Best Chanie Wilschanski Podcasts (2025)

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244. ECE Leadership Systems, Strength, & Sustainable Growth: A Behind-the-Scenes Conversation 50:00

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4d ago50:00

50:00

In this client spotlight episode, Chanie Wilschanski sits down with longtime coaching client Niki Van Cleave, owner of Butterfly Bunch in Metro Detroit, to explore what it means to lead a school with sustainable systems, real accountability, and operational clarity—especially during seasons of personal and professional upheaval. Niki’s leadership j…

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243. The Mindset Shift Every ECE Leader Needs to Avoid Burnout 12:51

11d ago12:51

12:51

As the school year gains momentum, it's easy for school leaders to fall into survival mode—abandoning the very rhythms that anchor sustainable growth, effective school operations, and confident leadership. In this episode of the Schools of Excellence Podcast, Chanie Wilschanski breaks down the essential distinction between anchors and enhancers, an…

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242. What You Tolerate in August Is What You’ll Be Cleaning Up in February 20:30

18d ago20:30

20:30

In this timely solo episode, Chanie Wilschanski shares a powerful leadership truth every school owner and director needs to hear as the new year begins: what you tolerate in August becomes the culture you’re stuck managing by February. This isn’t just a motivational pep talk—it’s a wake-up call. As classrooms buzz with fresh energy and bulletin boa…

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241. From Burnout to Boundaries: Redefining Female Leadership in Private Education 31:18

25d ago31:18

31:18

From Burnout to Boundaries: Redefining Female Leadership in Private Education In this deeply honest and emotionally resonant episode, Chanie Wilschanski invites female school leaders into a transformative conversation about the “impossible standard” of leadership in education. She explores the emotional labor women carry, how over-functioning and p…

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240. The 4 Phases of Tough Conversations: A Tactical Framework for School Owners and Directors 38:29

1M ago38:29

38:29

“Tough conversations aren’t about fixing everything immediately — they’re about understanding each other enough to keep moving forward.” What does it really mean to be present in a tough conversation? In this episode, we explore how presence—not just words or timing—shapes the quality and outcome of difficult conversations in leadership and relatio…

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239. How to Double Enrollment: Simple Strategies Resulting in 68% Growth with No Paid Ads 39:33

1M ago39:33

39:33

“When enrollment is low, you don’t hire a marketing agency. You examine your identity.” What do you do when your enrollment numbers drop—but you know you're running a powerful, heart-centered program? In this episode, we unpack what it takes to rebuild enrollment without defaulting to expensive ad agencies or slick marketing campaigns. Key Takeaway…

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238. Planning a Summer That Feeds Us: Marriage, Family, and the Rhythms That Hold 21:05

2M ago21:05

21:05

“If you don’t decide or name the intention, the season will decide for you.” How do you move from chaotic, catch-up summers to ones that genuinely renew your family and your leadership? In this behind-the-scenes episode, Chanie shares the intentional framework her family uses to plan summers that serve as a map for the year ahead—grounding their va…

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237. Redefining Essentials: What You Protect When the Pressure’s On 28:04

2M ago28:04

28:04

“Essentials are not what’s in your handbook. They’re what you do under pressure.” What do you protect when you're overwhelmed—not in a crisis, but in the daily fog of leadership? In this episode, Chanie explores the crucial distinction between what's urgent and what's truly essential—and why many leaders are still swirling in chaos, despite their e…

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236. How Great Leaders Create the Energy They Need—Even When They’re Tired 24:56

2M ago24:56

24:56

“We don’t light candles because we’re ready. We light them because it’s time.” What if energy isn’t something you wait for—but something you create? In this episode, Chanie opens up about walking through profound personal grief while still leading a team, running a business, and showing up for others. She explores the surprising shift that helped h…

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235. You’ve Built the Systems. So Why Are You Still the Glue? 20:11

2M ago20:11

20:11

“You can delegate work, but you cannot delegate trust.” You’ve done everything right—checklists created, SOPs in place, team hired and trained. So why does it still feel like you’re the glue holding everything together? This episode is for the leader who has mastered structure but is still shouldering the soul of the school. We’re unpacking the hid…

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234. Faith, Leadership & Emotional Maturity: Navigating Life’s Hardest Seasons with Evelyn Knight 33:55

2M ago33:55

33:55

How do you keep leading when life knocks you down? Grief, loss, and hardship don’t pause for leadership responsibilities—and yet, as school owners and leaders, we’re expected to keep showing up, making decisions, and guiding our teams, even in the midst of personal pain. In this deeply moving and powerful episode, I sit down with Evelyn Knight—TEDx…

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233. You’ve Built the Dream - So Why Does It Still Feel Heavy with Bri McCarty 37:04

