How To · Erica Saccoccio

The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast

by Erica Saccoccio

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.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

675 Stop Leaving Teachers Behind! with Jennifer Michaud of MaineAEYC

Send us Fan Mail Why are child care directors attending professional development conferences while their teachers stay behind? Recorded live at the MaineAEYC Conference

Oct 29
36 min

674 Family Child Care Is NOT Babysitting! The Business Behind Home-Based Child Care

Send us Fan Mail Family child care is more than babysitting. It's early childhood education, business ownership, and leadership—all happening under one roof. So why

Oct 27
14 min

673 Are We Overlooking the Next Generation of Early Childhood Educators?

Send us Fan Mail What if the solution to our early childhood staffing challenges is already sitting in a high school classroom—and we're overlooking it? Recorded l

Oct 26
19 min

672 What If the Best Days of Early Childhood Are Ahead? | Karen Rainville

Send us Fan Mail What if the future of early childhood education is brighter than we think? There are challenges in our profession, but there are also incredible opport

Oct 23
26 min

671 Who's Coaching the Coaches? Strengthening the Leaders Who Support Our Educators | Amy Bond

Send us Fan Mail Coaches spend their days helping educators grow, but who's helping the coaches grow? Behind every confident educator is often a coach, mentor, or

Oct 22
46 min

670 Everyone Has a Story. What's Yours? | Brian Lee

Send us Fan Mail What happens when two podcasters who love people and storytelling sit down together? You never know where the conversation will take you! Join Erica Sa

Oct 22
20 min

668 The Joy Is Gone. Can Childcare Leaders Bring It Back?

Send us Fan Mail When did early childhood education become more about surviving the day than enjoying the work we love? Live from the 2026 FLAEYC Conference in Florida,

Oct 21
23 min

669 Parents + Providers: The Power Lawmakers Can't Ignore

Send us Fan Mail What happens when parents and childcare providers stop fighting separate battles and start raising their voices together? Live from the 2026 FLAEYC Con

Oct 21
17 min

667 Everyone Knows Child Care Is in Crisis. Who’s Fixing It?

Send us Fan Mail Everyone has something to say about the child care crisis, but who is stepping up to create change? Recorded live at the 2026 FLAEYC Conference, Erica S

Oct 20
26 min

666 You're Running a Childcare Center. But Are You Leading It?

Send us Fan Mail Are you so busy running your childcare center that you've forgotten to lead it? Recorded live at the 2026 FLAEYC Conference in Florida, Erica Sacc

Oct 20
36 min

665 Before We Ask More of Teachers, Are We Giving Them What They Need?

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build stronger teachers, support families, and prepare children for success before kindergarten? Recorded live at the 2026

Oct 20
24 min

664 Who’s Fighting for Early Childhood Educators?

Send us Fan Mail Who is making decisions about the future of early childhood education, and why aren't more childcare directors, daycare owners, and educators part

Oct 19
22 min

663 Stop Chasing Grants! Find the Funding You're Missing with Shannon Maitland, MPA

Send us Fan Mail What if the resources your childcare program needs are already in your community, but you're overlooking them? Too many childcare directors and ow

Oct 18
30 min

661 Before You Correct the Behavior, Get Them Moving! | Preston Blackburn

Send us Fan Mail What if the answer to some of your biggest classroom behavior challenges isn't another rule, reward chart, or consequence? What if children simply

Oct 16
22 min

662 Get Out of the Office! Your Teachers Need You with Mariela Lopez

Send us Fan Mail Are you really leading your teachers, or are you just managing your program? Some of the most important leadership moments don't happen in meeting

Oct 16
20 min

660 Autism in the Classroom: Are We Supporting Our Teachers Enough? RIAEYC Interview

Send us Fan Mail What if the behavior you're trying to stop is actually a child trying to tell you something? Supporting children with autism in early childhood pr

Oct 16
24 min

659 The 6 AM Call-Out: Who's Coming to Save Your Classroom? RIAEYC Interview

Send us Fan Mail Every childcare director knows the feeling. It's 6:00 a.m., your phone starts ringing, two teachers have called out, and suddenly you're rearr

Oct 15
30 min

658 We're Making Waves, But Are We Making Progress? (RIAEYC Interview)

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to bring hundreds of early childhood professionals together, and are conferences like these helping move our profession forward

Oct 14
42 min

657 Why Early Childhood Is More About Connection Than Lesson Plans (RIAEYC Interview)

Send us Fan Mail If you work in early childhood education, you know how much of this work happens in the little moments—helping a child feel safe, showing up for your te

Oct 13
15 min

656 The Hidden Work Teachers Do That Never Shows Up in Lesson Plans (RIAEYC Interview)

Send us Fan Mail What does early childhood leadership look like when someone has done every job in the building? Erica Saccoccio sits down with a Rhode Island director w

Oct 12
15 min