In this episode, Sara Schreiner of Sunshine Academy shares her journey from young entrepreneur to multi-center owner, empowering women to build sustainable, profitable early education businesses.
Our Expert Sara Schreiner
Sara Schreiner is the owner of Sunshine Academy and a passionate advocate for empowering women in early childhood education. Starting her formal childcare journey at age 12 with YWCA babysitting courses, Sara became the neighborhood babysitter before moving into center-based care during high school. At just 20 years old, she purchased her first childcare center in 2004, demonstrating remarkable entrepreneurial spirit. Now operating three centers with expansion into after-school programs, Sara also provides coaching and consulting services to other childcare program owners. Her unique perspective combines deep operational experience with business acumen, helping other women transition from caregiver mindset to successful business owner mentality.
About Sunshine Academy
Sunshine Academy represents Sara Schreiner’s vision of profitable, high-quality early education programs that serve families while sustaining business owners. Operating in rural Montana, the organization has grown from a single center purchase in 2004 to three locations with continued expansion. Sara’s approach emphasizes that childcare can be both heart-centered and financially successful, challenging the industry narrative that caring for children means sacrificing profitability. Through her coaching and consulting work, she helps other program owners develop systems, policies, and mindsets necessary for sustainable business growth while maintaining quality care standards.
In this episode, we cover:
– Empowering women through leadership and mentorship
– Strategic insights for childcare owners
– Balancing life and business as a childcare leader
– Overcoming industry challenges through networking and growth
A sneak peek inside the episode:
“It doesn’t get easier. You get better. So I have to remember that because when I’m in the midst of the hard and I just want this to get easier, really I need to get better. And this hard time will allow that.”
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