3M ago37:04

37:04

You’ve checked the boxes. ✅ Built the center. ✅ Hired the team. ✅ Filled the classrooms ✅ Hit the revenue goals. On paper, everything looks like a dream. So why does it still feel… heavy? In today’s conversation, I sit down with school owner Bri McCarty for a powerful and honest look at the evolution of leadership—from proving and performing to lea…

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232. The Emotional Maturity Code: How Great Leaders Make Clear, Confident Decision 26:41

3M ago26:41

26:41

What if the biggest difference between stress and stability wasn’t strategy—but emotional maturity? In this powerful episode, we explore how emotionally mature leaders rise above chaos, drama, and second-guessing to lead with confidence and clarity. From gossip and manipulation to inconsistent behavior and reactive decisions, emotionally immature e…

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231. Drama-Free Schools Start With Design, Not Discipline 27:28

3M ago27:28

27:28

If drama keeps showing up in your school—it’s not a people problem, it’s a design problem. In this episode, Chanie unpacks how school leaders can move from managing chaos to designing a culture where drama simply can’t survive. Using real (anonymized) stories from our work with school leaders, Chanie breaks down five signs of drama-fueled leadershi…

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230. Decoding Your School Culture 26:20

4M ago26:20

26:20

What if you had a Culture Decoder — a way to see exactly why your school feels stuck in constant chaos? Every day, you're bombarded with decisions, interruptions, and team confusion. It's not just exhausting — it's cultural. The truth is, your school culture runs on hidden systems. And when those systems are reactive and unclear, maintenance become…

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229. The Strategic Growth Gear 26:58

4M ago26:58

26:58

The sixth and final episode in the 5 Gears series, today’s episode focuses on the Strategic Growth Gear. This episode looks a little different from others in the series because strategic growth is not just about building other systems or how to optimize other systems — it's about really understanding when and how to expand your impact. You’ll learn…

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228. The Parent Engagement Gear 24:01

4M ago24:01

24:01

Imagine if parents didn't just receive updates — they became your biggest champions. Let me tell you a story. For years, schools have been playing an exhausting game of "communicate and hope." Newsletters flying into inboxes. Random app notifications. Sporadic event invites. Parents scrolling, sighing, deleting. But what if there was a different wa…

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227. The Staff Culture Gear 23:18

4M ago23:18

23:18

The fourth in the 5 Gears series, this episode dives deep into the Staff Culture Gear. Here’s a surprising truth about staff culture: It's not just about having great benefits or competitive pay. A comprehensive retention ecosystem goes beyond the basics. Using Schools of Excellence’s Retention Intelligence Framework, we examine how school leaders …

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226. Be This, Not Just Buy This: Identity Marketing for Schools with Veronica Romney 42:54

4M ago42:54

42:54

Why do some schools effortlessly attract families while others struggle — despite offering the same features, pricing, and programs? The secret isn’t more Facebook ads or another website refresh. It’s identity. In this game-changing episode of the Schools of Excellence podcast, I sit down with marketing expert Veronica Romney, author of Identity Ma…

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225. The Financial Health Gear 24:37

4M ago24:37

24:37

Warren Buffett famously said: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked.” Right now, the financial tide is going out. And many school leaders are about to be exposed. MYTH: As long as your school is mostly full, you're financially healthy. Many school leaders believe that high enrollment equals financial success. When…

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224. The Enrollment Gear 18:13

5M ago18:13

18:13

When was the last time you looked at your enrollment numbers and thought, “This is fine?” Many school leaders mistake “not terrible” for “optimal” — and it's costing them more than they realize. One of our clients, Missy, thought her multi-location program was doing “fine” too. Her center wasn't full, but that was just the nature of that location .…

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223. The 5 Gears: Your School's Operating System 19:22

5M ago19:22

19:22

We know the feeling of trying to juggle everything at once and feeling overwhelmed when we aren’t able to. That’s why this episode introduces a Schools of Excellence proven framework that will revolutionize your school’s operating system. It’s called the 5 Gears, and it explores the idea that it’s impossible to work on everything at once. Today we’…

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222. Your Enrollment Advantage 1:15:22

5M ago1:15:22

1:15:22

This episode looks a little different. Chanie was recently joined by school leaders wanting to fill their programs without spending a dollar on marketing. During this exclusive roundtable replay, three education leaders will share: How one school enrolled 27 new students using only their enrollment system The calendar structure that helped another …

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221. The 4 Silent Saboteurs of Enrollment: First Impressions, Trust, Confidence, and Follow-Through 21:03

5M ago21:03

21:03

. Mentioned in this episode: The 6 Money Leaks in Schools™ Turn Financial Blind Spots into Immediate Profit. Find Your Hidden Profits with The 6 Money Leaks in Schools™ Your school is silently losing thousands every month – money that should be yours. This proven diagnostic reveals exactly where your profit is escaping and how to reclaim it. Click …

