Podcast Summary: Your Next Move

Episode: "Recognizing the Importance of Finding Good Mentors"

Host: Inc. Magazine (Sarah Lynch)
Guest: Latrice Galloway Crawford, Founder, Kidsville Learning Academy
Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation between host Sarah Lynch and Latrice Galloway Crawford, the entrepreneurial force behind Kidsville Learning Academy—a thriving childcare center and preschool in Rosenberg, Texas, recognized on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. The discussion centers on business growth, innovation in early childhood education, building an engaged team, navigating setbacks, the role of mentorship, and lessons for fellow entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Standing Out in the Childcare Industry (01:17–03:28)

• Innovation & Differentiation:
  • Latrice consistently pursues innovation by networking across industries and embracing new ideas.
  • She attributes her center’s success to her exceptional, long-tenured team—her "dream team."
• The “Wow Factor”:
  • Kidsville engages kids and parents in dynamic, memorable ways, e.g., teachers teaching from atop tables, circle time in hallways.
  • Parents are regularly invited to events, fostering community and engagement.
  • Active on social media, including trending TikToks with staff and students, to connect with Gen Z parents:

    “We’re big on social media so you’ll see us doing all the trending TikToks with our kids, with our staff and that makes people say wow…” — Latrice (02:41)

  • Extracurricular offerings (STEM, tumble bus, on-site library, cooking classes) differentiate Kidsville from competitors.

2. Effective Marketing Strategies (03:28–04:37)

• Online & Word of Mouth:
  • Kidsville leverages online marketing, viral social media content, and especially word-of-mouth referrals fueled by exceptional service and parent/child experiences.
• Emphasizing What Works:

  “Focus on what works in your marketing. So everything doesn’t work for every business. And what has really worked for us is word of mouth marketing.” — Latrice (03:54)

3. Building and Retaining a Strong Team (04:37–06:27, 15:03–18:11)

• Slow to Hire, Quick to Fire:
  • Latrice seeks hires who truly align with her vision and core values, refusing to settle or hire out of desperation:

    “My saying is I’m slow to hire and quick to fire.” — Latrice (05:21)

• Building a Family Culture:
  • Kidsville’s staff retention is rooted in treating employees as family, providing tangible appreciation (from random breakfasts to trips to Disney), and offering mentorship and growth opportunities.

    “I build that culture of family. … We have our differences, but at the end of the day, we are a family.” — Latrice (15:07)

• Key to Retention:
  • Personal touches matter: remembering staff’s life events, consistently checking in, and building meaningful relationships beyond work.

4. Strategic Growth & Documenting for Franchising (06:27–08:45)

• Expansion Plans:
  • Currently operating at capacity, Latrice plans to franchise Kidsville, aiming to replicate her successful model elsewhere.
  • She emphasizes the importance of writing down systems, processes, and non-negotiable standards to create an effective franchise blueprint.

    “The first step is getting it out your head. Documenting.” — Latrice (08:29)

5. Leading for Growth & Investing in the Team (08:45–10:18)

• Staff as the Primary Asset:
  • Continuous training, mentorship, and investment in team members are central to Kidsville’s ongoing growth.
  • Technology upgrades streamline operations and keep parents engaged.
  • Latrice looks to other industries for inspiration, seeking innovations adaptable to early childhood education.

6. Overcoming Obstacles & Learning from Mistakes (10:18–12:25)

• Early Hardships:
  • Latrice recounts committing to a problematic lease when starting out, but turning adversity—like four years in a “raggedy building”—into invaluable experience.
• The COVID Crisis:
  • Overnight, enrollment plummeted from 200 to 40 children (11:24), forcing her to pivot, prioritize financial savings, and develop new revenue streams.

7. The Pivot: Expanding Programming & Revenue Streams (13:14–13:49)

• New Offerings:
  • Drop-in care, night care (Parents’ Night Out), and weekend programs were introduced post-pandemic to diversify income and meet families’ evolving needs.
  • Latrice began offering business coaching, broadening her impact beyond childcare.

8. Productivity & Leadership Hacks (13:49–14:50)

• No “Perfect” Balance:
  • With multiple businesses and a family, Latrice focuses on getting things done, prioritizing tasks, and time-blocking. She now works “on” the business rather than always “in” it.

    “I don’t care what I make it look like, but I am a person that gets it done.” — Latrice (13:58)

9. Core Values & Company Culture (18:11–18:58)

• Core Values:
  • Family, relationships, safety, engagement, and community are at the heart of Kidsville’s operations.
• Living the Values:

  “Every single day, every person we hire, we try to live through these core values.” — Latrice (18:35)

10. Advice for Entrepreneurs in Rapid Growth (18:58–19:53)

• Persistence & Vision:
  • Stay committed to your vision even during difficult moments. Don’t settle; be persistent and keep moving forward.

    “It will be hard work, but if that’s what you want, just go for it.” — Latrice (19:51)

11. The Role of Mentorship (19:53–21:27)

• Mentor Spotlight: Mary Seats:
  • Mary’s belief and encouragement helped Latrice overcome self-doubt and develop confidence, which drove personal and professional growth:

    “She really forced me to believe in myself. …once she told me that and it boosted my ego and my confidence level, it was nothing that could stop me then.” — Latrice (20:25)

  • Mary also contributed vital marketing knowledge, aiding Latrice in scaling multiple businesses.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Creating a Standout Experience:

  “In any typical day you can come by our center and it wouldn’t be a thing if you saw a teacher standing on the table teaching…” — Latrice (02:07)

• On Hiring Philosophy:

  “I don’t hire out of desperation anymore. Been there, done that. I do not do that anymore.” — Latrice (05:33)

• On Learning from Failure:

  “I had to bring a bucket and come an hour before we opened to catch the rain because the roof leaked. …That was a nightmare. But it was actually a blessing.” — Latrice (10:39)

• On Retaining Staff:

  “I pour into my team a lot, a lot. Not just financially, but just give them knowledge. I encourage them, I praise them, I let them know that I really appreciate them.” — Latrice (15:28)

• On Mentors:

  “She has been pretty much that one. I’ve had several before, but she has been that one that’s been with me for years and really has helped me the most when it came to business.” — Latrice (20:12)

Timestamps for Key Sections

• [01:17] Innovation & Differentiation in Childcare
• [03:28] Effective Marketing Strategies
• [04:37] Hiring and Team Retention
• [06:27] Strategic Growth & Franchising
• [08:45] Leadership & Investing in Team
• [10:18] Overcoming Obstacles (Bad lease, COVID-19)
• [13:14] Business Pivot: Expanding Offerings
• [13:49] Productivity and Balance
• [15:03] Building Company Culture
• [18:11] Defining Core Values
• [18:58] Advice for Rapid Growth
• [19:53] The Impact of Mentors

Conclusion

Latrice Galloway Crawford’s journey with Kidsville Learning Academy offers a wealth of actionable insights for business owners—especially in education and service sectors. Through steadfast focus on vision, meticulous attention to team and culture, a relentless embrace of innovation, and the guidance of a strong mentor, she demonstrates how challenges can be turned into catalysts for growth. Her story underlines the episode’s central theme: the right mentor can change the trajectory—not just of a business, but of the leader steering it.