Voicing Education

Consciously Educating

What are the benefits of taking risks?

Women Leaders / by

This episode explores taking risks and the benefits you may gain as a result. Taking a risk requires a great deal of courage. This week’s guest, Priya Kara certainly demonstrates this positively.

Priya is no stranger to taking risks.

Throughout her educational career and venture into entrepreneurship, Priya has danced with risk-taking and enjoyed the many opportunities that have unfolded.

VIEW TRANSCRIPT

I just knew that I wanted to offer something of value…what I can offer and give back to others…grew over time.

Founder PHK Education

Priya Kara

Educational Consultant and Founder of PHK Education

Priya is a former Secondary School Teacher and Middle Leader turned freelance education consultant and entrepreneur.

As a former secondary school teacher and Specialist Leader in Education (SLE) for over 13 years, Priya uses her expertise, throughout her former professional capacity, to train trainee teachers. She has also delivered professional development for overseas teachers.

Alongside Priya’s freelance consultant role as a teacher trainer and advisory role for careers changers into education, Priya has worked in parallel for a charity in India using her knowledge to teach and create education resources. This led her to embark on completing  a Masters in Education, Gender and International Development. She now uses her global education expertise leading a Future Girls Campaign as a research consultant for an NGO.

At present, Priya is Founder of PHK Education, a skills based education hub. Priya has recently launched the first arm of her business as a study skills coach, supporting students to achieve their ambitious academic goals focusing on goal setting, revision skills, memory, motivation as well as supporting parents with practical advice and guidance.

PHK Education

Highlights:

  • 14:50 – Making plans
  • 17:39 – Biggest Risk 
  • 24:06 – Pandemic to coaching 
  • 36:52 – Leadership as a business woman

Resource Tip:

  • Use LinkedIn to connect with others within education.

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NOTE: This podcast was transcribed by Otter. Apologies in advance for any typos or errors.

Priya 0:01
March hit. We all know this was pandemic, this was closed, you know, everything had closed. All the schools had closed. My work had closed, and what was I going to do next? So I was, I was really quite worried. I won’t deny that. I wasn’t sure what I was going to offer and give. I had a lot more time behind the desk, I connected with people where I could, whether it was through LinkedIn, but I got to know about a lot of people’s journey and what they were doing on their roles, but there was still a conflict within me about what do I want to offer?

Kathleen Cushnie 0:33
Welcome to Voicing Education – The Podcast, I’m Kathleen Cushnie Founder of Voicing Education, a Senior Leader in Education, Trainer and Coach. My mission is to help new leaders and teachers aspiring to leadership, become confident in their ability to lead others successfully. Whether you’re a new or aspiring leader, this podcast will help you to become confident in your ability to lead others successfully. We discuss key themes in education and personal development and how this impacts educational leadership. Let’s move that needle from confusion and overwhelm to clarity and inspiration.

In today’s episode, I’m in conversation with Priya, a former secondary school teacher, and middle leader turned freelance education consultant, and entrepreneur, prayer is no stranger to taking risks.

With over 13 years experience in education, Priya has used her expertise to train teachers, and has also delivered professional development for overseas teaching.

Alongside Priya’s, freelance consultant role of a teacher trainer and advisory role for career changers into education, Priya has worked in parallel for a charity in India, uses the knowledge to teach and create educational resources, which led him to embark on completing a master’s in education, gender, and international development, which brings us here today.

Priya is a founder of PHK Education, a skills based education hub. Priya has recently launched the first arm of her business as a study skills coach supporting students to achieve their ambitious academic goals, focusing on goal setting, revision skills, memory, motivation, as well as supporting parents with practical advice and guidance.

Before I start I just want to thank Financial Joy Academy, who are sponsoring this episode. Financial Joy Academy, also known as FJA to its family members, and I’ll say family members as FJA community really are just that.

Financial Joy Academy is run by husband and wife team Ken and Mary Okorafor. They offer a private space for action taking Dream Makers, who want to achieve financial independence, Financial Joy Academy have a range of courses, regardless of where you are on your journey to financial freedom, together with fellow Dream Makers, Ken and Mary support and encourage you when your own journey, which is what they’ve been doing for me for just over a year now through coaching calls, and their popular 5am Club.

