Meet Your Mentor
Suzanne Carmilia, M.Ed.
Founder, Bright Leadership Solutions
I did not come to consulting through a textbook. I came through thirty years of owning, operating, and fighting for childcare centers right here in Massachusetts — and I have done it both ways.
Buying an Existing Center
My first ownership experience was purchasing an existing childcare center. The systems were functional and the culture was genuinely good — built by people who cared. But the field has changed dramatically over the past thirty years. Regulations are more complex, family expectations have shifted, staff retention has become a crisis, and the emotional and administrative demands on directors have multiplied. What worked well in that era simply was not built for today's challenges. I had to thoughtfully modernize systems that were not broken — just no longer enough — and help a team that was proud of their history embrace the changes the field now demands. That experience taught me how to lead change with respect, and how to bring people along rather than bulldoze what came before.
Building from the Ground Up
I also built a center from scratch. I made every founding decision — from securing the license and designing the physical space to hiring the first teacher and enrolling the first family. Starting from zero means there are no systems to inherit and no culture to fix, but there is also no safety net. Every policy, every procedure, every parent relationship starts with you. That experience gave me a deep understanding of what new owners face in those first critical years when everything feels urgent and nothing feels certain.
Together, these two paths give me a coaching perspective that very few consultants can offer. Whether you are stepping into a center someone else built or launching your own vision from the ground up, I have been exactly where you are — and I know what it takes to move forward.
Experience & Credentials
Education
Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
Ownership Experience
30+ years owning and operating childcare centers in Massachusetts
Acquisition Experience
Purchased and successfully turned around an existing childcare center
Startup Experience
Built a childcare center from the ground up — licensing through full enrollment
Regulatory Expertise
Deep knowledge of Massachusetts EEC licensing and compliance
Turnaround Experience
Saved centers from the brink of closure through operational restructuring
What This Means for Your Coaching
Because I have navigated both acquisition and startup, I can meet you exactly where you are. If you bought a center, I understand the weight of inherited problems and the politics of changing a culture that was not yours to begin with. If you are building from scratch, I know the paralysis of the blank page and how to help you build systems that will hold up as you grow. Either way, you are not getting generic business advice — you are getting hard-won experience from someone who has lived it.
Ready to work with someone who has truly been there?
Let's talk about your center, your challenges, and whether we are the right fit.