Everyone’s story shapes what they build – whether leading a company, school, or team. Whether you’re the founder or leading within an organization that has been around for over 100 years, your personal experience affects what you build. I reflect on my personal journey and how that has affected the survey software we built at Possip.
💌 How Possip is Personal
On the one hand, Possip is a survey company. There are lots of survey companies out there – Google, Panorama, Qualtrics.
On the other hand, Possip is something more. It’s uniquely informed by me- my story, my experiences, and my belief that feedback isn’t just data collection. It’s relationship building.
That’s why we say that the difference between surveying through Possip and surveying through others is the difference between a transactional exercise and a relational practice. It’s the difference between a one-time check-in and an ongoing conversation that strengthens community trust, understanding, and belonging.
Why I Built Possip the Way I Did
People often point to my roles – a former teacher, a spouse of a school leader, and a mom- as core to Possip’s DNA.
And they’re right. Those experiences shape my empathy for teachers, my understanding of school realities, and my commitment to families.
But there’s more behind the design of Possip- and it comes from several chapters of my life that have all led to one central belief: Every person’s voice is important- and deserves the opportunity to be heard. What are some of those experiences?
Exchange Student: The Power of Listening Across Difference
As a high school exchange student, I learned early the importance of curiosity and humility. When you’re in another culture, you realize quickly that your assumptions aren’t universal- and that listening is your first tool of connection.
That desire for cross-cultural dialogue is baked into Possip. We don’t just ask questions- we make it easy for people from different backgrounds, languages, and experiences to share openly and be understood.
Teacher Recruiter: Voices Build Systems
Later, as a teacher recruiter, I saw that the best schools weren’t just well-staffed- their teachers were also leaders. Their voices shaped how they taught and how the school worked. Leaders who asked for feedback and acted on it built teams that thrived. That insight became one of Possip’s cornerstones: listening must lead to action.
Helping School Leaders Launch
Helping school leaders start new schools taught me how complex leadership can be- balancing data, emotions, families, and staff. Possip was designed to make that job a little easier: giving leaders real-time insights and encouragement to guide decisions and celebrate progress.
Parent
As a parent, I’ve experienced both the desire to be heard and the gratitude when someone takes time to listen. Every parent survey, every praise, every concern in Possip echoes that human need- to know your voice matters in shaping your child’s world.
Bain and Bridgespan Consultant: Data With a Heart
My consulting work at Bain and Bridgespan taught me to value data- but also to humanize it. Numbers tell a story, but only when they’re connected to people.
Possip’s reports are built to do exactly that: bring clarity to complex feedback while keeping the heart of each voice intact.
Why It Matters
Possip exists to make feedback a bridge, not a burden. To help communities, schools, and organizations move from asking questions to building relationships- from collecting data to creating trust.
No matter what your organization does – keeping connected to how and why you personally do what you do- is so powerful.
And we’d love you to join us in a personal why – for not only what you do and how you do it – but for why you listen to your people.
