You don't have a staffing crisis. You have a leadership pipeline problem.

We've all heard that childcare is in a staffing crisis. Erica Saccoccio, multi-site childcare owner and host of the Child Care Director's Chair podcast, thinks that's only half the story.

In this Tiny Chair Academy session, Erica makes the case that most programs aren't short on staff, they're short on leaders, and those are two different problems that need two different fixes. She talks about how to spot leadership potential in people who don't have a title yet (her example: your van drivers are leaders too), why she spent years believing everything had to run through her before she burned herself out, and how she builds recognition, cross-training, and succession planning into everyday culture instead of scrambling for it when someone walks out the door.

Erica also shares her own path into this field: no childcare experience, no degree, just someone who got a chance and built from there. It's a good reminder of who might already be sitting in your building with more potential than their job title suggests.

You'll walk away with:

• How to spot leadership potential in staff who don't hold a director or owner title
• Low-cost recognition ideas that don't depend on a raise or a promotion
• How to build a cross-training plan that closes coverage gaps before someone has to ask for help
• Which tasks on your own plate could become someone else's growth opportunity

This session is approved continuing education through NECPA, CCP, and NAC.

Find Erica and her Trailblazer community for educators at childcaredirectorschair.com.

Tiny Chair Academy is brought to you by Famly, the all-in-one childcare platform for staffing, family communication, billing, and reporting.