01 — Welcome to Unleash YES!
Release Date: 06/21/2024
40 – The One-Year Tipping Point: How Kendra’s Business Exploded as a Side Hustle
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
What does it actually look like to go from classroom teacher to in-demand PD consultant—and hit the one-year tipping point in a learning-based business? In this episode of Unleash YES, we’re joined by Kendra Jacobs (), a mathematics thought leader who, in just one year, grew her audience from 2K to 11K, launched a thriving membership community, created an online membership, and saw her professional development requests from districts explode. Kendra shares the exact moments that changed everything: · The identity shift from teacher to thought...
info_outline
BONUS – Introducing...The Educator Freedom Lab!
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
The Unleash YES Bootcamp is officially becoming the Educator Freedom Lab. In this short bonus episode, we share: Why “bootcamp” no longer fits the educators we serve What freedom actually looks like when you go independent Who the Educator Freedom Lab is for (and who it’s not) If you love education but feel like your role can’t hold you anymore… this episode will land. 👉 Curious if the Educator Freedom Lab is aligned for you? Book a with us and let’s find out. Let’s go.
info_outline
39 — Why the System Loved You… Until It Didn’t
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
If you’ve ever wondered why the school system loved you… until it didn’t, this episode will feel like someone finally turned the lights on. Natalie and Tom unpack the research-backed pattern behind why innovative educators go from “golden child” to “too much,” and why the very qualities that once made you indispensable are the same ones pointing you toward your next chapter. You’ll hear what 95 in-depth educator interviews revealed about the Innovator Backlash, and the deeper truth that you were never misaligned — you were miscast. And once you see what’s actually...
info_outline
38 – Craft an Inspiring Keynote That Moves Hearts and Opens Doors
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping onto a stage and delivering a keynote that actually moves people — this one’s for you. Most educators approach keynotes like extended lessons… but an unforgettable keynote doesn’t teach. It transforms. In this powerful episode, Tom and Nat break down the exact process they use to help educators design keynotes that spark paradigm shifts, generate speaking invitations, and open consulting doors. You’ll learn how to: Plan content around a transformation (not a lecture) Engage audiences through story, visuals, and intentional moments of...
info_outline
37 – How to Find Your Education Consulting Niche as a K-12 Teacher & School Leader
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
If you’re a teacher or school leader ready to start consulting but can’t decide what to focus on, this episode is for you. Tom and Natalie reveal how to uncover the niche that’s been right in front of you: your own transformation story. You’ll learn how to trace your lived experience, tap into the emotions behind your expertise, and test what schools actually need so you stop chasing trends and start leading them. 🎧 Ready to turn your expertise into a consulting business that gives you freedom?👉 to explore how we can help you fully booked in 2026! Connect with Tom & Nat:...
info_outline
35 – The Truth About Consulting Firms: Perks, Pitfalls, and What They Don’t Tell You
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
Thinking about joining a consulting firm in education to get your start as a consultant? Before you commit, this episode breaks down what it’s really like to work with these organizations, and what every teacher entrepreneur should know first. In this episode of Unleash YES, Tom Schimmer and Natalie Vardabasso unpack the truth about consulting firms in education: how they actually work, the perks that seem appealing, and the trade-offs no one talks about. You’ll learn: How consulting firms really “hire” educators (and what that means for your income and autonomy) Why being...
info_outline
34 – Force vs. Flow: The Mindset Reset Every Entrepreneur Needs
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
If you’ve been hustling hard, overthinking every post, and gripping your business so tightly that you’ve stopped feeling inspired—this episode is your reset. In Flow vs. Force, Natalie and Tom unpack what really happens when strategy alone stops working and your energy turns from expansion to exhaustion. You’ll hear: How both of them fell into the trap of forcing their business—and what finally helped them let go. Wayne Dyer’s timeless wisdom on why you don’t attract what you want, you attract what you are. Four simple, practical ways to shift from control to...
info_outline
5 – Your 90-Day Roadmap: Launch Your Consulting Business with the Freedom Formula
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
You don’t need an MBA or a huge following to land your first paying clients — you need a clear plan. In this final From Crickets to Clients episode, Tom and Nat walk you through their proven five-step Freedom Formula (Define, Empathize, Prototype, Test, Accelerate). You’ll leave with a crystal-clear 90-day roadmap to go from “I’m not a business person” to “I’m fully booked.” Grab the free roadmap at and follow along as you build a business that sets you free. And if you’re ready to skip the trial-and-error and have us guide you through every step, book a free call for the...
info_outline
4 — Turn Scrolls into Sales: The Proven Visibility System for Consultants
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
If no one knows you exist, they can’t hire you. In the 4th episode of our From Crickets to Clients series, we’re pulling back the curtain on our simple, repeatable visibility system — the one that’s turned our social profiles into a sales machine. You’ll learn how to: · Build your creative muscle so showing up online becomes second nature. · Write scroll-stopping posts that actually get engagement. · Use the Pizza Party Principle to balance inspiring, educational, and...
info_outline
3 — How to Design an Irresistible Offer Without People Pleasing
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
This is Episode 3 of our From Crickets to Clients series, a five-part roadmap to help educators launch and grow consulting businesses that actually bring in paying clients. In this episode, Tom and Nat unpack the Offer System, the piece that keeps you from rebuilding the exact job you just left. Because saying yes to every random request might feel like progress, but it only leads to burnout and busywork. You’ll discover how to: · Define what an offer really is (hint: it’s about transformation, not tasks) · ...
info_outlineLearn more about Tom and Natalie's journey from employee to entrepreneur, why they made this podcast, and who it's for (and NOT for).
Resources:
>> Learn More About the Unleash YES Bootcamp!
>> Quiz: Which Learning-Based Business Model is Right for Me?
>> Starter Guide: The First 6 Steps to Launch Your Learning-Based Business
Tom Schimmer and Natalie Vardabasso specialize in helping educators to launch and grow their learning-based business.
Connect with Tom & Nat:
>> Follow Tom on Linkedin
>> Follow Nat on Linkedin
>> Follow @unleashyes on Instagram
>> Book a call.