Michelle Masjedi is a dedicated early childhood educator and business owner in Los Angeles. As the founder of The Journey Begins and the soon-to-open The Journey Continues, she has spent over 30 years shaping the future of child care. In this episode, Michelle shares how she and her community have rallied together in the wake of the devastating California fires, working to provide emergency child care, support families in crisis, and address the gaps in disaster infrastructure for young children. Beyond that, she goes more into the systems and leadership strategies that have transformed her business, from implementing clear SOPs to maximizing technology for efficiency.
Key Takeaways:
[5:38] Michelle secured a $1M grant to open The Journey Continues, a new child care center expanding infant and preschool care in a child care desert.
[7:01] Michelle’s child care journey is deeply rooted in family, with her husband playing a key role in property acquisitions and business operations, while her children are also involved.
[8:26] Michelle’s early career in early childhood education led her from teaching to business ownership, where she has spent 32 years shaping child care programs.
[10:53] The California fires destroyed 289 child care centers and family daycare homes, leaving hundreds of families without care.
[15:55] Michelle and other local directors mobilized immediately, forming a response team to provide emergency child care, distribute resources, and advocate for displaced families.
[20:11] Michelle and her team created a GoFundMe scholarship program .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}
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