Meet Abby Hileman

We were lucky to catch up with Abby Hileman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

I have learned to lean into them instead of using them as an excuse. I have anxiety, complex ADHD, sleep issues, PTSD and severe Ulcerative Colitis resulting in the removal of my colon. None of these are fun to deal with and can be quite debilitating at times.
I have persisted through acceptance, receiving help from professionals, educating myself and learning to rely on others. I have since used my experiences with my own mental health to create an open dialogue among my team. Emphasizing the importance of my employee’s mental health and self care has led to positive results in our center’s culture, therefore, decreasing burnout and turnover. Ultimately, I have become a more empathetic, efficient, and authentic leader, recognizing that each individual has their own set of challenges and their own set of strengths. Even on the toughest days, I know that my mental and physical health struggles have turned me into the leader, wife and mother I am now.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

The best way I can answer this is to go back to the fall of 2017. I was a new mom of two small children and was going through a lot of the struggles you regularly hear from new parents. I often thought of different things I wish someone would bring to our community to help better support our families. Then when my husband and I discussed the option of me going back to work full time we began the journey of looking at childcare options. I was shocked at the level of stress this brought and the pit I had in my stomach. Once again, the phrase, “Someone really should create…” was used often as I saw a desperate need for something better for our children and families.
I will never forget the feeling I had the second I realized there was no reason that someone couldn’t be me. My childcare, business and athletics background seemed to perfectly align to take on this incredibly challenging, yet rewarding journey. Three years later I was able to open the doors to C&M Play Studio. Nothing makes me more proud than hearing how comfortable and welcomed families feel when they walk through the doors. Now in 2025, C&M is a 20,000 sq ft space, with 19 classrooms, a large gym area, 350+ students, and more than 50 employees. No matter how large we grow, I will always remember all of the reasons why I created C&M Play Studio and will carry that feeling and motivation with me through every endeavor I take on.

As I’ve seen the positive impact C&M Play Studio has had on so many families we look forward to growing our community and opening our new location this fall in Cranberry as well as the possibility of more locations. Beyond the growth of C&M Play Studio, I am very passionate about the non-profit organization myself and the team are currently working to launch where we’ll be focused on helping families understand the significance of early childhood experiences from birth – five years of age.
In childcare you’ll frequently hear phrases like “ Oh they won’t remember that, they’re only 2” but that is simply a myth. These early years are vitally important to a child’s future success and how they will respond to all situations, as a massive part of their brain development takes place during this time. Our future non-profit will work to provide education and resources to families with little ones to ensure their long-term success.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Unconventional – It’s not uncommon for me to find an employee staring at me like a deer in headlights when I launch a new project or completely pivot our direction on a random Tuesday afternoon. My approach or response to most situations is not what is commonly expected but is a result of reading the environment, trusting my gut, and knowing that something needs to be changed. I recognize that change is difficult for many people but no matter how we slice it, change is guaranteed and constant. There’ve been occasions where I’ve felt guilty for being so unconventional but I look at the successes it has brought the business, my team and the industry as a whole, and I know that being unconventional has been a crucial part of my approach to building what we have.

Resilient – My resilience and determination has gotten me through the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. However, my resilience hasn’t always been there. Change and failure, two things I used to struggle with, have become my fuel. For each failure I have hit, I have learned how to pivot, move forward, and many times come up with something even better. Change is often uncomfortable but in the childcare/education field, it is unacceptable to stay where we are. The more you get through tough things and the more you follow your gut and do what feels right, the more you become comfortable and confident with who you are as a leader.

Authentic — I spent a lot of years not understanding my own self and now I have learned that a lot of my traits are what make me so relatable. I am an odd mix of introvert and extrovert. In so many ways I am a hot mess and in many ways I have things figured out. I am socially awkward and yet, I can command a room. I am not one for small talk and can more likely be found having meaningful conversations, sometimes at inopportune times. I am opinionated and outspoken while also open minded, always wanting to learn more. I can be extremely goofy and also very serious.
I live off the fact that we have no idea what another person is going through and the best thing we can all do is support one another and try to be more understanding. I have a handful of values we stand by daily but the one that holds the foundation of who we are as a community and can be seen in signage at my center is “Be You. Be Kind.” I want every child, parent, and teacher to feel safe to bring every side of themselves to the center and know they will be respected.

I struggle to give advice on these individually. My advice is more overall when I say the best thing you can do is to fully understand yourself. It can be hard to take a deeper look at yourself; the good, the bad and the ugly but this is my best professional advice. Use your strengths to your advantage. Find people around you that balance out your weaknesses. One size does not fit all on your journey to success and I encourage anyone to look at their own story and your own three qualities are skills you are most proud of and continue to grow in those.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

As we launch our nonprofit and grow our C&M community, we are looking for people or organizations with similar values of bettering the crucial developmental ages of 0-5. We’re always looking to partner with local businesses and any organizations that help our kiddos and their families.
On top of being passionate about the early education industry, I also love mentoring young women interested in leadership and entrepreneurship. I believe the experiences I have had in my life could be very beneficial for those scared to take the risk, are unsure of where to start, or have too much negative influence in their lives saying they cannot accomplish their dreams. I would love to find more podcasts and speaking engagements that align with these goals and passions.

You can reach me at abbyhileman@cmplaystudio.com if you think we would be a good fit!

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Image Credits

Jenna Sompel

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