In a market where families have more options than ever, the schools that will win are the ones willing to ask hard questions about who they are, who they serve, and what they will stop doing. In this conversation, Peter Baron and David Hanson, founder of Winthrop and Associates, dig into what it actually takes to build a strategy that wins your market.

Winning requires starting in the right place. Most schools are trying to compete while building on a business model they have never honestly examined. Personnel costs running 60 to 80 percent of the budget, tuition covering a shrinking share of operating costs, and program portfolios that grow by addition rather than subtraction. Both Peter and David make the case that strategy must be rooted in a clear-eyed assessment of the business model first, before a single new idea gets added to the list.

That shared conviction is what led them to build Strategy+ The School Operating System that helps schools assess their model, make real strategic choices, and move to execution in four months. This conversation is a window into that thinking, and a useful starting point for any leadership team ready to compete with clarity and intention. business model first, before a single new idea gets added to the list.

What You'll Learn from Peter Baron and David Hanson:

Pause before planning. Before launching your next strategic plan, commit three to six months to a rigorous review of your business model. Assess both the revenue and expense sides with fresh eyes, not prior-cycle assumptions.
Dynamic Staffing Models: Since staffing accounts for a significant portion of school budgets, there is an invitation to explore flexible, fractional, or outsourced roles to support long-term sustainability.
Map your non-tuition revenue opportunities. Inventory your facilities, programs, and partnerships. Identify two or three mission-aligned revenue streams that are currently underutilized and assign someone to build a business case for each.
Establish a decision framework with your board before generating ideas. Agree upfront on the criteria that will govern what moves forward into planning. Getting that alignment in place before ideas are on the table makes it much easier to say no without conflict.
Ask who you want to serve, and gather external data to answer that question. Don't rely on internal assumptions. Get an actual market perspective on how your school is perceived, what families value, and where your brand stands relative to your competitive set.

Winning Your Market: A Framework for Independent School Strategy