For more information, head over to their website, to take a look at the recommendations from other Dream Makers. If you’re convinced and want to join our family of Dream Makers, I have an exclusive link, which gives you 15% off your first month, check the link in the show notes. Financial Joy Academy provides an essential learning for all. We know as educators that learning never stops.

Hi, Priya. It’s so good to have you today and I’m so excited because there is so much that I want to talk to you about and unpick because your journey is so wide and varied I mean…anyway, I won’t start now because we’re going to find out all about it. So before we start, can you just tell us what is it that you’re doing right now tell us where you are now in your journey.

Priya 3:55
No, I thank you so much. First of all, Kathleen for this opportunity to speak to you. It’s absolutely fabulous. And so a little bit about me, I am now a business woman that I have launched my own business called PHK Education. It is a skills based education hub, and I have just literally launched my first arm of the business which is a study skills coaching programme that support students as well as parents as well. And so that’s me at this very point.

Kathleen Cushnie 4:28
Fantastic! Right so that’s where you are now, so let’s rewind about, I think it’s about 10 to 13 years since you’ve been in education isn’t it so can you tell us, like so how. First of all, how did you get into education and then we can take it from there?

Priya 4:42
Sure, absolutely. So I started, I’ve probably been a secondary educator for about 15 years or so. I trained as a secondary school geography teacher. I was in and out of a few jobs before that, and then I started working and I found this fantastic school and I was there as a long term supply, and then it really just progressed, I kid you not, and I just couldn’t find the type of school I was looking for and space an opportunity for growth and this school had it all for me. And when I started at the school I was, as I said a long term supply, and then went into, there was an opportunity for leading KeyStage Three geography. And then, but about year after that became a middle leader that was my first position, as head of geography, and I was headed over five years. And then, was appointed a role there was a role created for me, it was a head of humanities role where I see the history and geography. And then after that I was a Specialist Leader in Education, and that was the very final point and that’s where I finished my kind of, I guess my career within teaching in a school and worked beyond the classroom now, and I finished in 2019 So that’s a little kind of whistlestop tour about of my journey through education.

Kathleen Cushnie 6:09
So, tell us about those opportunities and Priya so you said that you had many opportunities when you started in your supply school. So, how did they come about? Because it is unusual, so it’d be interesting to hear about each step of that journey.

Priya 6:24
Sure, I think, first of all when I started in this school. I, as I said I did struggle to find an opportunity to find a geography teacher role at one point as well and I was in and out different schools, I was speaking to some recruitment agencies at the time as well and they did find this particular role for me in this school that I thrived on I worked and progressed as well. And so, that’s the, that’s the way I got in into working into this particular school. And I just knew that when I went to this particular school went to the interview and loved the team. I loved the fact that I knew that there was an opportunity for me for growth as well. And they had me as their best interest and I loved that because they listened to me and where I wanted to go as well and so that for me made me feel part of the community and part of the school and I knew that I can use my skills and and grow (and grow) over time as well. So that was the, the, the opportunity for me then that’s how I started out.

Kathleen Cushnie 7:30
Just out of interest. How did you know that they valued you so that you and you felt how were you made to feel part of the community at that school?

Priya 7:39
I think there was, it was just, it sounds a bit silly, it sounds like a bit out there but it was a vibe that I got from them as well. I went to numerous different interviews before that, that there was something that the head of Geography at the time when he spoke to me. He wanted to know a little bit about my journey, what I wanted to do, where my pathway was my professional development. So he took an interest in me within that as well. He did even ask me you know, why haven’t you secured a role before that. So I wish I could be a little bit vulnerable and be open and honest in that interview as well, but I must admit that role I had initially was actually a long term geography supply role so it was, I think I got that role, probably after February half term. So there was this one whole term, I could also, I guess, see if that worked for me and and work for them as well, but there was something about the vibe of that school I just really enjoyed. And also, speaking and supporting many, many students as well so I knew that this was a really great place and of course, loads of colleagues that are now also my friends that I guess it all just kind of pieced together, and that was that for me.

Kathleen Cushnie 8:56
So, what, what is the… so you spoke about conversations and the opportunities and, you know, you said said about being heard. So what would you say, because you knew that you were comfortable and you were made to feel part of the community at this school. What is the one conversation that you instigated that you feel has made a big difference in your journey?

