EdGate Powers Podcast #30- with Kevin Gray
Growing an education company is not simply a matter of finding more customers. As companies expand across states, they encounter different standards, procurement processes, accessibility requirements, data privacy expectations, and other considerations that can make what worked in one market difficult to repeat in another. For small and mid-sized companies especially, the ability to build processes that can be reused, supported by the right expertise, can determine whether growth creates momentum or simply creates more work.
In this episode of the EdGate Powers Podcast, Rich Portelance speaks with Kevin Gray, CEO and President of Product & Process, LLC, about the operational challenges education companies face as they scale. Gray discusses why companies need to understand their core competencies, build repeatable systems, and know when to bring in outside partners for areas such as standards, accessibility, and data privacy. He also shares advice for international companies entering the U.S. market, emphasizing the importance of market research, starting with a focused opportunity, building relationships, and using early successes to create a foundation for broader expansion.
A major theme throughout the conversation is the growing importance of evidence. Gray argues that companies need to be able to demonstrate that their products solve a real problem, work effectively, support students and teachers, and meet the expectations of the markets they serve. He also discusses the role of AI in improving processes, why technology should be chosen to address a clearly defined need rather than adopted simply because it is new, and how emerging opportunities in CTE and workplace skills are creating new possibilities for education companies. At every stage, he returns to the same underlying principle: sustainable growth depends on getting the fundamentals right and building systems that can support the people, products, and markets behind that growth.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why operational efficiency becomes increasingly important as education companies expand across multiple states.
- How standards, accessibility, data privacy, and procurement requirements can complicate expansion into new markets.
- Why companies should understand their core competencies and use outside partners when specialized expertise is needed.
- How international education companies can prepare for the unique demands of the U.S. education market.
- Why starting with a focused state or district opportunity can create a stronger foundation for broader growth.
- How evidence, efficacy data, and user feedback can help companies demonstrate that their products work.
Why This Conversation Matters
Education companies are facing a market where proving value is becoming increasingly important. Procurement teams are asking more questions about efficacy, accessibility, student data protection, standards alignment, and the role of AI, while districts are operating under tighter financial conditions and have less room for products that cannot demonstrate meaningful impact. For companies competing for those opportunities, being able to explain what a product does is no longer enough; they increasingly need evidence that it works and a clear understanding of the problem it is designed to solve.
Scaling creates another challenge because success in one state does not automatically translate to another. Companies need to account for differences in standards, regulations, procurement, market expectations, and relationships while finding ways to reuse what they have already learned. Gray's approach is to start where there is a strong fit, build evidence and relationships through early wins, and develop the systems and partnerships that make it possible to expand without repeatedly starting from scratch.
Join Rich and Kevin as they explore what education companies can do to build stronger operations, demonstrate meaningful product impact, and approach expansion with greater discipline and preparation. Their conversation offers practical insight into entering new markets, creating repeatable processes, using AI thoughtfully, and building the evidence and fundamentals that can help education companies succeed over the long term.
Learn how education companies need operational systems, evidence, standards alignment, and market knowledge to compete and grow in the K-12 industry.
Kevin Gray has more than 25 years of experience in education and educational technology, helping organizations develop stronger products, improve their operations, and navigate the complexities of the K–12 market. As the Founder and CEO of Product & Process, LLC, Kevin works with education companies at key growth stages, providing expertise in product strategy, market analysis, process improvement, and go-to-market planning. His experience spans both U.S. and international education markets, giving him a broad perspective on the challenges companies face as they expand and scale.
As the Founder and CEO of Product & Process, Kevin helps education companies evaluate market opportunities, strengthen internal processes, and build the systems needed for sustainable growth. He works with organizations on everything from curriculum and standards alignment to editorial workflows, sales processes, procurement readiness, and entering the U.S. K–12 market. With experience working across educational publishing, edtech, and content development, Kevin brings a practical understanding of how companies can turn strong products and ideas into scalable solutions that deliver meaningful value for educators and students.
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 uncover the answers to how education companies based in the U.S. and overseas can find sustainable business in the United States.
- Where do processes typically break down as organizations grow?
- How can education companies create systems that scale as they grow?
- How can small and mid-sized companies use partners to support growth?
- Can companies successfully scale from one state to multiple states?
- How should companies use technology to improve organizational effectiveness?
- What questions are procurement teams asking about AI?
- What challenges does CTE create for organizations managing standards?
- What should international companies put in place before entering the U.S. market?
- How can companies build evidence that their products are effective?
- Where can AI have the greatest impact on process improvement and scalability?
- What should education companies have in place before their next procurement opportunity?
- How can ExACT help companies identify opportunities in other states?