"Can you please take me to the Emergency Room?"

The date was March 11, 2010

I was lying on the bathroom floor at my house.

I was severely dehydrated because I couldn't keep anything down for two days. I asked my wife to take me to the hospital.

The ER doctor asked me, "Do you have a stressful job?"

After a lot of tests, I was told that I had four ulcers in the lining of my stomach and esophagus.

My job as a Private School Leader had finally put me in the hospital.

Which of these statements best describes you?

I feel discouraged, exhausted and stressed out. I'm not sure that my job is sustainable.

I am in survival mode.

I wish that I had more time with my family.

My school invades every part of my professional and personal life.

I want to have a long and happy and fulfilling career as a private school leader. 

I wish that my job still energized me like it used to.

I am "fine", but it has been a long time since I felt like I was really "rocking it" at school.

I feel called to do this work, but I am not sure how long I can keep doing it if nothing changes.

I have been where you are.

I have been diagnosed with burnout.

I have had my daughter ask me, "Dad, when do we get to see you instead of the back of your laptop?"

I have thought about getting out of education. Just walking away. It was too stressful, too overwhelming, too lonely, too hard.

The good news is that it doesn't have to stay this way.

"After 25 years in education, I found myself this year overwhelmed by my leadership role and school responsibilities, to the point where they consumed every aspect of my life. I was answering emails before breakfast, staying at work too late, and my personal life had all but vanished. I realized I needed to break this cycle and regain balance to rediscover the joy that drew me to this work in the first place. I trusted Mark Minkus and his wealth of experience and wisdom, and enrolling in THRIVE Academy turned out to be the best career decision I’ve made to date.

Some of the most impactful aspects of the THRIVE program for me have definitely been related to setting boundaries. Additionally, I’ve implemented actionable steps such as managing emails more effectively, taking control of my calendar, and focusing on achieving a better work-life blend.

School life will always come with its share of challenges, daily crises, and high energy. What I’ve learned is to approach each day with confidence, staying organized and calm, and avoiding the ‘tyranny of the urgent.’ As a result, I am happier, more connected to my family, and more enthusiastic than ever.”

Kerry Ann, Head of Lower School, Nashville, TN

"Life before THRIVE Academy was good but not great.  I tend to be my own worst critic and can have self doubt.  I struggled with boundaries and wanting to be available for anyone and everyone at any hour of the day.  I took care of everyone but myself and my family.  

Setting boundaries, scheduling my planned times, and focusing on being intentional about things are three of the biggest takeaways for me.  

As I transition to the role of principal, I feel like THRIVE Academy and my conversations with Mark (during Office Hours) have set me up to be the best version of myself.  Not only for my school, but more importantly, my family.  I can't thank Mark enough for the time we spent together and recommend this program to any principal, new or old.  This was the best investment for myself that I've ever made."

Paul, Principal, Missouri

Meet Your Instructor

Hi! My name is Mark Minkus and I have been a Private School Leader for over 32 years and I have been coaching school leaders for over 20 years.

I have been where you are.

I have been diagnosed with burnout. I have had my daughter ask me, "Dad, when do we get to see you instead of the back of your laptop?"

I have wondered if I can keep going after all of the years of stress, decisions, upset parents, budgets, board meetings, needy teachers, student discipline, broken furnaces and evenings and weekends dominated by school work.

In THRIVE Academy, I will take you step by step through a very intentional curriculum. I will help you accurately assess where you are, clearly define why you do what you do and teach you strategies to better manage your time and create sustainable boundaries between school and home. 

I can't wait to help you go from surviving to THRIVING!

Office Hours are an important part of THRIVE Academy. Go live each week with other leaders that actually "get it" and understand what it is like to lead a private school!

Professional Development for Private School Leaders is typically expensive and rare.

The budget is always tight. That means that you usually are near the bottom of the list when it comes to professional development.

Going to a conference can be very expensive: travel, meals, lodging, registration. Sometimes a conference can easily cost over $1000.00 for just one school leader.

THRIVE Academy is less than $400.00 and I guarantee the results or you get your money back.

