Industry Updates
Magazine
Brand Story
Press Release
BLOGS
The Inc. Magazine has been a great supporter of all the business leaders out there who are giving different industries a new charm. We’re back with the inspirational story of Norm Goldstein and his brainchild, EduNetwork Partners. Norm Goldstein, the awe-inspiring founder of EduNetwork Partner, a preeminent name for creating engaging and innovative educational programs, is a recognized pioneer and visionary in the field of youth innovation and empowerment.
Norm Goldstein– A PERSON WORTH KNOWING!
With more than 40 years of experience, Norm is a Congressional Leadership Award winner and one of CNN’s “Ten National Innovators” who are improving people’s lives in America. He is also well-recognized for his contributions as a humanitarian and global goodwill ambassador.
Norm’s career took a new direction when, at the age of 28, he became president of Geoffrey Beene menswear, and in the years that followed, he partnered with several high-profile individuals and companies to help build their businesses. In 1970, the visionary leader collaborated with psychedelic artist Peter Max, the Sharper Image (which led to the establishment of its licensing arm), and EVP Walker Digital, the creators of Priceline. Norm worked with customers like the NFL, Xerox, Nickelodeon, NBA, Salle Mae, MLS, Intel, Disney, MLB, Warren Buffett, and the New York Stock Exchange to create his instructional marketing business.
He is also the author of The Book of Normanisms, a collection of maxims that share the wisdom he has acquired in the course of his life. He is also a New York State mediator and lemon law arbitrator and has been honored with a leadership award by the Congressional Black Caucus Leadership. Apart from being a transformational coach and a visionary leader, Norm has been a named inventor on seven U.S. patents, and, best of all, he is a granddad to seven wonderful children.
EduNetwork Partners at a GLANCE
EduNetwork Partners, a recognized educational marketing firm, now provides businesses with a distinctive, multifaceted strategy to interact with consumers. This strategy includes a free CSR-branded service for schools. EduNetwork Partners was founded in 2003 and specializes in creating unique social responsibility programs for business clients. These programs concentrate on a variety of topics, including the formation of healthy habits and the avoidance of opioid use, cyberbullying, teen suicide, and other forms of bullying.
Talking about the initial challenges along the way, Norm Goldstein asserted, “Twenty years ago, firms were cautious to pursue children, since youngsters had very little purchasing power. But, with their innate understanding of the digital world, today’s youth are setting the pace for technology use.”
THE IDEA OF JOINING THE INDUSTRY AND TAKING THE PLUNGE
It all started when Cassidy Goldstein, Norm Goldstein’s 11-year-old daughter, created a writing tool to hold broken crayon parts. She had issues with her small-motor skills, but her invention allowed her to overcome them. Norm, who is also an inventor, realized that her invention could benefit many other people who struggle with writing. He patented it, making her the holder of a United States utility patent at age 14. Once Norm licensed her innovation to a well-known manufacturer of kids’ products, the product was marketed to consumers at Walmart and other stores.
This experience made him realize that children often have great ideas because they see the world as a place of endless possibilities. With that in mind, he founded a company called By Kids For Kids 18 years ago to support children’s unique perspectives on inventions and to bring those ideas to his company. Thereafter, he would provide them with free patents and assist in commercializing their creations. His initiative helped 26 ideas get patents in all.
Norm was severely impacted by the 2008 financial crisis and was compelled to change his goals. Before, they had been paying THE young inventors a portion of the licensing income, but regrettably, that has come to an end. To deal with the situation, they came up with a fresh plan of action.
When they first started the company, they were given permission to use Project XL, a problem-solving and creative-thinking program created by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. They decided to construct a toolkit for creative thinking and update this somewhat obsolete material. They were unable to keep enough toolkits in stock since they were so popular. Even during conferences and conventions, they were being stolen by attendees! Norm won a Congressional award for empowering youths through admirable public-private collaborations six months after the toolkit started to be distributed, and CNN named him one of the “Ten National Innovators” affecting lives in America.
EDGE IN THE REALM
EduNetwork is a true partner with the customers, not just a vendor. In order to reduce the strain on their internal resources, the entire team works as an external resource when creating their CSR projects. Also, they provide contests and challenges centered around the programs that are student-focused, which aids kids in better understanding the information being delivered to them. Celebrations for the competition winners can help clients gain a lot of positive press and goodwill. By notifying the kids who won their sweepstakes, the Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, whose campaign the company helped design, garnered 3.2 billion media impressions.
ROAD TO THE FUTURE
Being a flexible organization, EduNetwork was able to act quickly to meet the needs of the evolving international educational landscape. In particular, they changed the platform to be entirely digital in an intelligent attempt to counteract COVID. They were able to provide at-home educational activities to supplement established in-school programs as a result.
The company’s future goals focus on developing new, urgently necessary initiatives that affect kids, families, and communities across the country. By proving their dedication to encouraging social responsibility and giving them the tools to increase student participation and engagement, these programs will continue to support their client’s aims and objectives.
PARTING WORDS
Before signing off, the visionary shared a few words of wisdom for our exclusive readers by quoting, “My advice would actually be threefold: a) never stop believing in yourself; b) do the necessary testing and research to support your ideas; c) be passionate but realistic about your goals.”
