Susan Simpfenderfer

I attribute my success to a combination of integrity, resilience, adaptability, and a genuine commitment to people. Throughout more than three decades in publishing, educational technology, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership, I have focused on creating opportunities for organizations and individuals to succeed while remaining true to my values. I have never believed that success should come at the expense of treating people with respect or compromising personal integrity. I learned to embrace change, take calculated risks, solve difficult problems, and build teams where people could grow and thrive. Starting my own company from my basement and growing it into a successful enterprise taught me the importance of perseverance, resourcefulness, and believing in my ability to create my own opportunities. Today, I define success more broadly—not simply by professional or financial accomplishments, but by having the freedom to pursue meaningful work, serve my community, support education and literacy, nurture my faith and family relationships, and make time for the people who matter most. For me, true success is having the courage to reinvent myself, lead with purpose, and build a life that reflects my values.

The best career advice I have received has come from the people who encouraged me to keep learning, trust my abilities, and recognize that great leadership is never achieved alone. My husband has been my greatest champion and most trusted adviser throughout my career, supporting me through career transitions, entrepreneurship, family decisions, and retirement while always offering honest perspective and encouragement. Professionally, I have been fortunate to have mentors who challenged me to grow, including an early manager who became a lifelong adviser and later a client, as well as a mentor who taught me the fundamentals of sales and helped me become a more well-rounded leader. One of my most valuable lessons also came from an experienced employee who taught me that effective leaders do not need to know everything; they need to recognize expertise in others, give people the autonomy to excel, and remain open to learning. These relationships taught me to lead with confidence and humility, surround myself with talented people, and never underestimate the value of mentorship, collaboration, and mutual respect.

My advice to young women entering the EdTech industry is to seek out environments where trust, respect, and integrity are genuinely valued. Never compromise your principles or allow fear of losing an opportunity to convince you that you must sacrifice your self-respect. Your reputation and character are among your most valuable professional assets, and no position is worth abandoning them. The corporate landscape has changed significantly since I began my career, particularly in an industry like EdTech where organizational changes and layoffs can be common, but the fundamentals remain the same: know your worth, maintain your integrity, build relationships based on trust, and have the confidence to walk away from situations that do not align with your values.

The biggest challenges and opportunities in EdTech right now are being shaped by rapid technological change, organizational uncertainty, and the need to balance innovation with meaningful human connection. Throughout my career, I have learned that challenges can often become opportunities when we are willing to adapt and create our own path. Earlier in my career, balancing an increasingly demanding leadership role with raising three children forced me to reconsider what success meant to me. When the corporate environment could not provide the flexibility I needed, I chose to build my own opportunity and launched an EdTech consulting business from my home. Over 18 years, I grew that business into a successful organization serving major educational publishers and technology companies. Today, I see another important opportunity in using technology, including artificial intelligence, to improve education while ensuring that people remain at the center of the process. My transition into entrepreneurship, retirement, and ultimately founding Lexington New York Boulangerie has also reinforced my belief that meaningful opportunities can emerge from unexpected circumstances. Whether through education technology, literacy advocacy, community service, or small-business ownership, I believe the key is to remain adaptable, recognize emerging opportunities, and have the courage to redefine success on your own terms.

Family, faith, integrity, and service are the values that matter most to me, both personally and professionally. I have been married to my husband for 43 years, and I am grateful that we not only love each other but genuinely enjoy being together. My four grandchildren are an important part of my life, and having three of them nearby allows me to be actively involved in their lives and cherish the time we share. My faith is also central to who I am. After completing my training as a certified lay minister, I have the opportunity to fill in for our local pastor once or twice a month, which allows me to serve others and share a message of love and compassion. I also value balance, connection, and enjoying life, whether skiing and hiking with my husband or appreciating the beauty of the community where we live. Ultimately, I strive to approach both work and life with love, integrity, humility, service, and gratitude, while making time for the people and experiences that bring lasting meaning.