Rebranding
I have no words to describe what this process is like… except for guessing and checking. Branding myself as a public school teacher seemed somewhat easier than branding myself as an independent educational consultant, academic, or politician. As a public school teacher, it took me several years to establish “my brand” in the school… “aka. resident math/calculus teacher.” I never changed schools within my 16 year career and my reputation precedes me. I suppose I rebranded several times within the school with different job assignments and roles, but I had firmly established “my brand” within the school community. This is why teachers stay at the same school for a period of time or reluctant to change schools over time. Rebranding takes work. I can only imagine what it will take to brand or rebrand myself as “Younghusband Consulting” for the world. Yup. Go big or go home. That is my mantra. There are definitely peaks, valleys, and plateaus in my pedagogical journey, whether it be with my doctoral studies, self-employment, or political career. Overall, my goal is to keep striving towards my vision. Sometimes I will fall… and that’s OK. I just have to get up, learn, reflect, and try again. So far, it has taken me almost three years to step away from the mindset of teaching in public education to advocating for public education, researching about public education, and contributing to public education. Every opportunity influences the direction I am heading. For this, I am grateful.