Finnemore Consulting Ltd

The education market is a dynamic, innovative sector that loves new technology and ideas which have a genuine impact on young people’s lives.  The total estimated global market is worth £128bn, and the UK edtech market alone is forecast to be worth £3.4bn by 2021. 

So why is it so difficult to grow?

Whether you’re already established in the education sector or only just getting started, we can help you with everything from creating your company to successfully delivering winning solutions.


CREATING SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTS
Our Product Management consultancy covers the total lifecycle of a product, from initial concept through product launch to ongoing enhancement and product withdrawal. Our consultancy focuses on the key issues a product manager faces at each stage and provides the tools and methodologies needed to drive product success throughout.  

ACCELERATING GROWTH
Perhaps you are considering launching a new product or bidding for a large tender, or perhaps you would like to look at ways to increase your revenue with a view to selling your company in the future.  We can create a bespoke package for you where we will:

- Work with you to create a strategic plan and then work through the plan identifying exactly how the objectives will be met and targets exceeded
- Use our proven track record in sales, marketing, product management and client engagement to help you grow a healthy pipeline and hit your revenue goals
- Provide access to experienced organisational coaches and consultants who will support your talent management and succession planning, ensuring you tap into the full potential of your team

www.finnemoreconsulting.com

Director

Tarigo Product Management

Tarigo is an independent training and consultancy company focusing exclusively on the needs of product managers.

Established in 2003, Tarigo has built an enviable reputation for delivering high-quality, real-world training and consultancy backed up by an impressive client list including MasterCard, Sage, RBC, Amdocs, ARM and Capita. Over 15,000 professionals from 100 employee organisations to major global brands have enhanced their skills through our public or on-site training programmes.

https://productmanagementtraining.com/

Consultant Facilitator

Pupil Asset

As a member of the Executive team I informed and transformed business strategy to support growth including identifying new customers and investment partners,  and developing approaches to the market. 

Highlights included:
Created agreements with support partners, local and national government, and technology providers to increase revenue potential. Gained access to further 1,200+ potential opportunities as a result.

Built relationships with high-level prospective customers to create a big-ticket pipeline of tenders, including a national opportunity estimated at £1.5m pa

Implemented a marketing strategy to raise awareness, position the company as Thought Leaders, and create a constant source of leads and referencability

Increased prospect conversion rate by successfully implementing robust sales and forecasting processes; coached and developing the existing teams to increase turnover and profitability

www.pupilasset.com

Business Development Director (Consultant)

Sarah Finnemore

Working with companies across the Edtech sector as an independent Business Development Consultant to:

- Create and elaborate business development plans and design and implement processes to deliver transformative impact
- Facilitate business growth by creating introductions to clients as well as business partners such as suppliers, subcontractors, JV partners, investors and technology providers
- Develop marketing strategies, forecasting and pipeline approaches, coach and mentor proposal teams and client account managers.

The goal is always to help drive businesses to the next level, and significant achievements for clients include:

- Created a marketing strategy to turn a local North West education supplier into a national provider, creating 40% growth in year 1
- Built a pipeline of brand-new prospects worth £400k in a previously unexplored sector for an LMS provider
- Implemented a strategic approach to selling which resulted on 100% growth in revenue for a professional services provider and gained entry into two new sectors
- Delivered a market landscape and product business case for a public sector software provider resulting in growth in the social care and education sectors

Business Strategy Consultant

Sycol Ltd

The focus of the Sycol business is to improve organisational and workforce performance with a smart and rewarding solution.  Sycol’s innovative programme pursues this purpose by helping organisations ensure that their values, culture and workforce are aligned to strategy - and that continuous improvement is fully embedded.

As Commercial Director at Sycol Ltd, my role involved leading a new business strategy which continues to drive national and international growth, particularly within the education market.

www.sycol.com

Commercial Director (Consultant)

Capita

- Led a team to secure the re-let of key Local Authority outsource contract for a further five years
- Played a key part in key public sector outsource win with an estimated value of £1.7 billion
- Created a successful business model and team with a major authority in the West Midlands to generate new business and incremental revenue opportunities over a five year period
- Worked across Capita Group to win a new outsource contract for a minimum six year period, increasing the supported schools market share by 10%
- Built a viable go to market strategy involving acquisition and channel partners for a major market in Africa
- Created a prospect pipeline based on intelligent targeting and established a three-year growth plan for International development
- Developed a trigger process to support the search for new, creative international markets to expand the current reach of the organisation and increase emerging business opportunities

www.capita.com

Business Development Manager - Outsourcing, Acquisitions & International New Business

