Get Involved

Help Make Director Zen Even Better.

Director Zen is made for the people who run childcare programs, so they’re the ones we want to hear from. We’d also love to hear from specialists, like licensing analysts and consultants, who have worked in the childcare industry. See how you can get involved below.

Abstract stacked stones in Director Zen orange and teal, balanced one on top of another.
Join Our Focus Group

Tell Us What You’d Like to See.

See what’s involved ↓
Become a Contributor

Share With Us What You Know.

See what we’re looking for ↓

Director Zen Focus Group

The most useful feedback comes from the people doing the job every day. We want to hear from owners and directors about what would actually make the work lighter: the resources you wish you had, the emails you dread writing, the skills your staff need, and the parts of the week that take more time than they should.

That’s what Director Zen is here for: to make the work of leading a childcare program a little lighter. We offer leadership development, ideas and training to help your program thrive, along with tools and templates you can customize to fit your center. We don’t provide licensing, compliance or legal advice because regulations differ from state to state and program to program.

Who we’d love to hear from

  • Owners and directors running a licensed childcare program today
  • Programs of every size and type: center-based, home-based, franchise, nonprofit and Head Start

What’s involved

All we’re looking for is your real-world perspective, and we’ll pay you for your time and input. You don’t need to be a writer, an expert or good with technology.

Here are the 4 steps that will be involved in the focus group:

  1. Complete the Interest Form: It’s just below and takes about two minutes.
  2. Look Around: Explore directorzen.com, including the blog, This Month’s Focus and what’s included in the membership.
  3. Share Your Feedback: Tell us what you’d want a site like this to do for you.
  4. Join a Small-Group Session: A 45- to 60-minute session on Zoom with a few other owners and directors, talking through what would help most.
Spots are limited. If you’re selected, we’ll send you the details first, including the one-time payment amount. Steps 2 through 4 start only after that, and your payment is sent once you’ve completed them. Taking part is voluntary and isn’t a job.

Ready to be considered? Fill out the short interest form below to get started.

Complete the Focus Group Interest Form →

Director Zen Contributors

Nobody learns to lead a childcare program from a textbook. Most of it comes from experience: trying things, figuring out what works (and what doesn’t), and finding a better way the next time. We’re looking for childcare leaders who have learned those lessons firsthand and are willing to share them, along with anyone who has insight into what makes a childcare leader’s job easier. That experience is valuable, and we believe in paying those who share it.

Your work would sit alongside the rest of Director Zen: leadership development, ideas and training to help programs thrive, and tools and templates directors can customize to fit their center. We don’t provide licensing, compliance or legal advice because regulations differ from state to state and program to program. Licensing analysts are still very welcome: general tips on preparing for a visit, or what to expect during one, are a great fit, as long as they stay away from what a specific state requires.

Who we’d love to hear from

  • Owners, directors, regional directors, and administrators who currently work in, or have worked in, a licensed childcare program
  • Current and former licensing analysts
  • Specialists in marketing, AI for childcare operations, staff training, and safety

What you might create

  • Center or Room Tour: a walkthrough of a space you’re proud of, filmed after hours so no children or staff are on camera.
  • Tutorial: a short video or article that teaches a leadership habit or center procedure you’ve figured out.
  • Form or Template: something you already use that saves time, like an email template, a family form or a checklist.
  • Staff Training: a recorded video or downloadable PowerPoint on a topic that works for every type of program.
  • Family and Staff Retention: how you connect with families and staff in ways that keep them with you.

You don’t need a following or a polished personal brand. You need relevant experience, something useful to share, and the ability to explain or show it clearly. AI can help you polish. It can’t be the author.

This isn’t a job. Contributors work as independent contractors, on their own schedule, with no set hours. Each project is a separate paid assignment with its own scope, timeline and fee. We’ll reach out when a project comes up that’s a good fit for your expertise.

Ready to join our contributor pool? Fill out the short interest form below to get started.

Complete the Contributor Interest Form →
Director Zen Focus Group
Director Zen Contributors

Interest Form

Tell us a little about yourself.

Tell us a little about yourself. It takes about five minutes.

A quick note before you start: this isn’t a job application, and you don’t need a finished idea. A general topic and content format are all we need for now. If your idea is selected, we can work out the details together later.
About you
Your experience
A few sentences is plenty: the roles you’ve held, what you were responsible for, and anything you’re especially proud of.
Your current situation
For example: about two years, or since 2019.
Ages served in programs you’ve worked in or with (check all that apply)
Program types you know firsthand (check all that apply)
What do you know well enough to teach? (check all that apply)
Why Director Zen
The concept, an article, This Month’s Focus, a post you saw on social media, or an internet search. A sentence or two is plenty.
Your availability for a Zoom session
Our offices are in California, but the times below adjust to wherever you’re viewing this page. For example, if you’re in New York, you’ll see Eastern Time. If you’re selected, we’ll send you a few date options with advance notice.
Content you’d like to create for Director Zen
Formats you’re open to (check all that apply)
Five to fifteen minutes, you on camera or talking over slides, walking through something you know well.
Around 600 to 900 words. One idea a director can put to use this week, in your voice.
A tool directors adapt to their program: an SOP, a child, family, or staff form, an email template, a coaching script, a printable sign, and the like.
A short slide deck with speaker notes, or a one-page set of talking points and questions, that a director can use at a staff meeting without rewriting it.
Share only as much as you’re comfortable with. A general idea is plenty: a sentence or two on the topic and the format you have in mind. A few examples to get you started:
  • Center or Room Tour: A walkthrough of a space you’re proud of, filmed after hours so no children or staff are on camera.
  • Tutorial: A short video or article that teaches a leadership habit or center procedure you’ve figured out.
  • Form or Template: Something you already use that saves time, like an email template, a family form, or a checklist.
  • Staff Training: A recorded video or downloadable PowerPoint on a topic that works for every type of program, from infants to school-age.
  • Family and Staff Retention: How you connect with families and staff in ways that keep them with you.
Comfortable on camera?
For example: the topic, whether it’s live or recorded, or being on screen versus voice only.
Before you submit

Thank you.

We review every submission, and we’ll reach out if a project matches your expertise. That could be next week or a few months from now, so there’s nothing else to do for the moment.

We review every submission. If you’re selected for the focus group, we’ll email you the details and the one-time payment amount before anything begins. There’s nothing else to do for the moment.

Back to directorzen.com
Something didn’t go through. Please try again, or email support@directorzen.com.