Built by Childcare Leaders, for Childcare Leaders.
Director Zen was built from the inside out — not from a business school case study or a consulting office, but from more than 30 years of actually doing this work.
The thriving enrollment and the staff who felt like family. The licensing changes, the budget crunches, the fires — literal ones. The Great Recession. A global pandemic that took a program from 800 children to zero in a single day.
That experience is the foundation of everything inside Director Zen. Because the best support comes from someone who has lived what you're living.
Meet Our Founder
Michael "Mick" Mehl didn't set out to build a leadership platform. He set out to build great childcare programs — and spent more than 30 years doing exactly that.
He started as a camp counselor. Became a teacher, then a director, then a vice president, then an owner of multiple programs serving hundreds of children and families. Along the way he navigated the Great Recession, led his team through fire evacuations, and then watched enrollment drop from 800 children to zero overnight when California's stay-at-home order hit in 2020. Two months later, he reopened — with 57 children, parents of essential workers, and a staff that showed up anyway.
Those experiences didn't just test him. They taught him things no training program ever could — about leading through uncertainty, supporting a team when the ground is shifting, and finding a way forward when there isn't a playbook.
Director Zen is what he wishes had existed through all of it. A practical, honest resource built for the real weight of this work — so that directors today don't have to figure it out alone the way he did.
Find Your Calm, Fuel Your Center
Most directors don't lack dedication — they lack the right support structure. Inside Zen Empowerment, you'll find everything built around five core areas designed to strengthen both you as a leader and the program you've worked so hard to build.
Director's Toolkit
Leadership isn't something most directors were formally trained for — it's something they figured out on the job, often the hard way. The Director's Toolkit gives you the communication strategies, people management tools, and leadership frameworks to lead with more confidence and less second-guessing — whether you're navigating a hard conversation with a staff member or simply trying to get ahead of the chaos.
Growth Academy
A strong center doesn't happen by accident — it's built on clear systems, a healthy culture, and a team that actually wants to stay. The Growth Academy gives you the operational strategies and staff development tools to build something sustainable. SOPs, enrollment strategies, team development, retention — the building blocks of a center that runs well even on the hard days.
Resource Hub
Stop building everything from scratch. The Resource Hub is a growing library of customizable templates, guides, and downloads built specifically for childcare leaders — ready to adapt and use right away. Less time reinventing the wheel means more time actually leading.
Self-Care Tips
You can't sustain a thriving center if you're running on empty — and yet that's exactly where too many directors find themselves. This pillar isn't about bubble baths and meditation apps. It's about practical strategies for managing stress, setting boundaries, and building the kind of resilience that lets you show up well — for your team, your families, and yourself.
My Community
One of the hardest parts of being a director is how isolating it can feel. You're responsible for everyone around you, but who's in your corner? My Community is a private, members-only forum where directors and owners share real experiences, ask honest questions, and support each other through the hard days. The kind of peer community most directors wish they'd had from the very beginning.
Ready When You Are
You've been carrying this longer than you should have to — alone, without the right support, figuring it out as you go. That changes when you join Director Zen.
Come find your people. Come find your tools. Come lead with a little more calm.
FAQs
Have any questions? Check out our frequently asked questions. We're just one message away if you can’t find the answer you’re looking for.
We chose the name Director Zen because leadership in childcare can feel anything but calm. Our mission is to help provide a space where chaos meets clarity. It’s about more than resources; it’s about giving directors and owners a place to breathe, reset, and lead with confidence.
Director Zen is an online membership built to lighten the load of childcare directors and owners. Our mission is to help leaders balance the chaos of running a center with calm and confidence—through practical tools, strategies, and resources that strengthen both the leader and the program. This is your space where practicality meets peace of mind, and where you’ll find solutions, encouragement, and the reminder that you don’t have to do it alone.
Many options exist for childcare leaders — downloadable templates without context, resources locked behind expensive workshops, or consulting programs priced well beyond what most directors can justify. And very few address one of the most important pieces: leadership development.
Director Zen is different. Our membership is built on decades of real-world childcare leadership experience and designed to be both affordable and instantly accessible. Inside, you’ll find leadership tools, operational resources, staff development strategies, and self-care practices—all in one place. And with My Community, you’ll connect with other directors and owners to share ideas, swap solutions, and lighten the load together.
We get it—most directors and owners are already stretched thin. Between staff needs, parent concerns, and the daily demands of children, the thought of carving out extra time to research and learn can feel impossible. But here’s the truth: to free up time, you need to invest a little time. If you don’t fix the squeaky wheel, it keeps squeaking.
That’s why Director Zen is designed for busy leaders. Many of our resources take just a few minutes to read or watch, yet they give you strategies that save hours in the long run. From improving efficiency and strengthening standard operating procedures to learning quick tips that ease daily stress, small investments of time today pay off with big returns tomorrow.
Director Zen keeps our membership pricing simple and transparent. We offer two membership options—monthly or annual—and both give you full access to everything inside the platform. There are no hidden fees, upsells, or paywalls.
As a member, you’ll enjoy an ever-growing database of resources, with new tools, guides, and trainings added each month. This includes recorded webinars, future conference content, and fresh materials designed to help you lead with confidence and balance—all included in your membership.
Visit our Pricing Page for current membership details.
We offer two membership options: a monthly membership and an annual membership (with a discounted monthly rate). Both are set to auto-renew for your convenience.
Monthly Memberships: Cancel before your next monthly payment is processed. Your access continues until the end of your current cycle, and then your plan won’t renew.
Annual Memberships (Save 20%): Cancel before your annual renewal date. The full year is paid upfront, and your access continues until the end of the paid year, after which your plan won’t renew.If you have any questions about your membership or need assistance, our support team is here to help.
Our website provides you access to free blogs and our newsletter. This is a great way to explore the kind of practical, real-world content Director Zen provides before you decide to join our premium membership.
No special software is required. Everything is hosted online and accessible through your secure member login. You can browse resources, watch trainings, and download templates right from your computer, tablet, or phone. Most forms are customizable, so you can quickly adapt them to fit your program’s needs.
You can reach us via email at support@directorzen.com or through the Contact Us form on our website. Our team is here to help.