Best Rick Whitaker Podcasts (2024)

1
Patricia and Megan Williams: The Path to Joy in Entreprenuership in Mother-Daughter Team 50:52

1h ago50:52

50:52

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 they are making — not just in the United States, but globally. Patricia and Megan talk about the challenges the…

1
Tasha Santistevan: Leading Teams Out of Conflict and Into Collaboration 44:04

6d ago44:04

44:04

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 her passion for empowering directors and leaders in the childcare industry, offering insights on conflict resolu…

1
Ashley Blackmon: Empowering Growth in Adults and Children 1:04:34

23d ago1:04:34

1:04:34

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 center with plans for expansion. She discusses how she’s built a program focused on empowerment, growth, and helpin…

1
Militza Mezquita: Get Support for Your Business in a Disaster or Crisis 35:57

28d ago35:57

35:57

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 preparedness, resources, and funding for over 100 years. Militza shares a wealth of knowledge about funding and wha…

1
Latrice Galloway: Meet The Child Care Chic 48:20

1M ago48:20

48:20

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 upcoming Born to Teach conference at which Kris will be speaking. Latrice drops some golden wisdom on the two thi…

1
Crystal & Ricardo Romero: How to Increase Staff Retention by 10x in Seven Months 59:24

2M ago59:24

59:24

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, currently serving three amazing locations. They share some game-changing tips on hiring the right people, onboarding, a…

1
Becoming the Provider of Choice with Scott Whitaker 55:36

2M ago55:36

55:36

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 the membership consultant at the Child Care Success Academy, and he has some great tips on how to set yourself a…

1
Confident Leadership & A Strong Marriage with Rick and Nancy Kodama 55:00

3M ago55:00

55:00

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 great tips on having a business together as a married couple for over three decades. They chat with Kris about the…

1
From Floater to Executive Director with Shannon Vasquez 38:28

4M ago38:28

38:28

Kris welcomes Shannon Vasquez, Executive Director of PB Schools. Shannon started as a floater in 2004 and has since grown the organization to 8 locations. In their chat, Shannon shares her journey from floater to leader and her goals for the upcoming year. She discusses how the Academy's training and coaching have helped her build confidence in her…

1
Creating a World Worth Being In with Raj Jana 42:41

4M ago42:41

42:41

Kris welcomes Raj Jana, co-founder and CEO of the mental health app Liber8. Raj shares his entrepreneurial journey and how he created Liber8 to help people manage stress and mental health. He and Kris discuss their passion for entrepreneurship and using their gifts to help others. They talk about the importance of improving our world and mindfully …

1
An “Easy Button” For Child Care Management with Daniel Andrews and Sasha Reiss 37:15

5M ago37:15

37:15

It’s all about the best and brightest in software automation for schools this week, as Kris welcomes Daniel Andrews and Sasha Reiss, co-founders of Playground, an innovative childcare management software company. They first share Playground’s unique story of being friends since high school and creating a solution for their own families’ childcare c…

1
Unstoppable: A Global Vision of Massive Impact with Kishani Woldberhan 45:38

5M ago45:38

45:38

Kris welcomes the very inspirational Kishani Woldberhan of Kids Early Learning Centers, now operating four locations in Texas with plans for expansion into Ethiopia. Kishani talks about bringing Montessori-inspired education to underserved communities, and her vision for building two new schools in Ethiopia with a combined capacity of over 3,000 st…

1
My Solo Adventure in Hawaii 52:32

6M ago52:32

52:32

Aloha! In this solo episode, Kris shares more about her month in Hawaii — why she decided to head to island life, the logistics behind her adventures, and how you can use her story as inspiration to make space in your life. She goes deeper into detail about the important strategic implementation steps that allowed her to live her best life and take…

1
Kim Harris: Lifting People Up with “Big-Ups” 48:22

6M ago48:22

48:22

Kris welcomes the awesome Kim Harris, affectionately known as "Big Ups," from The Harris & Tucker School in Connecticut. Kim talks about getting her structures “right and tight” and how she stays on the pulse of good leadership. She talks more about the rich legacy of The Harris & Tucker School, and their mission to create superhero influencers and…

1
From Tolerating Mediocrity to Finding Big Momentum with John & Tracy LaBreche 49:41

7M ago49:41

49:41

In this episode, Kris welcomes John and Tracy LaBreche from Ardent Preschool and Daycare, with seven locations in Alabama. John and Tracy share their journey into developing Ardent’s value system and building a strong and happy team. They talk about their desire to not burn their team out during the pandemic and facing staffing shortages and enroll…

