What does a Fractional CMO actually do and why are ed-tech companies and colleges leaning into this flexible leadership model?

In this episode, we’re joined by Gil Rogers, founder of GR7 Marketing, whose deep roots in ed-tech and higher ed make him a go-to strategist for institutions looking to get smarter, faster. Gil shares what it really means to step in as a fractional CMO, how he helps clients clarify their marketing roadmap, and why a part-time leader can sometimes deliver full-time impact.

From content planning to KPIs to building better ed-tech partnerships, Gil breaks down what works and what colleges need to watch out for. You’ll hear real-world insights from his work with ed-tech firms that prioritize student outcomes and equity, plus practical advice for institutions looking to collaborate with tech providers that actually help, not hinder.

What You’ll Learn:
 • Why a fractional CMO can help fast-track results without the overhead
 • How outside leadership brings fresh eyes and strategy to tired campaigns
 • Tips for vetting ed-tech partners who walk the walk on student success

Email Gil at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Thanks for listening!

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Did you know that nearly one-third of college students drop out after their first year? In this episode, Carey Duke, assistant professor at North Greenville University and author of A Guide to Thrive!, joins me to explore why so many students struggle and what we can do about it. 

Carey breaks down the six key variables he uses to measure college readiness, offering a framework that goes beyond academics to include a student’s environment, mindset, motivation, and belief in their ability to succeed. Together, we unpack how these factors impact student retention and what educators, institutions, and families can do to better support students before and during their college journey. 

Bonus: Carey is offering a free copy of his book to anyone with an .edu email address. Just contact him directly to claim your copy at [email protected]

What you will learn:

• Why 1 in 3 college students drop out after their first year
• The six key factors Carey uses to assess college readiness
• Why academic ability isn’t the only predictor of success
• How a student’s background, mindset, and motivation influence persistence
• Practical strategies for improving first-year student success and retention

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Today's guest, Marcela Andrés, is the CEO and president of designEDengagement, PBC, a consulting firm built around the idea that education can be transformed by enhancing the connection between students, families, educators, and communities. Her book, Purposeful Educator Connections, discusses how educators can strengthen their relationships with students and highlights five principles that can enhance the culture of the classroom. Throughout our conversation, Marcela emphasizes the importance of family engagement at all education levels, providing practical advice and success stories from her experience and consulting work. The conversation also touches on overcoming barriers to family involvement in higher education, the need for systems that support teacher-family communication, and the impact of culturally responsive strategies. 

What you will learn:

• Why involving family and community in student education matters.
• Simple tools that teachers can use to integrate families into their students' education.
• Examples of how to overcome challenges when striving for more family and community engagement.
• Strengthening these connections can drive key goals, like student retention, while reducing uncertainty for first-generation student.

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There is a push and pull between an advertiser’s desire to attribute advertisement spending to lead generation and their responsibility to respect consumer privacy. In this episode, Raj Sudra, the Chief Technology Officer at Gannett, joins me to discuss his role and the intricacies of digital marketing attribution. He explains the technology and systems used, such as LocaliQ's proprietary Capture technology, pixel tracking, and the importance of compliance and data privacy. The conversation emphasizes the balance between collecting meaningful data for effective marketing and adhering to privacy legislation like GDPR and CCPA. Raj also talks about what’s changing in advertising platforms like Google and Facebook. He touches on why publishers prioritize first-party data as cookies become less reliable to them and how evolving technology such as AI enhances digital marketing strategies.

What you will learn:

• What pixel tracking really means 
• The impact of a cookie.
• Why data privacy and marketing don’t have to work against each other.
• The importance of evaluating, storing, and tracking data ethically.
• The technical side of how leads are generated during visits to your website

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Teege Mettille, Director of Enrollment Success at enroll ml, is joining me today to talk about the crucial topic of college admissions. Teege shares his personal journey from being a first-generation college student to a thought leader in admissions, emphasizing the transformative impact of higher education. The conversation explores his book, 'The Admissions Counselor Malaise,' which delves into the challenges facing admission staff morale, especially post-pandemic. Key issues include the corporatization of academia, the increasing application volumes, and the often-overlooked emotional toll on admissions counselors. Teege also discusses how AI and innovative technologies can alleviate these pressures by making the admissions process more efficient and targeted. 

What you will learn:

● Why the FAFSA isn’t a big indicator of enrollment.

● How the college admissions ecosystem is changing.

