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Author

Steven Erickson

Wealth Strategist and Financial Advisor, Wealth Investment Services

Steven Erickson is a wealth strategist and financial advisor with Wealth Investment Services, based in Vancouver, Washington. He has more than 25 years of experience working with business owners, including childcare centers and schools, on investment and tax-planning strategies. Earlier in his career he worked at Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley.

Credentials

LinkedIn profile

The archive

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Written by

Steven Erickson

Switching Made Simple

The Truth About Migrating to illumine, Myth by Myth

Most hesitation about switching childcare software comes down to data. Here are ten common migration myths, and what actually happens when you move to illumine.

Teachers Of The Future

Beyond the Observation: Capturing What Really Matters in Early Childhood Education

Observation should help practitioners understand children, not just evidence progress. Lara Hudson on slowing down, recording the process, letting evidence speak and building consistent team practice.

Winning In Childcare

Best Playground Alternatives in 2026: 8 Platforms With AI Agents Compared

Winning in Childcare

Procare vs Playground: What Their September 2026 Merger Means for Your Decision

How Procare and Playground compare on features, pricing, and reviews now that Procare owns Playground.

Market & Regional Insights

Procare Acquires Playground: Deal Details and FAQs

Procare has acquired Playground. Here's what's confirmed, what's unclear, and the questions customers are asking.

Nursery Accounting on Autopilot: How illumine's Zoho Books Integration Ends Double Entry for UAE Centres

Starting Prechool

How to Start a Preschool: A Step-by-Step Guide

CRM & Enrollment

Childcare CRM Integrations: What to Look For (and What illumine Connects To)

A buyer's guide to childcare CRM integrations: accounting, payments, payroll, and communication tools, plus what illumine connects to today.

CRM & Enrollment

Automate the Follow-Up, Not the Relationship: Smarter Childcare Enrollment Nurturing

How illumine triggers automated email, SMS, form, and staff-task follow-ups from CRM events like tour bookings and stage changes, so admissions teams focus on the families who need a human touch.

Also by this author

Whitepapers

The Costs Draining Childcare Centers report cover, with insights from Tim Seldin

The Costs Draining Childcare Centers: USA Cost Benchmark Report

What Will Montessori Leadership Look Like in 2030? report cover by illumine and The Montessori Foundation

What Will Montessori Leadership Look Like in 2030?

Webinars and sessions

The Nursery Observation Toolkit 2026 : Making Observation & Assessment Work for You

The Nursery Settling-In Toolkit 2026