WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:12.081 --> 00:00:18.141 Welcome to Transformative Principle, where I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. 00:00:18.651 --> 00:00:20.151 I'm your host, Jethro Jones. 00:00:20.151 --> 00:00:22.851 You can follow me on Twitter at Jethro Jones. 00:00:22.851 --> 00:00:22.911 Okay. 00:00:35.264 --> 00:00:35.654 All right. 00:00:35.654 --> 00:00:37.994 Welcome to Transformative Principle. 00:00:38.264 --> 00:00:40.094 I am Jethro Jones, your host. 00:00:40.094 --> 00:00:41.564 I'm so excited to be here. 00:00:41.864 --> 00:00:47.384 Transformative Principle is a proud member of the BE Podcast Network and we have got some amazing shows. 00:00:47.384 --> 00:00:53.594 And today I am excited to chat with Kristian Gollick, who's the founder of Edu Creative. 00:00:54.149 --> 00:00:57.029 Uh, they help schools stop sounding like everyone else. 00:00:57.029 --> 00:01:02.399 And if you've been listening to my show for any amount of time, you know, this is right up my alley. 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:07.709 Most schools talk about programs and preparation, but parents don't choose schools based on that. 00:01:07.709 --> 00:01:09.509 They choose based on connection. 00:01:10.529 --> 00:01:16.109 So at Educ Creative, they uncover the emotional truth behind what makes your school different, and turn that into a strategic. 00:01:16.409 --> 00:01:23.339 Story-driven video that resonates with the right families because when your message is clear and your story connects, enrollment follows. 00:01:23.849 --> 00:01:26.549 Uh, Kristian, welcome to Transformative Principal. 00:01:26.549 --> 00:01:27.544 Thanks so much for being here. 00:01:28.024 --> 00:01:28.144 I. 00:01:28.322 --> 00:01:28.682 course. 00:01:28.682 --> 00:01:29.582 Thank you for having me. 00:01:30.389 --> 00:01:39.599 So you and I met in a mastermind group, uh, for business owners, and you shared what you were doing and I was like, oh my gosh, we need to connect. 00:01:39.809 --> 00:01:46.619 And, and you were saying this stuff and everybody else in the group who's not education related was like. 00:01:47.309 --> 00:01:48.329 Okay, interesting. 00:01:48.329 --> 00:01:56.849 And, uh, my eyes were huge and I was like, we gotta connect at some point because you are, you're speaking my language right at my alley. 00:01:56.849 --> 00:02:02.189 And I was so excited that we could finally connect and, and have this conversation because it's so important. 00:02:02.189 --> 00:02:02.219 I. 00:02:02.972 --> 00:02:03.362 Yeah. 00:02:03.392 --> 00:02:03.692 Yeah. 00:02:03.692 --> 00:02:16.892 And likewise, when I was like, okay, there's another fellow education space member in this group, like, you know, and we have a variety of different industries, a lot of construction and whatnot, which, you know, not exactly the same, same ballpark. 00:02:16.922 --> 00:02:17.822 So yeah, 00:02:17.924 --> 00:02:18.374 Yeah. 00:02:18.392 --> 00:02:20.252 I was like, yes, this is my guy. 00:02:20.774 --> 00:02:21.914 Yes, for sure. 00:02:21.914 --> 00:02:25.094 And it just goes to show the value of being in masterminds. 00:02:25.094 --> 00:02:30.314 I run masterminds and any principals out there who are listening, you definitely gotta join one. 00:02:30.554 --> 00:02:38.449 I'd love it if you join mine, but just go find a group, because that peer support that that network of support is so, so valuable. 00:02:38.564 --> 00:02:47.144 So we're gonna dive into this topic today of how to make your school stand out and the thing that, um. 00:02:47.624 --> 00:03:00.939 That I always say for people is if you sound like just every other school, then it doesn't really matter what you do because you're just it like every other school, and so you really need to be. 00:03:01.994 --> 00:03:08.444 Clear about who you are and what matters so that people can make a good decision about whether or not they want to be part of it. 00:03:08.444 --> 00:03:14.564 And this is not just for fam for families wanting to send their kids there, it's also for recruiting the right teachers. 00:03:14.804 --> 00:03:22.454 Uh, so let's start with the, the family part, and we'll get into the teachers in a minute, but why is this so important and how do you differentiate yourself? 00:03:22.484 --> 00:03:24.404 'cause schools really are just the same. 00:03:24.404 --> 00:03:26.474 You, you educate kids. 00:03:26.774 --> 00:03:29.084 And so how do you make your message stand out? 00:03:29.837 --> 00:03:30.227 Yeah. 00:03:30.227 --> 00:03:32.327 I mean they, they are the same in that sense, but. 00:03:33.227 --> 00:03:35.717 Uh, beyond that, schools are so different. 00:03:35.927 --> 00:03:36.467 Truly. 00:03:36.857 --> 00:03:42.227 I mean, there, there are schools that really, every school has their own culture, right? 00:03:42.317 --> 00:03:44.807 And it's hard to kind of distill that. 00:03:44.807 --> 00:03:46.157 It's hard to articulate that. 00:03:46.337 --> 00:03:48.407 But every school does have its own culture. 00:03:48.587 --> 00:03:52.517 And culture is also just another word for reputation, right? 00:03:52.937 --> 00:03:56.507 So really it comes down to. 00:03:57.842 --> 00:04:05.912 Understanding that one key differentiator of your school that makes it unique, that defines its culture, right? 