🎙️ 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬, 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 🎙️

Hey breakers,

Most education founders start with the same dream:

If I just get in front of enough schools, someone will say yes.

But here’s the hard truth: schools don’t buy hope. They buy solutions to urgent, measurable problems.

That’s the exact shift Paul King—Founder & Director of Neighborhood Educational Partners (NEP) and Founder of King Education—made when he pivoted from one-on-one tutoring to landing public school contracts that raised Algebra 1 Regents pass rates in schools stuck below 50%.

He went from “extra tutoring help” to a mission-critical partner principals couldn’t afford to ignore.

And his journey isn’t just inspiring—it’s a blueprint every founder needs right now if your outreach feels generic, your pilots aren’t converting, or your pipeline is drying up.

The Pitfall: Trying to Sell To Everyone

Paul started by offering SAT prep and broad tutoring services. It seemed like a good idea—after all, every student needs help somewhere.

But that broad messaging was like walking into a classroom and trying to teach every subject at once. Confusing. Forgettable. Easy to ignore.

Founder Takeaway: If your pitch sounds like “we can do it all,” schools won’t see why they should call you at all.

The Pivot: One Problem, One Urgency

The turning point came when Paul noticed something principals couldn’t ignore:

👉 Algebra 1 Regents pass rates in some NYC high schools had fallen below 50%.

That wasn’t just bad for students—it put schools at risk of state takeover and principals at risk of losing their jobs.

By focusing on one painful, measurable problem, Paul transformed from “extra tutoring help” into a mission-critical partner.

Founder Takeaway: Pick a pain so sharp schools have to solve it—or pay the price.

Pilots Are the Drill Before the Big Game

Instead of asking schools to commit to a massive contract upfront, Paul offered small pilots. Four schools said yes in a single semester.

Those pilots weren’t just “tests”—they were scrimmages. Low-stakes practice that proved his approach worked. And like any good coach, Paul used the data from those scrimmages to prepare for the championship: renewals and bigger contracts.

Founder Takeaway: Stop swinging for the championship deal. Offer the scrimmage. Let the results sell for you.

Data = The Proof Buyers Believe

When Paul’s pilot schools saw Algebra Regents scores climb, those numbers spoke louder than any pitch deck ever could.

That proof earned him renewals—and an invitation to present in front of 60 NYC DOE officials.

Think about that: four small pilots turned into district-wide visibility. Not because of charisma, not because of buzzwords, but because of proof.

Founder Takeaway: In education sales, the most powerful slide is the one with real numbers.

Setbacks Sell Too If Framed Right

Before this breakthrough, Paul ran an SAT prep program that didn’t work out. Most founders would hide that. He didn’t.

That failure taught him his real mission wasn’t serving the affluent—it was addressing systemic inequities. And that honesty made his credibility even stronger.

It’s like telling a class about the mistakes you made as a student—suddenly, they lean in because you’re real.

Founder Takeaway: Don’t bury your failures. Frame them as proof you’ve learned—and schools will trust you more.

The Founder’s Playbook

Here’s the reset Paul’s story gives every founder:

1️⃣ Stop trying to serve everyone. Clarity beats breadth.

2️⃣ Target one urgent, measurable problem schools can’t ignore.

3️⃣ Use pilots as scrimmages that lead to championship contracts.

4️⃣ Let data—not demos—be your proof.

5️⃣ Turn setbacks into credibility builders, not shame.

Because in education sales, clarity converts. And proof—not polish—closes.

🎧 Want the full story? Listen to Paul King

→ Apple

→ Spotify

If your outreach feels generic and your pitches aren’t sticking, this is your blueprint to niche down, stand out, and start closing the partners who truly need you.

Josh

#EdSales #FounderLedGrowth #BreakingTheGrade #PaulKing #EdTechSales #SchoolContracts #ClarityConverts