Priya 9:19
Yeah, that’s a really good question. I think for me, it was to do with my professional development. At that point I was still in an NQT, I wanted to know that they were able to support me in the school as well and they had a great NQT programme at the time that I could join, and then thereafter, what else I could support this, the wider community as well. And that was really interesting so I could ask some of those questions and be part of that community as well, and also with other staff. And so that was, that was really important for me, and I could see that and being able to be, you know, an ask those open and honest questions to.

Kathleen Cushnie 10:00
I sounds like there was at the school that you were, at at the time, that there was no distinction between supply staff and permanent staff. Is that a correct assumption?

Priya 10:10
No not at all. I didn’t ever feel that I would be labelled or known as supply staff at the time I was very much part of the department. I had great classes that I was teaching and they kind of just said, I guess they gave me the autonomy to, to lead those classes teach the classes, and, you know, there was curriculum plans and things in place as well, but I loved the fact that you still had ownership and can deliver those lessons to support the needs of those children in the class so I loved that, and it grew from there as well.

Kathleen Cushnie 10:45
Fantastic. And I know that you’ve so as well working in that school you’ve had like a, I could say a wide and varied career. So you’ve worked in primary and secondary schools, but you’ve also you know, gone over to India, can you tell us a little bit about India and like what took you there?

Priya 11:04
Yeah, I mean, this, this again was just an opportunity I had two friends of mine who also travelled to India previously, and they knew that my path was, you know I was interested in working in education and said you know what, you have the chance and opportunity go out there and I did before I started actually working in this particular school that I progressed and moved on as well. I, I basically decided that I think I’d like to go to India and try this opportunity of supporting underprivileged children teaching them English and so I was out in India, three months, and I thought that that was you know, three months stint and that’s all I would really do. But I loved it! I really did it was supporting them. Students too I was learning a lot of, lot from them too and I remember when I, when I first arrived, it was a real shock to the system because that the only thing I had was a small blackboard and and a chalk, and a piece of chalk and that was that. That was all the resources I could have there’s no reprographics, there’s none of this so during my training was completely out the window it’s, it was completely brand new for me. But it was also supporting teachers and communities and I think for me, whatever I had viewed or see maybe in the news or read and books and things I think to me it now came alive. And it’s not in my mind, and I just continue to work and support them so it started off as a stint of three months, and then I came back here, back to the UK, and I started this role at this particular school, and within obviously all my leadership roles and things as well, but I continued to work in support the school out in India as well so whether that was fundraising, whether it was sponsorship.

And all of this kind of went in parallel, into my work that I was doing as a UK educator, and I was in supporting the school remotely wherever I could. And what was really nice and this is why I’m talking about the time between the school as well that I could share this with my senior leadership team that they were well aware of the work that I was doing committing to that they encouraged me and they supported me, and I remember this one time that I wanted to go to India and I had gone back, I’ve been back like three or four different times myself to support the school where I could as well, but I had the opportunity to leave a couple of days before the end of term ended because of something that I would like to have been participating in as well and so they gave me that time off and I really valued that and this is what I was saying they valued me as the person that I was a staff member at the school part of that community. So that was my journey through India and it just progressed.

I just, there was no kind of plan of this, it just started out with a thought; this would be a great opportunity. And it just continued and I still work with them today. I know through COVID it’s very difficult, but wherever I can support them. It’s what we do within the charity and it’s progressing. Now that role has progressed into working for another charity, where I’m supporting them as through the Future Girls campaign this charity is based in Ethiopia. So all of this, all of these skills. I guess I’ve developed over time, but still use elsewhere as well, too. And yeah, so I’ve visited quite a few different schools across India over time as well and thoroughly enjoyed it and I think it’s just a bit of a, I could only describe as a magnet, to be honest. And I think that’s probably where I probably you know will continue to, to support the children and teachers as best as I can.

Kathleen Cushnie 14:50
And when you spoke about, you know, the journey that you’ve taken and supporting the schools you did mention about the plan like you know, nothing was planned. So, how would you just advice for others that are listening. What would you say about making plans in your career, like, you know, what would you say about that personally?

