Today’s episode features a great talk with Ben Poswalk, Executive Director of Paradise Place Preschool. Ben came to Kris as her only local client in Crested Butte, Colorado, with some challenges in the enrollment, marketing, and staffing departments. Once Ben got rolling he not only doubled his enrollment and increased his income by 70%, but won Marketer of the Year and now is making a huge impact in the lives of his children, his staff, and school. Kris talks with Ben about his own mindset shift, how he communicates his own “why” and how it impacted the energy and passion of his teachers. Ben also shares his advice for those about to go into the nonprofit realm, his challenges as an Executive Director, and why Space Mountain in Disneyland will always be a memorable ride for him. Key Takeaways: [7:51] Kris is joined by her guest, Ben Poswalk, Executive Director of Paradise Place Preschool. He and Kris are neighbors, both located in the beautiful and small community of Crested Butte, Colorado. [8:23] Fun fact: Crested Butte is the wildflower capital of Colorado! [9:12] Ben shares his background from going to the Air Force ROTC, to teaching preschool, and then running a nonprofit. [11:36] He met Kris at a time when he was feeling very challenged with some of the aspects of raising money, marketing, and handling his staff. He found the coaching to help him “unsink the Titanic” and find happiness in his career again. [17:04] Joining a peer group where the members are at a level where you want to be can help you level up in your career and mindset way quicker than doing it on your own. [21:29] When you share your ‘why’ and your vision, that’s what attracts people to want to work with you and do business with you. One of Ben’s greatest visions is to help children reveal their kindness to one another, their own community, and the entire planet. Once he got clear and communicated that to his staff, they understood the driving force and the pieces started to align better. [25:26] Ben gets to know the human side of his teachers first and foremost. He invests time and energy in both group and one-on-one settings. He pulls his core values of integrity, kindness, and passion in the interview process, and looks for someone that aligns with the “tribe” of his school and their company culture. [35:36] As an Executive Director, Ben finds his relationship with the Board very important and one that needs fostering, especially as a nonprofit. [38:51] You should have enough in the bank so that you could pay three payrolls in case an emergency happens. [39:25] Ben defines a rockstar as somebody that just naturally lives and breathes the passion that comes from working with children.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray Child Care Marketing Solutions Child Care Success Academy Sign Up for Enrollment Bootcamp Waiting List Paradise Place Start with Why Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, by Simon Sinek Driving Leaders: Lessons in high-performance leadership drawn from endurance racing, by Chris Cappy and Scott Good Get Off Your “But”: How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself, by Sean Stephenson