Starting a business is tough. Starting a business with the goal of solving complex problems in education is even tougher. But that’s exactly what Sam Saarinen, founder and CEO of Edapt Technologies, set out to do. Sam’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to the power of pivoting, focus, and learning from the challenges along the way. In this post, we’ll delve into the key lessons Sam learned about product development, messaging, lead generation, and sales—and how a critical pivot helped him gain clarity on his core product, ideal client and launch a new business set for success.
The Ambitious Start: Big Dreams, Bigger Challenges
Sam’s entrepreneurial journey began with a strong desire to make a difference in the world through education and technology. With a background in computer science and artificial intelligence, he was determined to create tools that would make educational processes more efficient and personalized. However, Sam quickly realized that having a great product idea wasn’t enough.
“I kept building stuff and then… no one was coming to the door. I built stuff and people said it was cool, but no one was actually willing to pay for it,” Sam recalls. Like many edtech founders, Sam initially believed that building an amazing product would naturally attract customers. But without a clear strategy for finding and engaging with potential clients, the business struggled to gain traction.
The Reality Check: Learning to Listen and Focus
As Sam continued to work on product development, he realized that his messaging was confusing. “When I first started a business, I approached it as an investor. I was thinking, I need to diversify my risks, by offering lots of different things – consulting, software development, APIs. and platforms for students. And so that made the message on my website and my social profiles very confusing.”
This is something that many multi-passionate entrepreneurs do. They try to be everything to everyone because they can. And as Sam discovered, this laundry list approach made it difficult for potential clients to understand what he was offering or how he could solve their specific problems. This was a turning point. Sam learned that no matter how impressive the product, if the messaging doesn’t resonate with a clear, targeted audience, it won’t sell. “One of the hardest things to do was commit to focusing on one thing,” Sam admits. But it was essential. A clear, focused message and core product solving a key problem is the only way to attract the right clients.
The Power of Cohorts and Community
Sam’s turning point came when he joined the Ed Sales Elevation Experience, a cohort-based program designed to help EdTech entrepreneurs refine their lead generation and sales strategies. “The cohort-based nature was a big selling point for me,” Sam explains. “Getting more ideas in the room for brainstorming is tremendously valuable.”
Working alongside other entrepreneurs and under the guidance of experienced coaches, Sam began to understand that quality leads were more important than quantity. He had been getting a lot of connection requests on LinkedIn, but many were from people trying to sell something to him, or from people in an adjacent space but who weren’t the right fit for his products. “I was getting a lot of connections on LinkedIn, but most weren’t relevant. I realized that I can get in front of a lot of people, but are they the kinds of people who I want to be in front of? I had to shift my mindset from just getting in front of a lot of people to getting in front of the right people,” he notes.
The Signature Solution: Simplifying the Complex
One of the most challenging aspects of the program for Sam was developing what the cohort called a “signature solution”—a simple explanation of the transformative process his product offers. “It's very difficult to get out of the mindset of the product creator,” Sam explains. This is very common for inventors and entrepreneurs who want to share all about what went into creating this incredible product. “I'm thinking about all the engineering that went into this feature and that feature, and wanting to explain that to the customer. But the reality is the customer doesn’t care about how hard the problem was to solve, they only care about if their problem will get solved.” Sam had to learn to communicate the value of his product in a way that was straightforward and easy to understand, rather than getting lost in the technical details.
“It took several iterations to achieve simplicity and transparency. The really big breakthrough was realizing that for the customer, it has to be simple and easy. Customers don't buy complicated—they buy solutions to their problems,” Sam says. This shift in perspective was crucial for his next business.
The Pivot: Clarity on the Core Product and Ideal Client
Armed with these insights, Sam began to explore a new business idea. He realized that his original product had a complex sales process and long sales cycle, which wasn’t ideal for a small startup. Drawing on the lessons learned, Sam decided to pivot and focus on developing a study aid specifically for first-year law students. His past experience taught him the importance of identifying a niche and understanding the unique needs of that audience.
“Law students have to do a ton of memorization and it's mostly text based,” Sam explains. This was an opportunity for him to create a tool that would not only help them excel in their studies by personalizing their learning experience.”
He considered several key benefits:
Shorter Sales Cycle: Law students make decisions quickly, which translates to a faster sales process.
Immediate Need: Law students face urgent, pressing needs for effective study aids.
Budget: Law students typically have the financial means to invest in tools that enhance their academic performance.
Existing Technology: Sam’s team already had the technology and tools needed to create a tailored solution for law students.
With these advantages in mind, Sam pivoted to focus on developing Quizius, a study platform designed specifically for first-year law students.
The new product is a study platform that leverages AI to tailor content to individual learning styles and progress. Sam’s previous struggles with messaging and lead generation have guided him in launching this new venture. This time around, he’s applying everything he’s learned about niching, messaging, and customer needs to the product. He’s building something that solves a real problem for a specific group of people. And he’s making impressive strides in a short amount of time.
New Beginnings: Launching Quizius
In just four and a half months, Sam launched Quizius, a study platform designed to help law students manage their workload and excel in their studies. By leveraging AI, Quizius personalizes content to suit individual learning styles, addressing the unique challenges faced by law students. The transition has been remarkable. Sam’s new approach, guided by customer feedback and iterative development, resulted in significant improvements. The platform’s engagement rate soared from 3% to 60% on the landing page, and while the number of users is still growing, the early results are promising. “We’re getting 30 new users per week. It's still a fairly small test sample, we haven’t cranked it up yet, but it's a really exciting place to be.” Sam says.
Embracing the Journey and the Long-Term Vision
Sam Saarinen’s entrepreneurial journey is a powerful reminder that success isn’t about getting everything right the first time. It’s about being willing to learn, pivot, and focus on what truly matters. For Sam, this means understanding the importance of a long-term vision. “I really appreciate how Josh, with his experience in starting multiple companies, has a long-term view on entrepreneurship and impact,” he shares. “When I started, I felt I had to solve all problems immediately. But after talking with Josh and the cohort, I realized that once the business is growing and making money, it's relatively easy to expand into adjacent markets and adjacent products, but getting the things started in the first place is really where the bottleneck is for most businesses.”
And that’s where Sam is focusing now: on one clear ideal client, one core product and one solid lead generation system to grow his business faster.
Summary: How To Sell An Education Product
Sam's time in the 3E Edsales Elevation Experience taught him how to sell an education product following these key steps:
Niche down and focus on one core offer.
Validate your idea by listening to your ideal clients.
Focus on one ideal client and target quality leads.
Have clear and compelling messaging to communicate your value.
Create a signature solution to show the transformation for your clients.
Get support from a coach and / or community.
Keep talking to clients, listen to feedback and refine your process.
Be adaptable and don't be afraid to pivot if something isn't working.
Conclusion
For entrepreneurs struggling with lead generation, product development, or clarifying their messaging, Sam’s story offers key insights.
By listening to customers, refining your message, and focusing on a core offering that solves a specific problem, you can turn your business from a multi-passionate struggle into a laser-focused success. Sam’s experience highlights the importance of adapting to the market and knowing when to pivot. His journey shows that with persistence and customer feedback, you can create something truly impactful.
I’m really excited for Sam and what he’s building, and I can’t wait to catch up with him again in a few months to hear more about his progress. To listen to the full interview, tune in here: Apple, Spotify
To find Sam connect with him on LinkedIn here.
Want help growing your education business and getting more leads and sales?
Join the waitlist and be the first to know when doors open for a new cohort of 3E EdSale Elevation Experience – coming soon.
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