Child Care Rockstar Radio
Business & Finance
About
Child Care Rockstar Radio is the podcast for child care owners, daycare leaders, and early childhood education entrepreneurs who want to grow a stronger, more profitable child care business.Hosted by Jennifer Conner, CEO of The Child Care Success Company, each episode features conversations with child care experts, preschool owners, and industry leaders who share practical strategies for child care leadership, enrollment growth, marketing, team culture, and business success.If you run a child care center, daycare, or preschool program, this podcast will help you build the systems, leadership skills, and mindset needed to grow your program and create a lasting impact on children, families, and your community.
Episodes
- Ep. 227 — The New Rule of Child Care in 2026: What Owners Need to Know with Kris Murray
In this episode, Jennifer and Kris Murray explore the evolving child care landscape in 2026. They cover the impact of AI, shifting enrollment dynamics, the importance of differentiation, and communicating business value. The discussion emp…
- Ep. 226 — The Intentional Path to Your Next Location with Thomas Brawner
Thomas Brawner, owner of Alta Schoolhouse, shares insights on intentional business growth, including strategic overstaffing, financial planning for expansion, building a strong team culture, and the importance of a positive first impressio…
- Ep. 225 — The Real Reason You Can't Let Go with Barbara Tedrow
In episode 225, host Jennifer talks with child care business owner Barbara Tedrow about the emotional weight of control and fear in business ownership. Barbara shares her journey of learning to trust her team, delegate tasks, and step back…
- Ep. 224 — This is Why It Still Keeps Coming Back To You with Toni Bedford
In this episode, Jennifer reflects on helping child care owners lead with intention and slow down to gain perspective. She talks with Toni Bedford, owner of Bedford Learning Programs, about the challenges of being the central point of cont…
- Ep. 223 — Protect What You've Built with Sharita Brown
Jennifer shares a personal experience that highlighted the importance of impact, leadership, and protecting entrusted assets. Guest Sharita Brown details a time when her centers faced a false report, prompting a focus on documentation, ove…
- Ep. 222 — When Loving Kids Isn't Enough with Michael Ingram
A new season of Child Care Rockstar Radio begins with Jennifer Conner, CEO of the Child Care Success company, stepping in as host! Jennifer shares the real behind-the-scenes of her own journey: buying a struggling center, realizing "love a…
- Ep. 221 — Happier Mamas, Happier Babies with Camille St. Martin
In this heartfelt sendoff episode, Kris sits down with her very first hire, Camille St. Martin, for a deeply meaningful conversation about the postpartum experience, nervous system regulation, and the importance of truly seeing and support…
- Ep. 220 - Becoming Stronger and Getting Better Each Day with Cynthia Maher
Are you ready to grow stronger as a leader and show up bigger for your center? This week, Kris sits down with Cynthia Maher, owner and founder of Bedford Child Development Center in Michigan, and a proud finalist in the 2025 Child Care Roc…
- Ep. 219 - Having a Seat at the Right Table Is Everything with Kyleigh Tolman and Keaton Ross
Kyleigh Tolman and Keaton Ross are the powerhouse sister duo behind Klever Kidz Academy in rural Southeast Oklahoma. With three centers and over 300 children served, Kyleigh and Keaton have built something deeply rooted in family, communit…
- Ep. 218 - Stamp Your Center's Footprint in the Community with Megan Ferring
Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! In this episode, Kris sits down with Megan Ferring, a dynamic regional director at Hamilton Heights Child Development Center, where her 16-year journey began as a preschool teacher. Megan's deep commitme…
- Ep. 217 - Not Your Typical Childcare Center with LaVonda Paul
This week, Kris welcomes LaVonda Paul, a trailblazing early childhood leader and fourth-generation entrepreneur, for an inspiring conversation about legacy, leadership, and the power of showing up. As the owner of Small Impressions Child D…
- Ep. 216 - What "Trust the Process" Really Means with Kris Murray
It's solo episode time! Kris shares insights from her new book, The Antidote to Fear, and outlines three practical ways to trust yourself and the process. She talks about embracing fear and self-doubt, including her "yoga mat" moment that…
- Ep. 215 - How Disney's Service Values Can WOW Your Customer with Vance Morris
Kris welcomes Vance Morris, former security guard turned Disney leader and successful entrepreneur, for a trip to the happiest place on earth — great customer service! Vance helps business owners get, serve, and keep clients for life throu…
