Just over two years ago, at the 2021 Enrollment Management Association Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington, the idea for Clarity was born. One of the most gratifying aspects of building companies and pursuing ambitious projects is the incredible catalyst they become for personal growth. When your company surges forward, your personal growth must match its pace to keep up. There’s a profound sense of fulfillment in collaborating with a dedicated team to solve real problems for a large audience.

So, what unfolded at EMA in Seattle in September 2021? In short, I heard admission directors express their frustration with the cumbersome financial aid process, a burden both for them and the families they served. I also met admission directors who had experienced the streamlined process of FAFSA, which automatically pulled tax documents from the IRS. They suggested that if we could bring this efficiency to private K-12 schools, it would save both schools and families countless hours and headaches spent chasing down tax documents.

After wrapping up my obligations to my previous company, I embarked on a journey of interviews with schools and families to assess whether there was a genuine need for a new financial aid platform. After a couple of months of this research, my co-founders and I decided to move forward with building Clarity in late 2021.

Fast forward to just a few weeks ago, when I attended the 2023 Enrollment Management Association Annual Conference in Las Vegas. This time, it was a different narrative. I was there with ten remarkable individuals, part of the now almost 30-strong Clarity team. What’s more, over 60% of the conference school attendees were already Clarity partners!

More than 600 schools have placed their trust in us, choosing Clarity as their partner. It’s a responsibility I take deeply to heart—to be a steadfast steward of that trust. The same sense of duty resonates throughout our team, a collective dedication that propels us to deliver our absolute best for the benefit of families and schools alike.

As we prepare ourselves for the launch of our second financial aid season, I am filled with immense pride for what our team has already achieved. Yet, I am also more ambitious than ever before. Our ambition is twofold: fueled by the prospect of solving even more pressing challenges for schools and families, and driven by the realization that our capacity to effect change grows with each passing day, as our team expands in both size and experience.

In many ways, it feels like we are only just beginning this remarkable journey.

So, I’m on a listening tour, and I’m reaching out proactively to school heads, business officers, and enrollment officers. I want to explore compelling problems and challenges you face, both within financial aid and beyond. Our growth has empowered us, inspired us to continue solving problems in the same way we know our schools are facing them.

Whether you are a Clarity partner school, a prospective partner school, a parent, or anyone else who is passionate about improving the education system, I invite you to reach out to me. Share your ideas, your challenges, and let’s work together to find solutions. I’ve learned that the best ideas often emerge from simply listening to people articulate their problems.

As we stride into this new school year, we see Clarity not just as a solution, but a platform for transformative change. Together, we shall redefine the future of education, one innovative solution at a time.

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