Best Procare Solutions Podcasts (2024)

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Season 4, Episode 3: The Five Pillars of Financial Success for Child Cares, with Kathy Ligon 26:37

3d ago26:37

26:37

Kathy Ligon is the founder & CEO of HINGE Advisors. Trained as a public accountant, Kathy has more than 35 years of experience in educational operations. During that time, she has found there are five pillars to the success of a child care business: occupancy, tuition rates, discounting practices, salary costs and rent-cost management. Listen as Ka…

1
Season 4, Episode 2: Breaking Down the 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report 58:56

1M ago58:56

58:56

Procare Solutions recently released our 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report, which provides a comprehensive look at the current state of the child care industry’s use of technology as well as challenges that early childhood education programs must adapt to, and overcome, to thrive. But the findings detailed in this report go …

1
Season 4, Episode 1: How to Help Child Care Staff Embrace Technology, with LaToya Riggins 38:41

2M ago38:41

38:41

Technology scares people, and that's true for child care employees. "Easing them into it helps, and really slowing it down and teaching them," says LaToya Riggins, vice president of professional development of CRAFT by Better Futures. Proper training and guidance is key, and so is showing employees how they'll benefit from using technology ... and …

1
Season 3, Episode 9: Why Digital Payment Processing is a Must for Child Care Providers 21:00

4M ago21:00

21:00

Tuition collection can be a breeze when families can easily pay you on time and with their preferred method of payment. And for today’s parents, their preferred method overwhelmingly is digital, whether through autopay from their checking accounts or by debit cards and credit cards. The perks of accepting digital payments at your child care program…

1
Season 3, Episode 8: How to Grow Your Enrollment With Top-Notch Tours of Your Center, with Molly Hichens 45:12

6M ago45:12

45:12

A tour of your child care center should be your Super Bowl, says Molly Hichens. Are you doing enough to wow families who tour your daycare or preschool? Molly is a second-generation owner at Bright Beginnings Preschool, which has three locations in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is about to celebrate 40 years in business! She’s also an accomplished…

1
Season 3, Episode 7: Billions in Child Care Funding is About to Dry Up: What that Means for Providers and Families, with Cindy Lehnhoff 48:55

8M ago48:55

48:55

Beginning September 30, 2023, states could be forced to deal with the loss of billions of dollars in federal funding, which will lead to a mass disruption in the child care landscape. The $24 billion that went to child cares was part of a pandemic program, and has been the largest investment in child care in history. Without that funding, 3.2 milli…

1
Season 3, Episode 6: Building a Nonprofit ECE Center and the Push for Child Care Funding, with Allyx Schiavone 53:53

9M ago53:53

53:53

Allyx Schiavone had intended to start a new elementary school in New Haven, Connecticut, until she listened to her community and saw the need for an early childhood education center. In this episode, she talks about partnering with local Quakers to form the Friends Center for Children. Allyx is the executive director of the center, which is support…

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Season 3, Episode 6: The Importance of Design and Branding in Child Care Centers, with Better Beans Branding 44:36

10M ago44:36

44:36

Think about going to a restaurant. That's an experience you have. It's true in other businesses too, from a coffee shop to a doctor's office to a hardware store. So why shouldn't that apply to a child care center? That's the message of Better Beans Branding in Duluth, Georgia. This company does branding, design, signs and construction and their cli…

1
Season 3, Episode 5: How to Successfully Onboard and Retain Employees, with Kris Murray 52:45

11M ago52:45

52:45

Today's millennial and Gen Z workers are mission driven, tech savvy and they expect to be onboarded and given professional development and coaching, says Kris Murray. Kris is the founder and president and founder of The Child Care Success Company and a leading child care business expert. In this podcast, she talks about how to help child care staff…

