Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria C. Taylor.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my career as a public relations graduate from the University of Georgia. If you had asked me then whether I would be where I am today, I would have told you ‘not a chance.’ I think what got me here is that throughout my career, I was always willing to take on projects and tasks outside my comfort area and area of expertise. I worked in non-profit, agency, media, and corporate environments. I enjoyed new challenges and learned along the way. After about 10 years of work, I was fortunate to work for a company who saw the potential in me and supported me in getting my MBA. That was one of the most challenging things I ever did…work full-time, go to school and raise two small children. (Thank goodness for my extremely supportive husband.) Each position I had gave me skills and knowledge to take on the next one. I have always subscribed to the philosophy that I may not know how to do everything, but I know how to get everything done. The difference may seem subtle, but it has helped me get to where I am today.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road is without obstacles and challenges. I often learned more from those than the successes. Early in my career, I was challenged by a boss whose ethics didn’t match mine and I had to make a difficult choice to leave a company. Later in my career, I learned a hard lesson about communication. Sometimes you have to manage a young take-no-prisoners attitude and soften what you say. (It’s true what they say about wishing you knew then what you know now.) Another lesson I learned along the way was that you don’t always get your way, but how you deal with that defines you. There was a point in my career where some things changed for me at work and not in the way I expected. I was fortunate that someone gave me a book called ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ at that time. It was a little skinny book and a quick read, but it so clearly pointed out the varying reactions to change and helped me make a choice that would take me on the path I ended up on. Those are some of the biggest things I remember, in addition to all the normal struggles anyone has in business like managing people, meeting goals, etc.
Please tell us about ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI).
ChildCare Education Institute® also known as CCEI based in Duluth, Georgia, specializes in providing high-quality online professional development for the early care market across the US. CCEI provides online training subscriptions and certificates to include: Individual Annual Online Training Subscription, Center-Based Annual Online Training Subscriptions – 20 Users & 50 Users, Self-Study Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), CDA Renewal, Early Childhood Credential, State Specific Certificates (GA, FL, TC, etc.), and Topic Based Mini Certificates.
Over the past 12 years, CCEI has graduated thousands of students from CDA and other certificate programs. Our students juggle full time jobs and families while trying to begin or enhance their career path in early childhood education. We are most proud of the journey we take with our students to help them achieve their professional development goals.
Why is CCEI the BEST? Here are just a few items that set CCEI apart from our competition:
– 99% of students say they would recommend us to others
– Over 100 courses offered in English & Spanish
– Over 2 million online courses completed
– Graduated over 9,000 early childhood professionals from CDA and other certificate programs
– Web-based coursework available 24/7/365
– 30 hours of new content added each year
– IACET CEUs awarded for completed coursework at no additional cost
– Nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
Individual Subscription Benefits Include:
– Unlimited access to CCEI’s professional development library for one year
– Over 100 online child care training courses in English and Spanish
– Training topics in administration and management, health and safety, nutrition and food service, child development, guidance and discipline, inclusion and special needs, environments and curriculum, and many more
– Pre-service, orientation, and in-service training for new and experienced staff
– Coursework that articulates to college credit with CCEI’s college partners
– Web-based coursework accessible 24/7/365
– Assistance with technical and faculty support
– IACET CEUs awarded for completed coursework
– National Accreditation by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
Center-Based Subscription Additional Benefits Include:
– Administrative features allow the director to assign and monitor courses and print completion certificates
– A turnover provision allowing for the reassignment of an unused subscription to accommodate for staff turnover
– Access to an Activities Library offering over 10,000 unique and interactive activities for children
– 1 fun personal horizontal photo, not business or professional. Readers want a sense of what you do on a normal day. I often feel like running a small company takes superhero powers. But as the CEO, I’m just the sidekick to a committed and dedicated team of people. I am there to support them and help us all achieve our ultimate goals.
How do you, personally, define success?
Defining success is a multi-layer exercise. On the surface, it’s about whether we are meeting our goals. But when you peel back the layers, it goes deeper than that. It’s about considering whether we are setting the right goals, focusing on the right things, and maximizing our potential.
Pricing:
- Individual Annual Online Training Subscription – $99
- Center-Based Annual Online Training Subscription
- 20 Users – $499
- 50 Users – $999
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
