In 2022, Catherine Doberstein had just started listening to my podcast. In an episode, I mentioned the live, in-person Summit of Excellence that was coming up, and she decided to attend.

She told me, “I had been looking for a community of young business owners to be surrounded by, but I didn’t realize there was a whole group of early childcare leaders who wanted a higher level of education for children. I knew this is where I needed to be.”

Joining the Schools of Excellence Owner’s HQ membership program created some significant changes in Catherine’s school, the Little Scholars Academy of Kannapolis, NC. In this conversation, Catherine and I discuss:

• How she shifted from doing everything in her school (owner, director, and teacher) to becoming a confident leader
• Catherine’s journey from grinding for five days a week at her school, to only working two days per week, giving her more time with her family
• Strategies Catherine put in place to create accountability within her team
• How she identified and communicated company values, which now inform all of her business decisions
• How she navigates challenges differently now than she did two years ago​

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/membership/ 

Some challenges are easier to overcome with an outside perspective and focused, collaborative time. When you work with Schools of Excellence during a Leadership Day Intensive, you’ll receive a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through growing pains, and build a stronger, healthier center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

If you, like Catherine, are seeking a community of like-minded childcare leaders, apply for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and—best of all—community that will help you build a school of excellence. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/membership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.