1
Season 3, Episode 4: Why Early Childhood Education Can't Be Delayed, with AJ Crabill 44:14

1y ago44:14

44:14

AJ Crabill has strong opinions about early childhood education and he's quick to dispel any notion that it should start around preschool. He is a champion of ECE, and his education experience includes chairing the Kansas City School Board and serving as the deputy commissioner of the Texas Education Agency where he helped spearhead statewide incent…

1
Season 3, Episode 3: Insights From an ECE Professor, Including What her Students Want in a Career, with Dr. Rosemarie Allen 52:19

1y ago52:19

52:19

Dr. Rosemarie Allen has served as an educational leader for over 30 years and her life’s work is centered on ensuring all children have access to high-quality early childhood programs that are developmentally and culturally appropriate. She’s an associate professor in the school of education at Metropolitan State University in Denver, and other car…

1
Season 3, Episode 2: Highlights of the 2023 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report, with Jon Pollock 46:24

1y ago46:24

46:24

The child care industry is at a crossroads. Many programs are resisting technology to help educate the children in their care and simplify running their businesses. That's why Procare Solutions surveyed over 100,000 stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of their child care management software usage, as well as other technologies in place for …

1
Season 3, Episode 1: Introducing Gen Z! Strategies to Engage our Newest Generation in the Child Care Workforce 57:00

1+ y ago57:00

57:00

Child care centers are seeing five generations of employees working together: traditionalists, boomers, generation X, millennials and now generation Z, who are ages 10 to 24 years old. As this group becomes a larger part of the workforce, it’s important to understand how they’re different from other age groups, says Kathe Petchel. She has been in e…

1
Season 2, Episode 13: Thirty Years of Growing Together: Procare's Founder and an Early Customer Recount the Early Days 47:17

1+ y ago47:17

47:17

The story of Procare Solutions begins with a dad who saw a child care center needed help. That dad was Jeff Blum, and he remembers dropping off his 2-year-old son and watching the center’s owners struggle with their accounting system. So he wrote them a computer program to help. That program — limited, yes, but incredibly innovative for its time — …

1
Season 2, Episode 13: Five Tips to be a Successful Child Care Center Director, with Ty'Heim Clark 42:34

1+ y ago42:34

42:34

Ty’Heim Clark, perhaps better known as Mr. Ty, is the founder of The Childcare Whisperer, a consulting business that works with child care center directors to help them meet their goals and take their centers to the next level. His experience in early childhood education started when he was a child and he helped his mother at her child care center.…

1
Season 2, Episode 12: Building Resilience Among Early Childhood Educators, with Donna Skea 49:57

1+ y ago49:57

49:57

As child care centers struggle to find and keep good teachers and other staff, building resilience is key. In this podcast, Donna Skea joins us from Quebec to share some tips on doing just that! Donna is the founder of The Infinite Educator, which provides workshops on all aspects of early childhood education, including on building resiliency in th…

1
Season 2, Episode 11: Back-to-School Tips for Your Child Care Center, with Aliya Johnson Roberts 55:47

1+ y ago55:47

55:47

Aliya Johnson-Roberts, an education and business consultant who leads Consulting with AJR, is the executive director of the Bustleton Learning Center and Pratt Street Learning Center in Philadelphia, serving more than 250 children. Her mother was an in-home child care provider, and Aliya went into the fashion industry before realizing her passion i…

1
Season 2, Episode 10: A Look at Colorado's New Law to Fund 10 Hours a Week of Preschool, with Nicole Riehl 48:16

2y ago48:16

48:16

In this podcast, Nicole Riehl, president and CEO of Colorado Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (better known as EPIC), discusses a new Colorado law that will pay for 10 hours a week of preschool for all 4-year-olds, and what that means for child care providers and families. Nicole was an early childhood teacher for five years and her back…

1
Season 2, Episode 9: How States are Responding to Child Care Staffing Shortages, with Jacob Stewart 55:09

2y ago55:09

55:09

In this podcast, Jacob Stewart, director of state government relations at the Early Care and Education Consortium, describes what individual states are doing to combat staffing shortages in child care. Massachusetts, for example, launched a general, statewide workforce bonus for which child care providers are eligible to receive $4,000 per new empl…

