Early Childhood Business Made Easy

By Kelley Peake

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Category: Entrepreneurship

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Subscribers: 2
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Episodes: 202

Description

Early Childhood Business Made Easy: Preschool, Childcare & Play Cafe Success Strategies

Transform your preschool, childcare center, or play cafe from chaotic overwhelm into a profitable, time-freedom business. Host Kelley Peake, former KinderCare executive and owner of multiple seven-figure early childhood businesses, shares proven strategies for enrollment growth, team management, marketing that works, and operational systems that actually stick.


You'll Learn How To: ✨ Increase preschool enrollment and retention without expensive ads ✨ Hire and keep great teachers in a competitive market ✨ Grow play cafe traffic and party bookings consistently ✨ Structure your services for maximum profit (without raising tuition) ✨ Build systems that free up your time instead of stealing it ✨ Market to modern parents who value quality over price ✨ Scale your early childhood business without burning out


This Podcast Is For: → Preschool owners and directors drowning in daily chaos → Childcare operators struggling with staffing and slim margins → Play cafe and enrichment program owners wanting more bookings → Working moms building early childhood businesses while raising families → Anyone who started their EC business to make a difference—not to work 60-hour weeks

Kelley doesn't teach theory. She shares real strategies from 25+ years operating Peake Academy (boutique preschool), Play Boutique (indoor play cafe), and coaching hundreds of early childhood businesses through her Shine Membership and CEO Mentorship programs. Every episode delivers actionable systems you can implement this week.


Popular Topics: Early childhood business operations, preschool marketing strategies, childcare enrollment systems, play cafe revenue growth, hiring and retention for early childhood, parent communication frameworks, pricing strategies for preschools, operational efficiency, work-life balance for childcare owners. 


Stop sacrificing your family to serve other families. Learn to rewrite the rules of business for early childhood at peakecreative.com. 

→New episodes weekly. Subscribe now.