00:04:06.302 --> 00:04:17.882 Um, and amplifying that versus, oh, well we prep for college and we have an amazing music program and oh, our STEM lab is top tier. 00:04:18.602 --> 00:04:21.752 Everyone else, every other school is saying that, and they're not. 00:04:22.337 --> 00:04:26.952 Kind of leaning in on that one key differentiator that makes their school unique. 00:04:27.694 --> 00:04:27.964 Yeah. 00:04:27.964 --> 00:04:31.564 So how do you find that one key differentiator? 00:04:32.224 --> 00:04:34.864 How, no, uh, hold on, let me, let me take that back. 00:04:35.254 --> 00:04:37.564 How do you as the. 00:04:39.029 --> 00:04:46.439 Person who's creating this story driven strategic video, how do you find that at a school that's like, Hey, we gotta do something. 00:04:46.529 --> 00:04:48.359 How do you, how do you do that with a school? 00:04:48.827 --> 00:04:49.217 Yeah. 00:04:49.217 --> 00:04:49.427 Yeah. 00:04:49.427 --> 00:05:01.097 And that comes down to the, you know, initial conversation I, I go in with the principal, with the communications director with, with any, uh, staff involved in the project. 00:05:01.187 --> 00:05:06.437 And I just say, Hey, tell me a time that you were so proud to work at your school. 00:05:08.472 --> 00:05:17.087 I just open up the conversation because somewhere along the line they're gonna be like, oh my gosh, I have this one story That is incredible. 00:05:18.092 --> 00:05:20.912 That's not a, well, tell me about your science program. 00:05:21.632 --> 00:05:24.452 me, tell me about your, your sports athletic, uh, program. 00:05:24.692 --> 00:05:26.252 Because then they go into bullet points. 00:05:26.252 --> 00:05:28.802 Then they go into kind of like, well, we wanna emphasize this. 00:05:28.982 --> 00:05:29.522 No, no, no. 00:05:30.632 --> 00:05:33.572 Tell me a time that you were proud to work at your school. 00:05:34.299 --> 00:05:34.379 Hmm. 00:05:34.562 --> 00:05:37.052 then you pull out those bits of like, oh, that's interesting. 00:05:37.082 --> 00:05:38.372 Let's lean into that more. 00:05:38.762 --> 00:05:38.942 And 00:05:39.074 --> 00:05:39.464 Yeah. 00:05:39.602 --> 00:05:40.472 that's the first step. 00:05:41.324 --> 00:05:50.739 So, uh, so let's, let's just role play this a little bit and we can do my, my previous school, um, because the thing that I was most proud of was that I had. 00:05:51.239 --> 00:06:07.379 Uh, three or four different times within a week or two that parents came up to me and said something along the lines of this, my kid has never talked about school before, but they have been talking about school nonstop. 00:06:09.024 --> 00:06:09.779 It is crazy. 00:06:10.109 --> 00:06:11.549 My kid has never talked about this. 00:06:11.579 --> 00:06:12.329 What are you guys doing? 00:06:12.749 --> 00:06:14.429 That's, that's what the parents said to me. 00:06:14.429 --> 00:06:18.749 And when that happened, I was like, this is the jackpot we have won. 00:06:18.749 --> 00:06:24.419 I'm middle school students, not just saying, fine, nothing happened at school. 00:06:24.629 --> 00:06:27.119 They're actually like going home and talking to their parents. 00:06:27.509 --> 00:06:29.669 And so I asked like, what do you mean, what are they saying? 00:06:29.669 --> 00:06:31.919 And they're like, well, they're talking about this project they're working on. 00:06:31.919 --> 00:06:34.349 They're talking about this and this teacher who's helping them. 00:06:34.349 --> 00:06:35.969 And I didn't even know that this is. 00:06:36.629 --> 00:06:41.939 This, that they were doing this and now they're trying to do this stuff at home and I don't know how to help 'em. 00:06:42.329 --> 00:06:45.929 And I was like, okay, we are, we are winning. 00:06:46.109 --> 00:06:47.879 That is winning the game of school. 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:50.999 In my mind as a principal, we, we totally nailed it. 00:06:51.822 --> 00:06:52.422 Yeah. 00:06:53.112 --> 00:06:59.232 I mean, if, if, if I heard that story, my first response would be, can, can I talk to that teacher? 00:06:59.957 --> 00:07:00.887 who did that program? 00:07:00.917 --> 00:07:14.747 'cause like, I wanna, I want to kind of dissect that a little bit and just understand like, what are they doing that's making such an impact on their students that make them want to talk about it, uh, to their parents after school? 00:07:14.927 --> 00:07:17.897 Because like there's something, there's something going on, there's a secret sauce there. 00:07:17.957 --> 00:07:19.337 I need to talk to that teacher. 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:19.819 Mm-hmm. 00:07:20.294 --> 00:07:20.654 Yeah. 00:07:20.954 --> 00:07:26.234 Well, and in that case, it was actually our whole school that was doing it because we're doing this program called Synergy. 00:07:26.234 --> 00:07:31.724 So every teacher was involved just in a different way, in a different project with their students. 00:07:31.724 --> 00:07:33.224 So we had, I think. 00:07:34.109 --> 00:07:46.889 50 or so projects that students were working on in groups of two to 10 kids and, and they were spreading out all over the school and everybody was involved. 00:07:46.889 --> 00:07:49.049 I had a group, every teacher had a group. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:55.994 Um, we got our class sizes down to 13 kids per teacher, um, which was incredible since our. 00:07:56.489 --> 00:08:07.559 Our typical class size was 26, but because there was no prep periods at that time and I was working with kids and so was everybody else, it, it became a really powerful time for kids to be able to do that. 00:08:07.589 --> 00:08:16.354 And um, and I like where you said, I wanna talk to that teacher who's doing that and creating that because you're not, the principal has one perspective. 00:08:17.129 --> 00:08:26.699 But it's those little things that individuals are doing where they can give a different insight into it and, and really share what is great about the school. 00:08:27.149 --> 00:08:41.339 Um, so when that happens, how do you, how do you suss out the, the things that are really important and, and what kinds of things are like the alarm bells that are like, okay, this is something we really need to pay attention to? 00:08:42.122 --> 00:08:49.742 Yeah, I, I think, um, in, in your case, instead of just talking to the one teacher, I would want to talk to a variety of 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:50.399 Mm-hmm. 00:08:50.642 --> 00:08:53.222 and see if I can hear the similarities. 00:08:53.687 --> 00:09:01.877 If there are common threads between all of their different, uh, stories of, or you know, what they're doing in the programs, if there's similarities, ding, ding, ding. 00:09:02.027 --> 00:09:15.827 I pull those and then it, depending on what those similarities are, I can typically find, you know, a couple emotions, one, one key idea and of distill that. 00:09:16.127 --> 00:09:23.612 And then I, I take that idea I think up of some, you know, initial concepts around that idea. 00:09:24.002 --> 00:09:29.822 And then I pitch it back to the principal, or, you know, whoever's in charge of the project. 00:09:29.852 --> 00:09:32.252 Um, in terms of the creative and the marketing. 00:09:32.672 --> 00:09:40.112 I, I, I pitch that idea and say, Hey, this is a common theme that I've found by talking with, you know, a variety of teachers. 00:09:40.412 --> 00:09:42.302 Uh, this is a, this is a core emotion. 00:09:42.302 --> 00:09:43.142 Does this resonate? 00:09:43.682 --> 00:09:47.882 Like, do, do you feel that your school has this quality? 00:09:48.092 --> 00:09:51.962 Let's just, let's just call it, um, you know, honor, right? 00:09:52.172 --> 00:09:57.242 Like you work with a lot of, like private schools, all, all, all boys, uh, private schools. 00:09:57.242 --> 00:10:00.002 Like honor is, is a big theme, right? 00:10:00.302 --> 00:10:02.492 Um, a, as an example. 00:10:02.522 --> 00:10:03.572 Like, does this resonate? 00:10:04.292 --> 00:10:07.562 And depending on their reaction of like, oh my gosh, yes. 00:10:07.622 --> 00:10:08.757 Or, yeah. 00:10:08.762 --> 00:10:09.212 I mean, yeah. 00:10:09.272 --> 00:10:09.572 Yeah. 00:10:10.442 --> 00:10:12.362 that, that's a kind of indicator for me of. 00:10:12.737 --> 00:10:15.527 I hit the nail on the head, or let's keep digging. 00:10:16.454 --> 00:10:16.814 Yeah. 00:10:17.204 --> 00:10:20.264 Well, and I, I like that idea of you, uh. 00:10:20.954 --> 00:10:35.774 Talking about emotions and key ideas, because those emotions, I mean what, what I understand you're really trying to do is make people have a visceral response to the video so that they want to be part of that school 00:10:35.922 --> 00:10:36.342 Mm-hmm. 00:10:37.094 --> 00:10:37.994 and is that accurate? 00:10:38.522 --> 00:10:39.212 Absolutely. 00:10:39.272 --> 00:10:40.682 That's, that's brand building. 00:10:41.084 --> 00:10:41.414 Yeah. 00:10:41.432 --> 00:10:47.642 there's one key idea with a brand, or in this case, a school, right? 00:10:47.882 --> 00:10:54.302 Like to kind of zooming out, uh, outside of the education space, Disney sells magic. 00:10:54.549 --> 00:10:54.969 Mm-hmm. 00:10:55.022 --> 00:10:56.762 Coca-Cola sells nostalgia. 00:10:56.762 --> 00:11:01.622 Uh, Volvo sells safety, right? 00:11:01.832 --> 00:11:07.412 So schools can be associated with a certain emotion or an idea. 00:11:07.757 --> 00:11:13.877 And that's what we want to convey as kind of the, the introduction to the school. 00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:20.879 Yeah, so in my school it sounds kind of like the, the emotion that we're going for. 00:11:21.239 --> 00:11:29.684 I don't, I don't know the right way to say this, so correct me if, where I'm, where I'm going wrong is that your kids are gonna love school and they're gonna talk about it. 00:11:29.894 --> 00:11:38.414 And like if that were, if that were the thing we were selling, then that would be pretty stinking awesome, I would think, right? 00:11:38.642 --> 00:11:39.152 Yeah. 00:11:39.542 --> 00:11:39.782 Yeah. 00:11:39.782 --> 00:11:45.242 I think, I think there's a layer of, uh, digging we can do with that of like, kids love school. 00:11:45.962 --> 00:11:49.502 Okay, well one that's pretty not typical, right? 00:11:49.659 --> 00:11:49.999 Uh huh. 00:11:50.162 --> 00:11:50.852 loving school. 00:11:51.182 --> 00:11:55.592 Um, so I'd want to dig into that a little bit more of like. 00:11:55.952 --> 00:11:59.402 What's, what's happening that makes kids love school? 00:11:59.642 --> 00:12:09.062 Because there might be a, a another kind of key theme of, you know, and just for an example, you know, kids, they love school. 00:12:09.062 --> 00:12:11.192 That's the result, that's the outcome. 