1
A Huge Vision for Better Mental Health in Kids and Adults with Marissa and Sunflower from Little Luminaries 51:00

7M ago51:00

51:00

In this episode, Kris welcomes Marissa and Sunflower from Little Luminaries, two talented women partnering together to bring art, beauty, and mindset tools to empower children globally. They discuss how Little Luminaries aims to support children through self-celebration and resources for challenging conversations using their thoughtfully designed t…

1
Know Your Market with Grafton Milne 33:58

8M ago33:58

33:58

In this episode, Kris welcomes Grafton Milne and shares a glimpse into his distinctive expertise in childcare real estate. Grafton gives practical insights on understanding your market through straightforward approaches, emphasizing clarity and actionable insights. He talks more about his latest book, Childcare Center Success: How to Maximize Profi…

1
How to Double Your Revenue In Less Than 12 Months With Barb Tedrow 47:23

8M ago47:23

47:23

Kris is joined by the incredible Barb Tedrow, a Child Care Rockstar finalist at the Child Care Success Summit and proud owner of A Gold Star Academy. Barb takes center stage as she shares her remarkable journey and unveils the secrets behind her extraordinary success that propelled her business from $3 million to an astounding $6 million in revenue…

1
Maria Ahrens: Helping Moms Feel Comfortable and Supported 1:01:47

8M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

Kris welcomes Maria Ahrens, Owner of Paper Planes Early Learning Center in Mount Sinai, NY, for an inspiring conversation on transparent and open communication and embracing the special parts of yourself in leadership. During their talk, Maria shares more about what makes Paper Planes unique and provides valuable tips for team engagement and teache…

1
Jessica Ferguson — The Latest on Loans and Funding To Grow Your ECE Business 41:56

9M ago41:56

41:56

It’s all about financial success this week as Kris welcomes Jessica Ferguson from Live Oak Bank, the nation’s largest SBA lender. Jessica talks about Live Oak’s commitment to helping small business owners and how they have grown from starting with veterinarians and dentists to 35 different industries, including ECE. Jessica shares some best practic…

1
Michael Ingram — A Legacy of Five Decades and Thousands of Families 44:55

10M ago44:55

44:55

Kris recaps the incredible Child Care Success Summit and sets her sights on next year’s event in Chicago. She then welcomes the amazing Michael Ingram of Bedford Heights Daycare, founded by his mom five decades ago. Michael discusses the impact that he and his mom have had on thousands of families in and around Cleveland, his drive to serve and giv…

1
Maria Dos Santos: From Venezuela to Florida: Driven By Impact 44:32

10M ago44:32

44:32

In this episode, Kris welcomes the awesome Maria dos Santos, a childcare entrepreneur hailing from Florida with Venezuelan roots. Maria founded My First Academy, a thriving venture with three locations, each catering to around 100 children, and she’s not stopping there — she’s gearing up for the opening of her fourth location in December 2023. Mari…

1
Matt Arnerich: Fresh Ideas for Improving Parent Engagement & Relationships 51:13

11M ago51:13

51:13

This week, it’s all about making a positive impact on kids and their families, as Kris sits down with Matt Arnerich, the Director of Brand & Comms at Famly, a global software company supporting over 5,000 schools and centers across 18 different countries. In this interesting episode, Matt takes us on a journey through his personal journey into the …

1
How to Exit Your Childcare Business the Right Way with Nathan Kelly 46:02

11M ago46:02

46:02

It’s an information-packed episode this week as Kris welcomes Nathan Kelly, an industry veteran and trusted figure from Founders Advisors. As the Director of the Consumer Practice at Founders, Nathan is responsible for business development, market process management, and coordinating the analyst team. In the conversation, Nathan talks with Kris abo…

1
27 To 7: Fighting For Disruption with Allyx Schiavone 54:42

12M ago54:42

54:42

It’s a crucial episode this week as Kris and guest Allyx Schiavone address head-on the challenges we face and the steps we must take to address the biggest issues in childcare. Allyx brings a wealth of expertise as the Executive Director of the Friends Center for Children, boasting a remarkable 30-year career solely dedicated to early learning. All…

1
New Practices for Emotional Intelligence in ECE with Dr. Donna Housman 45:49

1y ago45:49

45:49

Join Kris in an enlightening conversation this week with Dr. Donna Housman, a prominent figure in child emotional development. Dr. Donna discusses the vital role of emotional regulation for both children and educators in bolstering mental health and effective learning. Dr. Donna talks about her work in aiding emotionally challenged youth to integra…

1
From Transactional To Relational: Making an Impact for Families with Solomon and Michelle Logan 48:13

1y ago48:13

48:13

Kris welcomes the husband and wife team, Solomon and Michelle Logan, of Logan’s Treehouse Childcare. Based out of Louisville, Kentucky, they are going on center number three and impacting close to 450 children a day. In the episode, they talk about the beauty of embracing the right timing, learning from mistakes, and their mission to solve problems…

