Season 4 is here, and we’re kicking it off with a conversation that will reset how you think about urgency, identity, and starting over.

In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I’m joined by Erin Mark. TEDx speaker, storyteller, and Director of Partnerships at Merit.

Erin was born with cystic fibrosis. She grew up hearing she wouldn’t live past 18. At five years old, she overheard her life expectancy on a phone call. At 35, she entered end-stage disease and was preparing to die. Then Trikafta was approved and it saved her life.

What we talk about isn’t just survival. It’s what happens after. When the future you never planned for suddenly shows up and you have to figure out who you are again.

Erin shares why real change rarely comes from dramatic overhauls. It comes from small pauses that create choice. One habit. One decision. One shift in direction.

She leaves us with a reminder she once set as her iPhone alarm during her sickest season:

"You woke up today."

That’s the work. You don’t have to fix everything this year. You just have to keep moving forward.

Follow Erin Mark on LinkedIn for clear, grounded perspective on leadership, identity, and momentum.

Listen to the full episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

For our final book club meeting of 2025, we dove into The Go-Giver—and had the incredible opportunity to host co-author Bob Burg for a live Q&A. It was one of our most reflective and practical sessions of the year.

What We Discussed

• Why generosity and value-creation matter more than tactics in leadership and enrollment
• How “everyone is in sales”—especially in higher ed
• Communicating value vs price when talking about tuition
• The difference between being a go-getter, go-giver, and go-taker
• Why listening is often the greatest form of giving
• How to build trust in low-trust environments (with international perspectives from Chile)
• The “big kahuna” lesson: why your most impactful students often don’t look like big wins at first glance

Bob Burg’s Key Insights

• Selling = giving time, attention, counsel, empathy, and value
• Trust is earned through consistency
• Stories connect deeper than how-to advice
• The Go-Giver was rejected by 24 publishers before becoming a global book series
• His recommended next read: The Go-Giver Influencer (his favorite)

Community Highlights

Our members shared Thanksgiving experiences, career transitions, international perspectives, and how The Go-Giver mirrors the best parts of higher ed: mentorship, service, and helping others flourish.

Next Book

📘 The Hottest Seat on Campus by Angel Pérez 📅 January 21, 2026

Register now: https://www.linkedin.com/events/januaryeducationmarketingleader7402410947400851456/

Thanks to everyone who joined—and special thanks to Bob for his time, generosity, and wisdom.

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Starkey-Wood, VP of Enrollment Strategy at Stamats, about what breaks most prospect journeys—and what to fix first.

We cover:

• RFI roadblocks: Why many teams can’t even find their own inquiry form and how to fix basic CTA and form placement so students don’t stall on step one.
• Day-zero done right: What a strong confirmation experience looks like (thank-you page, instant email, timely counselor outreach) and why waiting for “perfect” personalization is a mistake.
• Real personalization: Moving beyond “Hi, [First Name]” to program-specific, audience-specific content that actually reflects what students told you they care about.
• Yield and melt prevention: Simple, high-impact ways to keep accepted and deposited students engaged using faculty, current students, and multi-channel touchpoints.

Extra curricular: Watch her 60-minute webinar on the art of effective prospect nurturing.

Follow and subscribe to the Education Marketing Leader podcast for more practical conversations built for higher-ed marketers.

What does it really mean to be a small college—and to thrive as one?

In this special Book Club Edition of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, host Chris Rapozo sits down with Dr. Gary Daines, author of How to Be a Small College, along with regular EML Book Club members from across higher ed and the agency world.

Together, they unpack the “growth or die” mindset that dominates U.S. higher education and explore a more sustainable, mission-driven alternative focused on community, clarity, and authentic excellence.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Growth isn’t the only measure of success. Dr. Daines challenges the assumption that bigger is better—arguing that excellence, focus, and community impact define true institutional health.
• Mission-fit over market-share. Serving “the right students” means aligning programs, people, and messaging with the institution’s authentic purpose.
• Leadership as teaching. Effective presidents and administrators act as teachers—modeling learning, transparency, and reflection in every communication.
• Operational wisdom matters. From resource alignment to avoiding “amenities bloat,” sustainability requires discipline and courage to say no as much as yes.
• Community impact is the ultimate ROI. The most meaningful success stories aren’t always from Wall Street—they’re from graduates strengthening their local communities.

💬 Featured Voices

• Dr. Gary Daines, author and interim president, Salem Academy and College
• Chris Rapozo, host, Education Marketing Leader Podcast
• Rafi Dersimonian (ERI Design)
• Jill Whitaker (Southern Utah University)
• Troy Singer (Ring Digital / The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast)
• Jeff Ebbing (Southeastern Community College)
• Pablo Mora (University of Santiago, Chile)
• Denise Nunley (Arizona Christian University)
• Patrick Anderson (Chepers)

🔍 Conversation Highlights

• The “Apple Watch Analogy” of endless growth goals
• How to advocate for right-sizing without sounding anti-growth
• The tension between prestige and purpose—status vs excellence
• Faculty of Attention: focusing on what matters most
• Real-world stories from campuses around the globe navigating trust, leadership, and community crises

📚 Next Up

December 4 Book Club Meeting: The Go-Giver by Bob Burg — a timeless business parable about giving first to grow. Bob Burg himself will join the live discussion for a 30-minute Q&A.