Episode Date
202: Q4 Operations Prep: Set Yourself Up for Success
Oct 08, 2026
201: Holiday Program Profits: Plan Now For November And December
Oct 03, 2026
200: October Enrollment Strategy: Fill Winter and Spring Spots Now
Sep 24, 2026
199: Fall Team Momentum: Keep Energy High Through the Holidays
Sep 18, 2026
197: September Revenue Reality Check: Are You Profitable?
Sep 10, 2026
198: From Surviving to Thriving: Your Q4 Profit Strategy
Sep 10, 2026
196: First Week of Fall: Your Operations Checklist
Aug 27, 2026
195: Back-to-School Parent Communication That Builds Confidence
Aug 20, 2026
194: Last-Minute Fall Marketing That Actually Works
Aug 13, 2026
193: Hire and Onboard Your Fall Team Like a Pro
Aug 06, 2026
192: Plan Your Fall With a CEO Vision, Not Operator Panic
Jul 30, 2026
191: Price Your Fall Programs for Profit, Not Just to Compete
Jul 23, 2026
190: The 6-Week Back-to-School Operations Countdown
Jul 16, 2026
189: Back-to-School Services That Boost Your Bottom Line
Jul 09, 2026
188: July Marketing Mission: Fill Those Fall Spots
Jul 02, 2026
187: Mid-Year Team Check-In: Keep Your Best People
Jun 25, 2026
186: Why Your "Why" Matters More Than Ever in Summer
Jun 18, 2026
185: Mid-Year Money Moves: Summer Cash Flow Strategy
Jun 11, 2026
184: Your Summer Operations Survival Guide
Jun 05, 2026
183: Create Magical Moments That Sell Themselves
Jun 04, 2026
182: End of School Year Marketing: Capture Those Summer Families
May 27, 2026
181: Summer Staffing Without the Stress
May 14, 2026
180: The Summer Profit Strategy Nobody's Teaching You
May 07, 2026
179: May Money Check-In: Are You On Track for Your Best Year?
Apr 30, 2026
178: SOPs That Actually Get Used: The Template You Need
Apr 23, 2026
177: Spring Enrollment Push: Fill Your Summer and Fall Spots Now
Apr 17, 2026
176: EPISODE #176: Social Media That Actually Converts: The 60/30/10 Rule
Apr 09, 2026
175: Spring Hiring Season: How to Attract A+ Team Members
Apr 02, 2026
174: The CEO Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Mar 26, 2026
173: Budget Like a CEO: The Simplified Process That Works | Preschool Budgeting Guide 2026
Mar 19, 2026
172: Simplify, Systematize, Organize - The Operations Breakthrough
Mar 12, 2026
171: Exceed Expectations: How to Monetize Happiness in Your EC Business
Mar 05, 2026
170: The A.C.E. Inquiry System: Never Lose Another Lead
Feb 26, 2026
169: The Leadership Lift: Replace Your Assistant Director with This Instead
Feb 19, 2026
168: From Breaking Even to Profitable: The Profit Margin Breakthrough
Feb 12, 2026
167: Know Your Numbers: The Financial Wake-Up Call Every EC Owner Needs
Feb 06, 2026
166: The 90-Day CEO Action Plan That Actually Works
Jan 29, 2026
165: The Sweet Spot: Which Services Should You Keep, Cut, or Create?
Jan 22, 2026
164: Stop Wasting Time on Marketing That Doesn't Work
Jan 19, 2026
163: The Team Culture Secret Every EC Leader Needs to Know This Year
Jan 15, 2026
162: Your 2026 Vision: Why You Need More Than Goals This Year
Jan 02, 2026
161: Resourceful & Resilient: Making Every Dollar Count in an ECE Business
Dec 18, 2025
160: Supporting the Parent Journey: Building Stronger Connections Between Families and Early Childhood Programs
Dec 11, 2025
159: Balancing Time and Freedom: Designing a Lifestyle That Empowers Early Childhood Educators
Dec 08, 2025
158: Purposeful Profits: Building a Freedom-Centered Early Childhood Business
Dec 05, 2025
157: Policy Power: Transforming Parent Partnerships Through Clear Guidelines
Nov 20, 2025
156: Happiness in Action: Strategies for Thriving Early Childhood Programs
Nov 16, 2025
155: Navigating Together: Empowering Parents in Early Childhood Experiences
Nov 07, 2025
154: The Purposeful Profit Blueprint: Leading Your Early Childhood Business to Thrive