1
How to Create Waves of Positive Change In Your Communities with Robin Harris 48:14

1y ago48:14

48:14

Don't miss this powerful and heartfelt episode, featuring the incredible Miss Robin Harris. Driven by her passion to empower and motivate teachers within the school system, Robin shares invaluable insights on making a lasting impact on students’ lives through effective strategies that surpass standard expectations, promoting constant improvement an…

1
How to Scale Your ECE Business With Clarity and Vision with Rob Rubicco 49:57

1y ago49:57

49:57

In this episode, Kris sits down with Rob Rubicco, the entrepreneurial founder of Anna and Jack’s Treehouse, a childcare business with a unique blend of corporate experience and a family feel. Rob shares the incredible journey of he and his wife Christina, starting with Anna's Treehouse in a basement and scaling it to multiple locations. With his ba…

1
New Tools and Inspiration for Struggling ECE Owners with Simon Laube 49:59

1y ago49:59

49:59

As Kris gets ready to head to New Zealand for the ECC Conference, she sits down with Simon Laube, Chief Executive at the Early Childhood Council of New Zealand. Simon brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in policy and advocacy for early learning in New Zealand. He discusses the current challenges facing early childhood education in the count…

1
Built to Sell with Jennifer Conner 52:34

1y ago52:34

52:34

Kris welcomes Jennifer Conner, the Director of Coaching at the Child Care Success Company. She first gives an update on her move to Mexico and shares her inspiring story of exiting her business and transitioning to a full-time role as Director of Coaching. Jennifer’s natural talent for building operations manuals and systems, combined with her lead…

1
Becoming A Limitless Version of You with Amir Zoghi 46:42

1y ago46:42

46:42

Are you ready to live a Limitless life? This week, Kris extends a warm welcome to Amir Zoghi, one of her mentors and a renowned coach whose impactful WTF talks have influenced thousands, while his transformative events provide a gateway to unlocking a higher, deeper, and more limitless version of oneself. Amir emphasizes the importance of creating …

1
Funding and Advocacy for ECE, Across All 50 States with Cindy Lehnhoff 55:17

1y ago55:17

55:17

Kris welcomes a special guest, Miss Cindy Lehnhoff, the director of the National Child Care Association. With over four decades of experience in the industry, including various roles within the learning care group, Cindy is passionate about strengthening and professionalizing the field. Cindy and Kris explore the world of advocacy and how to be our…

1
The Hiring Success Formula with Ashley Ryan 51:24

1+ y ago51:24

51:24

Ashley Ryan is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Grow Your Center. She shares her super successful hiring formula based on extensive research and her personal experience. She and Kris talk about attracting great candidates, red flags to look for even before hiring someone, how to stand out and show your personality, and great tips for onboar…

1
Facing a Global Teacher Shortage: The Story from New Zealand 57:16

1+ y ago57:16

57:16

This week features Sue Kurtovich, all the way from New Zealand. Sue is a specialist in early childhood education (ECE) administration and management with over 30 years of sector experience. She shares her journey into Early Childhood, and how her extensive knowledge of the ECE regulatory environment helps others through her Early Childhood Manageme…

1
Culture Transformation Starts at the Top with Kaye Boehning 58:10

1+ y ago58:10

58:10

Kris welcomes Kaye Boehning of Tomorrow’s Promise Montessori Schools, located in the small community of Huntsville, Texas. Kaye talks about how she got into the child care industry, learning to delegate and elevate, and what practical steps she took to work on her business and not have to be in the business for every step. Kaye talks with Kris abou…

1
Lunch and Learn: Budgeting with Coach Ben Poswalk 24:15

1+ y ago24:15

24:15

In this lunch and learn, Kris welcomes Coach Ben Poswalk from Colorado to answer the first listener question from the amazing child care leader listeners. First up is Tomika Roberston of A Giant’s Playschool, who has a question about budgeting. She is wondering how to get started with budgeting as she transitions her home based preschool to her fir…

1
Showing Up as a Leader with An Open Heart with Shonali Harrison 44:46

1+ y ago44:46

44:46

Kris welcomes Shonali Harrison, school owner and director of Eden Prairie Montessori in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Shonali talks about her journey from growing up in Sri Lanka to becoming the director of Eden Prairie in 1991, and what she fell in love with about the Montessori school system. Shonali discusses her leadership style and how she stays pr…

1
It's The Little Things! A Powerful Case Study of School Excellence with Beth Davis 48:27

1+ y ago48:27

48:27

Beth Davis, Owner and Director of Kids for Kids in Miami, Florida, and the first Change the World winner in 2020 joins Kris to discuss team empowerment, employee engagement, and consistency in leadership. During the conversation, they highlight the importance of small gestures of appreciation for employees, as well as the significant impact they ca…

