Schools of Excellence: The No. 1 ECE & Private School Leadership Podcast

281 Summer Enrollment System for Schools: Why Effort Isn't the Problem (And What Is)

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Summer enrollment feeling unpredictable? It's not about effort, it's about infrastructure. In this episode, Chanie Wilschanski breaks down why school ...

280. Why Asking Your Accountant "What Should I Cut?" Is the Most Dangerous Question in School Leadership

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every year, school owners sit down with their accountants and ask the same dangerous question. In this episode, Chanie explains why "what should I cut...

279. Why Consistency Is Hard for Leaders: The Real Reason You Keep Falling Off Your Rhythms

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Consistency sounds so simple. Show up. Do the thing. Repeat.So why does it feel like standing at the edge of a cliff?Consistency isn't boring. It's vu...

278. Why Warmth Without Consequences Is Burning You Out (And Stalling Your School's Growth)

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if the warmth you've been leading with is quietly stalling your school's growth? In this episode, Chanie Wilschanski challenges the belief that e...

277. Why Your School Feels Fine in September (And Falls Apart Every March)

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every September feels like a fresh start. By March, it feels like everything is falling apart. If that cycle sounds familiar, this episode is going to...

276. What March Is Really Trying to Tell You About Your School — And Why You Should Listen Now

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

March is the mid-year mirror for school leaders, and it's showing you exactly what needs to change before May amplifies everything. In this episode, C...

275. March Is When Leaders Decide If They’re Coming Back

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

March is when you decide whether you can survive another year like this because by now the patterns are clear and your exhaustion isn’t random.If th...

274. Why Early Childhood Promotes Leaders Too Fast — and What School Leaders Pay for It

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Early childhood education promotes leaders faster than almost any other industry — and school leaders are paying the price.In this episode, Chanie W...

273. Hiring School Staff Isn’t About Getting the “Right Person” — It’s About Leading Humans

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Hiring can feel like a test you’re supposed to pass.You check references.You trust your gut.You believe in someone.And then something happens — th...

272. When Your School Can Run Without You — But Still Can’t Think Without You

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many school leaders reach a stage where things are “running.”Schedules hold. Classrooms open. Systems work.And yet — they’re still looped into...

271. The Hidden Forces That Knock School Leaders Off Balance

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership doesn’t unravel because you did something wrong.It unravels because disruption is inevitable — and most school leaders were never taugh...

270. What Holds When You’re Tired: Why School Leaders Need Rhythms, Not More Motivation

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many school leaders ask for consistency.What they’re really asking is:What holds when I’m tired?In this episode of the Schools of Excellence podca...

269. The False Promise of Systems for School Leaders

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

School leaders are often told that clarity creates relief.That once the systems are documented…once the SOPs are written…once the team is trained ...

268. The Hidden Cost of Being the Strong School Leader

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There is a role many school leaders step into long before they ever receive a title.It’s the role of the strong one.The steady one.The one who handl...

267. When Success Starts to Feel Like Survival for School Leaders

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a moment in school leadership that rarely gets named.It’s not burnout.It’s not failure.It’s not collapse.It’s the quiet moment when ...

266. Understanding Leadership Drift — and How School Leaders Return to Rhythm

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As 2025 comes to a close, many school leaders find themselves pausing and asking a quiet but important question:How did we end up here?In this episode...

265. What This Year Built in Me — And What It’s Building in You as a School Leader

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the world slows down in the quiet space between years, Chanie invites school leaders into a powerful reflection:What did this year build in you?Not...

264. The Hidden Costs Draining Your School: How One Leader Cut Supply Spending by 50%

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most school owners aren’t losing money because of one major expense.They're losing money in the quiet places—the small operational habits, the uns...

263. When School Leaders Drift: How to Anchoring Yourself Through Every Season

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every school leader drifts, even the strongest ones.Drift is not burnout, not laziness, and not a leadership flaw. It is one of the quietest, most hum...

262. Growth Is the Job: Why Leadership Development Isn’t a Perk — It’s the Work

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership in early childhood has long been treated like an “extra,” a bonus you get after the fires are out and the classrooms are staffed.But he...

261. You’re Not Out of Energy — You’re Overholding: How School Leaders Create Energy on Demand

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You can’t call in tired when you’re the leader.Even on the days when your body aches, your brain is foggy, and every text feels like one more dema...

260. The Invisible Weight of Memory: How Systems and Rhythms Protect School Leaders from Burnout

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If your brain feels like a filing cabinet that never closes, you’re not alone.For many school leaders, memory becomes the hidden system — the thin...

259. Timeless Marketing Strategies for Childcare Leaders: What Still Works (and What to Leave Behind)

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In early childhood education, it’s easy to feel like marketing changes faster than you can keep up. But the truth is, while tactics evolve, the fund...

