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Think your laminated list of “integrity, passion, and excellence” is enough to build a thriving childcare culture? Think again, friend.

In this fire-starting episode, we’re calling out the fluff and diving into the real work of defining, living, and leading from your core values. Because values aren’t meant to be Pinterest-worthy—they’re meant to shape how you hire, coach, celebrate, and even fire.

We’re breaking down how to co-create authentic values with your team (yes, even the quiet ones), embed them into everyday routines, and spot when your culture is sliding off the rails. No sugarcoating, just straight-up strategies for directors who are done pretending and ready to lead with purpose.

✨ Warning: This episode may cause uncomfortable self-reflection, major "aha" moments, and a strong urge to join our Trailblazers Coaching Program (launching in July!).

🔥 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why your core values can’t be a copy-paste job from Pinterest
• How to co-create meaningful, authentic values with your team
• Ways to use your values to hire, fire, coach, and celebrate
• What it looks like when values are being faked or forgotten
• How to make your values part of your daily routines
• What it really means to lead from your values, not just post them

🎯 Ready to build a culture that actually walks its talk?
Join the Trailblazers Coaching Program — our signature leadership program for early childhood directors who are done with surface-level leadership and ready to build bold, values-driven teams.

🗓️ Launching July!

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

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If your to-do list looks more like a meltdown list, this episode is your permission slip to upgrade. In this fire-packed episode of The Childcare Director’s Chair, we’re ditching reactive chaos and stepping into CEO-level clarity.

You’ll learn how to glow-up your daily planning with real leadership strategies—no fluff, no burnout.

✨ Inside this episode:
 ✔️ Stop reacting—start leading with intentional planning
 ✔️ Weekly task batching & time-blocking that actually works in childcare
✔️ The 3-Priority Rule to keep you focused, not frazzled
✔️ Protect your focus in a distraction-heavy environment
✔️ Match your tasks to your actual energy flow—not someone else’s productivity schedule
✔️ How to build your own Glow-Up Planner sheet that works for YOUR real life

Whether you’re stuck in survival mode or ready to reclaim your time, this is the game plan you’ve been craving.

🎧 Press play and give your to-do list the boss-level upgrade it deserves.

Love what you hear?
🌟 Leave us a review to help The Childcare Director’s Chair rise into the top 25% of all podcasts
👯‍♀️ Share this episode with one ECE leader who deserves more balance and way less burnout

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

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Let’s get one thing straight—gossip isn’t just “talk.” It’s a culture killer. And in your center, it’s not harmless—it’s sabotage.

In this fire-filled episode of The Childcare Director’s Chair, we’re pulling back the curtain on the side chatter that’s hurting your team and giving you the tools to shut it down without sounding like a lecture. Because you’re not here to play referee in grown-up drama—you’re here to LEAD.

Inside this episode:
 ✅ How gossip slowly destroys team trust (and your authority)
 ✅ What to say when someone tries to drag you into petty talk
 ✅ How to reframe drama into growth with simple redirection phrases
 ✅ Center-wide strategies that actually prevent drama from forming
✅ Our “Pause & Pivot” coaching tool—redirects you can use today

It’s not about being the gossip police—it’s about building a culture where adults act like the pros they are, and kids thrive because of it.

🎧 Ready to turn side-eye energy into solid leadership? Hit play—and share this episode with one ECE leader who’s ready to lead with clarity and confidence.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

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Let’s be real—running a childcare program without a plan is like trying to build a LEGO castle without the instructions. In this episode, host Erica Saccoccio gets down to business with early childhood strategist Joe Pinsonneault, and they are not here for the chaos.

Together, they break down why strategic planning isn’t just a fancy buzzword—it’s a must-have for growth, retention, and keeping your sanity. From mastering a SWOT analysis (yes, you actually need one) to creating mission statements your staff won’t roll their eyes at, this convo is full of practical wisdom and a little tough love.

Joe spills all the tea on making plans that don’t just collect dust in a binder. Think follow-through, staff buy-in, and check-ins that keep everyone accountable without the burnout. Bonus? Tips on listening to your team like you actually care—because staff retention starts with respect, not pizza parties.

If you're tired of flying by the seat of your leggings, this episode is your blueprint for getting organized, getting focused, and getting results.

🔥 Episode Highlights:

• 02:40 – What strategic planning really means (and why most leaders get it wrong)
• 07:10 – How to do a SWOT analysis without falling asleep
• 11:55 – Strategic plans that live beyond the staff meeting
• 16:30 – Time management tips for directors doing ALL the things
• 21:05 – Why listening to your staff is your biggest retention strategy
• 27:45 – Joe’s guide to mission, vision, and values that don’t sound like corporate jargon
• 33:00 – Accountability hacks to keep your plan alive and kicking

🎧 Listen On:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts

👯‍♀️ Connect With Us:

Host: Erica Saccoccio
📸 Instagram: The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast (@ccdcpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos
🌐 Website: www.ChildCareDirectorsChair.com

Guest: Joe Pinsonneault
🌐 Website: Joe Pinsonneault

LinkedIn: 35) Joe Pinsonneault, MBA-NPPA | LinkedIn
 

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you the “always available” director? Answering late-night texts, covering shifts with no notice, and constantly putting everyone else’s needs before your own? Sis… it’s time to stop being the backup plan and start leading like the boss you are.

