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

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 can have on overall team morale. Beth also shares insights on creating a safe and welcoming culture for parents, including the use of virtual tours and a state-of-the-art website.   Key Takeaways: [6:44] Beth is the owner and director of Kids for Kids in Miami Florida. This year’s capacity is 175 with a really healthy waitlist. [9:42] 18 years ago, Beth left the comforts of her classroom to purchase a little struggling child care center in a strip mall, and the rest is history. [10:28] What are some of the things Beth has done that she feels have been the most important contributors or changemakers to improve school culture? [12:09] Aside from school safety, there are a lot of little things you can do to make staff feel appreciated. [13:42] Beth shares the little things she does to show gratitude to the teachers such as giving out a weekly gift card, providing an awesome coffee machine, and treating them to lunch. Professionally, she supports their growth and also gives them a business card so they know they are a childcare professional. [20:13] How has Beth’s dedication to paying her teachers well and creating a great culture over the years transformed into actual energy in the classroom? [24:29] Beth talks about her book and the credibility behind being an author. She also talks about a few tools she likes including a beautiful website, Brightwheel, and Intelli-Kids. [35:42] Trust your team. [46:28] Fun Fact: Beth loves clowning around. Her first job at 12 years old was to appear as a balloon puppet-making clown for children’s birthdays!   Quotes: “When I first opened the school, the reason I did so is because I was an underappreciated educator for 17 years.” — Beth [11:13] “My vision was to provide an environment where teachers love to teach and feel appreciated.” — Beth [11:46] “The little things turn into big things.” — Beth [15:36] “I paid my staff better than most people because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be successful.” — Beth [18:02]   Sponsored By: ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) Use 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 Kids For Kids