161: Resourceful & Resilient: Making Every Dollar Count in an ECE Business Artwork

Early Childhood Business Made Easy

Ever thought… How to start a preschool or play cafe? How to successfully manage an early childhood business or childcare? How to hire great teachers? How to grow preschool enrollment? How to increase your parties and indoor play traffic? What do today’s busy parents value most? How great would it be to have a business mentor sharing preschool, childcare, play cafe, and other early childhood business success secrets based on years of lessons learned the hard way so you don’t have to? For just that and more - tune in each week to the Happiness Hustle - Early Childhood Business Made Easy Podcast with your host, Kelley Peake, ex-corporate childcare leader turned CEO of multiple million-dollar early childhood businesses. Kelley is on a mission to help other early childhood business leaders, managers, and owners control the chaos, ditch the exhausting overwhelm, and keep the joy as they build a profitable business, making a difference in the lives of others. You will find lots of inspiration, tips, resources, and actionable strategies giving you the step-by-step details you need to create success in your own business. Whether you are a busy parent, a pulled in all directions ambitious mompreneur, or one in the making who's looking to create a preschool, play cafe, or other early childhood focused business that makes a difference, it is our goal to make your life a little easier with every resource, blog post, or podcast. To find out more resources that will help you control the chaos, ditch the exhausting overwhelm, and keep the joy as you grow your successful business, head over to www.peakecreative.com.

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Early Childhood Business Made Easy

161: Resourceful & Resilient: Making Every Dollar Count in an ECE Business

December 18, 2025 • Kelley Peake • Season 1 • Episode 161

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🎙️ In this episode of Early Childhood Business Made Easy, we’re diving into what it really takes to build financial stability in a ratio-dependent early childhood business—without sacrificing quality or burning yourself out.

💸 If you’re cutting expenses, monitoring every purchase, and still feeling like the numbers never quite work, you’re not alone. Traditional budgeting advice wasn’t designed for ECE businesses where revenue is tied to staffing ratios and flexibility is limited.

🔍 When you start leading your budget like a CEO—with systems built specifically for early childhood programs—every dollar begins to work with intention. Your finances support your mission, strengthen your team, and create breathing room instead of stress.

✨ This is how Confident Early Childhood Operators become resourceful and resilient—and how you build a business that fuels both impact and the Time+Freedom™ lifestyle you’re working toward.

Click HERE to see the Shownotes and Printable.
EC Focused Leader Quiz - Shine as a Difference Maker, Chaos Coordinator, or Magic Maker: Boost success and rewrite the rules of business.
Work + Life Bundle - Discover 5 steps to grow your early childhood business while spending less time dealing with all of the little fires that consume you and more time moving your business forward.
Be Goalden Annual Planning Party - Join us 🌟 December 9–13 🌟 for the Be GOALden Annual Planning Party — where overwhelmed early childhood operators transform chaos into clarity and set themselves up for more time, freedom, and profit in 2026.
Magical Moments Month -This FREE printable calendar is filled with easy, age-appropriate experiences designed to bring magic and meaning to your preschool classroom or home.
Visit https://kelleypeake.com/freebies - Grab these amazing resources and tools to grow your knowledge, control the chaos, and become more stress-free!
Early Childhood Business Operations Framework Flight Plan. It goes over the 6 Operations Profit Boosters that are essential to operating an EC business. Be sure to set aside uninterrupted periods, you can optimize your concentration and accomplish more in less time. Here you will find an easy-to-implement tool to help you with this first strategy to help you reclaim your time.

We help early childhood business owners ditch the chaos and lead with confidence. With actionable strategies and time-saving tools, you can grow your revenue, inspire your team, and create a thriving business—without sacrificing the life you love. Ready to make it happen?
Visit kelleypeake.com and take the first step toward your dream business today!