Oct 30, 2025
153: The Dollar Stretch: Smart Spending Strategies for Childcare Pros
Oct 23, 2025
152: Unlocking Communication: SOPs That Bridge Gaps Between Parents and Educators
Oct 16, 2025
151: Nurturing Futures: Crafting Meaningful Experiences for Kids
Oct 09, 2025
150: The Parent Partnership: Nurturing Bonds in Early Childhood Business
Oct 02, 2025
149: Unlock the Hidden Leaders: The Secret to Building a Team That Thrives With You
Sep 25, 2025
148: Stop the Hidden Costs Draining Your Business: 3 Profitable Pathways That Put You Back in Control
Sep 18, 2025
147: The Profit Playground: How to Stop Relying on Tuition and Build a Business That Lasts
Sep 11, 2025
146: Lead Smarter, Not Harder: Say Goodbye to Micromanaging for Good
Sep 04, 2025
145: Streamline or Sink: Simplify Your Services and Watch Profits Rise
Aug 28, 2025
144: Marketing That Works While You Sleep: 3 Simple Moves to Grow Your Early Childhood Business
Aug 21, 2025
143: Unlocking Team Power: Transform Your Early Childhood Business with These Leadership Secrets
Aug 14, 2025
142: Your Business Shouldn’t Break You: How to Build Profit & Peace Into Every Week
Aug 07, 2025
141: Small Budget, Big Impact: How Smart Operators Get Ahead
Jul 31, 2025
140: Goodbye Micromanaging, Hello Momentum: Simple Strategies That Keep Your Team on Track
Jul 25, 2025
139: Less Chaos, More Cash: The Secret to High-Impact, Low-Overhead Offerings
Jul 17, 2025
138: The Parent Attraction System: Fill Your Programs with Families Who Feel Like Home
Jul 10, 2025
137: Build Leaders, Not Burnout: How to Grow a Team That Runs With You (Not Behind You)
Jul 03, 2025
136: Escape the Daily Hustle: How to Build a Business That Thrives Without You
Jun 26, 2025
135: Future-Proof Your Business: 3 Revenue Strategies to End the Cash Flow Struggle
Jun 19, 2025
134: Cut the Chaos: The Secret Power of Clear SOPs in Your Early Childhood Business
Jun 12, 2025
133: Burnout-Proof Your Business: The Secret to Keeping Great Team Members (and Your Sanity)
Jun 05, 2025
132: Design to Grow: How to Build Programs That Grow With You (Not Against You)
May 29, 2025
131: From Confused to Confident: How to Turn Parents into Your Strongest Partners
May 22, 2025
130: Grow Your Dream Team: How to Build Leaders That Step Up and Stick Around
May 15, 2025
129: Keep Your Best People: The Secret to a Team That Stays, Grows & Shows Up With Heart
May 08, 2025
128: Quality Without the Cost: Budget-Smart Strategies for Early Childhood Leaders
May 01, 2025
127: Play to Profit: Transform Child's Play into Business Success with these 3 Proven Strategies
Apr 24, 2025
126: The Parent Partnership Effect: Triple Your Impact by Empowering Families
Apr 17, 2025
125: From Overwhelm to Outstanding: 3 Leadership Strategies Every Early Childhood CEO Needs
Apr 10, 2025
124: The Time+Freedom Formula: Your Guide to Leading Smarter, Not Harder
Apr 03, 2025
123: Breaking Free from Financial Stress: Creative Revenue Streams for Leaders in Early Childhood
Mar 27, 2025
122: Guide Your Team to Greatness: Essential Leadership Moves for Early Childhood Success
Mar 20, 2025
121: Smart Strategies for Early Childhood Leaders: Create a Thriving Business with Purpose
Mar 13, 2025
120: Engage, Inspire, Thrive: Master the Art of Marketing to Early Childhood Families
Mar 06, 2025
119: Lead, Inspire, Achieve: Revolutionize Your Early Childhood Business with Empowered Team Management
Dec 29, 2024
118: From Chaos to Clarity: Transform Your Early Childhood Business with Mindful Leadership
Dec 28, 2024
117: Lead with Confidence: Transform Your Financial Outlook and Build the Business You Love
Dec 27, 2024
116: Unlock Time Freedom: Powerful Efficiency Hacks Every Early Childhood Business Operator Needs