00:12:11.822 --> 00:12:17.642 But maybe it's that the kids actually feel like they have a seat at the table 00:12:18.089 --> 00:12:18.509 Mm-hmm. 00:12:19.079 --> 00:12:19.499 Mm-hmm. 00:12:19.622 --> 00:12:23.732 of just being talked at by the teacher, which, you know, so many kids feel that way. 00:12:23.912 --> 00:12:31.682 Maybe they feel like they have a seat at the table and it's actually, know, a, a two-way conversation rather than just teaching. 00:12:32.119 --> 00:12:32.539 Mm-hmm. 00:12:32.582 --> 00:12:40.712 Maybe they feel that way because kids, especially the, you know, the, the middle school age, high school age, want to feel like an adult. 00:12:40.712 --> 00:12:42.662 They want to, you know, they're, they're, they're maturing. 00:12:43.442 --> 00:12:47.252 So if they feel like they have a voice, then they feel engaged. 00:12:48.632 --> 00:12:48.992 Maybe. 00:12:48.992 --> 00:12:49.832 Maybe it's that. 00:12:50.282 --> 00:12:50.552 'cause if 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:51.029 Yeah. 00:12:51.272 --> 00:12:53.612 and they feel they have a voice, then yeah, they're gonna love school. 00:12:53.852 --> 00:12:56.522 'cause it's like, oh, I have a place I can contribute to. 00:12:58.049 --> 00:12:58.499 Yeah. 00:12:58.499 --> 00:12:59.249 I like that. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:04.619 Well, and that, that you did actually nail my school pretty well, just for, 00:13:04.832 --> 00:13:05.432 Perfect. 00:13:05.999 --> 00:13:06.389 Yeah. 00:13:06.719 --> 00:13:11.249 Um, and, and that's the thing that it's, it's not that hard. 00:13:11.774 --> 00:13:21.464 Actually like it is, it's difficult to do the creative work to make it look beautiful and, and communicate that all well, but it's not that hard to see what your school is doing. 00:13:21.464 --> 00:13:21.764 Great. 00:13:21.764 --> 00:13:28.184 And if your school is not doing something that it makes it stand out, then you gotta figure that out. 00:13:28.274 --> 00:13:32.594 You know, you gotta, you gotta have a belief system that gets you to that point. 00:13:32.594 --> 00:13:38.354 Because if your school is just like every other school, then it doesn't matter what school kids go to. 00:13:38.714 --> 00:13:45.224 And so why would anybody choose to come to your school and, and with the way that the world is going right now? 00:13:45.404 --> 00:13:55.904 I, and I've been talking about this for years, so it's a repeat to people who've been listening, but school is becoming more and more hyper-local to a specific group. 00:13:55.964 --> 00:13:58.274 And, and so every. 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:01.499 Every school is in competition with another school. 00:14:01.499 --> 00:14:13.499 And that doesn't have to mean cutthroat or it's awful or terrible, but you have to be able to describe why your school is so much better for the people that you're trying to attract. 00:14:13.829 --> 00:14:22.079 And this works like a magnet to pull people to you where they feel connected and they want to have their kids at your school. 00:14:22.499 --> 00:14:25.679 And then that unlocks all kinds of other things because. 00:14:26.089 --> 00:14:34.489 They're not complaining about it, they're now excited about it, telling their friends, saying, this is why my kid goes there and your kid should go there too, and this is why it's so great. 00:14:34.489 --> 00:14:37.999 And then when you want to participate and do fundraising, all that kind of stuff. 00:14:37.999 --> 00:14:39.319 This all feeds into that. 00:14:39.649 --> 00:14:43.369 Talk about the follow on effects of, of that piece. 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:46.729 When you're clear about who you are, what else happens. 00:14:47.957 --> 00:14:50.837 Oh, when you find your fit, 00:14:51.469 --> 00:14:52.009 Mm-hmm. 00:14:52.127 --> 00:14:52.937 magic, right? 00:14:52.967 --> 00:14:55.337 Because you're creating belonging. 00:14:56.207 --> 00:14:59.687 Your school is creating a sense of belonging. 00:15:00.167 --> 00:15:01.277 In your students. 00:15:01.307 --> 00:15:05.357 So they feel that the school is a place of community, right? 00:15:06.977 --> 00:15:09.407 is like the arcade. 00:15:09.677 --> 00:15:16.577 Granted, you know, this is 2025 when we're recording, so arcades aren't really a thing, but this is, this is the place where. 00:15:16.967 --> 00:15:22.697 You know, kids want to congregate instead of have to congregate eight hours a day, right? 00:15:22.847 --> 00:15:24.047 Or however long school is. 00:15:24.497 --> 00:15:31.157 Um, so instantly it's a place where they want to be and they are going to be much more engaged. 00:15:31.787 --> 00:15:40.397 That includes extracurriculars, that includes in the classroom, that includes bragging about it, say they, you know, have friends outside of the district or a different school that. 00:15:41.207 --> 00:15:42.557 know, don't go to their school. 00:15:42.707 --> 00:15:47.027 They're gonna talk about it and sing the school's places because it's their place. 00:15:47.087 --> 00:15:50.982 It's not just the school, it's also the student's place to be. 00:15:52.224 --> 00:15:52.674 Yeah. 00:15:52.764 --> 00:15:54.894 Oh, it, it, it's so true. 00:15:55.404 --> 00:15:59.844 And, and when kids feel that, then they become committed to it. 00:16:00.164 --> 00:16:07.484 And, uh, it, the other thing that I've seen is that when kids love school, they take better care of the school also. 00:16:07.724 --> 00:16:11.294 They, they don't destroy or vandalize or things like that. 00:16:11.654 --> 00:16:19.904 And, and those, those things are so disruptive and so challenging for the school that just. 00:16:20.414 --> 00:16:25.064 It's, it's very difficult, you know, to, to deal with that stuff. 