Many school leaders feel they are doing ‘all the right things’ in marketing – posting consistently, investing in digital, telling their story – yet their school is still not being chosen by prospective parents. In this interview, Brad speaks with digital marketing practitioner Brendan Schneider about the real issue behind underperforming marketing – relevance. They discuss why differentiation is leadership work, how digital marketing simply amplifies unclear positioning, and a simple leadership exercise to uncover whether your team can clearly answer the question parents ask: ‘Why your school?’

The first episode for 2026 sees Belinda ‘Bel’ McCubbin welcomed as a regular voice, sharing what’s changing in schools this year. The trio introduce two new formats: a termly deep dive interview with experienced school Heads and a 92-second mini stories capturing testimonials of common problems faced by Heads and how to move forward. The main conversation centres on first principles, and why they matter when teams are busy, yet outcomes remain unimproved.

In this follow up to episode 232, Brad and Scully focus on how Heads can turn understanding into meaningful activity that changes behaviour or perception for your audience. They explore how to define success before acting, choose the right measures and build simple systems that keep teams aligned. The conversation highlights how structure prevents drift and sustains momentum through the term. The duo discusses practical steps for maintaining momentum and ensuring insights create meaningful improvement for families and staff.

Despite having more data and reports than ever, many schools still struggle to turn insight into meaningful change. Brad and Scully explore why execution often stalls through vague direction, thin ownership and weak inspection, and outline how Heads can close the ‘strategy-execution gap’. They share practical examples across enrolment, communication and brand delivery, demonstrating how clarity, cadence and single-point ownership can transform insight into visible, day-to-day behaviour change.

Parents are becoming far more sensitive to how schools communicate fees, and fee transparency is now one of the top factors shaping enrolment decisions. In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Anthony McCausland, Founder and CEO of Feesable, to discuss new national insights from the School Fees in Australia: 2025 Report. They explore how Gen Z parents are reshaping expectations, why clarity and simplicity build trust and retention, and the practical steps Heads can take to modernise fee communication and strengthen every stage of the enrolment journey.

Heads feel like they’re constantly firefighting. In this episode, Brad and Scully discuss how to replace that reactive cycle with calm and confident leadership through marketing maturity. They explore how disciplined systems create clarity, resilience and trust across your school and outline five practical steps to embed structure, align marketing with strategy and lead with confidence – building stability that lasts beyond any single person or change.

Brad speaks to Sue Ellson, independent LinkedIn Specialist and career development author, to discuss how schools can attract and retain quality staff in a competitive employment landscape. Sue shares practical ways to build a stronger professional presence online, position your school as an employer of choice, and use LinkedIn to reach candidates. Together, they explore how Heads can shape staff attraction strategies that align with a school’s values, strengthen culture and enhance reputation.

Even the strongest school brands can lose clarity through slow and silent erosion. Brad and Scully explore the hidden danger of message drift: how small, well-intentioned changes can blur your voice and weaken your impact. They discuss why drift is a leadership issue, how to spot it before it spreads, and share a five-step guide to re-anchor your school’s story so it stays clear, consistent and trusted.

Brad is joined by US education marketing strategist and Founder of Caylor Solutions, Bart Caylor, to explore how rapid AI advances are reshaping school communication and leadership. With tools like OpenAI’s Sora 2 creating lifelike videos in seconds, the discussion dives into what this means for authenticity, brand risk and crisis readiness. Brad and Bart explore the dangers of ‘work slop’, how AI-generated noise dilutes brand trust, and explain why Heads must become AI-literate, lead with human purpose and set guardrails to protect their school’s brand in a synthetic world.

In this episode, Brad and Scully explain why consistency is the foundation of every strong school brand, and why it’s so difficult to achieve. They explain how inconsistency erodes trust, why chasing the ‘new and different’ isn’t always better, and how brand confusion impacts both parents and staff outlook and communication. To help school Heads lead with clarity, the duo introduces a practical seven-step framework for building strategic, visual and verbal consistency across every touchpoint.

Brad is joined by strategy expert Graham Kenny and behavioural data scientist Professor Ganna Pogrebna to explore how school Heads can harness AI to shape strategy with confidence. They examine the creative and practical potential of large language models, from amplifying alumni stories and sharpening communication, to ideating fresh approaches for enrolment and open days. Together, they highlight the opportunities and risks of AI, how to avoid disenfranchising staff in the process, and why the most powerful uses of AI are often intensely practical.

Hiring a marketing professional isn’t like hiring a teacher, it requires a different approach. Brad and Scully outline 10 key questions every Head should ask before making a decision. They explain why defining success first matters, how to spot true experience and why strong marketers acknowledge their limits. The duo also reveals how facing failure, the ability to explain and planning systematic approaches to tasks are signs of true expertise.