Rachel Edoho-Eket, President of the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals, understands that in education, credibility isn’t earned through noise or constant visibility — it’s earned through consistent, observable behavior over time.
As a principal and state-level education leader, Rachel has seen founders and vendors make the same mistake repeatedly: talking too much, posting too often, and confusing activity with trust.
In this episode of EdSales Edge, Josh sits down with Rachel in a live interview recorded at FETC in Orlando to break down how education buyers actually evaluate credibility — and why silence from leaders is often a signal of serious consideration, not disinterest.
Using two core mental models — the Gym Model and Talent Spotting — this conversation shows founders how credibility compounds through consistency, judgment, and how they show up long before a meeting is ever scheduled.
If you’ve been wondering whether your LinkedIn or visibility efforts are working at all, this episode explains what buyers are really watching for — and why the founders who win stay visible without performing.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Education buyers don’t decide out loud.
They decide slowly, quietly, and politically — watching long before they ever reach out. Public engagement is rarely how trust is expressed.
Founders who measure credibility by likes, comments, or follower counts misunderstand the market. Principals and district leaders aren’t ignoring you — they’re vetting you.
In education, credibility is built through:
Rachel’s experience makes this clear: founders who misread silence as disinterest often quit right before trust compounds.
KEY STRATEGIES / MENTAL MODELS
1. Talent Spotting
Education buyers identify potential long before initiating contact. Your posts aren’t closing deals, they’re helping buyers decide if you feel safe, serious, and credible enough to call.
2. The Gym Model
Credibility works like the gym. One post doesn’t matter. Repetition does. Founders who treat visibility like a workout outlast those chasing validation.
3. Engagement Before Broadcasting
Thoughtful participation builds recognition without forcing attention. Credibility comes from how you show up, not how loud you are.
4. Boundaries Prevent Burnout
Consistency only works when it’s sustainable. Systems beat short bursts every time in long-cycle markets like education.
WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR
A MOMENT THAT STOOD OUT
Rachel says:
“When people see great work, they want to know more about it.”
In education, trust doesn’t require applause. It requires being observable, consistent, and principled long enough for the right people to notice.
NEXT STEP
Show up like an educator, not an influencer.
Treat consistency like the gym, not a launch.
Engage before you broadcast.
Trust compounds quietly, and decisions follow.
SUBSCRIBE & SHARE
If this episode helped you rethink credibility in education:
Follow EdSales Edge and share it with a founder who thinks silence means failure.
Quiet isn’t rejection.
It’s the start of trust.