00:16:25.064 --> 00:16:30.104 So, so it's really powerful when it, when it works out well and, and people love the school, 00:16:31.845 --> 00:16:35.235 Well, and, and I'll, I'll kind of tell my story a little bit here. 00:16:35.265 --> 00:16:36.465 So, I, I, I went to a 00:16:36.672 --> 00:16:36.792 I. 00:16:36.795 --> 00:16:38.385 school in Pennsylvania and. 00:16:40.030 --> 00:16:43.275 I, I was a very typical B student, right. 00:16:43.425 --> 00:16:45.165 My, my mom was very on me. 00:16:45.165 --> 00:16:48.435 Like CS were rarely allowed, you know? 00:16:48.465 --> 00:16:48.765 Okay. 00:16:48.765 --> 00:16:51.855 Once in a while, but rarely, you know, so I was a very solid B student. 00:16:52.245 --> 00:16:57.915 I kind of cared, but really it was like pulling teeth, you know, getting to study for tests and all that. 00:16:58.245 --> 00:17:05.625 Um, and it was my senior year of high school where I joined the only, uh. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:09.270 Only class, uh, TV production. 00:17:10.302 --> 00:17:10.362 Hmm. 00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:15.570 that was my first introduction into video, which is, you know, my career and what I love. 00:17:15.810 --> 00:17:21.900 And that introduction what made me just light up inside. 00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:25.290 I was excited to work on projects. 00:17:25.290 --> 00:17:27.120 I was excited to go to that class. 00:17:27.360 --> 00:17:29.910 I was excited to do work outside of that class. 00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:35.310 It just brought so much fulfillment to me, and that was amazing. 00:17:36.195 --> 00:17:43.035 The byproduct of that was my other classes that had nothing to do with video production, but were in that semester. 00:17:44.025 --> 00:17:46.485 I did well in because I cared. 00:17:47.132 --> 00:17:47.522 Yeah. 00:17:47.535 --> 00:17:57.630 then, you know, fast forward to college, I, I did a video program, um, at, at a university and I. Truly excelled all throughout college. 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.180 Like because I was, I was in it, I was happy. 00:18:00.390 --> 00:18:01.290 It lit me up. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.950 It wasn't a have to do, it was a, I'm excited to do this. 00:18:05.652 --> 00:18:05.952 Yeah. 00:18:06.732 --> 00:18:15.402 Well, and, and that's what, um, that's what my whole career as a principal was like, that once we found what the kid. 00:18:16.017 --> 00:18:19.582 Really engaged in and cared about it. 00:18:19.587 --> 00:18:22.587 It brought up their scores in every other arena. 00:18:22.617 --> 00:18:27.927 And, um, they, they were more committed and they were engaged in the learning. 00:18:27.927 --> 00:18:29.217 They were participatory. 00:18:29.517 --> 00:18:33.567 And, um, you know, I had, we had a student who was. 00:18:34.152 --> 00:18:47.982 Who was really struggling and youngest of four or five kids and his older siblings had been through and they were like the perfect students and he was trying to find his own way and just, he was screwing around all the time. 00:18:48.552 --> 00:18:53.322 And, um, and we got him to, to a place where he was doing something. 00:18:53.322 --> 00:19:01.962 He was interested in total night and day difference, uh, because he saw what was possible and he's like, oh, I'm not dumb. 00:19:02.442 --> 00:19:04.692 I was just bored and there's a difference. 00:19:04.930 --> 00:19:05.150 Yes. 00:19:05.610 --> 00:19:05.830 Yes. 00:19:07.212 --> 00:19:07.542 Yeah. 00:19:07.602 --> 00:19:08.202 Very good. 00:19:08.412 --> 00:19:10.002 Alright, let's shift gears a little bit. 00:19:10.332 --> 00:19:18.642 When we're, we've been talking about, you know, getting families to come, but how does this work with getting staff to come? 00:19:18.642 --> 00:19:20.322 What's your perspective on that? 00:19:21.840 --> 00:19:24.330 Honestly, this the exact same. 00:19:24.795 --> 00:19:29.865 Because it's not, it's not about, I mean, and if you wanna talk marketing strategy Sure. 00:19:29.865 --> 00:19:31.755 There's some tweaks and shifts, of course. 00:19:31.785 --> 00:19:38.295 Um, like deployment of content, where to put it, where yes you can, you know, there's different channels and all that. 00:19:38.295 --> 00:19:42.435 But in terms of the message, because your school. 00:19:43.290 --> 00:20:02.910 Still is your school, whether you're a student or a, a potential new staff member, your stu, your school still has that one thing that makes it different and that is going to attract a potential teacher who shares those values versus all the other teachers who are like, I don't really care. 00:20:02.910 --> 00:20:03.565 I just need a job. 00:20:04.297 --> 00:20:04.717 Mm-hmm. 00:20:04.770 --> 00:20:11.490 'cause we've seen, we've seen that effect of teachers who just are kind of going through the motions, oh, I just need a job. 00:20:11.490 --> 00:20:12.420 I'll take a, you know? 00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:12.840 Yep. 00:20:12.870 --> 00:20:13.080 Sure. 00:20:13.080 --> 00:20:13.590 I'll, I'll do 00:20:13.647 --> 00:20:15.417 I, I just need my foot in the door. 00:20:15.477 --> 00:20:15.927 Yep. 00:20:16.260 --> 00:20:16.710 right. 