258. The Invisible Weight of School Leadership

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership is heavy in ways no one talks about.We expect long hours, enrollment pressure, staff turnover, and parent demands — but the invisible wei...

257. From Hyper-Responsibility to Healthy Leadership: A School Leader’s Journey Beyond People-Pleasing

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When Irene Gomez stepped into her role as director at the J Center for Early Learning in El Paso, Texas, she carried what so many new leaders do: hype...

256. The Delegation Dilemma: Escaping the Over-Functioning Trap

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever thought, “It’s just easier if I do it myself,” or found yourself ready to “burn it all down” after one too many hand-holdin...

255. The Power of One: Scaling Deep, Not Wide with Latrice Galloway

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scaling is glorified in our culture. In early childhood education, that often means opening more schools, adding more classrooms, and constantly chasi...

254, Honesty Over Image: Leading Through Grief, Discomfort, and the Messy Middle with Beth Cannon

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership doesn’t pause for grief, betrayal, or personal storms. In this deeply vulnerable conversation, Chanie sits down with Beth Cannon to talk ...

253. Stop the Hidden Drain: Admin & Tech Systems That Protect Your Profit

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Admin & Tech isn’t flashy like enrollment or emotional like staff culture—but it’s one of the biggest hidden profit drains in schools. In th...

252. How To Avoid Losing Thousands Through Inefficiency Every Month

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Your Amazon bill isn’t proof of overspending, it’s proof of a missing rhythm.In this fifth episode of the Six Money Leaks series, Chanie uncovers ...

251. How to Lower Food Costs in Your Childcare Program

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pizza at staff meetings. Coffee for PD days. Uber Eats orders that feel small at the moment. These choices come from generosity, but without systems, ...

250. Stop Hemorrhaging Cash: How Broken Payment Systems Drain Your School’s Finances

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Payment problems aren’t about “bad parents.” They’re about broken systems.In this episode of the Schools of Excellence podcast, Chanie exposes...

249. Childcare Schedule Efficiency: How to Build a Strategic Coverage System

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

.This is the second episode in Chanie Wilschanski’s Six Money Leaks series, and it’s all about a leak that quietly drains thousands from...

248. Money Leak #1: How School Leaders Can Unlock Hidden Revenue Through Space Optimization

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turn Underused Classrooms, Time Blocks, and Facilities Into Predictable Profit With Systems That LastThis episode kicks off Chanie Wilschanski’s&nbs...

247. 3 Money Truths School Leaders Must Face in 2025

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this solo episode, Chanie Wilschanski unpacks Three Money Truths every school leader must face in 2025.If your classrooms are full, your team is in...

246. Leading with Purpose and Profit: A Strategic Conversation with Kathy Ligon

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this strategic episode of the Schools of Excellence podcast, Chanie Wilschanski sits down with longtime industry expert Kathy Ligon, founder of Hin...

245. Stop Getting on the Same Page: Why School Leaders Need Shared Standards, Not False Harmony

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most school leaders have said: “We just need to get on the same page.”But what if that phrase is actually sabotaging your culture, creating false ...

244. ECE Leadership Systems, Strength, & Sustainable Growth: A Behind-the-Scenes Conversation

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this client spotlight episode, Chanie Wilschanski sits down with longtime coaching client Niki Van Cleave, owner of Butterfly Bunch in Metro Detroi...

243. The Mindset Shift Every ECE Leader Needs to Avoid Burnout

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the school year gains momentum, it's easy for school leaders to fall into survival mode—abandoning the very rhythms that anchor sustainable growt...

242. What You Tolerate in August Is What You’ll Be Cleaning Up in February

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this timely solo episode, Chanie Wilschanski shares a powerful leadership truth every school owner and director needs to hear as the new year begin...

241. From Burnout to Boundaries: Redefining Female Leadership in Private Education

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From Burnout to Boundaries: Redefining Female Leadership in Private EducationIn this deeply honest and emotionally resonant episode, Chanie Wilschansk...

240. The 4 Phases of Tough Conversations: A Tactical Framework for School Owners and Directors

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Tough conversations aren’t about fixing everything immediately — they’re about understanding each other enough to keep moving forward.”What...

239. How to Double Enrollment: Simple Strategies Resulting in 68% Growth with No Paid Ads

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“When enrollment is low, you don’t hire a marketing agency. You examine your identity.”What do you do when your enrollment numbers drop—but yo...

238. Planning a Summer That Feeds Us: Marriage, Family, and the Rhythms That Hold

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 “If you don’t decide or name the intention, the season will decide for you.”How do you move from chaotic, catch-up summers to ones that ge...