Dec 23, 2024
115: Community Connections that Count: Boosting Your Business through Local Engagement
Dec 21, 2024
114: Turn Parent Concerns into Powerful Connections: 3 Strategies Every Early Childhood Business Leader Needs
Dec 20, 2024
113: Lead with Less Stress: 3 Big-Picture Strategies to Ignite Your Team's Engagement
Dec 19, 2024
112: Unlock Hidden Revenue: Diversify Your Early Childhood Services for Big Gains!
Dec 17, 2024
111: Unlock Effortless Online Marketing: Transform Your Early Childhood Business Today!
Dec 17, 2024
110: Boost Morale, Reduce Turnover: The Ultimate Guide to Cultivating a Dynamic Early Childhood Team
Aug 27, 2024
109: Lead with Clarity and Confidence: The Power of Mindful Decision-Making in Early Childhood Education
Aug 16, 2024
108: Maximize Enrollment: 3 Proven Marketing Strategies for Early Childhood Businesses
Aug 10, 2024
107: Mastering Your Payroll: Unlocking Strategies for Optimal Expense Management
Jul 05, 2024
106: From Chaos to Connection: Transform Your Parent Communication with These Proven Strategies
May 31, 2024
105: Cultivating Appreciation and Unwavering Loyalty in Your Early Childhood Business Team
May 21, 2024
104: Positive Vibes Only: Transform Your Early Childhood Business with Simple Leadership Hacks
May 10, 2024
103: From Overwhelmed to In Control: 3 Budgeting Tips That Revamp Early Childhood Businesses
Apr 30, 2024
102: Banish the Chaos: Streamline Your Early Childhood Business with 3 Proven, Simple Systems
Apr 18, 2024
101: Simplifying Enrollment: Strategies for Impactful Registration
Mar 16, 2024
100: The CEO Profit Journey Flywheel - Game-Changing Blueprint for Early Childhood Success!
Feb 29, 2024
99: Building a Cohesive and Lasting Team in Early Childhood Business
Feb 27, 2024
98: Power Up Your Life: Boosting Physical and Mental Energy to Operate a Successful Early Childhood Business
Feb 22, 2024
97: Unlocking Success Online: The Crucial Power of Keeping Your Website Fresh and Effective
Feb 16, 2024
96: From Posts to Profit: Mastering Social Media for Early Childhood Success
Nov 25, 2023
95: Reflection as a Catalyst: Unsticking Your Early Childhood Business
Nov 17, 2023
94: Unlocking Success: 3 Power Habits Every Early Childhood CEO Needs!
Nov 05, 2023
93: From Chaos to Control: Mastering Early Childhood Operations for Success
Oct 07, 2023
92: From Invisible to Irresistible: Transforming Your Early Childhood Business Online
Sep 23, 2023
91: Unlocking Team Excellence: How to Elevate Your Early Childhood Business
Sep 20, 2023
90: Lead Like a Pro: 3 Game-Changing List Journaling Strategies for Early Childhood Operators
Sep 09, 2023
89: The Family First Formula: How to Excel at Home and Your Early Childhood Business Without Sacrificing Either
Sep 04, 2023
88: From Summer Sun to School Run: Mastering the Seasonal Shift in Your Early Childhood Business!
Aug 26, 2023
87: Unlocking the Social Media Code: Transform Your Early Childhood Business Today!
Aug 13, 2023
86: The Triple Threat to Building A Team With Less Turnover Communication, Recognition, and Growth
Aug 12, 2023
85: Thriving not Surviving: Achieving Harmony in Your Early Childhood Business
Aug 06, 2023
84: Discover the Game-Changing Strategies to Skyrocket Your Early Childhood Business's Bottom Line
Aug 03, 2023
83: Happy Families, Thriving Business: The Secret to Cultivating Loyalty in Your Early Childhood Business
Jul 19, 2023
82: Unleashing Success: The Power of a Strong Team Culture in Your Early Childhood Business
Jul 07, 2023
81: Time is Money: How Early Childhood Business Owners Can Reclaim Their Time and Achieve Greater Success
Jun 30, 2023
80: Unlocking the Power of Connection: 3 Steps to Thrive in Your Early Childhood Business