1
Season 2, Episode 8: Setting Expectations for — and Connecting with — Your Child Care Staff, with Chanie Wilschanski 49:06

2y ago49:06

49:06

Chanie Wilschanski is known as the "school culture doctor" because she can diagnose the root cause of the struggle in a child care center in less that 10 minutes. She's an early childhood leadership coach and the CEO of Schools of Excellence, and in this podcast she discusses what she sees in those 10 minutes and much more. " You need to understand…

1
Why Curriculum Matters in Early Childhood Learning 44:02

2y ago44:02

44:02

Laura Delgado is the vice president of curriculum and professional development at Learning Beyond Paper, a leader in providing 100% digital curriculum. Laura is a former early learning teacher, center director and owner. She has a master’s degree in leadership in education and more than 25 years of experience in early childhood learning. In this po…

1
Season 2, Episode 6: Shared Leadership: Letting Go and Working Toward the Same Goals, with Lisa Polk 46:53

2y ago46:53

46:53

We are live from the 2022 National Shared Services Technical Conference presented by Opportunities Exchange in Austin, Texas! In this podcast, we talk with Lisa Polk about leadership. She has 20 years’ experience as an early education teacher, director and owner. She works with Georgia Alliance for Quality Child Care and is an instructor for CDA cr…

1
Season 2, Episode 5: How the Employee Retention Tax Credit Affects Child Care Providers, with Gary Romano 48:20

2y ago48:20

48:20

We are live from the 2022 National Shared Services Technical Conference presented by Opportunities Exchange in Austin, Texas! In this podcast, we talk with Gary Romano. Gary is the president and CEO of Civitas Strategies, LLC, where he works with nonprofit leaders and entrepreneurs. He’s also an author and has published two books. One is “Small But…

1
Season 2, Episode 4: Creating A Strong Foundation for Sustainable Child Care Programs Through Shared Services, with Karla Houghtalin 47:41

2y ago47:41

47:41

Karla Houghtalin is the program manager in early childhood business management at Southwest Human Development in Phoenix. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education, curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University. In this podcast, she shares what’s happening with shared services, a topic that is incredibly relevant in the ch…

1
Season 2, Episode 3: How Shared Services Benefit Child Care Providers, with Monique Reynolds 48:36

2y ago48:36

48:36

Monique Reynolds is the vice president of business support services with Quality Care for Children in Atlanta. She has worked in leadership roles in the child care industry for more than 25 years and has an extensive knowledge of child care business management and early education. Monique previously owned and operated successful multi-site programs…

1
Season 2, Episode 2: Tips for Leading Your Child Care Center's Team with Carla Ward 43:51

2y ago43:51

43:51

Carla Ward is an early childhood educator who founded Early Learning Foundations in 2008. She is a certified Wonder-based educator with a background in behavior management and she believes learning goes beyond the classroom. She also hosts her own podcast, “The Everything ECE Podcast.” She was born in South Africa and now lives in Ontario, Canada, …

1
Season 2, Episode 1: A Deep Dive into How 'Build Back Better' Would Affect Child Care 53:28

2+ y ago53:28

53:28

Jacob Stewart, director of state government relations at the Early Care and Education Consortium, has been closely following the Build Back Better Act and its potential implications on the child care industry. In this podcast, he breaks down what could happen should this act (as it stood at the end of 2021) become law, as well as state implementati…

1
Episode 20: Understanding what the Build Back Better Plan Means for Child Care, Plus Talking Accreditation with Storm Webb and Cindy Lehnhoff 59:41

2+ y ago59:41

59:41

In this episode, we talk with Storm Webb, executive director of the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation organization, and with Cindy Lehnhoff, director of the National Child Care Association. These women have been on the front lines of seeing how daycares are dealing with challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and are closely monitor…