1
A Harmonious and Playful Approach to Life with Kyle Brown 50:56

1+ y ago50:56

50:56

Get ready to get pumped up this week, as Kris introduces us to her good friend and personal trainer, author, and entrepreneur Kyle Brown. He talks about his journey into the fitness industry and how he got into his current mission of working with heart-centered entrepreneurs on their self-mastery in every way. He and Kris talk about the importance …

1
Meet This Year’s Child Care Rockstar Winner: Tassia Araujo-Roper 44:04

1+ y ago44:04

44:04

Kris welcomes the current reigning 2022 Child Care Rockstar Winner, Tassia Araujo-Roper. Tassia takes us through her journey of growing a center from scratch and everything that she has learned over the last three years in the Child Care Success Academy. She talks to Kris about what helped her to get fully staffed, how she went from a home center t…

1
Lunch and Learn: The Groundhog Day Economic Outlook 17:04

1+ y ago17:04

17:04

In the first Lunch and Learn mini-episode, Kris dives into some noteworthy and newsworthy economic outlook announcements in our world, and how they can affect the childcare industry. She covers the top three things (plus a bonus) that you must have to survive a more full-bodied recession. Before you get stuck living the same day over and over like …

1
The Real Truth About Boss Mode with Bruce Spurr 57:55

1+ y ago57:55

57:55

Kris welcomes friend and Grow Your Center partner Bruce Spurr back to the show. They first talk about how they got to be co-founders and work partners, and the recent developments of Grow Your Center. Then, they jump into the topic of “boss mode”: what it really means to be in boss mode, and how to tell if you are in hustle or grind mode instead. B…

1
Motivating the Masses One Human At A Time with Lisa Nichols 52:14

1+ y ago52:14

52:14

Lisa Nichols brought down the house at the last Summit, and Kris was lucky enough to have her back on as a guest this week. She talks about her journey of becoming, the major influences along the way, and the key pieces that she embodies to elevate into a leader. Lisa and Kris talk about mindset issues, triumphing in the face of challenge, and the …

1
Part 2 of My Spiritual Journey: Meet Kirra Sherman 57:41

1+ y ago57:41

57:41

It’s a beautiful episode this week as Kris connects with one of her mentors, Kirra Sherman. They first talk about how life pulls us in different ways emotionally throughout our human journey, and how we can learn to face both the joyful and negative heartbreaking things with courage and an open heart. Kris and Kirra talk about how setting aside jus…

1
Part 1 of My Spiritual Journey: The Eckhart Tolle Retreat 56:04

2y ago56:04

56:04

In this special solo episode, Kris dives into her recent experience while attending Eckhart Tolle’s “The Depths of Being” retreat, with his amazing wife and teaching partner Kim. Kris dives deep into learning to let go of outcomes and expectations and shares some key learnings and takeaways while embarking on this spiritual journey in the beautiful…

1
Real Talk About ECE Leadership with Ty'Heim Clark 50:02

2y ago50:02

50:02

Kris welcomes Mr. Ty’Heim, the Childcare Whisperer, for an insightful and lively talk on building relationships, connecting to your community, and setting a good policy that you continue to follow through on. Ty’Heim talks about his journey into childcare and the impacts on his professional success, the impact of the responsibility of men in child …

1
Making Your Voice Heard: Advocacy in ECE with Ellen Reynolds 46:16

2y ago46:16

46:16

Kris first fills us in all about the Child Care Success Summit that just took place last month in Nashville, and what an amazing time that was had by all. She then welcomes Ellen Reynolds, the CEO of the Georgia Child Care Association. Ellen talks about her background in law and love of all things education, and how it got her into lobbying, advoca…

1
A Joyful Journey in Child Care with Tamara Jefferson 55:05

2y ago55:05

55:05

This week, Kris welcomes Tamara Jefferson, Director of Joyful Tots Childcare and Learning Center in the Detroit area. Tamara talks about finding her vision and executing, now to have three centers that are full and on waitlist, even at the top of market pricing. Tamara talks about the lessons she has learned in expanding, some tangible resources th…

1
Getting Your Powerful Message to the Right Audience with Kim Walsh Phillips 44:40

2y ago44:40

44:40

Kris welcomes very special guest Kim Walsh Phillips, founder of the business coaching and education company Powerful Professionals, best-selling author, and MBA-free self-made millionaire. Kim is the behind-the-scenes secret weapon of some of the biggest names in business, including Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank and Dan Kennedy, and went from 32 cl…

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Rick Whitaker Podcasts

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