The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast
Because childcare leadership deserves a real conversation.
If you're looking for another leadership podcast filled with corporate buzzwords and theories from people who haven't stepped inside a childcare center in years... this probably isn't it.
I'm Erica Saccoccio—a multi-center childcare owner, leadership coach, keynote speaker, and podcast host who still leads in the work every single day.
This podcast is for childcare directors, daycare owners, assistant directors, preschool leaders, and early childhood professionals who are ready to find their voice, build confidence, strengthen their teams, and create programs where children, families, and educators thrive.
Each week, you'll hear honest conversations, practical leadership strategies, and inspiring stories from childcare directors, owners, educators, authors, and industry leaders who understand what it really takes to lead in early childhood today. We'll tackle the conversations others avoid, celebrate the wins that matter, and give you practical ideas you can take back to your center tomorrow.
Around here, we don't chase perfection—we build confident leaders, multiply future leaders, and create a ripple of impact throughout the early childhood profession.
Pull up a chair. Find your voice. Lead with confidence. Create lasting impact.
🎤 Let's Grow Leaders Together
Looking for a keynote speaker, breakout session presenter, leadership retreat facilitator, professional development trainer, or leadership coach for your childcare organization?
Erica partners with conferences, state associations, childcare organizations, school districts, and leadership teams across the country to deliver engaging presentations that are practical, relatable, and transformational. Every session is designed to inspire audiences, spark meaningful conversations, and equip leaders with strategies they can immediately implement in their programs.
Connect with Erica for:
- 🎤 Keynote Presentations
- 🎓 Conference Breakout Sessions
- 🏫 Professional Development Days
- 🌱 Leadership Coaching
- 👥 Leadership Retreats
- 🎙️ Podcast Guest Opportunities
🌐 www.childcaredirectorschair.com
Pull up a chair. Find your voice. Lead with confidence. Create lasting impact.
Episodes
683 episodes
620 Play Isn’t Just for Kids: Anthony Toombs on Joy, Leadership & Men in Early Childhood
What happens when we stop treating play as something only children need?In this engaging and energizing conversation, Erica Saccoccio sits down with Anthony Toombs of the Life is Good Playmaker Project to talk about where early childhood...
619 Before the Doors Open: The Leadership Reset Every ECE Team Needs with Melonie Karrem
A successful school year doesn’t begin with decorated classrooms, completed checklists, or perfectly organized supply closets. It begins with the way we lead.In this episode, Erica Saccoccio and Melonie Kareem go beyond traditional back-...
618 The Power of Advocacy with Tim Kaminski
Child care leaders are often expected to follow rules created by people who may not fully understand what it takes to run a program. In this episode, Erica sits down with Tim Kaminski, child care operator, advocate, and Texas Licensed Ch...
617: When the Job Costs You Your Health with Dr. Yvette Ledford
How many times have we put our jobs before our health and convinced ourselves that it was simply part of being committed?In this powerful episode, Erica sits down with Dr. Yvette Ledford, author of Teacher by Day: The No-Guilt Guide to S...
616 What It Really Takes to Be a Childcare Director
Being a childcare director can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be one of the hardest leadership roles in early childhood education.In this honest and relatable episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, I sit down with Jol...
615 The Surprising Power of Music and Movement in Early Literacy
How can music and movement help young children build stronger language and literacy skills?In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, I sit down with Alyssa Jewell, MLIS, and Melissa McCall to explore how songs, rhythm,...
614 Bet on Yourself: Turning Your Skills Into Something Bigger
What happens when you stop waiting for permission and finally decide to bet on yourself?In today’s episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, I sit down with Adva Hanan for an honest conversation about believing in your skills,...
613 Grow Your People, Grow Your Organization
Organizational growth does not begin with a new program, a bigger building, or a longer strategic plan. It begins with developing the people who will help carry the vision forward.In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair
612 Beyond Management: Becoming a Pedagogical Leader
What does it truly mean to lead learning in an early childhood program? In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, Erica sits down with Jessica Karpathios, a forest school practitioner, pedagogical leader, presenter, and the v...
610 Why Your Best Teacher Struggles to Become a Supervisor
Your best teacher may be dependable, respected, and amazing with children, but that does not always mean they are prepared to lead adults.In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair Podcast, Erica breaks down why strong teachers o...
609 The Workforce Is Not Failing—Our Leadership Approach Is
Passion may bring educators into early childhood education, but passion alone will not keep them there.In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, Erica Saccoccio explores why the childcare workforce cannot continue surv...
608 You May Not Have a Staffing Problem
What if the real problem is not that good teachers are impossible to find—but that something inside your program is making it difficult for them to stay?In this episode, Erica Saccoccio challenges childcare leaders to look beyond job pos...
607 Who Is Holding the Childcare Director Together?
Childcare directors spend their days holding everything together—the classrooms, the staff, the families, the schedules, licensing requirements, enrollment, and every unexpected challenge that walks through the door. But while everyone depends ...
606 Decode the Behavior, Reach the Child.
What if the behavior challenging your classroom is actually a child’s way of asking for help?In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair Podcast, Erica sits down with school counselors and authors Ashley Zomalt and Kacy B...
605 Are You Taking Your Best Teachers for Granted?
Your best teachers are often the ones who show up, step in, solve problems, support others, and quietly hold everything together. But because they are dependable, they can also become the most overlooked, overworked, and taken for granted.<...
604 Are Great Leaders Born? The Leadership Myth That's Holding You Back
Are great leaders born, or are they built?It's one of the oldest leadership debates, but I believe we've been asking the wrong question. Some people seem to have natural leadership abilities from a young age, while others grow into leade...
603 Sisters, Stories & Family Child Care
What happens when two sisters each run their own family child care program? You get honest conversations, plenty of laughter, real-life lessons, and a passion for supporting the profession they love.In this special podcast swap episode, ...
602 Family Child Care: More Alike Than Different
After spending time with incredible family child care providers at the National Family Child Care Association Conference in Chicago and the Florida Family Child Care Home Association event, I've found myself reflecting on just how much we have ...
601 Finding Your Way
Finding your way as a leader isn't always a straight path—and in early childhood education, every experience shapes the leader you become.In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Annie Watkins joins Erica Saccoc...
600 The Secret to Strong Childcare Teams
How can collaboration transform your childcare center and strengthen your leadership?In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Erica Saccoccio celebrates the podcast's 3-year anniversary with specia...
599 The Surprising Power of Intentional Collaboration in Child Care Teams
Unlock the secret to transforming your early childhood program by cultivating a culture of genuine collaboration. If you're a director feeling the weight of disjointed teams, or a teacher craving deeper connections, this episode is your game-ch...
598 Lead Smarter with AI
Artificial intelligence is here, and it's changing the way child care leaders work. But before you worry about AI replacing educators, let's set the record straight—it never will.In this episode of the Child Care Director's Chair Podc...
597 Stop Leading Alone: Build Stronger Child Care Teams Together
What if one of the biggest myths in early childhood education is that great leaders have to carry everything alone? In this episode of The Child Care Directors Chair, Erica sits down with Tacita Bateman, founder of Childcare Culture an...
596 Stop Going Through the Motions.
What if the most important part of your leadership isn't what you accomplish—but how you make people feel?In this episode of the Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Erica Saccoccio challenges educators to stop simply going through the m...
595 The Ripple Effect: The Leadership Decisions You Make Today Shape the Leaders of Tomorrow
Every leader creates a ripple.The conversations you have, the feedback you give, the trust you extend, and the opportunities you provide don't end in the moment—they continue shaping confidence, culture, and future leaders long after you...