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220. Your Road Map to 25% Growth 10:34

5M ago10:34

10:34

Every school leader we talk to is feeling the same crushing pressure: Enrollment numbers are dropping Marketing costs are skyrocketing Parents are becoming more selective than ever Schools of Excellence has studied hundreds of schools who broke through the enrollment ceiling. They are not spending more money on marketing, a fancy website, or desper…

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219. Hedge Fund Parents: Why They're Rejecting Your Traditional School Model 11:04

5M ago11:04

11:04

Millennial and Gen Z parents are engaged in what feels like an academic arms race — treating their children's education like a life or death strategic operation — and for good reason. On average, these parents will spend a quarter of a million dollars on their child’s education, not to mention the emotional energy and strategic planning they dedica…

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218. The Enrollment Formula 18:08

6M ago18:08

18:08

We see how hard you’re working as you continue to lose money to free pre-k programs. We see you losing sleep over next month’s enrollment. We see you struggling to maintain your rates while spots remain empty. Now, we want you to pause and answer this question: What are you doing to drive enrollment? Unfortunately, most school leaders are prioritiz…

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217. The Daily Profit Plan: Your Hidden Enrollment Engine 1:06:16

6M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

This episode looks a little different. Chanie was recently joined by school leaders, just like yourself, who are ready to join the top schools that are growing enrollment by 25% without cutting rates or compromising quality. What you’ll learn in this workshop replay: Profit Messaging™: How to clearly communicate your center's unique value Profit Ca…

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216. The 4 Profit Blindspots: Why Good Schools Struggle Financially 19:34

6M ago19:34

19:34

We know there’s a lot of hesitancy around financial conversations, but let’s overcome that discomfort to acknowledge this truth: enrollment and finances are two sides of the same coin. When we’re content with “fine but could be better” enrollment numbers, we are leaving money on the table. Let's say you have two open spots in your Pre-K classroom. …

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215. The Enrollment Autopsy: Why Your School is Bleeding Out 9:28

6M ago9:28

9:28

There is an educational extinction event happening right now. You're not just losing students. You are witnessing the systemic dismantling of traditional education. In the last three years alone, 37 % of private schools have seen enrollment drop by over 20%. And the numbers continue to worsen. But you don’t have to continue fighting just to survive…

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214. The 3 Hidden Barriers to Enrollment 11:08

6M ago11:08

11:08

When we struggle with enrollment, we say things like: “Free pre-K is killing us.” “We lost our grant funding.” “Our city keeps changing the rules.” “The minimum wage keeps increasing. It's destroying our margins.” “Parents only care about price right now.” Schools of Excellence hears you, but we’re going to flip this narrative… These are not your r…

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The Great School Enrollment Awakening 12:55

6M ago12:55

12:55

Whether you live in a bustling city or a quiet suburban area, the educational landscape is shifting. Schools can no longer depend on default systems or traditional approaches. Can you feel it? We’re in the midst of a Great School Enrollment Awakening. The old enrollment approach feels hollow and artificial. Parents are no longer looking for an inst…

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212. 6 Core Money Leaks in Childcare 1:12:52

7M ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Chanie was recently joined by women multi-site owners for a CEO Power Hour to uncover the money leaks in their operations. You cannot listen to this without saving some money. We promise! In this episode you will learn: Space Optimization Gaps Payment System Leaks Schedule Efficiency Gaps Food Control Leaks Supply Management Gaps Administrative & T…

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211. How Top Schools Will Win in 2025 22:16

7M ago22:16

22:16

High-achieving leaders understand how to align their goals and actions to drive meaningful progress in their centers. In this episode, Chanie shares why the schools that will win in 2025 challenge conventional wisdom and embrace discomfort. Chanie’s five powerful truths that will propel your leadership: More is the enemy of high performance Embrace…

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210. Dear Exhausted School Leader: Remember What You Actually Achieved 14:09

8M ago14:09

14:09

Important reminder for every school leader who’s reading this: You’re not just getting by or just managing a school; you’re transforming lives in your center one decision at a time. In this episode, Chanie reconnects you to the heart of your mission and why you do what you do by walking through some celebration prompts for what you’ve achieved in 2…

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209. We Are Not Designed to do this Alone: Lessons from a School Leader who Found Contentment 41:24

8M ago41:24

41:24

This episode is for every school leader out there who feels there is no one in their life who “gets” the challenges of being the leader. In this episode, Chanie is joined by Amy Retchless, an ECE owner from Frederick, Colorado. Like all leaders, Amy has experienced various seasons as a school leader. In both the times she’s crushing it and when she…

