In an effort to strengthen the early education industry and the schools that children and families rely on, more than 500 childcare owners, operators, and investors from across the United States and around the world gathered at the ninth annual SHIFT Childcare Leaders Conference, held Nov. 1-4 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Hosted by HINGE Early Education Advisors, the conference featured more than 20 custom sessions, fueling vital conversations about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
“Childcare leaders are navigating a shifting environment with increased competition from government sources, tuition constraints, and increased costs, creating more challenges than ever,” said Kathy Ligon, Founder and CEO of HINGE Advisors. “SHIFT is a much-needed forum where early education owners and operators of every size can learn from curriculum and connections you won’t find anywhere else.”
Since 2018, SHIFT has brought together key industry stakeholders — from national childcare CEOs and their financial investors to small business owners — to build valuable relationships, exchange ideas, help them manage the critical operational and financial aspects of running a childcare business, and celebrate the professionals who make childcare possible. This year, registration sold out in less than one hour, and the conference was named an American Business Awards® winner for community engagement.
From main-stage speakers to breakout sessions, four central themes surfaced throughout the event: new financial constraints, enrollment systems and processes, using AI for efficiencies, and teacher experience. Together, they are changing how childcare businesses operate, compete, and grow.
Childcare Industry Trends and Business Strategy
Kathy Ligon, Founder and CEO of HINGE Early Education Advisors, welcomed more than 500 providers and investors at HINGE’s ninth annual SHIFT Childcare Leaders Conference, held Nov. 1-4 in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
Keynote speaker Jean-Emmanuel Rodocanachi, Founder and CEO of global early childhood provider Grandir, shared insight on what early education leaders from the United States, Canada, and Europe can learn from one another, from market trends and operating models to workforce challenges and curriculum.
Phil Vaccaro and Malavika Dhawan of EY-Parthenon broke down the latest industry data to examine where the early education sector stands right now, what’s driving trends, and what it takes to navigate today’s market.
Early Care and Education Consortium Executive Director Radha Mohan and Director of State Government Relations Kathlyn McHenry dissected the shifting public funding landscape for early education and how schools can prepare for financial shifts.
Bestselling author Vernon Mason, Founder of Directors Leadership Solutions, challenged attendees to rethink what truly sets their programs apart now that parents have more choices than ever and walked through how to define and communicate an “Irresistible Advantage.”
David Long and Vanessa Vaughn of Tuscany Strategy Consulting outlined how to set tuition rates that reflect a strong market position, support reinvestment, and keep schools financially healthy.
Kate Woodward Young and Carrie Casey, hosts of Childcare Conversations with Kate and Carrie, discussed how writing a book can turn experience into authority and build trust.
Childcare Enrollment Systems and Strategies
Khedija El Bahri, CEO of Inspire Early Education, joins fellow CEOs on stage to break down the systems behind strong enrollment.
A CEO panel of Geren Anderson (Lantern Learning Group), Jessica Van Hoose (The Nest Schools), Khedija El Bahri (Inspire Early Education), and Jason Lody (Eventus Education) explored the strategies behind high-performing enrollment engines, including systems for generating inquiries, converting tours, and setting tuition rates.
Thad Joiner, Founder of Better Beans Branding, made the case for getting back to the fundamentals of enrollment, stressing the importance of being intentionally different and building influence.
Breakout sessions covered building unique selling propositions that highlight market differentiators (Martha Mazor, Whiz Kidz Preschools); best practices for every stage of the enrollment funnel (Sasha Reiss, Playground); turning the first phone call and tour into a better family experience (Aleta Mechtel, Teachers for Tomorrow); winning inquiries amid new forces competing for enrollment (Ruth Ann Rose, Rose Marketing Solutions); and using design as an enrollment tool (the Better Beans Branding team).
AI for Childcare Centers
Nick Williams, Co-founder of Childcare Business Growth, dug into why parent trust is the one thing automation can’t manufacture and how schools can use AI without losing it.
Jacob Jensen, Co-founder of Elevate Coaching & Consulting and Executive Director of The Learning Station, shared how he used AI to build the scheduling and staff management software his centers run on, despite having no engineering background.
Ankur Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of CuePilot, showed how AI can serve as an admissions assistant that never sleeps, responding to inquiries, scheduling tours, and following up with families without adding work for staff.
Childcare Leadership and Teacher Experience
Tom Wood, Owner Success Leader at HINGE Advisors, walks attendees through what it means to lead with a winning mindset during one of his Leadership Sprints.
In a panel on staff and family engagement, CEOs Wei-Li Chong (WIN Consulting), John LaBreche (Ardent Preschool), Becca Snyder (Balanced Family Academy), and Amanda Sinkler (The Discovery Preschools) shared practical strategies for improving loyalty, reducing turnover, and fostering lasting connections with the people who matter most.
Jared Cook, Founder of MentorMePreK, focused on why teachers lose their passion, what retention really depends on, and how to help them remember why they fell in love with this work.
Tameenah Collins, Founder of ChildcareHR, taught owners how to lead the people who lead their teams and how they can hold their human resources function accountable.
Tom Wood, Owner Success Leader at HINGE Advisors, led two Leadership Sprints on core leadership principles and playing to win rather than playing not to lose.
Networking and VIP-level hospitality were built into every part of the schedule, including morning yoga, gourmet meals, and themed evening receptions.
Among the evening festivities was The BOOST Invitational, which raised $116,205 for BOOST by HINGE, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit HINGE established in 2024 to support early childhood educators in times of financial crisis. The charity’s largest fundraiser of the year featured a live auction, silent auction, and poolside putting activities to help fund emergency grants for preschool teachers and the organization’s financial literacy initiatives. Supporters can also give year-round through one-time or monthly donations at boostbyhinge.org.
The 2026 SHIFT Childcare Leaders Conference was sponsored by HINGE Early Education Advisors, Essential Properties, Procare Solutions, KinderCare Learning Companies, Order.co, Live Oak Bank, LineLeader, Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academies, Funnydaffer, and Better Beans Branding.