Show Notes

After 30 years as an elementary school teacher and administrator, Janna Tolleson knew it was time to retire from the classroom, but not from education. She wanted her next chapter to be with a company that "continued to support classroom teachers as a primary focus." She found that mission at Bedford, Freeman & Worth, a high school AP publisher. The catch? She had never taught a day of high school in her life. In this episode, Janna shares her incredibly thoughtful transition, including the key moment in her interview when she was asked to create a "business plan"—and she realized it was the *exact* same thing as a "school improvement plan."

• From Elementary to AP: Janna discusses the hurdle of applying for a high school sales rep role as a 30-year elementary school teacher—and why the company valued her teaching experience over her content-specific background.
• The Interview Project: Janna explains how she "translated" her teaching skills, approaching the company's "business plan" project by treating it exactly like a "school improvement plan" she would write as a principal.
• The Corporate vs. Education Interview: Janna shares her discovery that, unlike the "get a job before you're on the highway" speed of education hiring, the corporate interview process is a multi-step, weeks-long journey.
• What She Learned in Sales: The biggest skill Janna had to learn in her new role was *patience*—understanding the long, complex purchasing cycle of a school district.
• Advice: You Already Have the Skills: Janna's core advice for teachers is that they are already doing project management, data analysis, and sales ("selling education to some very reluctant customers") every single day.

Episode Article

After 30 years serving North Carolina public schools, primarily in Title I, Janna Tolleson made the post-pandemic decision to retire. But after "somewhere to go every August" for three decades, she knew she wasn't done with education—she just needed a new way to contribute. Her goal was clear: find a company whose primary focus was supporting classroom teachers. She found that alignment with Bedford, Freeman & Worth, a high school publisher focused on Advanced Placement courses.

There was only one problem: she was an elementary school teacher. "I never taught a day of high school in my life," Janna admitted, a fact she was upfront about in her interview. But the company's response was telling: "You know teaching. You know curriculum. You know what a teacher needs." They valued her pedagogical expertise far more than her specific content knowledge.

Janna's story is a masterclass in how to "translate" your educator skills for the corporate world. The most pivotal moment came during the multi-step interview process (a shock in itself, she jokes, compared to "getting a job before you're on the highway"). The company asked her to complete a project: analyze territory data and create a business plan. Instead of being intimidated by the "business" jargon, Janna had a realization. "I approached it as student test scores and an improvement plan," she explained. "Take your student data... where are your strengths? Where are your weaknesses? What am I going to do to fix it?" She "translated" her skills as a principal, using the exact same process of data analysis, goal setting, and strategy development to build her sales plan.

Her advice to teachers who are "noodling" on a change is powerful. First, she says, you're already a salesperson—"I was selling education to some very reluctant customers" for 30 years. Second, you are already a project manager, a data analyst, and a customer success expert. Her final tip? "It's okay if you want to start looking now, even if you don't do it for five years." Go on the interviews, she says, because "how will you ever know unless you have that conversation?"