Jennifer welcomes Rachel Chaisson, owner and CEO of A Joyful Noise Preschool and Child Care in Maine. Rachel’s journey is incredible: after earning her GED and raising three children as a single mother, she began working in child care as a teacher and eventually grew into the owner of three successful early learning centers serving more than 200 children and families each year.
Rachel talks about the season she is in now and learning to pause, reflect, and ask whether the things that once drove her are still the things she wants to carry forward. Jennifer and Rachel talk about personal core values, leadership, trust, building a business that supports the life you love, and the surprising realization that sometimes the very things you have been fighting for are already yours. And yes, there is even a little homework in this one, but we promise, it’s the good kind!
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Below you can read the key takeaways from this episode:
- [5:30] Rachel shares how she went from never planning to have children to building a life and career around caring for them.
- [10:23] Jennifer and Rachel reflect on becoming “unintentional” child care owners and finding purpose in a path they never expected.
- [12:15] Rachel shares how she first focused on becoming the best business owner she could be before realizing she also wanted a business that supported her life.
- [13:45] How to build a business that can sustain a life you love that gives you freedom, stability, and space to evolve.
- [16:04] Rachel shares the family crisis that forced her to step away and showed her how capable her leadership team really was.
- [18:00] Jennifer points out that Rachel’s team could step up because Rachel had already spent time modeling, training, and building trust with them.
- [19:30] Rachel talks about her current passion for developing leaders and giving her team room to grow.
- [21:19] Jennifer gives listeners a little homework: pause and write down your personal core values.
- [22:30] Rachel shares the realization that independence had once served her deeply, but may not be the value she needs to keep fighting for now.
- [24:27] Rachel names stability, peace, and growth as values she is still reflecting on in this new season.
- [27:30] Rachel explains how the CEO Lab helped her think not only about being a better leader, but also about being a better wife, mom, friend, and person.
- [28:47] The shift from fighting for independence to learning how to trust.
- [31:48] Great advice from Rachel: be open to what life sends your way and surround yourself with people who are where you want to be.
