This week I am joined by rockstar Rachel Supalla. Rachel is a multi-site owner of Discovery Kidzone in Montana as well as one of the newest coaches here at The Child Care Success Company. She has shared her expertise as a national speaker at Association for Early Learning Leaders, NAEYC, and more. We dive into Rachel’s unique strengths, her creative quest to culture building (and budgeting!), a special curriculum she developed that’s a blend of Montessori, Reggio, and mindfulness, as well as some savvy financial planning.   Key Takeaways: [7:43] Rachel is now officially one of the coaches here at The Child Care Success Company.  She discusses some of her goals and integrating her personal approaches to clients. [9:54] Rachel has been in the industry for 24 years and has an extensive background, complete with multiple certifications and degrees. [12:27] Discovery Kidzone also has branches in California that Rachel’s partner, Alex, runs. [14:55] Taking advantage of PPP and grants were part of the best practices that Rachel used to stay financially viable through the pandemic.  [19:00] Specific ways Rachel kept culture really high for staff, parents, and the community, during the pains of the pandemic. [22:30] Rachel shares how she has developed her Zoom preschool model. [27:00] Diving into the unique curriculum Rachel developed that blends Montessori, Reggio, and brain-based learning around mindfulness. [30:59] More about the training that Rachel does for AELL, NAEYC, regionally, and possibly for The Child Care Success Company. [33:40] Ways Rachel wants to expand in 2021 including new centers, summer camps, & books. [34:45] Rachel just started doing EOS. So… What the Heck Is EOS? [36:29] Rachel and Kris both dive deeper into the financial piece of the business. [42:02] How does Rachel define a Child Care Rockstar? [43:18] Some things Rachel is into right now including Tony Robbins, The Happiness Guide, Leadershift, and Free to Focus. [45:42] Fun fact about Rachel: She went to high school with John Maxwell’s (Leadershift author) daughter. Now that she’s a Child Care Success coach, she’ll become John Maxwell certified!   Quotes:   “In a time when you’re facing unprecedented sadness, anxiety, and fear — such as 2020 with the pandemic — how can you shift your team into a place of abundance, happiness, and gratitude?” — Kris   “I’ll do whatever it takes, but I just don’t want to have a big layoff.” — Rachel “The company culture was really the biggest thing because it was keeping the staff happy and feeling important.” — Rachel “I wanted to be on offense; for the entire pandemic that was my goal. I didn’t want to play defense.” — Rachel “Know your numbers.” — Kris “Child care owners and leaders are special not only because they have incredible strength and drive, but also have giant hearts. And sometimes those giant hearts can get in the way!” — Rachel   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company Child Care Success Academy Child Care Success Summit Rachel Supalla Instagram Discovery Kidzone John Maxwell Tony Robbins The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators: Secrets to Living Your Best Life In and Out of the Classroom, by Brian Duprey and Kris Murray Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace, by John C. Maxwell Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less, by Michael Hyatt  Association for Early Learning Leaders NAEYC What the Heck Is EOS?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS, by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer