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

Hi Jackie, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
My business is about education. As a teacher I wholeheartedly believe that education has a huge impact on our community and society. When children fall in love with learning there is no stopping their potential and what they can achieve as individuals and citizens. I created Olive Tree Prep at the start of the pandemic when we were seeing preschool enrollment rates plummet. I knew that there were parents who were struggling to get their children what they needed at home. I wanted to use my gifts as an educator to provide some assistance and ease some of that burden for them. It has grown to become something quite incredible, and I have parents telling me how much they have enjoyed spending quality time doing meaningful activities with their kiddos. As we are coming into our second year of business it has been so humbling getting updates about children who have completed our program and how awesome they are all doing in kindergarten!

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?
I started my business during the pandemic because I was struggling at home with my 4-year-old twins. I had a hard time keeping them busy and teaching them the foundational skills I knew they needed to be successful in kindergarten the following year. I knew that if I was struggling with this there had to be other parents out there in the same boat. I felt that as a teacher maybe I could find a way to help with this problem. So, I just started imagining what I really wanted in a program for my own kiddos and then I decided to make it myself. I knew that I wanted to have video lessons so that I could get something done around the house while my kids were learning. I also knew I wanted to have hands-on activities that would go along with each video because that is how preschoolers learn best. From that point I just dove in. I started down this creative path, and I set up a green screen room in my house and started teaching myself different editing software and bought a camera and lighting and learned a million new things. I just tried to really have fun with it and keep it silly and creative. I ended up making 128 video lessons and planning simple, playful, hands-on activities to support each one. It was so refreshing because I got to include all the activities and best practices that I know work. That’s something that I love about owning my own business. I get to make it my own.

Once families started using the program the feedback was amazing and what I’ve learned is even parents whose children consistently attend preschool are confused about what kindergarten readiness really means because there is a lot of misinformation surrounding that topic. So, I created a workshop that gives parents reliable information about what to expect when they send their kids to school and what skills their children need to be ready.

Building a business comes with a lot of challenges but I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn new things and help families prepare their preschoolers for a lifetime of learning and fun!

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.
When I have friends visiting DFW we always start the day by walking over to our favorite neighborhood spot, The Nook, for breakfast. They have delicious arepas and breakfast tacos! I love the outdoors so we usually hit the nature trails at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano and have lunch at the Little Wooden Penguin, a food truck park with putt putt golf! We love going to the McKinney Square and shopping a some of the boutiques followed by dinner and drinks at The Yard.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have an amazing support group of people in my life that have cheered me on through this crazy ride but there are a few special people whose influence in my life and business cannot go unmentioned. The first and most important person is my wife, Sarah. It sounds cliché but, she believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. She has encouraged and supported me in more ways than I can count, and I truly would not be chasing my dreams if it wasn’t for her. Secondly, I have been incredibly inspired by my cousin Chelsea. She is an amazing businesswoman and her passion for helping others is infectious.

Knowing that someone with such talent believes in what I’m doing has kept me motivated even when I felt like giving up. Next, I like to thank my 3 beautiful children for bring joy and laughter into my life. They were my true inspiration for creating Olive Tree Prep. Finally, I’d like to give a shoutout to my parents for their unconditional love and encouragement and for teaching me how to stick with it even when things get hard.

Website: www.olivetreeprep.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivetreeprep123/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olive-Tree-Prep-108427987547105

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