237. Redefining Essentials: What You Protect When the Pressure’s On

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Essentials are not what’s in your handbook. They’re what you do under pressure.”What do you protect when you're overwhelmed—not in a crisis...

236. How Great Leaders Create the Energy They Need—Even When They’re Tired

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“We don’t light candles because we’re ready. We light them because it’s time.”What if energy isn’t something you wait for—but something ...

235. You’ve Built the Systems. So Why Are You Still the Glue?

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“You can delegate work, but you cannot delegate trust.”You’ve done everything right—checklists created, SOPs in place, team hired and trained....

234. Faith, Leadership & Emotional Maturity: Navigating Life’s Hardest Seasons with Evelyn Knight

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you keep leading when life knocks you down?Grief, loss, and hardship don’t pause for leadership responsibilities—and yet, as school owners ...

233. From Panic Mode to Peace of Mind: How One School Owner Stopped Being the Problem Solver

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve checked the boxes.✅ Built the center.✅ Hired the team.✅ Filled the classrooms✅ Hit the revenue goals.On paper, everything looks like ...

232. The Emotional Maturity Code: How Great Leaders Make Clear, Confident Decision

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the biggest difference between stress and stability wasn’t strategy—but emotional maturity?In this powerful episode, we explore how emotio...

231. Drama-Free Schools Start With Design, Not Discipline

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If drama keeps showing up in your school—it’s not a people problem, it’s a design problem. In this episode, Chanie unpacks how school leaders ca...

230. Decoding Your School Culture

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if you had a Culture Decoder — a way to see exactly why your school feels stuck in constant chaos?Every day, you're bombarded with decisions, i...

229. The Strategic Growth Gear

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The sixth and final episode in the 5 Gears series, today’s episode focuses on the Strategic Growth Gear. This episode looks a little different from ...

228. The Parent Engagement Gear

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if parents didn't just receive updates — they became your biggest champions.Let me tell you a story. For years, schools have been playing an...

227. The Staff Culture Gear

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The fourth in the 5 Gears series, this episode dives deep into the Staff Culture Gear. Here’s a surprising truth about staff culture: It's not ...

226. Be This, Not Just Buy This: Identity Marketing for Schools with Veronica Romney

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some schools effortlessly attract families while others struggle — despite offering the same features, pricing, and programs?The secret isn’...

225. The Financial Health Gear

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Warren Buffett famously said: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked.”Right now, the financial tide is going out...

224. The Enrollment Gear

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you looked at your enrollment numbers and thought, “This is fine?” Many school leaders mistake “not terrible” for “op...

223. The 5 Gears: Your School's Operating System

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know the feeling of trying to juggle everything at once and feeling overwhelmed when we aren’t able to.That’s why this episode introduces a Sch...

222. Your Enrollment Advantage

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode looks a little different. Chanie was recently joined by school leaders wanting to fill their programs without spending a dollar on market...

221. The 4 Silent Saboteurs of Enrollment: First Impressions, Trust, Confidence, and Follow-Through

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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220. Your Road Map to 25% Growth

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every school leader we talk to is feeling the same crushing pressure:Enrollment numbers are droppingMarketing costs are skyrocketingParents are becomi...

219. Hedge Fund Parents: Why They're Rejecting Your Traditional School Model

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Millennial and Gen Z parents are engaged in what feels like an academic arms race — treating their children's education like a life or death strateg...

218. The Enrollment Formula

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We see how hard you’re working as you continue to lose money to free pre-k programs. We see you losing sleep over next month’s enrollment. We see ...

217. The Daily Profit Plan: Your Hidden Enrollment Engine

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode looks a little different. Chanie was recently joined by school leaders, just like yourself, who are ready to join the top schools that ar...

216. The 4 Profit Blindspots: Why Good Schools Struggle Financially

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know there’s a lot of hesitancy around financial conversations, but let’s overcome that discomfort to acknowledge this truth: enrollment and fi...

215. The Enrollment Autopsy: Why Your School is Bleeding Out

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There is an educational extinction event happening right now. You're not just losing students. You are witnessing the systemic dismantling of traditio...

214. The 3 Hidden Barriers to Enrollment

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When we struggle with enrollment, we say things like:“Free pre-K is killing us.”“We lost our grant funding.”“Our city keeps changing the rul...

The Great School Enrollment Awakening

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you live in a bustling city or a quiet suburban area, the educational landscape is shifting. Schools can no longer depend on default systems o...

212. 6 Core Money Leaks in Childcare

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chanie was recently joined by women multi-site owners for a CEO Power Hour to uncover the money leaks in their operations. You cannot listen to this w...