1
Episode 19: Brain Development in Young Children and the Effects of Stress with Prerna Richards 50:31

2+ y ago50:31

50:31

Prerna Richards is the founder and CEO of Together We Grow, an early childhood organization providing professional development, coaching and consulting for parents, teachers and administrators. She’s a coach and early childhood educational consultant. Her desire to make a difference in the lives of children has shaped her life and her career. When …

1
Episode 18: Opting to Open a Franchised Child Care Center & Helping Other Owners Run Their Businesses with Nannette Ray 47:42

2+ y ago47:42

47:42

Nannette Ray was born at the height of the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi. Her mom was a single parent who worked several jobs and died when Nanette was in the ninth grade, which instilled in her the desire to make her mother proud. She went on to earn her MBA, own two Kids ‘R’ Kids learning academies and to found and become president of TNR …

1
Episode 17: How to Funnel More Money to Your Child Care Business | Louise Stoney 42:04

2+ y ago42:04

42:04

Louise Stoney has been in the child care field for well over 35 years and dedicates her work to helping providers put the systems in place to tap into and manage the funds available to them. In this episode, she discusses: The critical role automation plays in providing information that can uncover any funds child care providers are leaving on the …

1
Episode 16: The Power of Play for Both Children and Grown-Ups | Emma Tempest 55:08

2+ y ago55:08

55:08

This episode is pure joy as we get to talk with Emma Tempest, an internationally-known play coach who helps early childhood professionals incorporate play into their programming in a meaningful and often transformational way. In this uplifting chat, Emma shares: Why play is critical for child development – and adults too! How adults can misinterpre…

1
Episode 15: Reimagining a School District’s Extended Learning Programs | André Amoor 47:51

2+ y ago47:51

47:51

André Amoor is one of the most traveled of any of the guests we’ve had on the show. In this episode, he tells us about his incredible teaching adventures overseas, including in war zones in the Middle East. His extensive experience running international schools and navigating cultural/political challenges has given him a strong foundation in helpin…

1
Episode 14: Growing and Engaging Your Child Care Waitlist | Mike Hook 46:52

2+ y ago46:52

46:52

Mike Hook joins us for this episode of the Child Care Business Podcast. As the VP of Sales for ChildcareCRM, Mike sees first-hand the issues child care owners/directors encounter when connecting with parents and building their enrollments. And he has a lot of great tips on how to tackle those issues. In our discussion, Mike covers a variety of stra…

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Episode 13: Thriving Through Multiple ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Crises | Paula Polito 48:49

2+ y ago48:49

48:49

In this episode, we chat with Paula Polito, owner of Beary Cherry Tree in New Orleans. From humble beginnings 45 years ago to a four-building, 16-classroom operation, Beary Cherry Tree is a thriving business that boasts a four-star rating, low turnover and low ratios. However, the journey hasn’t been an easy one. From navigating the loss of her hou…

1
Episode 12: Daring to Dream When the Odds Are Against You | LaFarris Risby 46:09

2+ y ago46:09

46:09

Child care is full of inspiring stories, and LaFarris Risby is no exception. A mother at just 15 and married to an abusive husband, LaFarris knew she needed to make a change. In this episode, you’ll hear LaFarris’ amazing story about how, with just $50 to her name and two children, she left her abuser, went back to school and started an in-home chi…

1
Episode 11: A Framework for Child Care Financial Success | Kathy Ligon 52:37

3y ago52:37

52:37

In this episode, we talk with Kathy Ligon, a titan in the child care space. She’s someone who has not only taken the child care real estate industry by storm, but also has become a sought-after resource and source of inspiration for child care business owners and operators looking to think more strategically and grow their operations. At the helm o…