- Ep. 214 - Fixing a Broken Culture with Intentional Leadership with Ashanti Ordone
Kris welcomes Ashanti Ordone, the Founder and CEO of Gifted & Talented Academy, and the 2025/26 Child Care Rock Star Award winner! They talk about expanding from a home daycare to three locations, transforming her school's culture, and ove…
- Ep. 213 - Getting Your Operational "Stuff" Together with Jami Hartmann
Want to stop the revolving door of teachers and create a rock-solid childcare team? Kris talks with Jami Hartmann from Trainual about how the right systems can transform your center's operations. They dig into practical strategies for find…
- Ep. 212 - Leveraging Word of Mouth Marketing for Fast Growth with Josh and Pamela Hernandez
Kris welcomes Josh and Pamela Hernandez, owners of Montessori Kids Universe Stone Oak. The duo talks about their path into early childhood education and opening up MKU, tips for starting out with cash flow out of the gate, and enrollment s…
- Ep. 211 - Chasing Cows and Building Dreams Into a 12-Center Empire with Jennifer House and Jenni Grawvunder
Kris welcomes "The Jens", aka Jennifer House (CEO) and Jenni Grawvunder (COO) of Children's Choice Preschool, to share the remarkable story behind their 12-center child care empire in San Diego County. What started as a nonprofit program w…
- Ep. 210 - When You Love Kids This Much, Success Comes Naturally with Dominique Gill
Kris welcomes Dominique Gill, heart-centered leader and owner of Unique Kids Childcare in Nashville and Smyrna, Tennessee, to share her journey to multi-site child care leader. Dominique opens up about starting as a young mother seeking af…
- Ep. 209 - A Family Affair! Tales of a Multi-Generational ECE Company with Tea Shong and Trina Romanowski
Kris sits down with Tea Shong and Trina Romanowski, the powerhouse mother-daughter duo behind a thriving, multi-site early childhood business in Michigan. Winners of the Partnership of the Year Award at the Child Care Success Summit, Tea a…
- Ep. 208 - Creating Leadership Magic In Her Ruby Slippers with Rachel Supalla
Kris is joined by longtime friend, business visionary, and rockstar early childhood leader Rachel Supalla. Rachel is the founder of Vision Tree, a TEDx speaker, and the author of The Playful Leader's Toolkit, a book packed with wisdom on l…
- Ep. 207 - You Can't Save Your Way to Success with Gigi Schweikert
Kris welcomes Gigi Schweikert, CEO of Lightbridge Academy, to explore what it takes to lead at scale and stay grounded in the human side of early childhood education. With 85 centers across the U.S., Gigi shares how she thinks about qualit…
- Ep. 206 - Leadership Lessons in Child Care with Regina Miller
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, Reg…
- Ep. 204 - From Home to Center: Young Leadership in Action with Whitney Burkman
Kris welcomes young inspiration and rising leader Whitney Burkman, owner of Magnolia Academy in Payson, Utah. Whitney shares more about her journey from in-home childcare to a full 125-spot center before age 30. She talks about building co…
- Ep. 203 - What's Your Customer Journey? (And Why You Should Care) with Brett Nelle
Kris welcomes Brett Neller, CEO of LineLeader by ChildcareCRM, to explore the real meaning of the customer journey in child care, and why it's critical for sustainable growth. Brett shares insights from his professional evolution, includin…
- Ep. 202 - A Great Story of Scaling Up and Growth with Adrianne Agulla
In this episode, Adrianne Agulla, CEO of Hamilton Heights Child Development Centers in Nebraska and the true definition of an education entrepreneur, joins Kris. Adrianne shares how she went from working in the corporate world to owning si…
- Ep. 201 - Gamification in Parenting AND Business with Zac Alcampo
Zac Alcampo, Creative Director at Grow Your Center, brings a fresh perspective to leadership, culture, and creativity in early education. With two decades of experience in the gaming industry, Zac is a dynamic entrepreneur and inventive st…
- Ep. 200 - Every Day Is A Gift with Vernon Mason
He's back! The great Vernon Mason returns as one of the podcast's most popular guests to help celebrate this milestone 200th episode. He and Kris reflect on leadership, legacy, and what it really means to be present. In this episode, Verno…
- Ep. 199 - Follow Your True Calling with Rachel Davis
This is an inspiring and impactful episode with Rachel Davis, founder of Children's Promise Centers, an early childhood program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Operating 20 hours daily, her centers provide critical support for working families…
- Ep. 198 - Be The CEO of Your Life with Jessica Harris
Jessica Harris is the owner of Four Sisters Childcare in Linden, Utah — a thriving center named after her four daughters. Alongside her husband, she's built a program that's now serving 91 full-time equivalent students with a capacity of 8…