Priya 15:11
Do you know what, I must admit, even in my first middle leadership role as a head of department that was never part of the plan. Then at that point of my career I was very young. I think I might have been 25 when I was appointed that role, and then I started that role when I was 26 so I was, you know, I didn’t have the experience as such but the senior leadership team knew that I was already doing some of that role already, and planning was never part of it, it just never was part of the plan. India was never part of the plan. Starting my business by the way, there’s another thing, it was never part of the plan! But it what I must admit it was, it was…it was a bit of an instinct. I guess it was drive and ambition that I had towards it and some, I guess I’m sometimes some people might even say like colleagues of mine said oh you know, I feel like your next part of your career could be senior leadership, but I never wanted to to go towards that, and so that didn’t really, really kind of pull me towards those roles, but I just knew that I still wanted to I guess work with students. So, and work with teachers, but being and having a plan, sometimes it doesn’t always work the way, maybe you intended it to be or sometimes there might be some surprises there. But the biggest thing was the opportunities. And it was lovely that I was guided but I had a really, you know, supportive team that I worked with, and, and I can be vulnerable. So I think sometimes that was really important for me to be able to, to support me on that plan and see where that journey would go.

Kathleen Cushnie 16:55
Sounds like you’re a really supportive school especially like for you to say that you felt that you could be vulnerable because we know that sometimes in schools, it’s almost like seen as a weakness to be vulnerable and to kind of show who you really are or what growth pathways you want to take because like you said you were quite young, and I know that in some schools it’s kind not frowned upon, I think that’s the wrong word but almost as if you have to do the years before you get to the next rung of the ladder as such but you know you’ve proven that that is not necessarily true. And so, really, from talking to you and knowing your story, there are many risks that you’ve taken. So, can you tell us about some of the risks that you’ve taken in your career.

Priya 17:39
I mean, I think the biggest risk will have to be me resigning in 2019. I would probably say that I sometimes can have. I know that we’ve just discussed not having a plan or what that plan is like but I kind of knew that if the next kind of middle leader role or something came up I would go for that as well, but not having a plan at all after 2019, I think really shocked a lot of people I think the attitudes of other people, I think, you know, you could tell like I think when I left in 2019 and I handed in my resignation, I started to share that with friends and colleagues, one colleague said to me, you know, this doesn’t really sound like you at all, you know, have you won the lottery and not told us about this Priya. So that was really interesting and really funny and I said that on my leavers speech as well.

But I, you know, as I said to you, I had, I had my UK educator role, and then in parallel I’m working in India and supporting the schools, they’re all of this, merged together in 2016 when I embarked on doing my Masters and that was in Education, Gender and International Development, so even very different to what I’m doing in the UK schools. I loved my MA, I really did it was really hard, working full time and doing the MA part time as well, but you know what, when I said to you about the magnet was something was really drawing me more towards the international development work is still working in education. So I think for me, I must admit, when I visited in 2019 for my master’s dissertation, I had to do, I wanted to do a primary research and I knew I wanted to do this in India, but I had to go and, you know, find a school other than what I’ve been working with beforehand as well. And I got to this one school I visited probably about eight, six to eight schools. I think in a really short space of time and this particular school was kind of, it was from quite a remote school it’s out in the middle of nowhere, you had to get a night bus to this particular school and where this, where this location was. Immediately when I, when I met the students at this particular school, it was an outreach school and the communities, something just drew me straight away I was like, I would love to interview and support these communities, and be part of my primary research. And so that was that. And I must admit, I was really torn when I came back to the UK. Now I couldn’t place myself anymore I’m like, I’m just basically I couldn’t ignore the communities, the conversations, working with children that the teachers everything I had seen and envisioned. And these were tribal communities as well. So in terms of, I don’t know if you know but the social structure within Indian tribal communities are generally the lowest, and so they are forgotten communities. These communities have no form of formal education at any time, especially these children like I had connected with and parents too. So I was really torn so when I handed in my resignation. And again, because of the team that I that I had with the senior leadership team, especially my head teacher, he knew. I guess the progression. I don’t know, maybe I’m putting words into his mouth, but he probably might have gone. It’s just when she would have handed in her resignation because I was really torn between what I was kind of doing I was still doing my work here and loving this and still doing that. I couldn’t forget what was going on there, and I had to make this decision because also this is a conversation I was having with my family. And I didn’t speak to a lot of people I’ve kept this quite private with with some of my family members because I think that was important that I was making this big decision. They knew the best interest of where I was going as well and can understand my path. And so they, they just fully supported me in this and I said, I’m going to do this, and so handed it in, and I didn’t regret I don’t regret this decision at all. I know through the pandemic there’s been lots of ups and downs, and honestly I thought I might have to go back. It’s, it’s not a, I don’t feel like a, you know, a failure if I did or had to go back but I knew for me, that chapter includes the 2019 firmly closed for me.

