In this episode, we sit down with Shani Dowell, the founder of Possip, a groundbreaking platform that bridges the gap between parents and schools to enhance student outcomes. Dowell takes us on her inspiring journey, from her background in consulting to her passion for education and the founding of Possip in 2016.

 

Join us as Dowell discusses the challenges faced in improving student outcomes and explores the vital role parents and teachers play in achieving this goal. We delve into the future of education and the profound impact technology has on the industry. Dowell also shares insights on fundraising and emphasizes the significance of finding the right investors for long-term success.

 

Discover how Possip empowers parents by providing a platform for valuable feedback to schools. With its inclusive approach, more than half of the feedback received is in languages other than English, ensuring accessibility for non-English speaking parents. Through open-ended sentiment questions, parents can express praise, seek answers to questions, or voice concerns. The technology organizes this qualitative data into subcategories, offering quantitative insights without sacrificing the richness of feedback. The collected data facilitates decision-making at the district level, and schools receive tailored recommendations based on the feedback.

 

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Founder Bio:

Shani Dowell is a visionary entrepreneur and leader in technology and education. As the founder of Possip, her work helps revolutionize how schools and districts engage with their families, students and staff. A former middle school Math teacher, Shani started her career as a consultant at Bain & Co. and helped launch the Boston office of the Posse Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to increase student retention and engagement on college campuses. Shani has also worked for education organizations across the country - seeking to create the strongest school possible for students, families, staff, and the broader community. Shani earned her BA at Howard University in Washington, DC, and her MBA at Stanford University.

 

Time Stamps:

03:08 Introduction to Shani Dowell's background

07:34 Paint point that led to the idea for Possip

09:21 The challenges of improving student outcomes

12:41 The role of technology in education

14:59 Use of text prompts and web links for parent engagement

16:56 Importance of building something you understand

19:56 Finding the right tech developer

21:16 Leveraging strengths in tech

24:08 Getting customers and understanding the education market

25:58 Finding the right price point for Possip

27:59 Business model and pricing

32:52 Fundraising journey and the importance of finding the right investors

35:40 Best fit investors for Possip

37:57 What’s coming next for Possip

39:56 How to get in contact with the Possip team

Resources:

Company website: https://possip.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/possipit

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/possipit/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PossipIt/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/possip/