00:20:16.860 --> 00:20:19.950 Which, like, I get it, you know, you gotta get your career started. 00:20:19.950 --> 00:20:20.250 But 00:20:20.272 --> 00:20:20.392 I. 00:20:20.670 --> 00:20:32.400 if you can truly attract at the, the most ideal fit for teachers, that's gonna just help snowball your entire school's brand and help. 00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:41.760 um, you know, increase learning for the students help increase, um, the engagement because they get it. 00:20:42.540 --> 00:20:49.320 If you get a, if you get a, a staff member who doesn't get it now, uh, it just, it, it's a, it's a nightmare. 00:20:50.312 --> 00:20:51.657 Yeah, it really is. 00:20:51.717 --> 00:21:11.322 And, and so I have, I've had many experiences with this, and one of the things that I. Tell principals all the time is you've gotta be so clear and so dialed in on what your school is about, that you can tell very quickly in an interview if somebody is, is the right fit that you can tell before you get to the interview if they're a right fit or not. 00:21:11.352 --> 00:21:23.532 Because that fit matters so much because it, it's a exponential growth from there that if you have five teachers who totally get it and are working together. 00:21:23.847 --> 00:21:38.937 Like what they can do is so far beyond five teachers, they can do the work of 20 teachers, and that's not an exaggeration, and it's also not extra work for them because they understand what they're doing and how to do it. 00:21:39.357 --> 00:21:43.617 In such a way that they can, they can do it and make it seem like it's very simple. 00:21:43.977 --> 00:21:45.117 And, and that's the reality. 00:21:45.117 --> 00:21:47.397 And that's what I've seen time and time again. 00:21:47.877 --> 00:21:56.007 And so when you have someone come in and you're like, Hey, this is what we're trying to do, um, it's also generous to those people who are interviewing that. 00:21:56.482 --> 00:21:59.182 If this is not the right fit, then it's very clear. 00:21:59.272 --> 00:22:10.432 But, but if you don't know that yourself and if you, if you had a video that you create that, that tells the story, then they're like, okay, I belong here. 00:22:10.462 --> 00:22:11.722 This is where I need to be. 00:22:11.962 --> 00:22:23.782 Then people will want to come to that school, which totally changes the paradigm also, because instead of wondering if you're gonna be able to hire enough teachers, you have to turn people away. 00:22:24.072 --> 00:22:28.152 And people will be like, Hey, I'll teach anything in your school, just so that I can get in there. 00:22:28.380 --> 00:22:28.860 Yeah. 00:22:29.232 --> 00:22:30.042 actually happen. 00:22:30.042 --> 00:22:32.922 And that's a really powerful position to be in as a school. 00:22:33.222 --> 00:22:38.292 And I don't think that there's any school out there that couldn't do this 00:22:38.345 --> 00:22:38.765 Mm-hmm. 00:22:38.922 --> 00:22:39.702 'cause they could. 00:22:40.050 --> 00:22:40.410 Right? 00:22:40.530 --> 00:22:40.830 Right. 00:22:41.040 --> 00:22:51.690 Now I, I actually, you, you made a comment about it's not that hard to kind of identify what makes the school different, and that is and isn't true. 00:22:52.170 --> 00:22:56.400 Um, it is easy, like you and I were talking about it, right? 00:22:56.760 --> 00:22:58.290 It's, it's easy for us. 00:22:59.190 --> 00:23:02.010 It's not so easy for the principal. 00:23:02.010 --> 00:23:07.200 It's not so easy for the staff who they are in that school every day. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:17.730 They live in that school, so they see everything and it's, you know, when you're in it every day, it's, it is hard to kind of step out. 00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:32.940 Uh, zoom out perspective wise and see the school from the eyes of a parent who just heard of your school, knows nothing about your school or the, uh, a potential teacher, like, it's, it's very hard to step out into that perspective. 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:39.845 So my advice to all schools, um, is higher external, external counsel. 00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:53.220 know, like get, get external help that doesn't know your school as well as you do, because their perspective is going to be so valuable that you just physically can't have because you're in it every day. 00:23:53.922 --> 00:23:54.312 Yeah. 00:23:54.672 --> 00:23:59.802 Uh, people say the, the phrase, you can't read the label from the inside of the bottle, you know? 00:24:00.102 --> 00:24:03.222 'cause you're, you're in there and you can't see what's good. 00:24:03.462 --> 00:24:17.022 But, but here's the other thing that is really beneficial is when, when you're clear about what you do and, and what your purpose is and your vision and all that, then having that. 00:24:17.562 --> 00:24:31.662 That piece of content that says, this is what we're great at, makes it easy for you to see that again and identify every place that it happens, and then makes it easier for you to then perpetuate that and keep it going. 00:24:32.232 --> 00:24:43.272 And so this like, it's a virtuous cycle that's so amazing that having it and then talking about it and then sharing it and watching it again is, is powerful. 