We were lucky to catch up with Deana Stevenson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Deana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Prior to June 2013, I was an elementary principal in an urban school setting. My first principal position in this district was a “SURR” school (School Under Registration Review) which basically means it was placed on an accountability list due to poor state test performance. When I met with the Superintendent of that district they shared that I would be placed in that building, handed over the keys, and stated I had three (3) years to turn the school around or I would have to return the keys. I knew that meant if my staff and I did not work with students to improve assessment scores I was going to be fired.

Fortunately, we were able to turn the school into a “SIGS” school (School In Good Standing) in under three (3) years and I was able to keep my job. Unfortunately, when a principal turns one school around they are often sent to another low-performing school to do the same. I was moved to another school and soon realized this was going to be my life. I knew the key to turning the first school around was the tremendous amount of support and mentorship my staff received. Everyone received some type of mentorship and coaching except me. The only “coaching” principals received at that time was evaluative coaching. Any and everything discussed with your district-appointed coach would be used for and against you during your end-of-year evaluation.

On June 30, 2013, I quit my job as an elementary principal because I craved the coaching that this district was unable to provide. I’m a firm believer that you must “create what you crave” so that is what I did. I now coach K-12 district and school leaders in a non-evaluative fashion to provide them with the support and guidance they need to improve instruction, climate and culture, and student achievement.

District and school leadership coaching is still unheard of in many districts throughout the country which is a huge problem. It is assumed that this one person is supposed to have all the answers, lead their stakeholders, and do so without having professional development and guidance as their teachers receive.

Deana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

One could call me a “professional quitter”. As mentioned earlier, I quit my job as an elementary principal because it was not providing me with what I craved – coaching. I then created that for others and have never looked back. What I didn’t mention is that this is not the first profession I walked away from. I use to practice medicine. When medicine no longer gave me what I craved, I left to pursue education. Education is truly my passion.

I currently own an education consulting business called DocDeana Enterprises (or the DDE Agency) where I work with district and school leaders to provide monthly support to put the proper systems in place to increase student achievement. I now get to collaborate with dedicated district and school leaders who aspire to make a lasting impact on their school community. I firmly believe that investing in leadership development is the key to unlocking the full potential of any educational organization. Whether you’re a principal seeking to improve your school or any other leader striving for growth, I am here to support you on your journey.

I envision a future where all school leaders receive the coaching and professional development they deserve. My goal is to fill the gap where school districts may not currently invest in non-evaluative support for their leaders. Together, we can drive positive change and create exceptional learning environments for students and teachers alike. I am deeply committed to research-based practices, ensuring that the strategies we implement are proven to yield results. By leveraging data, we can make informed decisions to improve leadership capacity and enhance overall educational outcomes.

My Signature Offer is the SCHOOL LEADERS’ LAB. Here is a typical overview of the services provided, although each leader and district is different and may require focus on just 1-2 of these items in the beginning to build a solid foundation.

Develop and articulate an ambitious vision for instruction
Observe, evaluate, and provide effective feedback
Form strong teacher and leadership teams
Learn applicable organizational and time-management skills
Manage, interpret, and make sound data-based decisions
Ensure standards-aligned curriculum
Build shared beliefs and attitudes
Formulate a shared language for culture building and high expectations
Design organizational structures that support relational trust

I’m most proud that I have been able to provide non-evaluative coaching to hundreds of leaders and built some amazing relationships along the way. The trust that has been built is what drives my business. I currently support 13 school districts throughout the country and have a team of associates helping me work with leaders.

We are continuously looking to partner with leaders that understand the value of coaching and improving their reflective practices. Reflection is a huge part of what we do which inspired me to write my first book titled, “Lead for Excellence: Weekly Reflections and Strategies for K-12 School Leaders.”

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I first started my business as an education consultant I actually started as an associate with another education consulting firm that I knew offered leadership coaching to principals. I worked with this agency for 5 years as an independent contractor. After my third year of working with this agency, many of the superintendents and principals started to ask me why I was working with this agency and encouraged me to build my own business. Unfortunately, it took me 2 additional years to work up the nerve to branch out on my own.

In February 2020 I terminated my contract with the agency and started pursuing my own contracts. I presented to four (4) school districts on March 12, 2020. During the presentation, the district representatives were distracted and kept leaving the room. I thought for sure they were not interested and I would have to go back to the agency I just terminated my contract with asking for forgiveness. What I didn’t know was that they were getting calls from their district informing them that the Governor of NYS had decided that March 13, 2020, would be the last day for students to attend due to COVID and they were being asked to provide instructional materials to go home the next day.

Once my presentation was over, they shared the news but also shared great news with me. All four districts wanted to go into contract with me totaling $400K+ in contracts!!!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My current clients.

Most of my current clients have either given me referrals or I have been able to negotiate additional work just from being on campus, talking to leaders, and seeing a need/problem that I can solve.

I’ve recently started looking at RFPs as well to build my client list.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.docdeanaenterprises.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deana.stevenson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/docdeanaenterprises
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdeanastevenson/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deana_Stevenson