On a global scale, education and learning have historically been markers of status, wealth, and privilege. The revolutionaries of the past have pushed these boundaries to challenge the status quo and, through their actions, have illustrated that - regardless of background, class, race, or gender - knowledge and education should be accessible to all.
In the past, this largely involved access to text, scrolls, or books. Now, in the 21st century, educational resources are at our fingertips. In the modern era, knowledge seekers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries like Scott Leventon, CEO of Interphase Marketing, and Nellie Wartoft, CEO and founder of Tigerhall, continue their legacy and ethos.
Despite the abundance of educational resources available via the Internet, the ability to evaluate information still needs to be explored. This highlights the importance of digital literacy - the ability to use digital technology, communication tools, and networks to locate, evaluate, use, and create information to achieve success.
Learning in the digital age
The knowledge-seekers of today are increasingly expressing dissatisfaction with the need for more resources, guidance, and impactful experiences offered by colleges. This sentiment only accelerated as the pandemic forced many colleges to switch to online courses. In addition, as students enter higher education, many are left wondering which path to take and how to connect their interests with a viable career option, especially with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting the digital landscape.
Leventon and Wartoft represent the forging of new paths in our now digitally connected world. The traditional course, outlined by previous generations, depicted the transition from secondary education to postsecondary education or higher education in a predictable fashion. It was a straight line that did not allow for detours, particularly if one did not have access to the resources of others. Remaining on course was imperative for success.
As technological progress marches on - particularly developments in AI - education and learning accessibility through digital literacy is crucial in today's interconnected world.
Leventon, ahead of founding Interphase Marketing, explains his educational start: "I majored in entrepreneurship and started college when I was 18, and I think I was just too young. I was immature and not ready to handle it." He observed that there were many paths to success, and "higher education is just one of them." He advises entrepreneurial hopefuls to find a target market and specialize in a specific area or niche instead of attempting to become "a jack of all trades."
Alternatively, after completing her higher education, Wartoft quickly realized there are alternative and more efficient ways to learn. At 18, she booked a one-way ticket to Singapore, straight from her small town in Sweden, which was "filled with more cows than people," she explains. Nevertheless, she admits that she was definitely "the questioner" in school, curious to understand why more practical, encompassing information needed to function as an adult was swapped out in favor of memorizing the periodic table.
Today's hopeful entrepreneurs and knowledge-seekers face a complicated path to success. For many, more than traditional higher education classes and lectures are needed to prepare them for success in a world where vast amounts of information are available online.
To thrive in this digital landscape, access to digital resources, digital literacy skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset are crucial building blocks. Fortunately, founders like Leventon and Wartoft prove that success can be charted differently. By seeking impactful experiences and guidance, individuals can develop the skills they need to succeed in today's digital world.
The new path to success
Wartoft is an innovator who, along with her team at Tigerhall, is redefining "professional learning." Typical professional services are plagued by low knowledge retention and participation.
Tigerhall, a mobile software as a service (SaaS) platform for social learning, is revolutionizing the dynamic between professionals and how they can share tribal knowledge with one other through microlearning. "Tigerhall aims to enable professionals to pick up bite-sized actionable insights from the best business leaders and brightest minds in the industry," Wartoft explains. "These are people who have succeeded in what they're talking about, both through 24/7 on-demand formats and highly personalized interactive experiences."
Wartoft's social enterprise background and determination to bridge the skills gap have raised over $10 million in funding from investors like Monk's Hill Ventures and Sequoia Capital.
She has questioned the established learning methods from the beginning, and others are quickly catching up in recognizing issues in academic education.
"Many agree with me that academic education is not doing a good job in preparing us for the real world, and corporate learning hasn't done a good job of bridging that gap," Wartoft says. "Talent development is most effective when you allow individuals to learn from people they aspire to be, through thought-provoking experiences and a community that fits seamlessly into their daily lives."
The private sector worldwide is drifting away from formal degree requirements. "We believe academic education and useless credentialing will lose its power," Wartoft states, "and that MBAs and university degrees will cease to be a hiring criterion for employers, allowing the world to develop into a real knowledge economy." The connection between building community and personalized learning positions Tigerhall as a leader in the social learning space.
Like Wartoft, Leventon is a renowned thought leader in the entrepreneurial space. After working for four years in the corporate world, he realized that he learned more in his first year than in all four years of college. This realization led him to start Interphase Marketing - a full-service marketing firm that leverages AI technology - where he could put his knowledge into practice.
Interestingly, graduating students find it challenging to implement textbook definitions and learnings in a real-world setting that has already moved past the information they digested in class. "However," Levenson says, "SEO is not taught in most school curriculums, so the only way to learn it is by educating yourself and investing in your education. It's one reason why I stress the importance of providing helpful content to audiences. Content marketing and copywriting is the backbone of B2B sales."
According to Leventon, the first mistake entrepreneurs make in digital marketing is failing to define their target market. Instead of being a jack of all trades, entrepreneurs should specialize in a specific area or niche.
Leventon advises that, regardless of the niche, it's essential to educate yourself and learn best practices in your industry when starting your side hustle. Leventon recommends using the tools professionals use, such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and social media analytics to gauge your success with content marketing and SEO campaigns. He also believes that the most significant trend in the SEO industry is the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT, in the copywriting industry.
As self-starters that charted new directions, Wartoft believes everyone should have the opportunity to reach their life goals and become successful at what they do - regardless of their background or circumstances. Indeed, the building blocks to success are rooted in self-education, access, and the entrepreneurial spirit.
