Jennifer Pieratt, PhD

Lately, I’ve Caught Myself Using a Specific Word More Than Usual: Back

“I’m bringing my business back.”

“I went back to the classroom.”

“I’m going back to the basics.”

Every time the word left my mouth, I felt a slight dip in my usual confidence. I noticed a tinge of embarrassment, as if “back” were synonymous with regression.

But as I reboot my company, CraftED Curriculum, I’ve realized that perspective was entirely wrong.

In leadership, the path to the top is rarely a straight line. Sometimes, the most influential thing you can do is have the courage to return to the trenches to find your future.

The 14-Year Gap: A Reality Check in the Trenches

Last fall, I did something that felt counterintuitive to many: I returned to the classroom after 14 years.

Walking back into that environment in 2025 was a revelation.

The landscape of education hadn’t just shifted—it had transformed.

I was met with shorter attention spans and an urgent need for student engagement unlike anything I had seen a decade ago.

To be a successful Project-Based Learning (PBL) teacher today, I couldn’t simply rely on what worked in 2010.

I had to pull out every tool in my belt.

I had to dust off best practices I had coached others on for years and test them against the realities of a modern, post-digital classroom.

Why the “Step Back” Is a Competitive Advantage

When I was coaching adults or running my business from a bird’s-eye view, it was easy to remain in the realm of theory.

By going back, I was forced to prove my own methodology in the highest-stakes environment possible.

Data-Gathering, Not Regression

I wasn’t losing ground; I was regaining my “why.”

I saw firsthand where the real friction points are for teachers and students today.

The Slingshot Effect

A slingshot only moves forward after it has been pulled back.

By returning to the basics, I have gathered the tension, clarity, and momentum needed to launch CraftED Curriculum into its next—and most impactful—chapter.

Owning Your Narrative

If you find yourself feeling uncertain because your path doesn’t resemble a perfect vertical ladder, remember this:

The embarrassment we sometimes feel when we “go back” is often just a byproduct of external expectations.

When I say, “I went back,” I no longer say it quietly.

I say it with the confidence of a leader who has done the field research.

I am taking what I learned—the grit, the engagement strategies, and the renewed perspective on modern learners—and using it to become a stronger CEO today.

“True thought leadership isn’t just about having the answers; it’s about having the humility to go back to the place where the questions are being asked.”

Advice for the Influential Woman

If you are considering a reboot or a return to the basics:

Reframe the Vocabulary

Don’t say, “I had to go back.”

Say, “I am conducting a strategic audit.”

Audit Your Lessons

What does your current self know that your past self didn’t?

For me, it was realizing that engagement is not simply a goal—it is a prerequisite for learning in 2025.

Lead with the Reboot

Share your journey of shifting gears.

It demonstrates a level of confidence, security, and self-awareness that “perfect” leaders often lack.