A year ago, Changemaker Education was still transforming its vision into a working model. Today, Joy Meserve and David K. Richards are supporting founders across more than 20 states, and learning alongside them every day.

In this candid conversation, Joy and David share what they now understand about becoming a successful microschool founder. They explore why educators already possess many of the skills required to become entrepreneurs, what early signs suggest that a founder can succeed, and why building trust with families takes more time and persistence than many people expect.

They also discuss Changemaker’s evolving Founder Success System, its new lean launch approach, the importance of community and operational support, and why founders need both sovereignty and coachability. The conversation expands into Changemaker’s Mind, Body, Soul philosophy and why preserving distinctly human capacities will become even more important in an AI powered world.

This episode is for educators, parents and community leaders who feel called to build something different for young people, even if they don’t yet feel completely ready.

Short description

Who can become a microschool founder—and what does it really take to succeed? Joy Meserve and David K. Richards share what they’ve learned from supporting real founders across the country, from entrepreneurial mindset and enrollment realities to operational support, founder community and the freedom to build a locally responsive school.

Key topics covered

• What has changed during Changemaker Education’s second year
• Who is capable of becoming a microschool founder
• Why educators already possess entrepreneurial skills
• Curiosity, grit, adaptability and generosity of spirit
• Early indicators of founder readiness
• Why social proof and family trust take time to build
• How founders grow into new capabilities
• Founder examples from St. Louis, Florida and Cincinnati
• The role of Mind, Body, Soul in founder and student development
• Preserving humanity in an AI powered world
• How Changemaker saves founders hundreds of operational hours
• The difference between an affiliate network and a “school in a box”
• Why school leadership should not be undertaken alone
• How aspiring founders can begin exploring their vision

Suggested chapters

• 00:00 — Welcome and why we’re revisiting the conversation
• 00:50 — What has changed during Changemaker’s second year
• 03:45 — A growing, co-created founder ecosystem
• 05:25 — What David’s beliefs about founders have taught him
• 09:50 — Who is capable of becoming a microschool founder?
• 11:35 — The entrepreneurial abilities educators already possess
• 13:57 — Early signs of founder readiness—and potential warning signs
• 15:20 — The underestimated work of earning family trust
• 19:31 — Why Changemaker now recommends a lean launch
• 20:15 — Real founders discovering their entrepreneurial identity
• 23:05 — Creativity, community partnerships and founder cross-pollination
• 24:43 — Changemaker’s Mind, Body, Soul foundation
• 29:40 — Why we cannot outsource our humanity to AI
• 32:30 — Microschools as a new educational operating system
• 34:42 — What founders often miss operationally
• 35:25 — Saving founders hundreds of hours
• 38:15 — Giving visionaries the integrator support they need
• 40:45 — Why Changemaker is not a “school in a box”
• 41:25 — What David wishes he had when opening schools
• 44:05 — Why founders shouldn’t build alone
• 45:50 — Finding a deeply values-aligned community
• 46:20 — The search for Changemaker’s next 75 founders
• 47:40 — Ways to take the first step

In this episode, I reconnect with my former Stanford classmate, Mike Taubman, nearly 20 years after our graduate school days. Mike has spent his career teaching English and later pioneering purpose and career exploration programs for high school students in Newark, New Jersey. Most recently, he’s been at the forefront of bringing AI literacy into the classroom.

Mike introduces his innovative AI Driver’s License Framework, a practical, empowering way to help students (and adults) engage with AI responsibly. His approach draws on the metaphor of cars—tools we designed, tools we can operate, and tools that require both personal skill and shared rules of the road.

We explore:

• Mike’s journey from English teacher to AI literacy leader.
• Why metaphors matter in how we talk to students about AI.
• The four-part AI Driver’s License framework:
  1. Learn to drive – Operating AI tools effectively.
  2. Look under the hood – Understanding how AI actually works.
  3. Know the rules of the road – Exploring ethics, norms, and policies.
  4. Pick your destination – Using AI to achieve goals, then stepping away to live life.
• How high schoolers are experimenting with AI in projects ranging from architecture to medicine.
• The risks of anthropomorphizing AI and why it’s essential to “break the spell” for students.
• Balancing AI use with human wisdom, mentorship, and critical thinking.
• Why banning AI in schools misses the opportunity to model transparency and teach responsible use.

Mike’s classroom stories bring the theory to life—showing us how students respond when they not only use AI but also question it, challenge it, and integrate it with human expertise.

This is a rich, hopeful conversation about preparing young people not just to survive in an AI-powered world, but to drive it with confidence, agency, and purpose

In this episode, David sits down with Peter Stiepleman—former superintendent of one of Missouri’s largest school districts, leadership advisor, podcast host, and author of Serving as a Lead Learner: Powerful Reflections from America’s Superintendents

Peter shares his unconventional path from working at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid to becoming a bilingual teacher in Oakland, California, and eventually leading a district of 19,000 students through times of both growth and crisis. He reflects on the lessons learned from embracing “imperfect leadership,” the importance of vulnerability, and the power of shared decision-making.

Together, David and Peter explore:

• How personal journeys shape leadership philosophies

• What it means to be a “lead learner” and embrace discomfort

• Building shared values with teachers, parents, and students

• Why microschool leaders can benefit from these same leadership principles

• The importance of community voice and creating systems that honor every stakeholder

This conversation is full of insights for anyone leading in education—whether you’re running a large public school system, launching a micro school, or simply seeking to lead with more empathy, collaboration, and courage.

Resources & Links:

• Peter’s book: Serving as a Lead Learner: Powerful Reflections from America’s Superintendents:
  https://www.amazon.com/Serving-Lead-Learner-Reflections-Superintendents/dp/B0F78RC6H9
  
  
• Peter’s podcast: An Imperfect Leader:
  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-imperfect-leader-the-superintendents/id1644897856