Meet Innovative Woman Katie Schellenberg an education advocate and founder of Beyond Tutoring, an educational blog that strives to give information in order for students to be their own advocate at all levels of education, with or without learning differences.
How and why did you start your business?
I began my company after litigating for many years for large administrations, such as school districts, hospitals and medical conglomerates. During this time while I was litigating, and each case costing the clients many millions of dollars, I knew that there must be another way to help students who deviate from normative learning and navigate through schools.
I went to law school after I, as a woman with lupus, had to navigate poor accommodations in my own undergraduate experience. I always wanted to serve as an advocate for students with disabilities as someone who had felt marginalized by academia; it was the reason I went to law school. Sometime during law school I was swayed by the parties, clean lines of the office and elegance and passion of litigating and eventually lost my way. It was not until I was fired that I began reconnecting with what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. I wanted to help students and streamline the education experience for all students. Later I was able to get a master’s degree in teaching to learn about traditional pedagogy and how to enact it for exceptional learners.
What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
I think my biggest challenge is navigating between telling my story about overcoming lupus, starting a service business and combating the notion that those who have a diagnosis are not capable. At first, I kept the fact that I had lupus under lock and key because during my time in litigation, I was told, in no uncertain terms, that since I was “cured” it would alarm the clients to learn of such a diagnosis. It took me a long while to disassociate this diagnosis from my ability and success. I realized that in entrepreneurship, and perhaps in particular female entrepreneurship, clients connect to you, your authenticity and your passion. Hiding such a significant part of my development was detrimental. Living in my truth, expanding my authenticity and having a successful business has been terrific.
How do you define SUCCESS?
Success is the autonomy to make decisions about your future and being able to impact change through your business.
If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began, what would that be?
Start earlier. I felt that I always needed more experience. The quest for experience never ends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start your business. You get experience on the road to success and you will never be quite ready for business ownership until you own a business.
What makes you an innovative woman?
I am an innovative woman because I am relentless, zealous and just a little bit fun. Clients usually hire me because of my dedication and pursuit of justice but they stay because I love what I do.
To find out more about Beyond Tutoring visit their website at beyondtutoring.com or connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.