October 12, 2023

Matt Arnerich: Fresh Ideas for Improving Parent Engagement & Relationships

51 minutes

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 childcare industry. He also discusses the power of parent engagement as a catalyst for the growth of early childhood businesses, shedding light on strategies for boosting enrollment through the magic of word-of-mouth and referrals from fellow parents.

Matt also unveils how Famly leverages the potential of AI to create connections between children, parents, and childcare leaders. He gives us a glimpse into the future, where Famly's software is set to extend its reach and touch the lives of even more communities on a global scale.

Key Takeaways:

[9:25] What is Famly and what does it do?

[13:03] How did Matt's journey start?

[14:25] Kris talks about being featured in Famly's blog, and Matt shares how his background in copywriting helps him in his role at Famly today.

[18:22] How Famly brings people in different countries together, yet also helps on a state-by-state basis.

[20:56] Fun Fact: Matt plays cricket and even has a loose tooth to prove it!

[23:09] How parent engagement can really make a difference for the business, and how Famly helps with parent engagement.

[28:00] Communication with parents during the two busiest times in every center and every parent's day: drop off and pickup.

[31:08] The importance of emotional intelligence in children's learning and how Famly can facilitate two-way communication between parents and teachers.

[33:18] Famly can provide live translation in multiple languages, making it more accessible to parents who speak English as an additional language.

[37:24] Matt's advice for best practices of using Famly in and out of the classroom.

[40:04] How Famly uses AI.

[43:08] Matt's advice to learn to say "no" a lot more.

Quotes:

"There's one reason why parent engagement matters, and it matters because of the children." — Matt [24:40]
"If you're not being consistent in your approach with that child at home and the center, then you're not going to give that child the best chance to flourish." — Matt [25:07]
"The business of early learning does cross all the borders of the countries. This is a global experience that we're having, but at the same time, there are definitely nuances and differences between the countries and across the state.' — Kris [27:33]