1
Episode 10: Resilience, Time Management and How Coaching Can Change Everything | Evelyn Knight 47:16

3y ago47:16

47:16

In this episode, we talk with Evelyn Knight, known in the industry as the Childcare Business Coach. Evelyn gives us a deep dive into her journey, from having an eviction notice on her door and navigating a neurological disease to growing her business and bringing in seven figures a year. With the help of a coach, Evelyn was able to turn around her …

1
Episode 9: Leading with an Innovation Mindset | Marnie Forestieri 56:56

3y ago56:56

56:56

In this episode, we sit down with Marnie Forestieri – a woman whose unique journey lead her from journalism to leadership roles in a Fortune 50 telecommunications company to eventually child care and curriculum development. Marnie talks about how it’s important to her to live a legacy where she can help other people, which is why she decided to lea…

1
Episode 8: Hiring the Best Staff & Making the “Pandemic Pivot” | Beth Cannon 46:22

3y ago46:22

46:22

Beth Cannon is a powerhouse in the child care space, and in this episode, you’ll hear about her amazing journey – from how she catapulted her Stretch-n-Grow program to the company’s most successful franchise in the world, to becoming a sought-after trainer, to making a huge “pandemic pivot.” You’ll learn: · How Beth grew her program to 25 schools a…

1
Episode 7: Systems You Can Implement to Become a Child Care Boss | Andrea Dickerson 40:36

3y ago40:36

40:36

By the time Andrea Dickerson was 31, she was the only woman in her community with two of the largest child care programs, a billboard marketing strategy, a fully operational night care program, telephone enrollment systems, online website funnels and more. In this episode, you’ll hear about Andrea’s journey growing child care organizations from six…

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Episode 6: Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Spirit into a Thriving Child Care Business | Dani Christine 51:53

3y ago51:53

51:53

Dani Christine has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. From making oobleck slime in 6th grade and selling it to friends to starting her own babysitting business in high school, Dani has taken her enthusiasm for building businesses and combined it with her passion for young children to operate multiple child care sites. Learn about her journey and…

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Episode 5: Strong Leadership to Build an Amazing Culture | Tony D’Agostino 54:31

3y ago54:31

54:31

If there’s a person in the child care industry who knows about how to build a strong culture, it’s Tony D’Agostino. Having owned six child care centers and seeing first-hand the issues child care owners face – particularly when it comes to HR-related issues – Tony started Inspire! Care 360. In this episode, Tony talks about the differences between …

1
Episode 4: Running a District-wide After School & Early Ed Program | Renee Elting 55:56

3y ago55:56

55:56

During this episode, we talk all things after school and early childhood with Renee Elting, Community Education Account Specialist for the Oregon City School District. Renee has been with the school district for over 23 years, which means she has seen it all. You’ll hear about the genesis of Oregon City’s community education program, how Renee and …

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Episode 3: Building the Best Culture for Your Business | Jennifer Duffield 46:44

3y ago46:44

46:44

It’s episode 3 of The Child Care Business Podcast, and today we’re talking with Jennifer Duffield, who runs Dancing Moose Montessori. Learn how Jennifer and her family started Dancing Moose (including how they came up with the name) and how Jennifer has become an expert in hiring and building a strong child care culture that emulates her company’s …

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Episode 2: Courage and Standing in Your Truth | Rhonda Meyers 56:43

3y ago56:43

56:43

It's episode 2 of The Child Care Business Podcast. Today, we're talking with Rhonda Meyers, who runs Heartfelt Impressions Learning Centers in Michigan. Rhonda’s story is one of incredible courage in the face of extreme adversity. In less than two years, Rhonda became a single mom of four kids, her sister and her young children moved in with her, h…

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Episode 1: It's Going to Be Okay | Lissarette Nisnevich 38:53

3y ago38:53

38:53

It's episode 1 of The Child Care Business Podcast. Today, we're talking with Lissarette Nisnevich, who runs a child care center in New York City. Lissarette talks about her incredible background - from growing up in the Dominican Republic and hosting her own TV show to traveling around the world and discovering her love for early education. She als…

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