ScribeSpeaks

Insights and Industry Tips from our Blog Series: The Unexpected CEO and More to Share

The Unexpected CEO by Jody Knowles

If you know me, you know my story. I wear my life on my sleeve, and because I do, I draw people into my orbit. Together, we gain new experiences and knowledge. And now I'm writing a blog, encouraged by a reacquainted friend from decades ago and the ScribeConcepts marketing team. In this space, I intend to share concepts, ideas, principles, and thoughts about learning to manage the 20-year educational publishing business my husband founded and operated until he died in 2023.

Managing a business with such a profound legacy presents both challenges and opportunities. Through this blog, I hope to inspire and educate—because if there’s one thing this lifelong learner embraces, it’s the ongoing pursuit of knowledge, even when it is discovered unexpectedly.

If You’re Not Changing, You’re Not Paying Attention

True leadership demands change. Paying attention reveals gaps in accountability and structure. Making necessary, uncomfortable changes is what builds a stronger company, shifting the focus from reaction to action.

The Unexpected CEO Blog by Jody Knowles, ScribeConcepts

Unexpected CEO: Here Comes the Sun!

CEO Jody Knowles emphasizes the importance of accountability and trust in her leadership journey. Throughout her career, she has navigated challenges and opportunities that have shaped her approach to leading teams and organizations.

The Unexpected CEO, a blog by ScribeConcepts' Jody Knowles

The Unexpected CEO #11: A Different Kind of Leadership

CEO Jody Knowles reflects on her leadership journey and embracing balance.

The Unexpected CEO #10: Patience and Payoff

CEO Jody Knowles reflects on the ScribeConcepts’s Fall 2025 Leadership Summit. Read how she highlights the importance of patience, trusting the process, and finding value beyond immediate results. From the River to the Mountains: Finding Payoff in Patience | ScribeConcepts

The Unexpected CEO #9: A Season of Shift

CEO Jody Knowles reminisces on summer as a season of shift, a time for purposeful pause. Read how she has embraced the transitions in her leadership journey. A Season of Shift: Transition, Change & Leadership in Business | ScribeConcepts

Mistakes. I’ve Made a Few... #LifelongLearning

So, where was my mistake? It was in bullheaded belief that I alone could direct and manage a company in an industry where I had no background. It was in the drive to work harder than everyone else to prove I belonged. It was in pushing a team that had grown under different leadership to believe things could be not just different, but better.

The Unexpected CEO #7: Embracing the Gray — Change, Leadership, and Owning Who I Am

When I became CEO, I realized I didn’t have the same strengths the founder did, so I needed to rely on my own experiences.

The Unexpected CEO #6: The Power of a Steering Committee: Navigating Uncharted Waters Together

Recently, I took a significant risk–establishing a Steering Committee, a concept introduced by one of my career mentors.

Two years of progress: it’s a marathon, not a sprint

Two years ago, I was grappling with the unexpected—the loss of my husband, a founder whose vision built ScribeConcepts, and the decision to

More to Share

Here, the ScribeConcepts team offers a wealth of industry insights and expert tips. Whether you're seeking the latest trends in publishing production, curriculum development, or project management, you'll find it all right here. This is your go-to resource for staying ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of education and publishing. Looking for something specific? Try using the search bar to easily explore and discover specific topics tailored to your interests and needs. Dive in and let the learning begin!

Essential Project Management Skills to Boost Content Success

It can be complicated to complete large projects or execute big ideas, but with the right team and set of skills, anything is possible!

Place-Based Learning for Environmental Education featuring a bus

Exploring Local Landscapes: Place-Based Learning for Environmental Education

Place-based learning offers an immersive—or “re-immersive”—approach to education, using the local landscape as a living classroom. Schools and community programs across various cities have embraced this model, integrating outdoor experiences with curriculum-based learning to foster ecological awareness and deeper connections with place.

A slightly open laptop with a stack of books. There are digital waves in the background.

Technology's Impact on Educational Publishing

Changes in technology are felt in education, from students’ in-classroom expectations to core curriculum development. That’s a broad range of education considerations to keep up with as an education publisher!

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