Lessons in Leadership - From Teacher to Owner/Operator

Most people become centre owners because they love teaching and care about quality education. But running a successful ECE business means learning to let go of doing every task yourself, of managing every detail, of showing up at the centre every single day.

Ray Everest knows this journey firsthand. He became a primary school principal in his mid-twenties, then co-founded Future Focus in New Zealand in 2019 with his wife Courtney. Starting with one centre and immersing themselves in every aspect of operations, they've grown Future Focus into a thriving group of centres known for culture-first leadership and high-quality education. Along the way, Ray learned what it actually takes to build teams you can trust, when to step back from the day-to-day, and how to lead a growing business without losing yourself in it.

Hayden sits down with Ray to explore the practical realities of moving from hands-on teaching into leadership and ownership: the mindset shifts, the mistakes, and the moments that changed how Ray shows up as a leader.

This session will explore:

• What it's like moving into leadership roles early in your career, and how you build confidence when you're still learning yourself
• The transition from doing everything yourself to trusting your team, and what changes when you finally let go
• How to recognise when you need to step back from day-to-day operations, and what shifts for your centres when you do
• Looking after yourself as a leader so you can sustain the work without burning out

Who this webinar is for

This session is for teachers considering a move into management, centre managers building their first teams, educational leaders learning to delegate, and centre owners working out how to step back from daily operations without losing control.