From Dead-End to C-Suite: An Edtech’s Messaging Framework That Converts Education Conversations into Contracts

📍You’ve got a solid product.

📍You’ve got real results.

📍You’re doing outreach, refining the pitch, maybe even attending conferences.

But the leads?

Still cold.

Still inconsistent.

Still not closing.

If that’s you—you’re not alone.

Most EdTech founders think their sales problem is top-of-funnel.

They assume it’s about visibility. Activity. Doing more.

But for many, the real block isn’t volume.

It’s positioning.

That’s exactly what came up in my conversation with Carlos Zapata, founder of Unicorn Academy, who’s helping Latin American tech companies grow revenue through English training.

And the shift he made?

It wasn’t about tactics.

It was about knowing exactly who he was for—and how to speak to them.

🧭 The Reframe: From Perk to Productivity

The breakthrough came when Carlos realized his pitch wasn’t landing—because it sounded like a perk, not a priority.

So he pivoted.

He stopped describing the product —and started describing the impact to:

✔️ Tech leaders who needed client-ready engineers

✔️ Sales leaders struggling to communicate across borders

✔️ CEOs trying to expand into higher-paying global markets

Suddenly, the pitch wasn’t “learn English.”

It was “increase revenue.”

“Expand your market.”

“Compete globally.”

💡 It wasn’t a product shift—It was a positioning shift.

🚪 The Cold Outreach Trap

Like most of us, Carlos tried LinkedIn DMs and cold emails.

But when the message didn’t land, neither did the meetings.

What changed?

🎯 He stopped relying on cold starts—and started working with channel partners.

That meant teaming up with trusted organizations—that already had relationships with his ideal buyers.

Instead of trying to convince strangers to trust him, he let someone else introduce him from the sidelines.

🧠 Instant credibility. Warmer leads. Real traction.

❌ When the Message Doesn’t Match the Buyer

Carlos started like many founders do: with a direct-to-consumer model.

He sold English programs to individuals.

But the churn was high. The CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) was brutal. And the growth didn’t scale.

So he pivoted to B2B. But his messaging didn't keep up.

It was still framed as an “employee benefit”—helpful, but not urgent.

The kind of offer that sounds nice—but doesn’t spark action..

It’s like giving extra credit when the student is struggling to pass the class. 

Helpful? Maybe. 

Urgent? Not at all.

📍 The Positioning Audit: 3 Questions to Recalibrate Your Message

If you’re feeling stuck, here’s where to start:

♻️ Who are you really selling to?

HR might listen. But can they say yes? Find the buyer with the problem—and the budget.

♻️ What does your product solve for them?

Don’t describe features. Translate them into business impact.

♻️ What do they already believe?

If your messaging assumes urgency they don’t feel, it will fall flat. Anchor your offer in their goals, not just your own.

This is how Carlos turned English training into a growth strategy—and how you can turn your solution into a “must-have” by reframing the problem it solves.

🛠️ Partner-Led Growth > Cold Outreach

Carlos didn’t scale by shouting louder.

He scaled by finding people already whispering in the right ears.

That’s what partnerships offer:

✔️ Warm intros

✔️ Pre-earned trust

✔️ Higher close rates

Whether you’re building channel programs, hiring resellers, or co-marketing with aligned organisations—partnering helps you skip the door-knocking and head straight to the decision-makers.

💡 When Conferences Work—and When They Don’t

Carlos admitted something most founders feel:

“I didn’t believe in conferences much.”

Until he got clarity.

Now? He knows who he’s targeting, how to position the pitch, and what problem he solves.

📍That’s the difference between showing up at a conference and closing at one.

🧠 Message Clarity Is a Sales Strategy

The biggest myth in EdTech?

That your product just needs more exposure.

That if you send more emails, you’ll eventually break through.

But as Carlos shows us—you don’t need louder messaging.

You need aligned messaging.

And aligned messaging starts with:

✅ The right buyer

✅ The right positioning

✅ The right entry point

Once you have that? The traction follows.

🎧 Want the full story—and the full strategy?

Listen to Carlos Zapata on Breaking the Grade:

→ Apple

→ Spotify

Because the founders who grow fastest in EdTech?

❌They don’t just scale harder.

✅They position smarter.

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