🎙️$𝟗𝐌 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 $𝟗𝐌 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞🎙️

Hey Breakers,

Every leader in education is staring at the same wall:

👉 Buyers roll their eyes at “AI.”

👉 Every deck has “personalized learning” by slide two.

👉 And every district has heard a hundred “transformational” pitches this year alone.

So here’s the real question:

Why do some AI-driven companies land partnerships, funding, and district contracts—while others stall at “we’ll think about it”?

That’s exactly what I unpacked earlier this January, with Jaime Palés, co-founder and president of YourWay Learning and Michael Golden, Vice Dean of Innovative Programs and Partnerships and Executive Director of Catalyst at Penn GSE

They broke down exactly how YourWay turned AI from hype into credibility—and how that credibility helped unlock a Penn GSE partnership and a fundraising path that hit $9M in just a few months.

The Mistake: Riding the Buzzword Wave

Jaime didn’t sugarcoat it.

When they first named the company “YourWay AI,” they did it because… well, “AI” sells.

But here’s the problem: buzzwords don’t close deals.

District leaders have lived through decades of shiny tech that promised transformation—and delivered another login screen.

If your sales pitch leans only on “AI,” you’re setting yourself up for rejection.

The Framework: Research → Partnerships → Practice

What shifted for YourWay—and caught Penn’s attention—was this three-part foundation:

1️⃣ Research first

From day one, they tied everything to pilots, evidence, and measurable impact. As Michael put it: “We saw they weren’t just another shiny tool—they started with evidence.”

2️⃣ Partnerships that multiply credibility

Instead of pitching districts cold, YourWay built with Penn GSE. That alignment gave them both trust and distribution.

3️⃣ Practice that proves it

Jaime’s first venture had amazing PD workshops—but no classroom impact. That failure forced him to rebuild with research-to-practice at the core. Now? That’s their sales engine.

The Mindset Shift: Education ≠ Easy Money

Jaime was blunt: “If you want to make a lot of money, don’t go into education.”

And he’s right.

Founders who survive in this space aren’t chasing quick cash. They’re mission-driven, credibility-obsessed, and patient enough to push against concrete walls.

District buyers can feel that difference. If your pitch sounds like you’re here to extract revenue instead of delivering impact—they’ll walk away.

The Strategy: Founder Credibility > Features

Michael nailed it: the road to education reform is littered with failed startups. Why?

They didn’t balance three things:

• Education impact

• Technology integration

• A real business model
  

YourWay’s edge wasn’t AI. It was Jaime showing up as a founder who had been burned before, learned, and rebuilt with humility.

That credibility—paired with Penn’s partnership—is what made districts and investors lean in.

The Reality Check: Founder DNA Matters

So what does it actually take to last in this space?

Persistence: You can’t accept no as final.

Strategic focus: Short-term execution + long-term vision.

Openness: Willingness to admit you don’t know it all.

Resilience: Surviving the “penthouse to outhouse” swings every founder faces.

Jaime shared his own story: at 30, ego drove him. At 53, he leaves ego at the door, hires smarter people, and even stepped aside as CEO so the company could scale.

That humility? It closes more doors than features ever will.

Takeaway for Education Founders and Leaders

If you’re leading in education—whether as a founder, a district leader, or an EdTech exec—here’s the blueprint from Monterrey:

1️⃣ Don’t pitch AI as a magic word—prove it with research.

2️⃣ Build partnerships that extend your credibility.

3️⃣ Lead with mission, not ego.

4️⃣ Balance innovation with evidence + business reality.

Remember: AI alone won’t close the deal. Research, partnerships, and founder clarity will.

That’s how YourWay turned a buzzword into $9M in momentum—and it’s the same playbook any founder can use to win buyers who’ve heard it all.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now

→ Apple

→ Spotify

Because in EdTech, research builds trust, partnerships multiply it, and founder clarity sells it.

Josh

#EdTechSales #FounderLedGrowth #BreakingTheGrade #YourWay #Fundraising