In this fire-filled episode of The Childcare Director’s Chair, we’re talking Boss Moves & Boundaries—because leadership without limits is a one-way ticket to burnout. Tune in as we break down:

✨ The sneaky signs you're too available—and how to take your power back
 ✨ Why saying “yes” all the time actually makes you a weaker leader
 ✨ How to teach your team to respect your time, energy, and role
 ✨ The 3 levels of boundaries every director MUST master: time, emotional energy, and responsibility
 ✨ A practical worksheet to help you define your non-negotiables like a boss

This episode is part pep talk, part professional development, and 100% real. If you’ve been waiting for permission to set boundaries—this is it.

🎧 Plus, we’ve created a downloadable worksheet so you can map out your boundary-building blueprint—grab it and start leading with clarity and confidence.

📢 Call to Action:

If this episode gave you the push you needed, share it with just ONE fellow director who’s doing too much with too little. Leave us a review today to help us rise to the top 25% of podcasts and grow this movement of strong, supported ECE leaders.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Sick of dull, cookie-cutter professional development that leaves your team snoozing and your classrooms unchanged? Same here. In this episode, host Erica Sokosio sits down with early childhood expert Cheryl Hovey to drag traditional PD—and give it a makeover.

We’re diving into why hands-on, personalized learning is a must, how to actually use what you learn, and what it means to create a real-deal growth culture in your center. From decoding children’s temperaments to grooming your next rockstar director, Cheryl’s dropping gems that’ll have you rethinking your training strategy.

Press play if you’re ready to ditch the PowerPoint snooze-fests and start developing a team that’s ready to lead, grow, and thrive.

🔥 Episode Highlights:

• 03:45 – Why traditional PD fails (and how to fix it)
• 08:10 – Different learning styles = different training approaches
• 13:25 – What understanding temperament really does for your classroom
• 18:00 – Building a culture of growth (and not just checking boxes)
• 22:50 – How to prepare staff for leadership without burning them out
• 28:15 – Cheryl’s top tips for staying relevant in early childhood education

🎧 Listen On:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
• YourWebsiteHere.com/podcast

👯‍♀️ Connect With Us:

Host: Erica Saccoccio
📸 Instagram: @ccdcpodcast
🌐 Website: www.ChildCareDirectorsChair.com

Guest: Cheryl Hovey
Ez Ed 2 Go | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we’re calling it like it is: Your team, your kids, and your families are watching your every move. Not just when you're giving a staff meeting pep talk — but in the hallway, at drop-off, during tantrums, and in your email replies. You are the example. So what are you modeling?

Host Erica Saccoccio dives into how to lead with integrity, consistency, and energy — even when you’re tired. We unpack why micro-moments matter (yes, even your facial expressions), how to hold yourself accountable both publicly and privately, and how to build a leadership brand that walks the talk.

📝 Plus: You’ll get this week’s challenge journal prompt to help you reflect on the moments where your actions spoke louder than your words.

This episode is packed with real talk, practical leadership strategy, and that signature “don’t play with me” energy you’ve come to love from Erica.

👀 Because boo, they’re watching. So let’s lead like it.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

 Time to button up those professional pants and step into your leadership power — because showing up isn’t just about what’s on your résumé, it’s about what you bring every single day.

In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, Erica Saccoccio gets down to business and spills the tea on how to show up like the pro you are — from your polished appearance to that email tone that screams “I got this,” and even how you rock up on time (because yes, that still matters).

We’re diving deep into:
 ✨ Why your vibe is basically your leadership resume — and what yours is saying to your team
 ✨ The secret messages your body language, tone, and attitude are sending (spoiler: it’s not always what you think)
 ✨ Leadership habits that build trust faster than you can say “staff meeting”
 ✨ What to do when coworkers push all your buttons (we’ve all been there)
✨ PLUS, a practical “Leadership Look Checklist” so you can strut your stuff confidently every day

Ready to activate your professional pants and lead with style, substance, and zero apologies?

Grab your coffee, straighten that collar, and tune in — because your leadership glow-up starts now.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

 So, you got promoted… or maybe voluntold 😅… and now you’re the boss. The clipboard is in your hand, everyone’s looking at you for answers, and all you can think is:
“Wait… I’m the leader now?!”

Whewww, deep breath, trailblazer — this episode is for you.

In this power-packed (and totally sassy 💁‍♀️) episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, host Erica Saccoccio gets real about what it means to step into leadership in the early childhood education world. We’re talking about:

✨ How to transition from peer to authority without feeling fake
 ✨ Ditching imposter syndrome like last season’s clearance scrubs
 ✨ Creating a personal leadership vibe that’s all you
✨ Why consistency is your best friend (even on Mondays)
✨ And the tea on the new ECE Trailblazers Coaching Program coming this July 👏👏👏

Whether you’re a teacher assistant eyeing the lead role, a director ready to step into ownership, or an ECE boss looking to scale — this is the episode that says, “Hey queen, you can lead and still be yourself.”

Hit play, grab your iced coffee, and let’s talk about stepping into your power like the trailblazing childcare leader you were born to be.

Because leadership isn’t about a title — it’s about owning the room, raising the bar, and rocking that walkie-talkie with confidence.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

 Trevor Newton is bringing the energy and big personality to The Childcare Director’s Chair as he breaks down why big body play isn’t just fun—it’s essential for kids’ social, emotional, and physical growth. He’s all about creating spaces where play rules, teachers lead with passion, and everyone rediscovers the joy of teaching. From building real connections through active play to firing up your classroom vibe, Trevor’s insights will have you ready to play big and lead bold. This episode is your reminder that when leaders lead with heart and hustle, magic happens.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.