17 – How to Find Your Clients on Social Media
Release Date: 02/17/2025
42 – Teachers Deserve It: How Rae Hughart is Reimagining K-12 Consulting
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
👉 Feeling called to make a bigger impact in education? If you’re curious about building aligned, paid work beyond your current role, you can book a clarity call with us here: [] Some people talk about innovation in education. Rae Hughart lives it. In this episode of Unleash YES, we sit down with Rae Hughart—former middle school math teacher, education leader, and founder of Teachers Deserve It—to unpack what it really looks like to build a learning-based consulting business that respects teachers and creates systems-level change. Rae shares how her journey evolved from the...
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41 – Stop Doing These 5 Things to Grow Your Educator Business to $100K in 2026
Unleash YES (Your Entrepreneurial Spirit) with Tom Schimmer & Natalie Vardabasso — Business, Education, Mindset
You’re posting. You’re speaking. People tell you your work matters. And yet… your business is still stuck. In this episode of Unleash YES, we name the real reason so many educators stay under $25K—not because they lack ideas or expertise, but because they’re giving hobby-level consistency to something they want to be real. It took both of us far longer than we want to admit to cross our first $100K. Not because we didn’t know what to do—but because we hadn’t stopped doing the things that kept us playing small. In this conversation, we break down the five behaviors we had to...
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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...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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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:...
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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...
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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...
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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_outlinePosting on social media and hoping clients magically find you? That’s NOT a strategy.
If you’re building from scratch, you need to go where your ideal clients are already asking for help. But here’s the secret: it’s not just about your ideal clients. To grow your business, you also need to connect with influencers in their space and allies who can amplify your message.
In this episode, we break down:
✅ Where to find your future clients online (even if they don’t seem to be there).
✅ How to build genuine relationships that lead to real opportunities.
✅ The three groups of people you need in your network to grow your audience faster.
✅ A simple daily action plan to make your future clients start finding YOU.
If you’ve ever felt stuck wondering where to start, this episode is your roadmap. Listen now and start connecting with the right people today!
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
Connect with Tom & Nat:
>> Follow Tom on Linkedin
>> Follow Nat on Linkedin
>> Follow @unleashyes on Instagram
>> email info@unleashyes.org
>> Book a call.