ChildCare Conversations with Kate and Carrie
Kate and Carrie have over 62 years in the childcare business industry and bring that background to their conversations. Having worked with over 5000 childcare programs across the country in the last 30 years together they are a fun and powerful team - ready to help you tackle your problems with practical solutions.
Episodes
256 episodes
246: Become Prepared for the Unexpected: How to Create an Oh Sh*t Fund
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie dive into the nitty-gritty of financial planning for childcare providers. They chat about the importance of having a financial safety net, humorously dubbed the "oh sh*t fund" (OSF)...
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31:25
245: How to Integrate Play-Based Learning with STEM: a Conversation with Karly
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," hosts Kate and Carrie chat with Karly, an educator and director, about the magic of integrating STEM and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in early childhood education...
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28:34
244: Is Your Childcare Software Helping or Hurting? Learn More with Sasha and Daniel of Playground
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," hosts Kate and Carrie chat with Daniel and Sasha about their innovative software, Playground, which aims to make life easier for childcare providers. Daniel shares touching stories about his family...
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21:12
243: Building Community Connections in Childcare with Jordan and Christy
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie chat with Christy Black and Jordan Owens, franchise owners of Primrose Preschool. They dive into the importance of community involvement and how it positively impacts both staff and...
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19:23
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242: How Can We Balance Staff Accountability and Empathy in Childcare?
In this episode, Kate and Carrie dive into the hot topic of staff accountability in childcare settings. They chat about the common concerns directors have regarding the work ethic of younger staff members. Carrie explores generational differenc...
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18:47
Bonus Episode: Together We Grow with Prerna and Laura
In this bonus episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie chat with Prerna Richards, founder of "Together We Grow," and Laura Nelson, Director of Education for a multi-site program. They dive into the challenges of behavior managemen...
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18:00
241: Read our New Book! "I Got This! Leadership Blueprint"
How many leadership books do you have that are written by women? In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie discuss the lack of representation of women in leadership literature, especially in childcare. 🎙️ They shar...
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12:34
240: Finding Joy as a Childcare Director With Heather White
In this heartwarming episode, co-hosts Kate and Carrie sit down with Heather White, a seasoned director and franchisor in the childcare industry. Heather shares her journey, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and joy in her role. She di...
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25:19
239: Ready to Open Your Own Childcare Center! With Shannon Black with SCORE
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie chat with Shannon Black, Chair of the Austin SCORE chapter and a former Montessori school owner. Shannon shares her passion for supporting childcare entrepreneurs, especially women,...
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20:33
238: Ditch the Dull: Playful Training: Ron Shuali
Kate and Carrie chat with Ron Shuali, an expert in playful and engaging training methods for educators. Ron introduces the concept of "unprofessional development," which focuses on fun and interactive training rather than the usual dull session...
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20:43
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237: Thriving Through Chaos: Gabrielle Wheeler's Journey
In this episode, Kate and Carrie chat with Gabrielle Weller, a dedicated advocate for quality child care from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gabrielle shares her incredible journey of transforming a struggling child care center into a thriving, cultu...
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24:51
236: Childcare Center Finances: Forecasting for Success
In this episode, Kate and Carrie dive into the nitty-gritty of financial forecasting for childcare centers. They chat about the impact of public pre-k funding, stressing how it leaves a gap for infant and toddler care. Carrie shares her insight...
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25:55
235: Safety and Licensing best practices with Tracy Nardo
In this episode, Kate and Carrie chat with Tracy Nardo, a seasoned expert with 36 years in early childhood education. Tracy dives into the importance of safety and licensing in childcare programs, sharing her knowledge on risk management and st...
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16:39
Bonus: Financial Resilience with government freeze
In this episode, Kate and Carrie dive into the nitty-gritty of childcare funding in the U.S., especially with recent federal freezes. They chat about how federal government funds flow to states and childcare centers, and how disruptions can cau...
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22:36
234: Empowering Diverse Voices in ECE with Kelly Ramsey
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations with Kate and Carrie," our hosts sit down with the incredible Kelly Ramsey, a true veteran in early childhood education. Kelly shares her inspiring journey, starting as an assistant teacher in 1984 a...
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32:48
233: Competing with Public Pre-K & Thriving
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie discuss the financial strategies for managing infant and toddler classrooms amid rising competition from public pre-kindergarten programs and larger childcare franchises.The...
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23:08
232: Boosting Enrollment with Seceet Shopping: Chelsea Reue
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," co-hosts Kate and Carrie sit down with Chelsea Reue, a seasoned childcare professional, to dive into the fascinating world of "secret shopping" in childcare. Chelsea, who has owned and directed chi...
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28:51
231: Enrollment Hacks: Practical Tips
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie share practical tips to help childcare centers boost inquiries and enrollments, especially at the start of the year. Kate emphasizes the importance of clear communication with staff...
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18:52
230: Building or Remodeling with Daniel Turner
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie chat with architect Daniel Turner about sprucing up childcare facilities. They dive into the pros and cons of new builds versus remodels, how to pick the right architect and budgeti...
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34:38
Bonus:Self-Care for Educators: An Early Ed Conversation
In this special bonus episode of "Child Care Conversations with Kate and Carrie," moderated by Erica Saccoccia, 9 experts in the childcare field come together to focus on self-care, leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and mentorship for early ...
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1:23:51
229: Delegate, Communicate, Grow with Nick Williams
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," co-hosts Kate and Carrie chat with Nick Williams from Child Care Business Growth, who's tuning in from the UK. They dive into the challenges childcare directors face, especially those pesky tasks t...
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30:04
228: Navigating the Insurance Maze: Blake Sanders' Tips
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie chat with insurance expert Blake about the ins and outs of insurance for early childhood care centers. Carrie shares a personal story about the chaos she faced when her center was d...
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28:04
227: Boost Enrollment: Practical Marketing Strategies on a Budget
In this episode of "Child Care Conversations," Kate and Carrie dive into some helpful tips on making the most of registration fees and marketing budgets for childcare centers. They discuss using part of the registration fees to create awesome w...
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16:21