Capita SIMS

- Regular over-performance against target and consistent forecasting with a high degree of accuracy
- Identified and closed authority-wide deals to the individual value of £250k
- Created a team and implemented a strategy to win new sites, significantly increasing market share by winning new business directly from competitors.  This resulted in a large new business win in the East of England in Summer 2010
- Identified and closed large academy service and support opportunities (£30k - £50k each) and built profitable business partnerships; sold a comprehensive portfolio of products and services from across the company to increase revenue
- Created and implemented territory plans across the sales team, in order to gauge market share and facilitate targeted sales activity
- Managed teams to deliver territory-based events to generate leads, and introduced user groups in high-risk areas to encourage retention
- Identified and managed BSF and bid opportunities to maximise revenue

www.capita-sims.co.uk

Account Manager

Eteach

- Exceeded all quarterly targets and created new revenue streams by building bespoke software with Local Authorities
- Raised the profile and market share of Eteach within the territory

www.eteach.com

Area Sales Manager

Guardian News & Media

- Increased sales against budget by 60% and increased subscription renewal rate from 40% to 65% in territory
- Client managed several profitable relationships with Local Authorities, including a partnership with a Regional Broadband Consortium to produce customised content to the value of £50k to the company
- Created and implemented a streamlined forecasting system and improved weekly and monthly reporting

Education Sales Executive for Learnpremium

ProQuest Information and Learning

- Created several bulk purchase opportunities and increased market share in Scotland by 50%
- Increased subscription renewal rate from 35% to 70%
- Gained an extensive knowledge of the Scottish market working with teachers and Editors to create a ‘Scottish version’ of ProQuest Learning, linked directly to the curriculum
- Created hands-on case studies as marketing tools

https://about.proquest.com

Area Sales Executive

- Identified new business opportunities in emerging Europe and created national sales in Hungary, Slovenia and Yugoslavia
- Created a separate revenue stream by establishing formal contractual relationships with territory-based distributors
- Played an active role in creating, promoting and closing an international consortium deal across Central & Eastern Europe and Africa, to the value of $1.2 million

https://about.proquest.com

Sales Development Executive for Northern & Eastern Europe

Director @ Finnemore Consulting │ Strategic Planning │ Product │ EdTech Thought Leadership │ Future Proofing│ Business Development

I help growing organisations within the EdTech market to design, develop, deliver and market education solutions at the forefront of industry innovation.

With over 20 years of experience in the sector, I confidently support businesses seeking thought leadership and expertise in proposition development, market strategy and client acquisition, to future-proof their portfolios and break down the barriers to growth.

I've helped a number of ambitious and disruptive businesses to change and deliver in a highly competitive landscape, acting as the catalyst for strategic partnerships and joint ventures between Local Authorities, multinational organisations, private equity houses and ambitious start-ups.

Working with me, I'll challenge your current thinking, help you focus on your most critical issues and opportunities and, most importantly, provide a fresh pair of eyes!   Areas of expertise include:

- Understanding your value chain
- Unlocking the full potential of AI to grow your business
- Creating the best Value Proposition
- Marketing, networking & branding
- Identifying new target markets and ideal clients
- Enhancing your solutions to meet customer needs now and as they change
- Establishing a strong channel and partner strategy
- Beating the competition
- Leveraging relationships
- Guaranteeing recurring income

We've worked with companies including Arbor, RM, Fusion Education, Sycol, Welfare Call Group, Scomis, IRIS, Capita, iAM Compliant, Tarigo, Bromcom, Skolaris, The Safeguarding Company and Compass Education.


CURIOUS?
To find out more please DM me or get in touch at sarah@finnemoreconsulting.com


Specialities
- Business Development: I have a proven track record in sales and client management, with over 22 years of experience managing the sales of Edtech software solutions and services to the local schools, academies, MATs and local government, both in the UK and internationally.

- Strategic Partnerships: I’m experienced in leading companies to close major opportunities, BPO/JV, acquisitions, channel partners and creating local and national government partnerships. I’ve also undertaken extensive Private Equity due diligence and portfolio company work for large and small PE funds in the education sector.

- School Management Information Systems: Having spent 22+ years working across this sector with all major UK MIS providers, I have deep knowledge of this market. I can advise on trends, buying behaviour, technology, support and partner relations, segmentation, product fit and, most importantly, growth strategy.

