Your School Superpower Is Killing Your Business

This week, I want to get tactical about something I'm seeing repeatedly in conversations with educators making the entrepreneurial leap.

You know that colleague who teaches three different subjects, coaches two sports, runs the school newspaper, and somehow finds time to organize the faculty holiday party? In schools, we celebrate these multi-talented workhorses—and rightfully so. The ability to wear multiple hats isn't just valued in education; it's practically a job requirement.

But here's what I've learned the hard way: this "good at everything" superpower that makes you indispensable in schools can actually sabotage your business.

The Clarity Problem

I've spoken with numerous school officials recently who are considering making the switch or have already transitioned to full-time entrepreneurship. The pattern is always the same. They launch with a dizzying array of service offerings because, well, they can do all those things.

The problem? Schools looking at their website or marketing materials have no idea what they actually do. When you offer everything, you're known for nothing.

The One-Thing Rule

Someone shared this advice with me, and it's been game-changing: Think in ones.

• One product offering

• One marketing tactic

• One person or persona you're selling to

Start by getting really good at that focused approach. Master it. Become known for it. Then you can expand.

This goes against every instinct we've developed in schools, where success often means juggling multiple responsibilities simultaneously. But in business, especially when you're starting out, focus trumps versatility.

Making the Shift

Your decades in education aren't wasted—they're your competitive advantage. But that advantage only works when you can clearly articulate exactly how you help schools. Instead of "I do curriculum and training and consulting and strategic planning," try "I help middle schools increase student engagement through project-based learning implementation."

See the difference? One is a laundry list. The other solves a specific problem for a specific audience.

The beauty of starting focused isn't that you'll never expand—it's that you'll expand from a position of strength and clarity rather than confusion.

So if you're contemplating this leap or already in the thick of it, ask yourself: What's your one thing? What specific problem do you solve better than anyone else for a clearly defined group of schools?

Start there. Get known for that. Everything else can wait.