- Ep. 197 - Creating an Extended Family In Her Community with Neshanta Linson
Neshanta Linson is the owner of Hermes Enchanted Garden, a boutique early childhood program in Lower Alabama. Starting as a home-based daycare, her center has grown into a thriving, community-driven school that blends classical education,…
- Ep. 196 - What Does ECE Stand For? Empathy-Courage-Excellence with The Sisters (M. Mercedes & Maria Consuela)
Kris welcomes The Sisters, Sister M. Mercedes Diaz and Sister Maria Consuela Garzón of St. Francis Daycare Center in Alton, Illinois, who also just happen to be the winners of the 2024 Child Care Rockstar Contest! In this episode, the sist…
- Ep. 195 - Stack Your WINS for Massive Momentum with Jacob Jensen
Jacob Jensen is the Executive Director of The Learning Station, a Christian-based child care organization in Myrtle Beach, and a coach for the Child Care Success Company. As a husband and father of two boys, Jacob is dedicated to providing…
- Ep. 194 - Creating Beauty From Tragedy with Michelle Masjedi
Michelle Masjedi is a dedicated early childhood educator and business owner in Los Angeles. As the founder of The Journey Begins and the soon-to-open The Journey Continues, she has spent over 30 years shaping the future of child care. In t…
- Ep. 193 - Feeling Alive in '25 with Tameenah Adams
Tameenah Adams is a Certified Child Care Success Academy (CCSA) Business Coach and a seasoned entrepreneur who has successfully owned and operated multiple childcare centers in the DC Metro area. As a coach, she helps childcare owners stre…
- Ep. 192 - Build a Great Team Around You with Thomas Brawner
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…
- Ep. 191 - The Power of Story with Brenda and Gordie McClay
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 a…
- Ep. 190 - Fail Your Way To Success with Constance Sholar Cherry
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, esp…
- Ep. 189 - The Power of Story with Jon Sieber
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…
- Ep. 188 - What Would You Love with Kris Murray
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 fro…
- Ep. 187 - The Inch Way: Steps to Create An Empowered School Culture with Kim Lannin
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…
- Ep. 186 - Deepen Your Roots and Succeeding Through Relationships with Ashley Varouhas
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…
- Ep. 185 - Never Lead From Fear with Silvia Sarhadian
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 educatio…
- Ep. 184 - The Path to Joy in Entreprenuership in Mother-Daughter Team with Patricia and Megan Williams
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…
- Ep. 183 - Leading Teams Out of Conflict and Into Collaboration with Tasha Santistevan
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 h…
- Ep. 182 - Empowering Growth in Adults and Children with Ashley Blackmon
Kris welcomes the awesome Ashley Blackmon, owner and founder of A Perfect Start Learning Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Ashley shares her remarkable journey from humble beginnings to running a thriving, nationally accredited childcare cent…
- Ep. 181 - Get Support for Your Business in a Disaster or Crisis with Militza Mezquita
It's an extremely valuable and informative episode, as Kris welcomes Militza Mezquita, Senior Advisor with Save the Children. Save the Children is the primary organization in the United States, helping childcare centers with emergency prep…
- Ep. 180 - Meet The Child Care Chic with Latrice Galloway
Kris rolls out the pink carpet for Latrice Galloway, one of the most inspirational, dynamic, and business-savvy women in the early learning industry today. She talks about The Childcare Chic blog, The Childcare Clique community, and her up…
- Ep. 179 - How to Increase Staff Retention by 10x in Seven Months with Crystal & Ricardo Romero
From 120% staff turnover annually to just 14% in seven months? It may sound like a dream scenario, but for Kris's guests this week, it's reality. Kris welcomes Crystal and Ricardo Romero from the New Mexico Early Learning Academy, currentl…
- Ep. 178 - Becoming the Provider of Choice with Scott Whitaker
What are the two keys to retaining more families in your program? And do you think that those two keys also apply to retaining staff? This week, Scott Whitaker, aka the "Membership Boy Wonder," is here to answer those questions. Scott is t…
- Ep. 177 - Confident Leadership & A Strong Marriage with Rick and Nancy Kodama
The story this week starts with pizza, so you know it's going to be a good one! Kris welcomes Rick and Nancy Kodama from Kid's World Learning Center. Rick and Nancy are a husband-and-wife team based near Houston, Texas. They share some gre…