Jun 08, 2023
79: Unlocking the Power of Appreciation: How Early Childhood Businesses Can Boost Retention and Build a Stronger Team
May 31, 2023
78: Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide to Attracting More Parents to Your Early Childhood Business
May 27, 2023
77: Retaining Families in Early Childhood Business: 6 Strategies for Long-Term Success
May 15, 2023
76: Leadership Development: Empowering Your EC Team to Succeed
May 05, 2023
75: Unlocking the Secret to Work-Life Balance: Strategies for Early Childhood Business Operators to Boost Productivity and Find Fulfillment
Apr 29, 2023
74: Unlocking the Secrets to Financial Success: 5 Expert Strategies for Your Early Childhood Business
Apr 22, 2023
73: Level Up Your Social Media Marketing: 10 Proven Strategies to Dominate Your Early Childhood Competition
Apr 14, 2023
72: Building a Dream Team: 4 Proven Strategies for Success in Early Childhood Business
Apr 08, 2023
71: The Winning Formula: 5 Traits of Successful and Confident Early Childhood Business Operators
Mar 30, 2023
70: Unlocking Your Business's Potential with Quarterly Goal Planning
Mar 24, 2023
69: What Are the Secrets to Captivating and Closing Parents During a Tour of an Early Childhood Business?
Mar 15, 2023
68: Building a Dream Team: Attracting and Retaining Quality Team Members in Early Childhood Education
Mar 09, 2023
67: Your Secret Weapon to EC Biz Success Year After Year
Feb 11, 2023
66: 3 Ways to Conquer Your Day EC CEO
Feb 07, 2023
65: Amazing Time Saving Strategies To Try Right Now!
Feb 02, 2023
64: 4 Creative Ways to Connect with Potential Families, Increase Visibility and Lose the Marketing Guilt
Jan 23, 2023
63: Onboarding Your Secret Weapon for Preschool, Play Cafe, Enrichment Program Team Members That Will Stay With You
Jan 13, 2023
62: Stop The Hustle In Your Preschool, Childcare, Play Cafe, or other Early Childhood Business & Find Gratitude with More Work+Life Balance
Jan 07, 2023
61: Got Chaos? These 3 Strategies Will Help You Control It
Dec 30, 2022
60: Part Of Planning For A Strong 2023 Means Your Team Culture Is As Strong As Can Be!
Dec 17, 2022
59: Dream+Do for the Best 2023 - Come Plan with Me!
Dec 09, 2022
58: 2023 is just around the corner. But in order to fly forward we must look back. How did you do in 2022?
Dec 07, 2022
57: 5 Strategies for Leading Your EC Business As the CEO You Are Meant to Be
Nov 26, 2022
56: 3 Ways to Ensure Your Student Portfolios Are Talked about for Years to Come
Nov 17, 2022
55: Parent Volunteer Double Win - They Save You Time & Money While Building Relationships
Nov 11, 2022
54: Build a Team of Rockstars That Ensure Inquiries Become Enrollments
Nov 05, 2022
53: Is Your Website Frightful? Is It Time to Unfrakenstein Your Site?
Oct 27, 2022
52: Why Hosting Memory Making Events For Parents Will Grow Your Bottom Line
Oct 21, 2022
51: Grow Your business By Selling In a Way That Feels Aligned Even If Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Oct 07, 2022
50: 3 Simple Reminders That Will Turn Tours Into Enrollments
Oct 01, 2022
49: 5 Ways to Make Sure Your Inquiry Becomes a Tour
Sep 23, 2022
48: Finding More Time Freedom Is Easier Than You Think
Sep 17, 2022
47: Got Stress? These 3 Mindfulness Tips Will Calm It
Sep 09, 2022
46: Leading Your Early Childhood Business Like The CEO You Are Meant to Be Into a Fabulous Fall
Sep 03, 2022
45: Stop the Turnover By Doing These 3 Things to Nurture An Amazing Team That Will Not Want to Leave
Aug 24, 2022
44: Your Proven Plan for a Fabulous Open House That Enrolls On the Spot
Aug 21, 2022
43: How to Take Your Marketing from Blah to BAM!
Aug 11, 2022
42: The Ultimate Plan to Attracting and Build a Winning Team
Aug 03, 2022