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208. From Overwhelmed to Organized: How One Leader Built Foundational Systems for Success 38:24

8M ago38:24

38:24

Ashley Perron-Knutson, a fellow ECE leader, found herself at a crossroads with her center. She had to decide whether to continue struggling or commit to becoming the best leader she could be. In this episode, Chanie and Ashley discuss how she regained clarity and organization with the frameworks she received as a Schools of Excellence member: What …

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207. The New School Playbook 1:17:12

8M ago1:17:12

1:17:12

This episode looks a little different than others. November 14th, Chanie was joined by school leaders for an interactive workshop that tackled the complexity of attracting, engaging, and retaining families in 2024. Are you ready to stop guessing what your families want and start knowing exactly how to connect with every family in your school? In th…

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Quick Lesson: The Simple Framework to Enrollment Now 10:46

9M ago10:46

10:46

Need more enrollment? Learn this simple framework. If you’re over generic solutions that don’t move the needle, and are ready for something tangible that can consistently attract, engage, and retain your families, listen in and register for the New School Playbook Workshop. Design your new enrollment playbook in only 1 hour with our live interactiv…

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How to Take Care of Yourself When Everything Around You Feels Like It's on Fire 9:29

9M ago9:29

9:29

Whether it be election-related stress, end of the year hecticness, or just a busy season of your life, we can all benefit from creating moments of tranquility. Our bodies literally hold this stress inside us. It’s imperative we understand this for our long-term health. Our mental state deeply impacts our physical state and the other way around. Whe…

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Sync the Calendar: The New School Playbook 9:34

9M ago9:34

9:34

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house just don’t work like they used to. In previous episodes, Chanie emphasized taking action by knowing your families, speaking their language, being where they are, and training the troops. Now it’s time…

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Train Your Troops:The New School Playbook 16:55

9M ago16:55

16:55

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard, and holding an open house just don’t work like they used to. In today’s episode, the fourth part of the New School Playbook Series, Chanie breaks down how to Train Your Troops. We’ve all had awkward social interactions — acci…

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Be Where They Are: The New School Playbook 13:38

9M ago13:38

13:38

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house just don’t work like they used to. How many different ways are you sending out information to your families? Maybe it’s just one email. Or maybe it’s seven emails, 4 texts and a printed flyer. When yo…

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Speak Their Language: The New School Playbook 13:10

9M ago13:10

13:10

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house just don’t work like they used to. Think about how good it feels when someone notices something that’s uniquely you and engages with that in mind… You’re a person who matters to them. When you can ach…

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Know Your Families: The New School Playbook 12:41

9M ago12:41

12:41

The Playbook for enrolling new families in your school has changed. The old rules of building a website, sending a postcard and holding an open house just don’t work like they used to. In part one of this series, Chanie will be sharing the 5 new power plays to attract, engage, and retain families. The first is: Know Your Families. Key Ideas: We kno…

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The Magic of Mentoring with Todd Herman 1:14:38

9M ago1:14:38

1:14:38

How can mentor relationships stabilize and strengthen the core of your organization and have an impact on your life? In this episode Chanie talks with Todd Herman, renowned leadership coach and author of "The Alter Ego Effect," and her mentor of 9 years. He shares personal stories and strategies that have helped him successfully mentor high achieve…

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How to Get Out of the Day To Day 32:27

10M ago32:27

32:27

Picture this–you’re walking through your school, juggling urgent emails, staff questions, and never-ending paperwork. The days blur together as you tackle one crisis after another. But what if there was a way to break free from this chaos? In this week’s episode, Chanie addresses a critical challenge faced by school leaders: being trapped in the da…

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Healing from Pregnancy Loss: The Power of Support 42:30

10M ago42:30

42:30

In the journey of life, we often encounter moments that challenge our resilience and redefine our understanding of joy. Join Chanie, as she courageously shares her deeply personal experience with pregnancy loss, revealing the unexpected lessons that emerged from her heartache and healing. In this week’s episode of Schools of Excellence, Chanie open…

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Building Strong Foundations for Leadership & Growth with Melinda Elridge 36:46

10M ago36:46

36:46

What does it take to move from survival mode to true leadership? In this week’s episode, Chanie interviews Mel Elridge, a director at an early education lab school, who shares her powerful transformation since joining the Schools of Excellence program in 2020. Together, they explore how Mel built stronger connections within her team, shifted her mi…

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How to Increase the Lifetime Value of Each Enrollment: Parent Retention 33:08

10M ago33:08

33:08

A parent is standing at your school's front desk, full of questions about how your program will fit their family’s unique needs. Now, multiply that by dozens of families, each with different backgrounds, expectations, and concerns. How do you speak to all of them with each of their individual needs? In this episode, Chanie introduces her Parent Arc…