Support for Hybrid School Founders and Early-Stage Leaders

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Brand New Founder?

If you are a hopeful founder, but still in the preliminary stages of planning and building, check out the self-study courses.

Plan It
Build It

How I Work with Schools

I partner with new and startup hybrid school founders to strengthen governance, leadership, and operational systems. Depending on your school’s stage and needs, there are three main ways to work together:

FAQ

  • The planning course is for people in the very beginning stages and includes help with validating the market and budgeting. From there, the building course helps actually build out everything from incorporation to admissions to hiring. Support services are available along the way.

    A program that is already established often needs support in the first few years as well as during transition and growth stages.

  • Yes! Nonprofits have many complexities that private businesses do not. Boards, compliance, taxes…it is all different! Many nonprofit founders and Boards are not really sure what the distinctions are and can accidentally end up on the wrong track which can lead to frustration and confusion and burnout. Nonprofit training is essential to sustainability!

  • Both. Often it is the founder who is carrying the burden of making everything work and is looking for support. Boards, however, are legally responsible for nonprofits. Ideally, founders and Board Presidents (and other officers) will at least get the same training so they understand governance and operations and what Boards are supposed to do (and not do!).

  • If you are in the very earliest stages of starting, you may be like I was and really be on a tight budget. Please send me an email and we will see what we can do!

School Health & Sustainability Review

Ensure your mission outlasts your current challenges.

This diagnostic engagement provides an objective assessment of whether your school’s leadership, governance, and systems are positioned to sustain its mission into the next season and beyond.We look past the daily operations to evaluate the core structures that shape long-term viability in the following four areas.

Program Structure & Capacity Alignment

“Is the program model appropriately sized for the people running it?”

Focus areas:

  • Schedule + workload balance

  • Staffing structure & relational load

  • Volunteer reliance patterns

  • New-program expansion pressure

  • Growth pacing vs operational readiness

Governance & Organizational

“Is the organization being well-stewarded at the leadership level?”

  • Focus areas:

    • Clarity of governance vs operations

    • Board composition, roles, committees, and cadence

    • Strategic direction + decision-making pathways

    • Executive oversight and evaluation practices

    • Financial transparency

    • Mission protection & sustainability mindset

Administration Management

“Are the administrative foundations strong enough to support the work?”

Focus areas:

  • Budgeting practices & cash-flow awareness

  • HR basics (roles, onboarding, documentation)

  • Payroll & contractor processes

  • Data + record systems (SIS, bookkeeping, docs)

  • Internal planning and evaluation rhythms

  • Role clarity across admin support

Communication, Trust & Organizational Culture

“Do people understand what’s happening, why decisions are made, and how they fit in?”

Focus areas:

  • Internal communication pathways

  • Founder → staff → board information flow

  • Conflict patterns + relational strain

  • Decision transparency & rationale sharing

  • Culture of trust vs burnout / crisis mode

The Outcome: A comprehensive summary of strengths, vulnerabilities, and pressure points. You gain a shared language and a clear roadmap for making informed decisions.

The Cost: customizable but ranges from:

$500 to $900 for the Light version (best for younger and smaller programs in their first 2 to 3 years)

$1800 to $2500 for the Comprehensive version (larger and more complex programs)

Document review only available upon request (bylaws, handbooks, policies and procedures, etc..)

The Process:

  1. Fill out the Pre-Discovery Call Intake Form

  2. Schedule a free Discovery Call

  3. Receive and sign Agreement*

  4. Complete detailed questionnaire.

  5. Submit requested documents for review.

  6. Schedule interview (founder focused. A Board President and/or co-founder interview may also be requested)

  7. Receive summary and recommendations

    *Options for review of further documents and/or observation of Board or other meetings also available. Charges will be listed on agreement.

Pre-Discovery Call Intake Form

Founder Advisory (2-3 available)

Ongoing strategic support (long-term relationship of 6 months or more)

This work often follows a Sustainability Review, allowing advisory conversations to be grounded in a shared understanding of the school’s structures and challenges.

Founder Advisory provides ongoing, relational support for school founders navigating the first year, leadership complexity, board relationships, or institutional growth. This relationship is purely advisory and not operational.

May include:

  • Strategic decision-making support

  • Navigating board dynamics and governance questions

  • Leadership role clarity and boundary-setting

  • Thinking partnership during seasons of change

This engagement is intentionally limited and customized, but generally includes access to twice monthly or weekly calls, email support, and/or attendance at meetings over a 6 to 12 month period (can be customized to need).

Cost: Start-up and very small programs contact for payment plans

  • $150 to $600/month retainer depending on scope of work

Governance & Sustainability Training

For boards and leadership teams

These facilitated trainings help boards and leadership teams develop shared language and understanding around governance responsibilities, roles, finances, meetings, bylaws, and smooth communication.

Training topics may include:

  • Board roles, authority, and fiduciary responsibility

  • Governance vs. operations in founder-led schools

  • Sustainability and Strategy

Training is often most effective:

  • In the first year

  • Following a Sustainability Review

  • During leadership or board transitions

  • When a board seeks clearer alignment and confidence

    Cost: TBD based on needs.

Choosing the Right Starting Point

Usually the Review is the best place to start, but if you are unsure, we can begin with a conversation.

Schedule a Call