I will be happy to send you an invoice so that your school can pay for this important PD opportunity.

Also, many THRIVE Academy students use Title II funds from their local, public school district to pay for the course. 

You can also get a group discount when you purchase THRIVE Academy for your Leadership Team (Email [email protected] for more details)

"The job of being an administrator can be very challenging and lonely. Over time it can wear you down physically, emotionally and spiritually if you are not careful. I found that THRIVE Academy was like a lifeline. 

The course has empowered me to be my best self. It reinvigorated me and has given practical tools that are easy to apply to my daily routine, maximizing my efficiency and presence on campus. 

I truly am more motivated and fulfilled in my job after having taken this course and highly recommend it to anyone who is seeking to do the same."

Steve Springer, Associate Head of School, Santa Monica, CA

"THRIVE Academy has been instrumental in regaining my confidence as an administrator. In addition to all of the brainwork and helpful strategies within the program itself, the time you meet with other administrators is invaluable. Once I spoke with others who had similar experiences and challenges, I was able to know that the difficulty of the job was not due to my deficiency. Being an administrator is just a really tough job!"

Noelle, Head of Lower School, Elgin, IL

"As a Communications Director and a one-person office juggling many responsibilities, I knew I needed support to manage my professional life since I felt out of control. Working with Mark and Thrive Academy gave me access to so many tools to empower myself and really change my mindset. Knowing that my very demanding work schedule isn’t going to disappear, I now have tools and strategies to help me refocus, be more intentional, and regain control of what I can. This experience has truly been transformative for me in managing the pressures of my job."

Noelle, Communications Director, Corona del Mar, CA

"Mark has given me specific strategies which I have implemented from PreK 3 to 7th Grade which are helping transform the culture of my school. I have also found a renewed sense of joy and enthusiasm as a school leader through Mark’s coaching.  My overall quality of life at home with my family and my effectiveness as a school leader have both greatly improved."

Thomas, Principal, Louisiana

“Sometimes your words challenge me to be better.  Sometimes your words give me something to think about.  Sometimes I receive new insights and ideas that I want to put into practice immediately. Sometimes I see myself in you when you speak about how your life used to be in the beginning years of your leadership.  I see that in myself right now and I am worried that I will burn out.  I want to be in this vocation for the rest of my life, God willing, but I know I need to change if I am going to be able to do so in the future!”

Keith, Principal, Rhode Island

"I found myself in a lonely place, facing challenges that called for collaboration but required confidentiality. Overwhelmed and in need of a sounding board, my decision to hire Mark saved my summer! I found practical, responsive, and wise counsel that transformed the way I thought about my work. He helped reconnect me to my purpose while filling my tool belt with ideas I could implement immediately. I now have a plan, a few new habits, and a new outlook on the upcoming year. At a time when I needed an objective, trustworthy voice, Mark walked me out of the wilderness and helped me find a path forward. Thank you Mark!"

Brad, Principal, Kentucky

"Mark's coaching was transformational for my practice as a school leader. Larger than just my scope of work, Mark helped me reshape my personal life. He helped me recognize that despite my reluctance to face it, my relationships were being adversely impacted by my work life. Mark gave me the permission to take care of myself, and in doing so take care of those around me, making me a more effective, happier, inspired school leader."

Adam, Head of Lower School, Colorado

"Mark Minkus has been a lifeline for me at times. I’m 5 years into the job and I still feel like his advice and resources are useful, relevant and crucial to leading in a private school of this century. 

Mark has a way to validate my feelings as a leader and has inspired me to move past my doubts to achieve greater things! The part where he said “you said yes to this job, this very exhausting and beautiful job” had me in tears.

He’s extremely personable and patient and doesn’t mind going the extra mile for you. Mark is an inspirational leader who will be leading many leaders that are raising up amazing generations to come!"

Eman, Head of School, Florida

"I appreciate all of your advice, insights, and encouragement throughout this last year. I did four observations last month and made my daily notecard first thing this morning, so you helped me build habits that I find extremely useful. Thank you!"

Kate, Principal, Washington, DC