00:24:43.272 --> 00:24:45.642 And I would say once this is made. 00:24:46.092 --> 00:24:55.812 Uh, the, the team at the school should, should watch it on a regular basis themselves to remind themselves and to help them know what they're really there for. 00:24:55.902 --> 00:24:56.982 What do you think about that? 00:24:57.390 --> 00:24:58.710 Oh, 1000000%. 00:24:58.740 --> 00:25:00.090 It's, it's your mission statement. 00:25:00.267 --> 00:25:00.687 Mm-hmm. 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:01.770 You. 00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:05.250 You need to be fully aligned on your mission statement. 00:25:05.730 --> 00:25:06.450 You need to live it. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.620 You need to talk about it. 00:25:07.710 --> 00:25:15.090 You need to breathe it because that is what creates a cohesive message for the students currently in the school. 00:25:15.840 --> 00:25:28.440 the parents who are thinking about enrolling their student in your school, for the staff who are looking at your school potential staff, one unified message is going to bring clarity, and clarity brings confidence. 00:25:28.512 --> 00:25:28.932 Mm-hmm. 00:25:29.430 --> 00:25:30.240 The opposite. 00:25:30.270 --> 00:25:35.190 Confusion indecision and mismatch fits easily. 00:25:35.862 --> 00:25:36.282 Yeah. 00:25:37.152 --> 00:25:37.362 Yeah. 00:25:37.362 --> 00:25:38.082 That's so good. 00:25:38.082 --> 00:25:46.632 So, so how does someone get started, uh, with working with you, with having you give them a consult and see what, what happens? 00:25:46.632 --> 00:25:47.173 What does that look like? 00:25:47.910 --> 00:25:48.930 Yeah, absolutely. 00:25:49.050 --> 00:25:54.540 You can definitely reach out@educreative.com and schedule a consult with me. 00:25:54.690 --> 00:25:58.500 And you know, like I said, the first step is having that meeting. 00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:02.625 I. And I just wanna, I just wanna absorb, I wanna, I wanna take it all in. 00:26:02.625 --> 00:26:05.205 What makes your school, uh, special to you? 00:26:05.205 --> 00:26:07.095 What makes you proud to work at your school? 00:26:07.485 --> 00:26:08.865 And then we take it from there. 00:26:09.015 --> 00:26:11.535 We distill down that key idea. 00:26:11.745 --> 00:26:22.455 We talk about marketing strategy, um, and, you know, our conversation, jet Row, we've really talked high level on, um, you know, distilling down a single idea. 00:26:22.665 --> 00:26:24.135 And that is extremely important. 00:26:25.050 --> 00:26:26.430 There's more to the conversation. 00:26:26.550 --> 00:26:31.260 There's more to, um, you know, what types of videos do we make? 00:26:31.350 --> 00:26:35.190 Where do we post them, how do we get them, because there's a whole strategy involved. 00:26:35.190 --> 00:26:38.880 So that's, that's kind of the next step, uh, that I walk schools through. 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:44.865 Uh, evaluate their marketing channels, if they use email lists, social media ads, all that. 00:26:45.690 --> 00:26:48.000 so, so there's a whole, whole whole laundry list. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:48.420 Uh, 00:26:48.567 --> 00:26:48.777 Yeah. 00:26:49.020 --> 00:26:53.520 I walk schools through it step by step, and we figure out what makes most sense for them. 00:26:54.282 --> 00:26:56.052 Yeah, I, I, I love it. 00:26:56.082 --> 00:26:58.902 And again, there's so much more that we can talk about. 00:26:58.962 --> 00:27:07.992 Um, but I do wanna share something with you that, uh, that I created several years ago because I knew there was such a need for it and it failed. 00:27:08.112 --> 00:27:11.082 And, and I want to share this because, um. 00:27:11.397 --> 00:27:14.157 Because I think there's lessons in these types of experiences. 00:27:14.157 --> 00:27:26.697 So I, I create a website called creatives for education.com, and I'm pretty sure that I don't have the URL anymore, so that site is probably gone, uh, but I'll double check. 00:27:26.817 --> 00:27:30.417 Um, and I also had creatives the number four edu. 00:27:30.987 --> 00:27:32.547 Uh, but I'm pretty sure those are gone now. 00:27:32.577 --> 00:27:37.917 Anyway, what I, what I created was this way for schools to say. 00:27:39.147 --> 00:27:40.737 Well, let me back up a little bit. 00:27:41.217 --> 00:27:45.657 Uh, schools are good at teaching kids, but they suck at making beautiful things. 00:27:45.837 --> 00:27:48.717 And so that was my main problem as a teacher. 00:27:48.717 --> 00:27:53.757 I would do these worksheets or, or directions or whatever, and they just look like trash. 00:27:53.907 --> 00:27:59.427 I mean, I, standard Word document, you type it up and put it out there, and it was just ugly. 00:27:59.517 --> 00:28:00.537 I mean, that's all there was to it. 00:28:00.650 --> 00:28:01.950 not an engaging experience. 00:28:02.097 --> 00:28:02.547 Yes. 00:28:02.547 --> 00:28:03.117 Not at all. 00:28:03.147 --> 00:28:07.347 And so I created this, this website, creatives for Education so that people could. 00:28:07.677 --> 00:28:23.997 Get creatives to volunteer their time to, to redo a, a piece of paper or a poster or something so that, so that it was more a aesthetically a plea pleasing to the people who were looking at it. 00:28:24.417 --> 00:28:29.697 And it, like a, a lot of educators have tried to do this video stuff. 