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 creating a world worth living in through compassion and small acts of kindness. Raj highlights Liber8 programs, including emotional lab reports and group coaching cohorts, which help users better understand their triggers and find tailored tools for personal growth.

Use Code CHILDCARE10 to get 10% off Liber8

Key Takeaways:

[6:18] Raj talks about Liber8 and his journey in entrepreneurship.

[8:30] How Raj finally got off the hamster wheel of healing to shift into real and inspired action.

[9:33] The start of Liber8.

[15:08] What Raj loves most about entrepreneurship.

[18:47] The impact that The 4-Hour Work Week had on Raj and Kris.

[21:16] Breakups can be emotional, but can also be a great time to rediscover yourself and peel back new, exciting layers.

[22:36] How Liber8 can help with burnout.

[28:05] What can someone expect when doing a session with Liber8?

[28:56] How we can “be the ripple.”

[36:05] The people who had an impact on Raj along his entrepreneurial journey.

Quotes:

• “What I love most about being an entrepreneur today is that I get to use my gifts, talents, and my brilliance to help people.” [15:57]

• “I don’t know of a more growth-fueled journey than the journey of entrepreneurship.” [16:40]

• “I do feel like entrepreneurship is my art.” [17:07]

• “If we can help the little humans be better learners and more emotionally resilient, then we can help the world because as the little humans get big, it’s just going to ripple out.” — Kris [29:30]

• “I think just about the most impactful thing we can do is to wake up to the fullness of ourselves, learn to love ourselves, and be that light from the inside out. And then just be that ripple in the world.” [31:10]

Sponsored By:

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)

Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Kris Murray

The Child Care Success Company

The Child Care Success Academy

The Child Care Success Summit

Grow Your Center

Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.

podcast@childcaresuccess.com

Raj Jana

Liber8

Maverick Next

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 centers. Daniel and Sasha highlight Playground’s differentiating features, such as drop-in care management and integrated payroll modules, and they share insights into hiring practices and their vision for AI in childcare. At the end of the episode, Daniel and Sasha share lessons they’ve learned on scaling their own company and fun yet powerful ways to maintain a happy company culture.

Register for our ECE tech webinar with Playground here: https://www.childcaresuccess.com/how-to-navigate-the-evolving-tech-landscape-for-enhanced-operational-efficiency-in-your-ece-business-may-2-2024-webinar/

Key Takeaways:

[3:15] Kris announces the two-day virtual challenge, The Road to Freedom.

[6:31] Playground’s founding story.

[8:38] How does Playground’s mission and technology stand out in a crowded space?

[11:37] Perspective on ECE’s past of being a slower adopter of technology, and how that’s changing.

[12:53] The “grandma test.”

[15:38] The lessons Sasha and Daniel have learned about scaling and growing a business.

[17:09] Some of the tools and technology Playground uses.

[20:09] The grounding and stabilizing force of working with family.

[22:44] Personal and professional inspiration.

[25:29] What they look for in new hires.

[26:36] Playground’s short but effective interview process.

[31:29] What’s next for the Playground team?

[33:13] Using AI to improve family interactions, especially with communication, engagement, and lesson plans.

Quotes:

• “I think our differentiated approach is the new technology that we’re bringing. A lot of that comes down to really solving the problems that we are building software for.” — Daniel [8:39]

• “If we want to be able to compete and if we want to be able to operate at the same level, we need to adopt the same tools that they’re using.” — Sasha [14:10]

• “A lot of the big problems that we faced have become significantly smaller by putting phenomenal people in front of those problems. If you find someone great, you can just trust that they’ll get the job done and that you don’t need to be managing the day-to-day.” — Daniel [16:54]

• “Working with family and then also building for family really grounds you on what the work you’re doing, who’s impacting, and why it’s actually getting done.” — Daniel [20:09]

• “It’s ultimately the three of us against the problem. It’s not us against each other. So realizing and recognizing what it is that we’re working for, and why we’re doing it ultimately helps us get into the right direction.” — Sasha [21:25]

Sponsored By:

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)

Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Kris Murray

The Child Care Success Company

The Child Care Success Academy

The Child Care Success Summit

Grow Your Center

Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.

podcast@childcaresuccess.com

Playground

Linear

Webinar: Emerging Technologies Revolutionizing the Childcare Industry

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 students. She offers valuable advice on setting clear goals, implementing strong systems and accountability, and using technology like Slack and QR codes to effectively lead a growing business. She and Kris also talk about embracing the difficult things and realizing the sky's the limit when it comes to realizing your vision.

Key Takeaways:

[7:12] Kishani joins the show from Arlington, Texas, and talks more about Kids Early Learning Centers.

[7:39] Kishani talks about the four locations currently running and the plan to expand to Ethiopia.

[10:11] Fun Facts: Kishani came to the United States on a VISA as a Montessori teacher from Sri Lanka. She is now a mother of five and a grandma!

[13:30] Buying a center during the pandemic but opening it in 2021.

[14:50] What sets KIDS Early Learning Centers apart in the market.

[17:54] Working with Grow Your Center.

[20:16] How they made their vision become a reality and why they are bringing the brand to Ethiopia.

[22:35] The school will be from toddlers to high school.

[26:33] Advice for others wanting to open up a school internationally.

[29:02] The sky's the limit when you put in the hard work and act with purpose and strategy.

[31:07] Keep the end in mind and work backward when working towards your goals.

[32:03] Giving your staff the tools they need to succeed.

[35:14] How Kishani communicates with her leadership team.

[41:50] How being a member of the Academy has helped Kishani and the importance of finding mentors.

[43:06] Keep your eyes peeled for Kishani’s program for a childcare management system, which will come out in June.

[43:25] Fun Fact: Kishani is a party planner and decorator at heart.

Quotes:

• “We have dedicated teachers who love children and love to teach them.” — Kishani [14:50]

• “This is a partnership. It’s not just you dropping off your child, we babysit with your child.” — Kishani [15:30]

• “The sky's the limit as long as you know what you want and you go for it.” — Kishani [22:18]

• “Keep the end in mind and work backward.” — Kishani [31:07]

• “Nothing is going to come easy. It’s going to be difficult. If it was easy, everyone would do it.” — Kishani [31:44]

• “I worked so hard on getting systems and processes in place.” — Kishani [32:59]

Sponsored By:

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI)

Use the code CCSC5 to claim a free course!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Kris Murray

The Child Care Success Company

The Child Care Success Academy

The Child Care Success Summit

Grow Your Center

Childcare Education Institute: Use code CDARenewal22 to get $100 off your renewal.

podcast@childcaresuccess.com

Kids Early Learning Centers