The phrase "lonely at the top" perfectly describes running a childcare center. You spend all day pouring your energy into your staff and the enrolled families, but who is pouring into you? Every great director needs a mentor who has already walked this exact path and survived it.
Look for someone who operates a highly successful center in a completely different market so there is zero local competition. You can find these veterans at national early childhood conferences or through dedicated online leadership groups. When you reach out, be incredibly respectful of their time. Ask for a brief monthly phone call with a specific, focused agenda. Having someone who can look objectively at your profit and loss statement and tell you exactly where you are leaving money on the table is worth more than any business course you will ever take. The right mentor compresses years of painful trial and error into a single honest conversation.