ECE to CEO

Pricing your expertise can be one of the most challenging parts of becoming an ECE entrepreneur. How do you charge what your work is worth while remaining mindful of the budgets of the educators and organizations you want to support?

In this episode of ECE to CEO, Carla Ward shares her experiences navigating workshop fees, negotiating with organizations, and pricing online courses and digital products.

She also discusses why knowing your numbers matters, how to approach conversations about limited budgets, and why being flexible doesn't mean you have to undervalue your expertise.

In This Episode:Why pricing workshops in early childhood education can be complicated

• How to establish standard rates and non-negotiable minimums

• What to consider when negotiating with organizations

• How to work backwards from revenue goals when pricing digital products

• Why preparation time, experience, and business expenses matter

• Exploring group rates and mutually beneficial exchanges

• Setting boundaries around complimentary workshops

Your ECE to CEO Challenge:This week, take a closer look at your pricing.

If you're offering workshops or consulting services, write down your standard rate and the lowest amount you're willing to accept. Consider the preparation, customization, expenses, and experience that go into delivering your services.

If you're creating an online course or digital product, start with a revenue goal. Calculate how many sales you'd need to make at three different price points.

Then ask yourself: Does my pricing support both the people I want to serve and the business I'm trying to build?

You don't need to have every number figured out today, but you do need to understand what your business needs to remain sustainable.

Connect with Carla:

• Website: carlatheece.com
• Instagram: @carlatheece
• LinkedIn: Carla Ward

Enjoyed This Episode?Follow ECE to CEO on your favourite podcast platform so you don't miss future conversations about building and growing a business in early childhood education.

And if this episode helped you think differently about pricing, share it with another ECE entrepreneur who might benefit from the conversation!

Ready to start getting hired to deliver workshops for early childhood educators but not sure how to get your foot in the door?

In this episode of ECE to CEO, Carla Ward shares how she started pitching workshops, what she's learned over seven years of speaking, and the advice she gives her consulting clients who want to break into the ECE speaking world.

From identifying the right organizations to building relationships before sending that first email, Carla walks through the steps to getting started. She also shares why following up matters, how podcasts can help create speaking opportunities, and why waiting until everything is perfect might be holding you back.

In This Episode:

• How to create a dream list of organizations to pitch

• Why knowing your workshop topic, audience, and purpose matters

• How to build genuine connections before sending cold emails

• Why guest appearances on podcasts can lead to speaking opportunities

• How to follow up and use Airtable to track pitches

• Why consistently telling people about your workshops is essential to getting hired

Resources Mentioned:

Airtable: https://airtable.com/invite/r/JCGEysvH — A tool for organizing speaking pitches, tracking follow-ups, and managing potential opportunities.

Your ECE to CEO Challenge:

Start building a list of organizations you'd love to work with. Get clear on the workshop you want to offer, who it's for, and why it matters.

Then, make pitching a weekly habit. Aim for five pitches a week, and don't forget to follow up!

Connect with Carla:

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Enjoyed This Episode?

Follow the ECE to CEO Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, and share it with another early childhood educator who's ready to start building a business.

Your voice deserves to be heard. Happy pitching!

You don't own your social media followers. If Instagram crashes, an algorithm changes, or a platform disappears, how will you stay connected with your audience?

In this episode of ECE to CEO, Carla Ward shares why building an email list should be one of your first priorities when starting an early childhood education business.

An email list isn't about collecting hundreds or thousands of addresses. It's about building relationships, establishing trust, and connecting with people who genuinely want to learn from you.

Carla shares how she grew her email list from her mom and sister to approximately 4,000 subscribers, why giving away valuable content is an investment in your business, and why ECE entrepreneurs need to get comfortable selling their expertise.

In this episode:

• Why relying entirely on social media is risky for your business
• How to give people a reason to join your email list
• Using free resources, podcasts, blogs, and newsletters to attract subscribers
• Why consistency matters more than how often you send emails
• Building relationships and trust before making a sale
• Why you shouldn't wait until you have hundreds of subscribers
• Getting comfortable promoting your paid services and products
• Why unsubscribes aren't something to take personally
• Choosing an email marketing platform and understanding subscriber consent

Resources mentioned:

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – The email marketing platform Carla uses to manage subscribers, create landing pages, and schedule emails.

Mailchimp – Another email marketing platform to explore.

Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) – Information about consent, unsubscribe requirements, and email marketing in Canada.

Your ECE to CEO challenge:

If you haven't started an email list, start exploring your options this week. Think about who you want to reach, what you can offer them, and how you'll continue building that relationship.

And if you already have a list but haven't emailed your subscribers in a while, maybe it's time to reconnect.

Connect with Carla:

Website: https://www.carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Enjoyed this episode? Follow ECE to CEO on your favourite podcast platform and share it with an ECE who's building a business.

You know who you want to work with. But do they know how to work with you?

In this episode of ECE to CEO, Carla talks about understanding your ideal customer and taking a closer look at the journey they take to find you, connect with you, and ultimately work with you.

From your Instagram bio to your website, inquiry forms, podcast and email list, every step matters. Carla also shares why making it easy to buy from you doesn’t mean giving everyone unlimited access to your time and what she changed in her own business after one too many no-shows.

Your homework this week: go through your own customer journey as if you’ve never seen your business before. How easy is it to take the next step?

Welcome to ECE to CEO—the podcast for ECEs with ideas, expertise, and that little voice telling them there might be something more.

In this quick pilot episode, I’m sharing why I created this podcast, who it’s for, and the one lesson we’re putting into practice from day one: done is better than perfect.

We’re going to talk business, visibility, money, mistakes, figuring things out as we go, and building something without spending thousands of dollars trying to learn it all.

No pretending we have it all figured out.

We’re doing it scrappy. We’re getting it done.

Let’s get you a business.