41: 3 Key Systems to Help You Focus on Growing Your Enrollment
Jul 28, 2022
40: 3 Reasons Outsourcing Your Financial Help Will Save You Time & Money
Jul 21, 2022
39: Got Systems for Your EC Business? If Not, Let’s Solve That Today!
Jul 14, 2022
38: The Ultimate Guide to Early Childhood Business SOPs
Jul 07, 2022
37: Feedback and Follow-up Tips That Will Motivate Anyone on Your Early Childhood Team
Jul 04, 2022
36: 3 Clever Solutions to Get Others to Spread the Word About Your EC Business with Your Reoccurring Referral Plan
Jun 30, 2022
35: 3 Easy Wins to Get Ready for Fall Before School Is Out for the Summer
Jun 16, 2022
34: 3 Ways to Ensure Your Summer Camp Team Creates a Magical Summer Experience for All of Your Campers
Jun 10, 2022
33: The 2 Must-Haves to Create Loyalty Building Engagement in Your Parent Attraction Strategy
Jun 02, 2022
32: How to Use a Compelling Parent Audience Builder to Grow Your Early Childhood Business
May 27, 2022
31: How to Develop a Messaging Strategy that Resonates with Your Preschool Parent Audience
May 19, 2022
30: Achieving Success in Preschool Marketing: How to Create a Compelling Marketing Strategy that Engages Customers and Boosts Enrollment
May 12, 2022
29: 5 Communication Strategies For Growing Your Preschool Enrollment
May 10, 2022
28: 10 Meaningful Ways Preschool Owners/Managers Can Celebrate Their Teachers
Apr 21, 2022
27: 5 Things Preschool Owners Can Do to Avoid Complaints from Parents
Apr 14, 2022
26: 3 Simple Secrets to Keeping Your ECE Team on the Same Communication Page
Mar 31, 2022
25: 4-Week Super Summer Bootcamp… 5 Ways to Communicate to Engage and Enroll In Your Summer Camps
Mar 24, 2022
24: 4-Week Super Summer Bootcamp - Your Camp Structure
Mar 17, 2022
23: 4-Week Super Summer Bootcamp - Planning Your Themes
Mar 10, 2022
22: 4-Week Super Summer Bootcamp… Plan Your Best Summer Yet!
Mar 03, 2022
21: 5 Ways You Can Invest in Building a Team That Enrolls
Feb 24, 2022
20: To Stay In This Early Childhood Business You Need a Why
Feb 21, 2022
19: The 1 Thing I Do Every Morning To Ensure Success
Feb 10, 2022
18: I Do These 3 Things Every January
Feb 03, 2022
17: Warning! Don't Forget About Nurturing Your Team Culture
Jan 20, 2022
16: 3 Quick Website Wins
Jan 13, 2022
15: 4 Reasons You NEED to Give Your Early Childhood Business the Gift of a Website Upgrade
Jan 06, 2022
14: Develop a CEO Mindset to Lead Your Early Childhood Business Instead of Just Managing It
Sep 17, 2021
13: The Number 1 Money and Time Saving Tool I Use Everyday In My Preschool and Play Cafe Businesses
Aug 17, 2021
12: 5 Barriers to Quality Preschool Customer Service, How to Overcome Them & the 5 R’s of Quality Customer Service
Jul 21, 2021
11: Quality Parent Communication Is Key to the Success of Your Business
Jul 01, 2021
10: Boost Your Bottom Line By Hosting Quality Family Special Events That Will Create Happy Family Memories
Jun 30, 2021
9: Why Team Building Is One of the Most Important Investments You can Make for Your Early Childhood Business
Jun 23, 2021
5: How to Plant the Seeds of An Abundance Mindset to Ensure Business Success
May 03, 2021
6: 6 types of Early Childhood Business Tasks and How to Identify Whom to Delegate them To
May 03, 2021
7: How to Plan an Amazingly Simple Teacher Appreciation Week
May 03, 2021
8: 3 Easy Ways to Control the Chaos, Simplify, and Spring Clean Your Life
May 03, 2021
4: Building Preschool Teamwork with 9 Habits of People Who Build Extraordinary Relationships
Mar 12, 2021
3: Ensure Your Business Profit Success is Working Even When You Are Not with Peake Creative’s 5 Step Sales Process
Mar 11, 2021
2: How to Delegate When There Are Too Many Moving Parts
Mar 10, 2021
1: 4 Ways to Control Chaos in an Early Childhood Business
Mar 09, 2021