00:28:30.012 --> 00:28:34.962 Have tried to make a video about their school and even I have, and I'm just not very good at it. 00:28:35.022 --> 00:28:44.082 And you can tell when it's someone who is really great at doing it and can tell a good story and make it look beautiful and all that kind of stuff. 00:28:44.112 --> 00:28:50.892 And someone who's just like, you know, doing, you know, trying to do it myself in iMovie. 00:28:50.952 --> 00:28:51.312 Right? 00:28:51.582 --> 00:28:55.152 There's just a difference and, and so I created this thing and it was. 00:28:55.722 --> 00:29:03.012 It was such a good idea and so valuable, but I just couldn't figure out how to like make it work and make it happen, you know? 00:29:03.372 --> 00:29:11.562 And so what's so cool about us meeting is that I was like, I need someone to make, take these videos that we make and then make 'em better. 00:29:11.712 --> 00:29:14.442 And this was me thinking 15 years ago. 00:29:14.442 --> 00:29:16.302 I think that's when I did it was in 2010. 00:29:16.872 --> 00:29:21.222 And um, and, and here you are, like this is your thing. 00:29:21.282 --> 00:29:22.302 And I just think. 00:29:23.352 --> 00:29:38.682 Schools really need this kind of stuff because we do amazing things and we're, we're in the thick of it with kids every single day, and we don't have the time and energy and expertise to make what you do actually happen. 00:29:39.612 --> 00:29:45.702 And so all those things about how the next steps that you had just talked about, how you go. 00:29:46.737 --> 00:29:51.837 Like what, what ways they communicate, what social media channels they use, whether they use email list, stuff like that. 00:29:52.137 --> 00:29:55.827 So many schools are not even thinking about that and not even touching it. 00:29:55.827 --> 00:30:05.967 So I feel like we need to come back and have a second discussion later and talk about some of those things more in depth and, and, and see what that looks like. 00:30:05.967 --> 00:30:08.427 And, um, does that, does that sound good to you? 00:30:08.457 --> 00:30:08.787 'cause 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:09.660 I am in. 00:30:10.017 --> 00:30:10.167 Okay. 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:11.580 Yeah. 00:30:11.580 --> 00:30:12.750 And, and, and, right. 00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:13.290 And here. 00:30:13.350 --> 00:30:22.440 Here's the way I always, uh, approach, approach it is a video, a piece of creative, anything that is seen in the outside world. 00:30:23.280 --> 00:30:24.750 even, even inside, you know, 00:30:24.857 --> 00:30:25.277 Mm-hmm. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:26.130 and all that. 00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:30.630 Any piece of creative a representation. 00:30:31.290 --> 00:30:33.090 Of your school's experience. 00:30:33.510 --> 00:30:44.280 So if your school truly does have a wonderful experience, like you're extremely proud of the school that you've built, but the creative is just an iPad video, right? 00:30:45.930 --> 00:30:49.620 There's a disconnect there and it doesn't really do your school justice. 00:30:50.490 --> 00:30:54.510 and, and so that's where I come in and, you know, I properly represent your school. 00:30:54.885 --> 00:30:59.505 I properly show through the creative, through, you know, my, my skillset, of course. 00:30:59.625 --> 00:31:01.845 Uh, what makes your school special. 00:31:02.607 --> 00:31:02.997 Yeah. 00:31:03.237 --> 00:31:04.377 Oh, I love it. 00:31:04.677 --> 00:31:05.277 So good. 00:31:05.307 --> 00:31:08.427 Alright, we're, we're gonna have another, another chat. 00:31:08.487 --> 00:31:15.117 Um, if, if you want to get in touch with Kristian edu creative.com edu creative.com. 00:31:15.477 --> 00:31:18.987 Um, and so my last question for you Kristian is. 00:31:19.737 --> 00:31:28.017 We've talked about a lot of stuff and a principal could walk away from this conversation feeling a bit overwhelmed, let's say. 00:31:28.407 --> 00:31:34.587 So what is the one thing that a principal can do this week to be a Transformative Principal? 00:31:38.120 --> 00:31:38.640 I would say 00:31:39.222 --> 00:31:39.442 Um. 00:31:39.685 --> 00:31:49.195 of their capacity, out to their staff and just ask, Hey, what's an amazing moment that you saw this week? 00:31:49.195 --> 00:31:49.255 I. 00:31:52.245 --> 00:31:57.735 Just ask open-ended, because is that gonna give them the answer of what makes our school different? 00:31:58.485 --> 00:32:00.975 No, it's not the full answer, but it's a start. 00:32:01.602 --> 00:32:01.932 Yeah. 00:32:02.145 --> 00:32:02.715 That's that. 00:32:02.715 --> 00:32:04.270 I'd say that's, that's the first start. 00:32:04.992 --> 00:32:05.352 Yeah. 00:32:05.442 --> 00:32:05.772 Good. 00:32:06.042 --> 00:32:07.872 That that's your action step folks. 00:32:08.547 --> 00:32:09.867 F talk to your teachers. 00:32:09.867 --> 00:32:11.907 What's an amazing thing that happened this week? 00:32:11.997 --> 00:32:17.097 And, and start collecting those stories and start seeing what is resonating, what's happening more and more. 00:32:17.097 --> 00:32:19.017 I think that's brilliant advice. 00:32:19.107 --> 00:32:20.277 Uh, very good. 00:32:20.847 --> 00:32:22.077 Kristian, this was awesome. 00:32:22.077 --> 00:32:22.797 Thank you so much. 00:32:22.797 --> 00:32:30.807 I look forward to chatting with you more and, um, and continuing to help schools with all the things that you're doing. 00:32:30.807 --> 00:32:31.437 So thank you.