Former Teacher turned #1 Sales Rep in EdTech

Like most who enter the profession, Stephanie Johnson loved teaching. She worked in education for over 18 years, spending most of her time working with special needs students from birth to age 22.

Then in May 2022, Stephanie decided it was time for a career change. “I loved being in the classroom, but I knew deep down I was meant for more. This realization, coupled with a desire for financial stability and flexibility to spend quality time with my family, propelled me towards the decision to transition,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie began her transition on her own for several months, but tired of hearing contradicting advice and seeing a slow start, she turned to Carrie Conover through Classroom to Boardroom.

“I went from frustrated and defeated to ready to take on the corporate world. I learned so much in a short time, and I felt completely rejuvenated,” Stephanie said.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the course was not feeling alone anymore.

“It was amazing to have other teachers that were facing the same challenges. We could celebrate everyone's successes and support each other through the failures,” Stephanie said.

It wasn’t long until Stephanie then landed her role as Account Executive with EPS Learning.

“The first few months on the job were a whirlwind of fast-paced everything. Each day brought new information to absorb, programs to utilize, meetings to attend, customers to speak to, and procedures to follow,” Stephanie said.

A career in sales came very unexpectedly to Stephanie.

“I decided to broaden my horizons and started applying to sales positions. I made it to a final round with my first application but was told I just didn’t have enough experience,” Stephanie said. “I then used my time between interview cycles to learn as much as I could and grow my knowledge.”

It was her transferable skills from teaching that made her stand out most in her sales role.

“My manager told me many times in my early days that he could teach me sales all day long, but the knowledge that I brought from the education world was invaluable and sometimes super hard to convey to someone that has never worked in the field,” Stephanie said.

Despite having began her career as a teacher with no experience or sales or even a desire to work in sales, Stephanie made an amazing accomplishment in February 2024.

“Being named the number one performer in the company for 2023 still feels like a dream—a surreal achievement that I struggle to fully comprehend. The recognition is humbling, yet deeply gratifying, serving as a testament to the dedication and effort poured into my work,” Stephanie said.

“As a former teacher, I know all too well the lack of being acknowledged for hard work, making this accolade even more meaningful.”

Stephanie has a few words for other transitioning educators, especially those struggling to begin.

“I want to share with anyone trying to break out of the classroom the importance of finding a community. It is essential to not isolate yourself in resumes, recruiters, applications and interview questions. Having people I could relate to and bounce ideas back and forth with was key to not letting the day to day of job search overwhelm and discourage me.

My journey was filled with ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Stephanie said.