Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pam Allyn. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Pam, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
In the depths of COVID, when my network of educators was grounded and isolated from the nearness of children, I started a new business: for kids, and about kids’ learning, literacy, and math. Today, it encompasses all the things parents want their children to know well.
It was a risk because it was forward-thinking at a time when we couldn’t envision a future at all, but the loneliness and the fears of the moment propelled the idea in my mind that all of us who had worked together one way or another over many years needed to come together and build something new. The uncertainties plaguing public education during this time felt like a dark cloud hanging over us all, and I needed to raise money to make this happen and to be able to talk with people honestly about the risks and the rewards. But I knew we had something new to say here — something to give to the world that would be helpful, financially productive, and beneficial for our investors.
We named the new company “Dewey” after the great philosopher of education, John Dewey. Dewey famously said, “The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.” I reached out to my longtime friend and co-author Dr. Ernest Morrell, whose research and integrity have inspired me at every turn big and small. He was immediately on board. Together, we began to build tools for parents to help them traverse learning at home with their children. Should school never start up again, Dewey would be there. Should school begin again, Dewey would be there too. That was four years ago.
Now, with an incredible team whose wealth of expertise and passion inspires me every day, we’ve created several products that we’ve sold to schools and directly to families that have made life and learning better for so many children. We’ve shown our investors that our innovative creations appeal to educators and parents alike. And we’ve had the best time doing it.
We came from a dark time. But in that dark time there was always the light of collaboration and the confidence that we were creating something that kids really needed and would enjoy.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Since I was a child, I’ve understood that literacy is academically enriching, soul-satisfying, life-changing, and life-saving, and so I can see how hungry children today are for it. I saw this in my work as a teacher of the Deaf, starting in 1984. I saw it when I created the “Books for Boys” program alongside the NYC children and teens of The Children’s Village in the 90s. I’ve seen it in my years working alongside communities and children both nationally and globally, helping teachers, families, and students to implement evidence-based literacy best practices and programming. Throughout my career, I have honed the ability to build impactful partnerships with schools, government officials, non-profit organizations, and companies to advance the cause of literacy as humanity’s most transformative innovation. I know how to get hard things done and make things happen through collaboration. I understand how to build things that children will love and I’m proud of the power I have to do so.
In 2002 I founded LitLife, an education consulting firm that specializes in providing innovative professional development and curriculum support focused on literacy instruction to educators, school districts, and the businesses that serve them. Then in 2007, I founded LitWorld, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has partnered with over 50 organizations to bring our literacy programs to millions across more than 30 countries. I founded World Read Aloud Day with LitWorld in 2010 to celebrate the power of reading aloud, which benefits children in all aspects of their development. Since then, World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) has evolved into a global movement of millions of Super Readers and Writers, from communities around the globe coming together to appreciate the joy and power of reading.
Over at Dewey, my amazing team of literacy enthusiasts and experts are on a mission to improve literacy rates across the country and around the world. Since co-founding Dewey with my friend, co-author, and colleague Dr. Ernest Morrell in 2020, we’ve created playful and engaging learning tools that bridge the gap between school and home. From our PALS Town™ supplemental K-2 literacy resource and its decodable stories to our online, 24/7 Dewey Family Learning Hub, we design tools to replace fear and anxiety around reading and writing with serious joy, making every child a Super Reader and Writer. I’m especially proud of our My Story Box for at-home authorship, which creates the opportunity for kids to embrace the power of story at every age.
My endeavors have leveraged literacy to open the door to happier, healthier futures for every child. I’m ready to channel my experiences into a new vision: empowering children to unlock their potential through their own voices. My experiences in every sector of private and public life — businesses, non-profits, schools, and government collaboration — help me know we can build programs that make literacy easy, fun, and transformational for every child.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
When scouting for our manufacturing partner for our products, I prioritized communication and relationship building. Knowing that what we were building would be going into classrooms and the homes of children and families meant that we needed a partner who really understood and was on board with our vision. The products would have to be exceptionally warm, intuitive, and easy to use.
When I first met our manufacturing partner, I felt an instant connection over our shared belief in the power of such products to transform lives. They are excellent communicators and we are in constant conversation regarding both big-picture undertakings and the smallest, most important details. We share the core value of wanting to make life better for children through our products.
Through this partnership, I learned the transformative power of collaborating with people who have different expertise than you, but who nevertheless understand and share your mission. When we have a bump in the road in building a product, or when we need to pivot to satisfy the needs of our customers, we can turn to our manufacturing partner in a transparent, honest, and thoughtful manner. There is always a sense of pulling together and working together. We are on the same team.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Charlotte’s Web, the classic children’s book by E.B. White, has had perhaps the greatest influence on me in every aspect of my life. As a child, this book was my great companion. I loved how Fern sat with the animals and could understand their language. I loved her relationship with Wilbur and how she patiently sat listening and watching as Wilbur built his memorable friendship with Charlotte the spider. E.B. White was a true genius. He wrote with a deep understanding of life, death, and the human condition. He powerfully conveyed why empathy and belonging, connection and love must guide us and drive us no matter what stands in our way. Not to mention he was also one of the great grammarians of our time! E.B. White’s sentences are clear and clean, simple but never simplistic. Charlotte’s Web doesn’t show off. He shows the power of writing as a tool to make you laugh and cry, to value friendship and to take a stand. These have been important inspirations for me in my work.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story” was also a big influence on me in the years that I was building LitWorld and taking my literacy ideas around the world. She speaks to the profound power of stories, which are the bedrock of all my work.
I am also a big fan of James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. His lucid and unjudgmental perspective on life and daily routines has impacted me tremendously, both as an individual and as a team leader. One thing he advised in his book was that, rather than put a huge pressure on yourself to eat healthily, leave an apple on your counter so that it’s right there for you. That simple advice translates to the workplace: how can we put things in front of people, be they opportunities for creativity, independence, or collaboration, that doesn’t feel onerous but appealing, exciting, or even easy to do?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pamallyn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deweycommunity/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deweycommunity
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamallyn/
- Twitter: https://x.com/pamallyn
- Other: Pam Allyn Medium – https://medium.com/@pam_90412
Pam Allyn Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/pamallyn.com
Dewey Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/deweycommunity.com
Dewey website – https://deweycommunity.com/
PALS Town website – https://palstownshop.com/
PALS Town Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/palstown/
