Marlene Dandler built her company and a community from her kitchen table.
This week, I sat down with Marlene Dandler, founder of Seashore Academy, a fast-growing network of private hybrid schools that started right there — at her kitchen table.
What inspired me most wasn’t just how far she’s come, but how she leads: with clarity, care, and the conviction that great education, and great leadership, both start with human connection.
My three top takeaways:
1️⃣ Hiring for alignment, not background
Marlene explained that her toughest hires were leaders from traditional education, talented people who struggled to embrace Seashore Academy’s flexible hybrid model. What finally worked was finding a leader who shared her excitement for change and innovation.
2️⃣ Leadership energy trickles down
She compared leading her company to parenting: when she’s calm, the household, or the business, is calm. Her morning run and prayer aren’t just self-care, they’re her leadership practices.
3️⃣ Culture travels through connection
She keeps her on-site and remote teams united through short daily video huddles and by sharing photos from the classrooms, reminding everyone, even those thousands of miles away, of the joy they’re helping create.
Conversations like this remind me how much leadership is about intention — who we hire, how we show up, and how we stay connected across distance.
Grateful to Marlene for sharing her story, her heart, and her wisdom.
Full episode coming soon.
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Delegation Done Right: Ethical Outsourcing That Changes Lives
Kande used to work late nights folding jeans. Now she manages vendor emails for a U.S.-based client, and I’m not sure who’s happier—her or me. It’s stories like these that remind me every day that this isn’t just staffing:
It’s giving people a life they deserve.
I started outsourcing to Argentina to find more reliable help without breaking the bank. I needed support for my U.S. business, and Argentina offered:
- Bilingual talent
- Time-zone alignment
- Cultural proximity
At the time, I only saw these three benefits. What I didn’t realize was the positive impact we could have on a hire in Argentina, and that’s what turned this into something bigger for me. Because what keeps me going isn’t the cost savings—it’s watching lives shift on both sides of the hire.
The story of Kande stands out to me. Before we worked together, she was in retail, working late shifts, enduring long commutes, and earning a paycheck that barely covered her bills. There were nights she even skipped meals just to save a few pesos. Then we placed her with a U.S.-based client: a remote role, an aligned time zone, and triple the pay. Everything changed.
She’s still working hard, but now she’s home when her kids are. She’s saving money for the first time and building confidence. She’s showing up energized and being seen for what she can do. That’s the part that never gets old for me.
I believe that when delegation is done right, everyone wins. This is ethical business.
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What I Found in Argentina
There’s been a lot of talk about Argentina lately.
I’d like to share my take. Not on economics or politics, but on something I’ve come to know well: its people.
When I first started working with Argentina, I didn’t know what to expect. What I found was creativity, honesty, and a kind of grounded intelligence that’s hard to put into words.
People who don’t just show up to work — they show up with the intention to improve, to change, to build something meaningful.
People often talk about outsourcing as a cost decision, but for me, it was never just that.
I love Argentina. And if I can work with people who bring creativity, grit, and a sense of calm to every challenge, how could I ever say no?
Today, many of our most important projects are led by incredible professionals from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Rosario — people who bring warmth, clarity, and an unshakable sense of purpose.
That spirit has become part of who I am.
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