Supporting Edtech Founders: A Business Advisor’s Perspective

Working with Edtech Founders in a business advisory capacity requires a special set of skills.

Entrepreneurs are often deeply immersed in building innovative solutions for education, but they’re also navigating the complex realities of running a business.

One thing is clear: Founders are time poor. Their schedules are packed, their attention is pulled in multiple directions, and their bandwidth for strategic reflection is limited.

That’s why effective advisory support must be tailored to fit their world.

For some Founders, the best approach is “little and often”- short, focused check-ins that keep momentum going without taking over their calendar. Other Founders prefer to carve out a dedicated two-hour slot every fortnight, creating space for deeper strategic conversations. The key is flexibility from the advisor: understanding what works for the individual and adapting accordingly.

A business advisor’s role goes beyond offering solutions. It starts with helping a Founder identify the problems that need attention, whether these are lurking beneath the surface or hiding in plain sight. From there, the advisor should offer suggestions, frameworks and options but not prescriptions. Founders need to be empowered, not directed. And, just as importantly, they need support. The journey of building a company can be isolating and having someone with relevant business expertise/sector knowledge in their corner, someone who will listen, challenge and encourage, can make all the difference.

In my own work with Edtech Founders, I’ve seen recurring patterns of challenges. Fundraising is a perennial challenge, especially in a sector where impact and scalability must go hand in hand. Sales strategies, whether B2C or B2B, often need refinement. Marketing messages must be sharpened to resonate with the target audience and to equip the sales team for success (in very early-stage companies the Founder is often the salesperson, as well as doing everything else - and so help with this area, I find, is particularly welcome). These are all areas where I’ve been able to add real value, drawing on experience to help Founders move faster and smarter.

At The Team Lab, we’ve also built a network of advisors who bring expertise across the spectrum. Beyond strategy and growth, we have specialists who can support Founders with HR challenges, financial planning, and operational efficiency. This is a holistic approach designed to meet Founders where they are and help them get where they want to go.

If you’re an Edtech Founder looking for support, or if you know someone who is, get in touch. We’d love to help. At The Team Lab, we draw on a team of specialists to offer tailored advisory support across strategy, fundraising, sales, marketing, HR and finance. Whether you need a sounding board or hands-on guidance, we’re here to help.

Get in touch today and let’s build something extraordinary together.

Contact Mark Hanley-Browne, mhb@the-team-lab.com for a confidential chat.