In summer '49, College Pro started a podcast to showcase the "x" element of our current franchisees that make them successful. In a limited-time series called Torch Given, in summer '50, our CEO Tony Valle is sitting down to talk with the founders, past CEOs, and trusted partners of this resilient brand called College Pro.
Paul Woolner has been the Strategic Architect and implementer of many programs in Innovation, Leadership Development, Change Management, and Brand Experience for FirstService Brands for the past 36 years. Starting with his involvement in College Pro, Paul is not your typical business leader. He has both a Master’s degree and Doctorate from the University of Toronto in Educational Theory and has worked as an adjunct professor at a number of Universities including the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto.
Paul is also an avid musician and has toured, and recorded professionally throughout different points of his life. while also being the Founding Chairman of the Centre for Mindfulness Studies created to bring mindfulness practices to populations at risk.
Paul is a serial entrepreneur and visionary as a founder and partner in a number of businesses. Four years ago, he was co-founder of DigitalEd, a software company whose mission is to shape the world through STEM online learning. Today over 300 Universities and Colleges around the world and a third of a million students use DigitalEd's Mobius platform in their teaching and learning.
In his business advisory practice, Paul has specialized in scaling entrepreneurial companies profitably, as well, he has consulted on strategy internationally across a number of industries with global corporations. Paul is a pioneer of College Pro without ever actually being an employee, and through his conversation with Tony, you really get the sense of the type of thoughtful and wise person that Paul is. They discuss the working relationship that they have had over the past 30 years and have a blended conversation about the theory of education and business practices. They discuss in detail the concrete additions and improvements Paul helped make possible at College Pro. We hope you enjoy this thorough conversation!