And the thing I think for me is that I supported children and teachers through teacher training in lots of different capacities I supported within education. The question for me then was, how do I still do this? I still knew I wanted to work in education but how could I do this when I left in 2019? So the only part of my plan should I say was August 2019, that was just submitting the final part of my dissertation, and then it was a bit of a question mark, and but it was really weird for some of my friends and colleagues to know well what are you going to do next and I said I’m just going to kind of figure this out I had a few networks and connections and warm contacts that I could work and get some short term, work with. But other than that I think I was just ready to explore and learn. And I just, I took this opportunity because I could, and pleased with this journey and so now I’m going and still learning at this point.

Kathleen Cushnie 22:59
Fantastic! So, right, so you’re on this journey then so what is life like after resigning so how have you transitioned from school, into business life?

Priya 23:10
Yes. What a journey that has been and you know what it has. It’s not been, it’s not been linear at all. I, as I said, this was never part of the plan, being part of having my own business and calling myself you know a businesswoman now. But first of all, I had this opportunity from about October/November till about March to basically work in different schools and supporting teachers and international teachers and that was great. So I had loads of experience working in lots of different schools because to be honest been best part of my career I’ve been in one school. So, this was great. And then the other part was I never worked in primary schools, so I worked in primary schools as a supply teacher, loved it. And let me tell you the biggest thing for me I learned is, actually, it takes a lot more to take children from their seats to the carpet, because it was an absolute disaster. And I taught through from year one right the way up to year 6. So this was great, I loved it.

So now March hit. We all know this was pandemic, this was closed, you know, everything had closed. All the schools had closed. My work had closed. And, you know, what am I going to do next? So I was, I was really quite worried. I won’t deny that. I wasn’t sure what I was going to offer and give.

I had a lot more time behind the desk so I connect with people where occurred, whether it was through LinkedIn, but I got to know about lot of people’s journey in what they were doing on their roles, but there was still a conflict within me about what do I want to offer? And there was almost this is quite interesting new podcast being ‘voicing education’ but there’s a little voice in me going, I just want to give this a go with something like… I literally started with little education videos or something like that I can offer, but the problem was is like like who am I helping? Am I helping students, or am I helping teachers? I didn’t know what I was and I was getting so confused, and I was getting quite frustrated and then one thing I invested in, I always say that this was so fantastic for me was career coaching, and I was invested in career coaching, and it wasn’t like you know at the end of it I was just going to get this job or whatever it wasn’t clarity. I was having conversations with somebody. By the way she was placed in New York. She was not in working in education but she asked me some really great poignant questions that helped me to start thinking about maybe this entrepreneurial kind of side of me. She..she picked out something I didn’t realise I was doing through my dialogue. And she said, Why do you keep saying I should be I should be doing this? I feel like you’re creating a boundary for yourself. And I said I didn’t realise I was doing that. And then she’s even said another thing, she goes, Well if you want to help teachers you can, and you can also help parents if you want to do we can also help children and I just was like, okay, for me I was muddled. I was muddled because that was causing me frustration. But then something was just starting to layering maybe through the capacity when I was tutoring as well and I was also tutoring to that parents were still coming up to me and saying, my child need support and this other than obviously supporting them in geography, and then finding that there was still an area that I could support students as well as parents with and then I started to go with this kind of study skills programme that I wanted to offer how to learn more effectively. Revision skills and I know some of this is talked about in schools but sometimes curriculum time does take a lot of time within this as well.

And so, I just knew that there was a bit more of a niche that I can offer. And then I started to read a research more and I already done this beforehand within my capacity as an SLE. And so I just started to figure out this pathway a little bit more and then I started to do YouTube clips and then, you know, Instagram and all of this started to kind of, I don’t know what was going on but I just kept learning. YouTube, was an absolute saviour, because I was learning more from them and I think to me it just started to piece together, and it just evolved. And I, you know what the one thing is that I enjoy, was really enjoying this journey. It didn’t have to be like this massive bigness business strategy that maybe you might have had to have but I was just trying things out. So, so then I think to be honest, from about December to now, I’ve now got something that never existed.

