that little blue support bubble? Total game-changer.

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate sits down with Cindy Morgan from One Place Childcare to dig into a topic every early childhood leader needs to hear — "Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." Cindy shares her incredible journey from family childcare to running a massive nonprofit food program, and now helping centers ditch the paper chaos with smart, cloud-based compliance tools. They get real about why we kick the can down the road on tough decisions, how dashboards save your sanity across multiple locations, and why your "bench" — coaches, vendors, mentors — matters more than you think.

To learn more: 1PlaceChildcare.com , link to join a webinar, book a 1-1 meeting with me here

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode of Child Care Conversations, Kate chats with Amy Cowan, CEO of Ivy Brook Academy, about her incredible journey from public school teacher to leading a franchise with 60+ locations! Amy shares how a strong female mentor helped shape her leadership style, why saying "yes" to uncomfortable opportunities is where real growth happens, and what it means to be bold but not bossy. Whether you're just starting out or ready to level up, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and genuine encouragement for women in leadership. You're going to want to take notes!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-cowan-8748aa8b/

https://www.ivybrookacademy.com/

https://www.ivybrookacademy.com/franchising/

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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Get ready for conference season! In this episode, Kate and Alisha break down how to make the most of vendor halls at early childhood education conferences. Think of it less like trick-or-treating for swag and more like a strategic opportunity to find the right partners for your program. They share smart tips like coming prepared with questions, knowing your budget and inventory, supporting local vendors, and always asking for a discount! Whether you run one center or many, this episode will help you shop smarter and build relationships that truly benefit your program.

Fill out to set up a demo: https://3cup9.share.hsforms.com/2evTRRs78SLeEOmq71DWGiw

Here is the link as well for more info The Harmony Method

Alisha's link: Schedule a Meeting with me

aberg3718@gmail.com

alisha.kriege@freenotesharmonypark.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisha-kriege-51bb9a4b/?skipRedirect=true

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

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In this episode of Child Care Conversations, Kate talks to Jennifer Clements, who shares her journey from growing up in her mom's home daycare to running three childcare centers in Kansas. She dives into the unique challenges of serving military families and college students, and how building a true "village" became the heart of her business. Jennifer also gets real about the staffing puzzle of hiring college students and how embracing flexibility is key. Plus, she walks through her tech evolution — from sticky notes to finding the right all-in-one software solution. Such a relatable and resourceful conversation!

Learn more about our guest!

https://www.crechemanhattan.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-clements-dorothy-68264946/

Thanks for Listening 🎧

• Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖
• Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals!
• Join our Podcast Newsletter!
• Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more.
• Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!