Show notes
This episode we are joined by Leann and Jake Chamberlain, husband and wife team that run Brighton Montessori in Brighton, Michigan. Leann was the recent winner of the Child Care Rockstar contest, and her vulnerable and authentic approach won the hearts of everyone there. They talk about what it felt like to get out of their comfort zone to enter the contest, the ways they continue to grow their enrollment and connect with the community, the unique challenges of working at a Montessori, and what’s next for the dynamic duo. Key Takeaways: [3:21] Leann and Jake have three children, all of whom were surprised with a trip to Disney after she won the Child Care Rockstar contest! [4:42] Brighton Montessori is in its third year currently, and the capacity is 100 students. [9:21] Fun fact! Leann was a competitive figure skater that even traveled for the sport, and Jake is one of those brave people that take cold showers. [11:02] Leann and Jake entered the Child Care Rockstar contest just with the intention to get out of their comfort zones and try something new. They ended up winning, connecting with a great tribe of people and learning a ton of new information to bring back to their school. [12:49] Next year, the Rockstar contest is going to be a “Margarita and Flip Flops” themed party in Orlando with a $5,000 cash prize. [20:05] Leeann and Jake built a program around the community they were in, and discuss their challenges of retention when they opened in Sept. 2016. They knew they needed help with tripling their enrollment for the first year, and that is when Leann found Kris and the Summit. They took the Amtrak train to the Summit and found a tribe and a whole new set of resources. They pooled together everything they learned, and discussed core values with the teachers, got CRM and implemented email marketing, more follow up, and better tours. [30:26] LeAnn’s “why” is to bring out the best in people. When she approaches anyone, it’s aligned with the core values of integrity, honesty, commitment, passion, and partnership. [32:28] People tend to have pre-existing ideas of what a Montessori school is, but Leann and Jake take the time to fully explain and educate families the level of quality and the unique differences that make them stand out. [37:52] Their mindset shifts were persistence, patience, and more faith in abundance. [42:51] Goal-setting is a huge part of success. Leann writes out Post-It Notes and immediately adds a new goal as soon as they hit one. [47:28] A rockstar to Leann is someone that knows their “why” and executes it with empathy, perseverance, and love. To Jake, it’s someone that takes action on their goals with courage. Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Brighton Montessori Tony Robbins Cold Plunge The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness, by Jeff Olson and John David Mann Rachel Hollis Built on Values: Creating an Enviable Culture that Outperforms the Competition, by Ann Rhoades with Nancy Shepherdson Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, by Brené Brown Doing Today Podcast