Connect & Subscribe

Follow the Education Marketing Leader Podcast wherever you listen. 👉 Join the EML Book Club and get your next read at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13140172/

Connect with Chris Rapozo on LinkedIn for upcoming sessions, insights, and community updates.

The college search process is broken, and two teenagers might be the ones to fix it. 👇

When Evan Goldstein tagged along on college tours with his older brother, Jack Goldstein, something clicked:

The tours showed buildings, history, and mascots — but not real life.

What’s it actually like to live, study, and eat on campus?

What’s the vibe on a Tuesday afternoon when no one’s performing for a brochure?

That missing authenticity inspired Evan and Jack to build Quadzio, a platform connecting high schoolers with real college students for honest, unfiltered conversations.

In this week’s episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, Evan shares:

🎯 How peer connections build trust faster than marketing ever could

🎯 What “authentic” content really means to Gen Z and Gen Alpha

🎯 Why vibe beats prestige for today’s students

It’s one of the most insightful interviews I’ve had, and a reminder that sometimes, the next big idea in higher ed doesn’t come from a boardroom, it comes from a high school classroom.

🎧 Now live on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow the link in the comments.

#HigherEdMarketing #GenZ #CollegeSearch #StudentVoice #EducationMarketingLeaderPodcast

Guest: Dr. Evan Kropp, Executive Director of Distance Education, University of Florida 🐊

Topic: In-House vs. Outsourced Marketing — Finding Your Higher-Ed Sweet Spot

When should you keep marketing work in-house — and when does it make sense to outsource?

In this episode, Dr. Evan Kropp shares his eight-factor framework to help higher ed marketing teams decide where to invest their time, talent, and budget.

You’ll hear:

• Why there’s no universal playbook — and how to adapt decisions to your institution’s structure and goals
• The true cost of internal hires vs. agency work (spoiler: salary is just the start)
• How to balance control vs. expertise without stepping on toes
• Why brand consistency can sometimes backfire
• How to partner with agencies while protecting student data and your institutional voice
• A practical approach to retaining and developing marketing talent in higher ed

Dr. Kropp also talks about leadership, culture, and the long game of developing future marketers — what he calls “sending the elevator back down.”

🎧 Listen to the full episode for an honest look at what it takes to scale marketing impact without burning out your internal team.

👉 Follow and subscribe to The Education Marketing Leader Podcast for weekly conversations with higher ed’s top marketing minds.

#HigherEdMarketing #EducationMarketingLeader #EnrollmentStrategy #UniversityMarketing #BrandStrategy #AgencyPartnerships

Are your stories driving outcomes—or just filling space?

On the latest Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I sat down with Maria Kuntz, Director of Content Marketing Strategy and Communications (Advancement) at CU Boulder.

We talked about how to move from “just stories” to content that directly drives advancement and institutional goals.

Here are the key takeaways for higher ed marketers:

🔹 Every story should connect to a business outcome—volunteer, mentor, attend, or give.

🔹 Audience segmentation matters. CU Boulder found Tier 4 alumni engaged with “delight content” like recipes and guides, while Tier 5 clicked the logo first—making the homepage experience critical.

🔹 Don’t skip CTAs, but vary them. Shifting from “donate/register” to “read/share/learn” reduces fatigue and builds trust.

🔹 Cutting email volume raised more money. Protecting attention proved more effective than blasting more campaigns.

🔹 Paid content can pay off. A Meta campaign delivered $5 raised for every $1 spent.

🔹 AI is a tool, not a replacement. CU Boulder uses it for research and first drafts, but always layers in human voice and verification.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation for practical insights on content strategy in advancement.

👉 Follow the Education Marketing Leader Podcast for more conversations with higher ed marketing leaders.

P.S. get your recipe for the vegan coconut bread here: https://www.colorado.edu/coloradan/2025/07/07/kale-yeah-cu-boulders-sustainable-dining

#HigherEdMarketing #Advancement #ContentStrategy #Podcast #HigherEducation

This month’s Education Marketing Leader Book Club turned into a masterclass on applying business strategy in higher ed, and how to market what you’ve actually got.

Whether you work at an institution or support one as a vendor or consultant, you’ll find so much value in this one.

Especially if you’ve ever felt stuck in the “short-order cook” trap or siloed from strategy.

✅ Why every marketer needs to think like a product manager

✅ Lessons on market fit, internal alignment, and pricing strategy

✅ A call to center brand and experience—because one bad interaction can undo a million-dollar campaign

✅ Real examples from Pepperdine, public universities in Chile, and health systems like Franciscan Health

✅ Why marketers must earn a seat at the program design table—and how to start

Huge thanks to author Luke Phillips for joining the session and sharing practical advice from his role leading enrollment marketing and digital strategy at Pepperdine.

📘 Next Up: How to Be a Small College by Gary Daynes

📅 Meeting Date: November 4 at Noon ET

👉 Register here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/novembereducationmarketingleade7377031603371315200/

Join the Education Marketing Leader Book Club and connect with peers who care deeply about the future of higher ed.

Become a member: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13140172/

#HigherEdMarketing #EducationMarketingLeader #BookClub #EnrollmentStrategy #MissionFit