This time last year and it’s my study skills coaching programme and. And then, now I’ve built up my social media profile and my presence. I never was like this beforehand and creating content that I can share. And I’ve launched a framework within this coaching programme, And this just, Okay I need to be doing this I need to working on this, and it was a bit all over the place I must admit, but it started to kind of piece together. And it was that piecing together I just started and see where it was going and I guess that was me. You know if you mirror that as a leader, you know, within, within education as a middle leader I was just evolving and going through that. The same thing within, within my business too, but you know what I’m thoroughly enjoying it, having business meetings, and offering what I can to parents and students to and enjoying those conversations too and I speak very passionately about that, to parents and students and I think that comes off. And that helps them to know that, you know, we’ll offer those eureka moments for those students as well.

Kathleen Cushnie 29:02
Yeah, and I just want to say as well that I find your videos very, very engaging because I’ve said this to you before that your videos are not like the standard ones that you see on Instagram so if anyone. After you’ve listened to this do go and check out her Instagram page, because it’s fantastic. Her videos are very quirky catchy and get straight to the point. So do go and have a look because I think your style is different, and it’s quirky, but you just get the message across quite clearly and concisely so I like that because throughout everything that you’re doing, I can see that you are generally just being you and I think that is the key really throughout your whole journey is that you are clearly just being yourself and I think that’s something to be commended because not everyone has the courage to do that really so I just want to celebrate that with you Priya. So…

Priya 29:55
Thank you so much I really appreciate that.

Kathleen Cushnie 29:57
That’s okay! So why would you say the work that you’re doing now is valuable?

Priya 30:03
Absolutely. I think the work that I do is, is valuable because I’m supporting students, and as well as parents too. And that was really valuable for me because I know that with students. It wasn’t just about the content anymore but it’s more about sustainable learning practising, lifelong learning that we, that we all are, we are lifelong learners.

And so I wanted to ensure that our students or students that I’m supporting in coaching, have the skills that they can build amend and and deliver and support and provide them with confidence that they can use within their study. So it could be anything from how to revise effectively, how to use their time effectively. It’s not about telling them what to do but it’s about coaching and supporting them and listening to them and guiding them whereas those pressure points, there’s pain points that they’re facing.

The other side of it and the reason my coaching programme also supports parents too is because I knew that there was a capacity, and I’m not telling parents how to be parents and that’s not what I’m trying kind of tweaking a little bit more about maybe giving some a guide or some support, where they can maybe tweak some of their practices to help their child, a little bit too, so I’m offering that support that can make maybe that dialogue between their child and themselves, I guess, better for that for any child’s you know academic journey as well and let’s just be honest I think the last couple of years, it’s so tricky for students as well and families to that, you know, some of them haven’t really sat formal examinations, but providing that support and guidance for them this is really valuable and that’s, you know, kind of purpose within education and then I’m feel very confident and proud of what I’ve produced that I can still create those positive education gains the learners but also support parents too as well.

Kathleen Cushnie 32:04
The two go hand in hand. Okay so you spoke about working with pupils and working with the parents. So how does that work do you work with pupils individually and then work with the parents separately or do you work with the families together?

Priya 32:18
Really good question so what I do is I support students on a one to one basis. And then there is this opportunity where I can support parents as well so depending upon what type of package that they’re interested in, so it could be like half an hour support that that’s included within their package that they would love to have and that just gives an opportunity for them to say, well, maybe I’ve had three sessions with a student and this is what I’ve, I’ve noticed and maybe this is how they could support them, or is there something that they’re feeling or quite anxious about as a parent that maybe I can support them to.

So, with the parent it’s definitely one to one as well, but also I offer that kind of flexibility within the coaching programme that it can be with the parent and student but it’s not for me to make it feel like a parents evening, it’s nothing like that is, it’s for them to feel…during that time, specifically as well, too. So it has that flexibility and I guess tailored support that that student, or that parent would love to have during that time as well.

Kathleen Cushnie 33:24
Sounds like some really powerful work and you spoke about your kind of purpose. So in a nutshell, could you just tell us what is your driving purpose for education Priya. With all of the range of experiences that you have, what is your drive?

