Directed Success

Sometimes we think leadership happens in the BIG moments.

The presentation.
The training.
The big decision.
The important meeting.

But most of the time?

Leadership happens in the little interactions people experience with us every day.

It's the conversation after the meeting. The question you stop to ask. The coaching moment. The introduction you make. The idea someone shares because you created space for them to contribute.

Those moments add up.

And they're shaping how people feel about working, learning, and growing with us.

So here's a question we're thinking about: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮?

Scroll through ➡️ and then tell us which one resonates most with you. 💙

September is almost here, and we’re getting ready for a month filled with learning, training, conversations, and new ideas! ✈️💡

But here’s something we strongly believe at Directed Success:
The people teaching and developing others need opportunities to keep learning, too.

Our challenge for September is simple:
𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍 → 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 → 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐄

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 something new.
𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 it in your every day.
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 it with someone else.

Because the best professional development doesn’t just give us more information...it changes what we do next.

𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰?

One week to go! 🎉

If you've ever thought, "There has to be a better answer than 'just practice self-care,'" this session is for you.

Join me for Beyond the Bubble Bath: Building Wellness That Actually Works as we talk about real strategies that help educators thrive...not just survive.

🗓 Tuesday, July 21
🕛 12:30–2:00 PM ET
💻 FREE Virtual Session

I'd love to see you there!

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ignite-vidcon-2b-building-wellness-that-actually-works-tickets-1991728909785

Tag a fellow educator or leader who should come with you! 💙

Ignite VidCon 2B: Building Wellness That Actually Works Join us to learn about self-care beyond the spa day.

I love a good bubble bath, but let's be honest...it's definitely not going to fix educator burnout. 😂

Real wellness looks a lot different...
It's healthy boundaries.
It's supportive leadership.
It's building workplaces where people can do the important work without running on empty. 💕

That's what we'll be talking about during my session at the 2026 Ignite! Nashville Early Childhood Education Conference!

During my session: Beyond the Bubble Bath: Building Wellness That Actually Works, we'll dive into practical strategies you can take back to your classroom or program immediately to support yourself, your team, and ultimately the children you serve.

🗓 Tuesday, July 21 from 12:00–1:30 PM EDT
💻 FREE virtual session

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1991728909785?aff=oddtdtcreator

Exciting News! My first guest blog with WatchMeGrow is officially live! 🎉

One of the things I love most about leadership development is helping people realize that leadership isn't about having all the answers; it's about creating the conditions for others to succeed.

The biggest transformation I've noticed in leaders is when we make the shift from solving every problem ourselves to intentionally leading people, building systems, and creating a culture where everyone can thrive.

That's exactly what I explore in my latest guest blog with WatchMeGrow.

📖 Read it here: https://watchmegrow.com/resources/blog/leadership-shift-every-childcare-director-must-make

I'd love to hear from you - What's been the biggest leadership shift you've had to make in your career?

Whether you're leading a childcare program, a business, or a team of any kind, I'd love to hear what's helped you grow.

A huge thank you to the WatchMeGrow team for the opportunity to contribute to such an important conversation. Here's to building stronger leaders and even stronger teams! 💙

Well...it happened! 😄 I officially survived my first podcast appearance, and honestly, I had a BLAST!

A huge thank you to Tisha and Steph from unEDited Chatter for inviting me to join them for Episode 18: From Teacher to Leader: Why Nobody Teaches Leaders How to Lead.

We talked about something I'm incredibly passionate about...the reality that many leaders step into management roles because they were excellent teachers, but nobody ever teaches them how to lead adults, navigate culture, have difficult conversations, or build strong teams.

It was such a fun conversation, and I may have discovered a new favorite way to talk all things leadership 🎙️

If you've ever wondered why leadership feels harder than expected (or you're responsible for developing leaders in your organization), I'd love for you to check it out!

🎧 Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/e18-from-teacher-to-leader-why-nobody-teaches-leaders/id1846488817?i=1000772038286
💻 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO2sfqBRZ6A

And to Tisha and Steph - thank you for making my first podcast experience such a great one. I have a feeling this won't be the last! ❤️

Wellness isn't another thing to add to your to-do list.

It isn't a bubble bath.
It isn't a scented candle.
It isn't one more self-care checklist that somehow creates more stress.

Sustainable wellness starts with something much simpler:
🩷 Boundaries
🩷 Expectations
🩷 Support systems
🩷 Leaders who know when to pause and when to push

This week I've been preparing and presenting on wellness in early childhood, and one thing remains true...

Burnout isn't a personal failure. It's often a systems issue.

The strongest organizations don't just teach resilience.
They create environments where people don't have to survive every day.

THAT is the conversation we need more of 🔥

New Mexico, you are already stunning! 💕 There is something really special about being in a beautiful place and taking a few minutes to reflect on the work we get to do in this field.

I’m so excited to be at the Choose Connection Conference in Albuquerque, talking with educators in a state that is making some MAJOR moves in early education!

If you’re at the conference, or know someone who is, let’s connect! I’d love to say hello, learn more about you, and talk all things connection, quality, and early learning.