● Admissions counselors don’t need to be sales reps.

● Ways to bring joy back into the job of counseling students.

Thanks for listening!

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Dr. Tina King, president of San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) joins me on the show today to talk about branding and how GradComm helped elevate the beauty already present in SDCCE to connect more with the community they served. We discuss the unique aspects of SDCCE as one of the largest non-credit institutions in the nation, focusing on its mission to provide free, accessible, high-quality education to a diverse student body, including undocumented students, immigrants, and refugees. Dr. King emphasizes the college's efforts to combat poverty and enhance workforce skills in the community. The conversation highlights the recent comprehensive branding project undertaken by SDCCE aimed at improving visibility and unifying the institution's identity under the tagline 'Forward Together.' Dr. King shares insights on the importance of community involvement, historical significance, and fostering a sense of pride among students and faculty through cohesive branding efforts. 

What you will learn:

• The power of having a unified brand.
• Why understanding who you serve matters.
• Preventing your school from becoming a hidden secret by enhancing the visibility of what you do.
• How building intentional branding can impact a community.

Thanks for listening!

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What are the barriers that keep students from finishing an application or from completing their degree? Emily Coleman joins me today from HAI Analytics to discuss her company’s work in building predictive models for higher education institutions. These models help predict student behavior to optimize critical processes like the allocation of financial aid. Emily explains the importance of retaining data, overcoming data silos, and incorporating both human and artificial intelligence in predictive analytics. She also provides insights into how predictive models can aid enrollment forecasting, retention strategies, and resource allocation for better student support. Additionally, real-world examples of schools implementing these models and the difference they made are shared. Emily highlights the benefits of data-driven decision-making in effectively managing enrollment and student success.

What you will learn:

• How humans and AI can work together to handle data in the best way.
• Why predictive modeling is a great tool to help meet enrollment, headcount, and revenue goals.
• Examples of predictions that data models from HAI Analytics can make.
• The impact that comes when a college can understand the problems a student faces before they stop attending. 

Thanks for listening!

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The behavior of leaders in any organization is learned and passed down from team to team. With 89% of managers having no formal leadership training, today’s episode is an important conversation on learning what being a good leader looks like. Elaine Gosden, CEO of Blue Gnu Consulting, joins me from England to discuss leadership development and creating happier workplaces. Elaine outlines her company's approach, which focuses on learning and development initiatives to equip leaders and teams with the necessary skills. She explains tools like Insights Discovery and Motivational Maps to help understand organizational behaviors and motivations. Elaine also touches on challenges specific to university leadership, the importance of addressing organizational silos, and the significance of constant improvement for leadership effectiveness.

What you will learn:
●Tackling the challenge of new leaders managing colleagues and friends.
●How to prevent your leadership shadow from keeping feedback in the dark.
●Why investing in happiness is important for driving performance indicators.
●The benefits of trading independent teams for interdepartmental collaboration

Thanks for listening!

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The worst time to plan a response to a crisis is in the middle of a crisis. My guest on the show today is Stephanie Craig, the president of crisis management firm, Kith. In this episode, we talk about the importance of planning for a crisis ahead of time and how to practice the plan so that it’s not forgotten when it’s needed. Stephanie stresses the importance of speedily handling a crisis by knowing your core values and establishing trust in the process you create. Listen in as we talk about the tools you can use like simulations, “Oh Crap” conversations, and Gap Analysis to prepare for any crisis that may come your way.

What you will learn:
●The difference between crisis communication and crisis management.
●Questions you should be asking to prep for a crisis.
●Tips on exercising crisis plans during your regular meetings.
●The impact that core values have on speedy crisis response.
●Gap Reports: how they help find where you’re doing well and where your crisis planning could improve.

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“How do I apply for financial aid?”, “When does the fall semester start?”, “Where can I change my class schedule?” Starting college comes with many questions. Our guest for this episode, Nick Martin, has developed a way for AI to help engage with prospective students while improving the experience of existing ones. Nick is the Co-Founder of Direqt, an organization that trains conversational AI chatbots on a school’s website, data, and social media content. After developing an AI that is an expert in that school’s user experience, it’s integrated into its website as a handy tool. Having a specialized knowledge base enables this chatbot to be personable, provide unique information quickly, and locate unresolved problems through student usage patterns on the website. This episode is all about connecting with students and using cutting-edge technology to make their lives better!

Thanks for listening!

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