Priya 33:39
I just knew that I wanted to offer something of value that I knew that, I guess, and I talked about this before those lightbulb eureka moments, that I think what spurs me on was teachers that have inspired me, and power of education, that probably from maybe family may have not had that opportunity but I’ve got this opportunity and, and what I can offer and give back to others as well and it just grew over time. And you know, watching students when, you know they opt to pick a subject at GCSE, let’s say, you know obviously geography, and then they opt to pick it at A Levels, because they really thoroughly enjoyed the course at GCSE. And then you know, they ought to pick it up as an undergraduate course and you know the cherry on the top is probably been when they become geography teachers, so you know you’re part of that journey. And I love that and I think it becomes a bit of a magnet doesn’t it really just want to keep offering support and guidance to them as well. And also, you know, I guess, whilst people want to be in a work in education things for some of those same reasons, you’ve got that passion and drive to help students as well as other teachers as well.

Kathleen Cushnie 35:04
Fantastic. And in all of that then, what would you say that leadership means to you?

Priya 35:09
You know, depends what what we had a very different image of leadership. Before I became a leader that’s for sure.

Kathleen Cushnie 35:19
Oh tell us about that then.

Priya 35:20
You know what, I think sometimes, sometimes we feel like they know all the answers, or, you know… it’s one of those kind of aspects I guess that, you know, you have to have heaps of experience to become a leader. So those are probably some of my presumptions before that too. So being a leader, I must admit, it’s one of those things is having a vision and a goal. Sometimes that has to be amended over time of course as well. I don’t know. I don’t know all the answers, so I know within my, within my team, that there is a skill set there and knowing that skill set for them too. Providing them a voice and an opportunity and a pathway for them to develop and move on as well, because that’s clearly really important as well. I’m, as I said, I mean not going to know all the answers, as well and I can seek support and guidance from others too. It’s okay to take a risk…

Kathleen Cushnie 36:16
Oh yeah!

Priya 36:17
…in leadership, I’ve done that numerous times. And you know what, sometimes some of those risks, especially with a middle leadership are going to be unpopular, they’re going to make, having to have some difficult conversations, that’s part and parcel of it too. But you know, I thoroughly enjoyed learning from others as well, and that’s really important on the middle leaders too so leadership is a whole amalgamation of different qualities, but you know what, it’s also part of enjoying that journey too and learning process. So that’s, that’s how I feel about leadership. Yeah!

Kathleen Cushnie 36:52
Fantastic. That’s a great, great answer. Lots of points to think about in that, in and I suppose. Another thing, just to build on that because, so that’s leadership in schools, but would you say now that you’ve started your own business, that the leadership has changed slightly? Or would you say the same sort of attitudes or skills that you have brought that into your business. So could you tell us a little bit about how you lead yourself. But how, what is leadership for you now as a businesswoman?

Priya 37:31
Well, do you know what, there’s no kind of I guess structure like there would be a school timetable; you don’t have to be there, sometimes you have to set your own timetable your own goals of what you want to do and everything else as well. So I start my morning very early, because I know that works well for me in terms of reading research in the morning and whatever other things I’ve got to do but I’ve, I have figured out that being your own boss, you don’t have a rigid timetable so there is that fluid but also you have to make sure that I guess you’re productive, but sometimes to be okay with yourself and say, it’s not quite so productive day and to be quite kind with yourself with as well. I’ve also noticed that this journey and this path, I know that previously I talked about leadership, that I guess within leadership, being a middle leader, you’ve got other colleagues, and you know you’ve got your team that you can support and be supported by too but entrepreneurship and being a businesswoman is quite lonely.

Not everyone is going to get it, that even includes close friends sometimes as well. And and that’s okay, like, you know, I’m just kind of figuring this out as well. And I think for me, using that time. It’s just how it works best for you and where the needs are. So sometimes, I’ve had to say. Right, I know that this time is going to be for creating social media content. This time is for this time, but because there’s no time as such you’re working all the time as well sometimes. So for me as a leader, there are still some of the same attributes I think sometimes it can be a bit of a lonely a kind of conversation or dialogue that you can have, but what I have started to know is that there are communities as well that, that I’m starting to join and evolve and be part of as well. So that’s lovely. Again, I’m not going to know all the answers, again, and YouTube is great so I’ve learned loads from YouTube to do fun things, You know web developing and all of this, it’s all completely brand new. And if anything, if anyone is, you know, listening and thinking that you know, I would love to try this, but I often say that, for me it didn’t work out in the first time round, not the second, probably not even the third and you know what, that’s okay, just keep practising and trying, and that’s what I kept doing if you want to see some of my very first YouTube clips of they’re not even. They’re absolutely dire. Yeah, I think, overall, I had a thing of seeing my face on screen, Really and getting over that. Yeah, it’s a journey, definitely.

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