Meet Kendra Hall | Lil’ Einsteins Preschool Owner/Director M.Ed

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendra Hall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendra, how does your business help the community?
Lil’ Einsteins Preschool and early childhood education is associated with a higher percentage of the community’s children being prepared to start Kindergarten with the cognitive and social skills that are imperative for not only young children, but all individuals to succeed. When families have access to early childhood education, statistically, those children will experience better academic outcomes early on, which typically contributes to higher education attainment and or earnings. Many studies have been conducted on the effect of early childhood education and its benefits, which include that of self-regulation, language development, early intervention, as well as social and emotional challenges, to name a few.
As educators, Lil’ Einsteins was established based on a need we felt was lacking in our current area for our own children. Our hope and mission to this day is to create the best foundation for not only our children, but all children in their continued success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Lil’ Einsteins Preschool is an early childhood program created for our own children and those in our community to provide the best education possible. We opened our doors in 2007, however, years of planning started before our initial opening. As teachers, we knew the importance of education and saw that our area was lacking in the opportunities for families to have a quality preschool in our area. We knew how to teach, however, the business component, the risk, taking out loans, writing a business plan, building out a school, working the numbers, marketing and everything else that goes with running a business seemed insurmountable at times. We learned by taking small steps to a big goal, by “just doing”…cold calling, researching, trial and error, and a resilience to not give up. We opened our doors as not only the staff but the business owners, working tirelessly.
The beauty of going through tough things is that it makes you stronger when you are on the other side. It’s hard to see when you are in it, but the appreciation and toughness that it creates is unmeasurable.
Our brand and our mission have always been simple. We want to instill the lifelong love of learning in our children. When you are passionate and love what you do, you create the sweetest successes, not only for you, but for those around you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Arizona has so much to offer with the desert and the mountains only a few hours away from the valley. I enjoy starting my day out with a workout so we would go hiking or to Pilates (Core Body Pilates in Gilbert), or the gym. There are several hikes that I enjoy, San Tan Mountain, Camelback, Superstition Mountains, to name a few. Coffee is a must! One of my favorite coffee shops is “The Coffee Shop” by Agritopia in Gilbert. They also have great breakfast. Another fabulous breakfast spot is Eggstacy. They have great food and big portions! One day would need to be a day at the Spa! The Princess in Scottsdale is one of my favorites. A few of the days would be a trip to Sedona, ideally staying the night to do a great hike like Devils Bridge. While you’re up north, we would check out Flagstaff and participate in Flagstaff Extreme, which is an obstacle course in the trees. Finally, we would head back to the valley and chill by the pool with a good book!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have several shoutouts, as our experiences and individuals shape us!
A shoutout to specific educators, one being my mother, early on that believed in me and built confidence and had unwavering faith in my potential. My husband, for not only financially supporting me during the start of our business, but always believing in me and never saying no, just, “How can I help?” My business partners! We learned together, worked tirelessly together, and stuck it out together! We were meant to be in community and without community we would not be able to accomplish all that we are destined for.

Website: https://www.lileinsteinspreschool.com

Instagram: @lileinsteinsgilbert

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