Chatting With Lisa Bricker About Growing People Big and Small…

For Celebree School, the trademarked tagline, “We Grow People Big and Small” means exactly what it says. Everything we do is centered on personal and career growth. Adopted early on by our CEO Richie Huffman, it remains a top-down philosophy. Yes, even the CEO believes he has constant room for growth and improvement. And the same goes for each Celebree employee who make daily contributions to our success. “Growing people big” means we aren’t expecting our teachers, directors, and franchisees to be complacent with each step in their career—we expect growth. Celebree School’s Chief Talent Officer, Lisa Bricker, remembers how the tagline came to be many years ago.

“During a team meeting early on, we began discussing what really differentiates us from other early education providers. A team member shared that what makes Celebree different is the fact that our commitment to growth isn’t solely focused on children but also on our team leaders and teachers. The whole room lit up, and we all realized that this meaningful phrase was so much more than a tagline, it truly defines our behavior and commitment day in and day out.”

For our students, growing them big means, we foster, encourage and nurture continual growth. Celebree Schools are rich in an environment of exploration, wonder and educational instruction. The satisfaction we receive from parents who can see, hear, and experience our brand of early childhood development in their children. A big part of that commitment to instruction is built into Celebree’s corporate culture, which Bricker describes as the following:

“To me, ‘We Grow People Big and Small’ personifies our corporate culture. When you treat someone like family, you want to see them grow and prosper. Being part of a culture that truly cares about your dreams and aspirations and directs time and resources to supporting them is a rare find. I’ve been with Celebree for 17 years, beginning as an Assistant Director for one of the schools. Over time, having experienced our culture of family and growth firsthand, it’s allowed me to take what I’ve learned and create programs, resources, and tools that allow others to succeed and grow.”