EdGate Powers Podcast #1 - with Conni Francini
Breaking into the education market can be difficult for edtech companies, particularly when they try to serve too many states and districts before fully understanding what those markets need. Success requires more than a promising product. Companies need to understand the classrooms they are building for, the specific requirements of the states they want to enter, and the people responsible for deciding whether a solution is worth adopting.
In this episode of the EdGate Powers Podcast, Rich Portelance speaks with Conni Francini, an education industry consultant and former classroom teacher, about what it takes for edtech companies to enter the K–12 market and build lasting relationships with schools. Francini explains why newer companies are often better served by focusing deeply on a smaller number of states rather than trying to sell nationwide, and why spending time in classrooms and district offices can reveal challenges that companies cannot discover through market research alone. She also discusses the importance of standards alignment, third-party evaluations, state-specific requirements, and having the right expertise available as companies work to accelerate their time to market.
For Francini, understanding the education market also means recognizing that schools are not simply purchasing software. Trust, implementation support, ease of use, and a genuine understanding of educators' priorities can be just as important as the product itself. She describes why she required members of her own team to spend time in classrooms, how customer feedback can shape everything from product design to implementation, and why outside partners can provide valuable expertise that even larger companies cannot maintain internally. The conversation ultimately looks toward a changing education landscape, including the growing importance of skills, workforce preparation, and the opportunities that exist beyond traditional K–12 markets.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why new edtech companies may benefit from focusing on specific states rather than attempting to enter all 50 markets at once.
- How spending time in classrooms and district offices can give product teams a better understanding of educators' needs.
- Why state-specific standards alignment can be an important part of entering a new market.
- How third-party evaluations and documentation can help remove barriers during the sales process.
- Why education companies may benefit from working with external partners that have specialized market expertise.
- How trust and strong relationships influence the way schools evaluate edtech solutions.
- Why ease of implementation matters when teachers are already managing significant demands.
- How direct customer feedback can help companies improve their products and stay responsive to changing priorities.
Why This Conversation Matters
The education market continues to evolve, and edtech companies have to navigate that environment while responding to the realities educators and school leaders face every day. Teacher workload, implementation challenges, changing funding conditions, state-specific requirements, and the need to demonstrate value all influence whether a product gains traction. Companies that understand those pressures are better equipped to develop solutions that fit into schools rather than creating another burden for the people expected to use them.
Francini's perspective also highlights why market knowledge cannot be separated from product development. Knowing which states to pursue, understanding their standards and requirements, listening directly to educators, and building relationships with trusted partners can help companies make better decisions about where and how they grow. As education increasingly places greater emphasis on skills and preparation for life after high school, companies that remain attentive to changing priorities may find opportunities to serve needs that extend well beyond traditional classroom technology.
Join Rich and Conni as they explore what it takes for edtech companies to understand their markets, earn the trust of educators, and build solutions around the realities of schools and classrooms. Their conversation offers practical insight into focusing market strategy, accelerating time to market, working with the right partners, and staying close enough to educators to recognize where education is heading next.
Learn how edtech companies can succeed by putting the customer at the center of product development, communication, implementation, and ongoing support.
Conni Francini is a proven, results-oriented strategist, with over 25 years of leadership and consulting in K–12 education. She’s developed (or improved) thousands of products at the heart of tens of millions of dollars in revenue, partnered with trusted brands such as The Smithsonian and TIME For Kids, and won dozens of education industry awards. In her current role as CEO of Clarity Consulting, she guides K–12 education companies on their most confident path to more successful products and services.
Rich is passionate about eEdTech and helping people discover pathways to successful careers. He leverages his many years of business experience in strategy, product development, brand creation and sales & marketing as a frequent industry speaker and sought after consultant.
Beginning his career in digital marketing and web development, Rich was recruited into the private, independent school market to help usher in digital technologies and social media. During this time, Richard served as a student advisor and was nominated to serve on the CAIS (Connecticut Association of Independent Schools) Technology Commission. In 2012, Rich joined York & Chapel, a brand and digital transformation agency where he began working with secondary and higher ed clients, developing strategies for student engagement and pathway creation. In 2014, Richard founded CareerPath, a SaaS engagement platform. Over the past ten years, Rich has given back to the industry as an advisor to numerous EdTech startups, and generally has had a blast doing what he loves to do — help others succeed.
Questions Answered
During the podcast, we discuss critical answers for how edtech companies can better understand their customers, respond to changing priorities, and build solutions to support educators.
- What changes are happening in the K–12 education landscape?
- Why are educators hesitant to adopt innovative edtech products?
- How can edtech companies build trust and validate their products?
- How can edtech companies speed up their time to market?
- How can edtech companies future-proof themselves?
- How can classroom experience inform edtech product development?
- What are the top conferences for people in edtech?