In episode five of All Things Marketing and Education, Elana sits down with Chris Walsh, an educator, media producer, and entrepreneur passionate about using digital tools to bring large-scale innovations to teaching and learning. Throughout this conversation, Chris explains how EdTech marketers can meaningfully engage with educators right now and explores his personal impact while working both in and out of the classroom throughout his career.
[00:32] A little bit about Chris
[11:13] How do educators rely on EdTech?
[13:24] Chris’ career as an educator
[16:02] Why Chris loves middle school
[19:13] Chris’ intro into tech
[23:00] “It wasn’t a switch that flipped. It was an evolution over several years.”
[24:25] We’re all in this profession not for the money but for the impact.
[25:08] Schedule in and out of the classroom
[28:30] Burning out of startups
[31:15] “In order to have scale, I need to first have deep impact.”
[37:33] The importance of authenticity in marketing to educators.
[42:35] What is the difference between working at a public vs private school?
[42:56] Hybrid learning during the pandemic at public and private institutions
[43:41] Pandemic inequities between the haves and the have nots
[44:47] Marketers in EdTech need to understand and address these inequities
[45:51] Value first marketing, especially when speaking to educators
[50:34] We are all burnt out on zoom.
[50:48] Know the right tactic for the right moment. Find where teachers are today.
[53:12] What inspires Chris?
[55:42] “Everything is interesting.”
Transcripts
Elana Leoni:
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Elana Leoni:
wait. No, no, you’re right,:
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Elana Leoni:
So we’re hanging out at Edutopia, and I came in to manage their new membership program where, at the time, we were starting out webinars, because those were the new thing; and doing other fun things for membership and trying to gather a community of people together for Edutopia. I came in for that, but Chris, you were managing the grant-funded project, “Digital Generation,” which I always say was way before its time.
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Elana Leoni:
Anyways, fast forward, I always tell people; when I meet other people, and Chris is in the room; I say, this is the man that taught me how to tweet. I know you always say that’s not true, but it actually is true. I can remember the time, when I was sitting in front of a computer, and he started a Twitter account for the “Digital Generation.” At the time, Edutopia didn’t even have a Twitter account; but you were just talking to people.
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He has a great podcast, by the way, called School 180, and it features conversations with educators, parents, coaches, and basically anyone who’s helping kids thrive during this crazy uncertainty of the pandemic, of what it’s like to be a teacher right now. I like it because you interview all different stakeholders, and it’s like our podcast, where I talk to people deep in EdTech and then educators on the ground, too.
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Elana Leoni:
I know.
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You were the winning mentor that year, so that was exciting.
Elana Leoni:
I know. I can’t imagine that. As an educator, people get hooked, and I was hooked; because in the beginning of that project, they were not into it at all. They were trying, but they didn’t know each other. This was a hard assignment. Then you could just feel it, addictive, and they were like, “yes, this is cool. All right, cool.” Then they just went above and beyond, and their eyes turned bright. They just went for it. That’s the stuff that gets exciting.
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What? Yes.
Elana Leoni:
Anyway, this is my pleasure, to introduce you, Chris Walsh, to the “All Things Marketing and Education” podcast. Welcome, Chris.
Chris Walsh:
Thank you so much.
Elana Leoni:
Is there anything else you want to tell the audience about yourself before we get started?
Chris Walsh:
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It was fun.
Elana Leoni:
Yes, and you can come in with the knowledge you have, because they certainly wouldn’t have been able to do and bring it to exit the way you did; and just play around, and say, “here’s what educators need right now in the classroom.”
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Elana Leoni:
Yeah, you have a great, flexible – actually, do you mind talking about what you’re doing right now? I think, as we look at the evolution of your path, you coming back to the classroom but understanding what you need to thrive and how this all comes together.
Chris Walsh:
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Elana Leoni:
Yes, everywhere, tech. But when it comes to scale in particular, when you think about depth, do things right; do it deeply. That, from our team at LCG, we do as a value-driven approach around community in particular. You were talking about product, and it’s certainly true for product; but if we’re building a community of educators, let’s go deep.
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Chris Walsh:
Yes, thank you.
Elana Leoni:
I know our audience learned so much, and there are many times where you were talking where I literally had goosebumps, and I hope the audience does as well, as they start figuring out. This is just a hard time we’re all living in. We’re all trying to figure it out, but I hope I can provide people like you, that have had decades in the school system, out of the school system. We’re all just here, mission driven, trying to make an impact.
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Elana Leoni:
All right, and again, you can all access the show notes at leoniconsultinggroup.com/5, and we will see you all next time on another episode of “All Things Marketing and Education.” Thank you all.