211. How Top Schools Will Win in 2025

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

High-achieving leaders understand how to align their goals and actions to drive meaningful progress in their centers.In this episode, Chanie shares wh...

210. Dear Exhausted School Leader: Remember What You Actually Achieved

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Important reminder for every school leader who’s reading this: You’re not just getting by or just managing a school; you’re transforming li...

209. We Are Not Designed to do this Alone: Lessons from a School Leader who Found Contentment

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is for every school leader out there who feels there is no one in their life who “gets” the challenges of being the leader.In this ep...

208. From Overwhelmed to Organized: How One Leader Built Foundational Systems for Success

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ashley Perron-Knutson, a fellow ECE leader, found herself at a crossroads with her center. She had to decide whether to continue struggling or commit ...

207. The New School Playbook

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode looks a little different than others. November 14th, Chanie was joined by school leaders for an interactive workshop that tackled th...

Quick Lesson: The Simple Framework to Enrollment Now

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Need more enrollment? Learn this simple framework.If you’re over generic solutions that don’t move the needle, and are ready for something tangibl...

How to Take Care of Yourself When Everything Around You Feels Like It's on Fire

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it be election-related stress, end of the year hecticness, or just a busy season of your life, we can all benefit from creating moments of tra...

Sync the Calendar: The New School Playbook

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house ...

Train Your Troops:The New School Playbook

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard, and holding an open house...

Be Where They Are: The New School Playbook

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house ...

Speak Their Language: The New School Playbook

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed.  The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open ...

Know Your Families: The New School Playbook

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed.  The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open ...

The Magic of Mentoring with Todd Herman

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can mentor relationships stabilize and strengthen the core of your organization and have an impact on your life? In this episode Chanie talks with...

How to Get Out of the Day To Day

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Picture this–you’re walking through your school, juggling urgent emails, staff questions, and never-ending paperwork. The days blur together ...

Healing from Pregnancy Loss: The Power of Support

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the journey of life, we often encounter moments that challenge our resilience and redefine our understanding of joy. Join Chanie, as she coura...

Building Strong Foundations for Leadership & Growth with Melinda Elridge

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to move from survival mode to true leadership?In this week’s episode, Chanie interviews Mel Elridge, a director at an early educat...

How to Increase the Lifetime Value of Each Enrollment: Parent Retention

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A parent is standing at your school's front desk, full of questions about how your program will fit their family’s unique needs. Now, multiply ...

Retention Intelligence Framework: Transforming Exit Feedback into Strategic Solutions

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when two of your most trusted teachers have unexpectedly handed in their resignations? This is the reality of staff turnover faced...

Steady in the Storm: Leading Schools in a Contracted Economy

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Making decisions when leading in the school system can feel like a storm, and with the economic state of things, it can feel like the storm is only ge...

The REAL Cause of Your Profit and Enrollment Problems

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I know you know that feeling of immense overwhelm when you look at the endless tasks on your school calendar. A pit in your stomach starts to for...

How to Increase Enrollment THIS Month

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Struggling with school enrollment can feel like navigating a maze of challenges and stress, leaving you wondering if there’s a clear path to attract...

From Overwhelmed to Thriving Leader with Stacey Smith

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the demanding world of early education, balancing professional challenges and personal life can feel overwhelming.So, how did Stacy Smith, founder ...

Audit Season: Maximizing Summer to Enhance School Leadership

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When I lived in New York, I spent a lot of time inside during the winter because I didn’t want to freeze my face.But here in Florida, it’s the exa...

How to Coach Staff when they are in a State of Helplessness

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of my clients is a school owner who hired a new director to lead a brand-new location.In the beginning, the director was doing a great job.But the...

Tolerating Good Enough For Long Enough To Create Excellence

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I remember when I got my first W2 job when I was 19.I was so proud and excited.I was working hard, showing up every day, and doing my best.But when I ...

Navigating Conflicting Emotions Around Big Decisions

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Big decisions are tough.I was speaking with one of my clients who was considering letting a director go.There was a clear mismatch of values between t...

Veteran vs New Staff: Leadership and Decision Making

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

During my second year of teaching, I was only 20 years old.Our school had teachers do home visits before the school year started, so the child could g...

Veteran vs New Staff: Professional Development

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I was recently texting with a one-on-one client.She had a decision to make about professional development, and she asked me what she should do.It woul...

Veteran vs New Staff: Parent and Child Engagement

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I was reading an article in the Journal of Human Resources that highlighted a difference in the teaching practices between veteran teachers ...

Building a Culture of Excellence with Kathy Gray

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2019, Kathy owned three ECE centers near Richmond, Virginia. She felt a lot of empathy for the dedicated women who worked in her school. ...