A lot of edtech companies are still selling to schools as if it’s 2016. Why?? 🤦‍♀️ 

The way schools evaluate technology today is completely different and if your approach hasn’t shifted, you’ll feel it in slower sales cycles, tougher questions and more stalled deals.

Here’s what’s changed:

1. Schools are no longer wowed by features. They want proof: real-world impact, real stories and real usage.

2. Trust matters more than polish. Buyers look for partners who understand their pressures, not suppliers who turn up with corporate decks.

3. Decision-making is more collective. Heads, deputies, business managers, IT, safeguarding leads, SEND teams - everyone has a voice now. If your messaging only speaks to one of them, you've likely already lost the room.

4. Budgets are tighter. Not “we can’t afford it”, more “show us why this matters over ten other priorities.” You're going to need to provide clarity, not generic claims.

5. Support is part of the buying decision. Schools don’t just buy the product, they buy the relationship, the onboarding, and the reassurance that you won’t disappear the moment the invoice has been paid.


The companies doing the best are the ones that’ve adapted:

- They involve product, marketing, sales and support in the narrative.
- They understand the emotional side of school buying as much as the technical side.
- They sell outcomes, not features.

The sector hasn’t stood still and school buyers haven’t either. Has your strategy kept up?

#edtech #salesstrategy #schoolprocurement #productmarketing #growthstrategy

Sarah  Finnemore

Co-Founder & Director │ Edtech, Business Development and AI │ Strategic Planning │ Product │Thought Leadership │ Marketing│ Future Proofing

Nick and I are catching up with people and learning about sector developments at #SAAShow2026.  Feels like this event gets better each year, it's now a two-day show! 😯

#edtech #education #suppliers #MATS #schools #academies

End of a great week, including a trip to The Schools & Academies Show to catch up with old colleagues, meet new faces and learn new things. 

Thanks to everyone we saw there who made it extra special, far too many of you to tag but really great to catch up with Simon Freeman and Rebecca Johnson from IRIS Education, Sam Curtis and the lovely iplicit team, Mark Lovick, Stephanie Reddington and all the folks at Bromcom, Karl Higginson at The Access Group and finally getting to meet up in person with edtech ninja Jodie Lopez 🇬🇧🇮🇪🇫🇷 😊 

For those we didn't get the chance to catch up with in person, please do drop us an email. Nick Finnemore and I will be at Bett in January so hope to see many more of you there.

#edtech #network #bestpractice #CPD

We all strive to avoid mistakes.

But in edtech, what really sets companies apart isn’t so much flawless delivery but how they respond when things do go wrong.

It's called the 'Service Recovery Paradox': handle an issue well, and schools, academies and LAs often come away with more trust, not less.

In my latest article, I explore why recovery matters so much in this sector and how the best edtech providers use tough moments to build loyalty, not lose it.

#edtech #education #service #customerservice #customersuccess #retention #loyalty

Mistakes happen. What happens next is what really matters. Every provider working with schools, academies or local authorities will eventually get som

Open article: Why a Mistake Could Be the Best Thing That Happens to Your Edtech Business by Sarah Finnemore • 3 min read

Why a Mistake Could Be the Best Thing That Happens to Your Edtech Business

"We're working 70-hour weeks, we've doubled our customer base, why does everything feel harder?"

Probably because you're confusing growth with scaling.

Scaling isn't about doing more; it's about doing less, better.

After years of watching edtech companies grow (and implode), I've learned that the ones who last are the most focused, not the busiest.

The companies struggling are saying yes to everything: every feature request, every market segment, every partnership opportunity and every "quick win".

They're growing revenue whilst haemorrhaging energy, quality, and sanity.

Successful companies have mastered the art of strategic subtraction. One client had 47 features on their roadmap; we cut it to 8. Their development cycles shortened, customer satisfaction jumped, and revenue grew with half the stress.

Sustainable growth is multiplication through focus. As a business, ask yourselves:

- What can only we do brilliantly?
- What distracts us from that?
- What would we stop doing if we were brave enough? 

The hard part is having the courage to actually cut stuff out, but when you do, your team stops drowning. Your customers get exceptional service, and your marketing message becomes sharper. Your best opportunities find you because you're famous for one thing, not mediocre at twenty.

Scaling is choosing your constraints deliberately, then excelling within them.

If you could only do three things brilliantly next year, what would they be? Everything else is noise.

#edtech #scaling #sustainablegrowth #focus #strategy

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