This year marks MindMax’s 15th anniversary of providing a smarter higher education marketing and enrollment experience for colleges and universities across America. In that time, we’ve generated over $165 million in revenue for schools from non-credit program enrollments, helped schools achieve an average 20% year-over-year increase in enrollments, and impacted more than two million students worldwide. 

There is much to celebrate, and I’m incredibly proud of our accomplishments. I hope you’ll join me as I reflect on MindMax’s journey over the past 15 years.

A Brief History of MindMax

I founded MindMax in 1989 with the tagline: “to maximize your mind’s potential.” Having just spent several years working in education, I found that the overarching view of what was possible with learning and education left much to be desired. 

So, I started MindMax to help teachers discover different ways to create better learning environments. I believe—and have always believed—that learning, particularly through higher education, is one of the most transformative experiences a person can have during their lifetime. (“Learn always” is a core value of mine that would eventually become one of MindMax’s.) 

It didn’t take long for me to realize a sobering truth: that many people didn’t have access to these transformative experiences. Colleges and universities lacked the resources and technology to meet prospective students where they were in their journeys of pursuing higher education. 

The demand was there for non-credit certificates (now called microcredentials), master’s degrees, and more, but higher education wasn’t quite equipped to fulfill it. So, I refined MindMax’s mission and began shaping the company into what it is today: a strategic partner for schools looking to grow enrollments in alignment with their missions, values, and brands.

Building Trust through the Spirit of Partnership 

Like any organization, MindMax has grown and evolved over the years. Initially, we offered a full suite of services (higher education marketing, demand generation, lead nurturing, outbound and inbound calling, enrollment management, and consulting) as part of a complete package. When schools made it clear that they didn’t always need or want all those services, we responded to their feedback by unbundling some of them. 

Most importantly, we have aimed to meet schools where they are. Sometimes, that has meant bundling services for schools that lack the resources and capabilities to get results (another MindMax core value). Increasingly, it has meant offering unbundled services as schools develop more capabilities in-house. We work to provide schools with the services they need, rather than defining services we want to sell them.

Despite the natural evolutions MindMax has undergone, one thing has remained constant: a spirit of partnership that drives every one of our engagements. It’s why we make a good-faith effort to respond to schools’ needs and adapt to the latest higher education trends. It’s also why we don’t hesitate to push back gently when we know there is a better way.

Early in our journey, we codified our core values, which have guided us to become a trusted source of knowledge and expertise among our partners. Establishing trust has been essential to our success in higher education, as schools have historically been risk-averse when it comes to working with outside agencies. I’m proud to say that MindMax has earned the trust of some of the nation’s top colleges and universities. 

MindMax’s Most Significant Achievement 

Reflecting on MindMax’s achievements over the past 15 years, many individual successes stand out, like working with CSU Dominguez Hills to grow reenrollment efforts by 245% through a commitment to compassionate reenrollment. However, I can distill most of these achievements into one more general takeaway: MindMax has helped schools think differently about how they approach prospective students. 

This brings me back to why I first launched MindMax in 1989 and shows me just how far we’ve come. It’s a good feeling to know we’ve reached millions of people through our marketing and enrollment efforts and helped so many experience the transformative power of higher education.

Another significant achievement is that MindMax has provided financial stability for dozens of employees and their families. As a business owner, I don’t always stop to reflect on the company’s impact on the workforce and the community at large—there’s too much else to focus on day to day. But when I do take the time to think about it, I feel immensely fulfilled.

Looking ahead to the next 15 years

Looking ahead to the next 15 years, MindMax will continue to serve higher education with a combination of ingenuity and (when necessary) occasional provocation as we support schools in more effectively fulfilling their missions. We will undoubtedly need to continue being agile and adaptive to the ever-changing landscape of higher education—something that we have done successfully up to this point. 

Thank You for Supporting the MindMax Journey

I can’t celebrate such a significant milestone without taking a moment to thank some of the key individuals who have supported MindMax (and me) along the way. 

Karen Sibley and Ruth Ann Murray were early believers in MindMax who took a chance on our company, and without them, we would not be where we are today. They gave me valuable feedback in the service of building a mutually beneficial relationship. In doing so, they made MindMax a better company.

UPCEA and NAASS are two organizations that have supported MindMax with resources and partnership opportunities for many years.

Eric Crews is a stellar business coach whose guidance and insight has been instrumental to MindMax’s growth and my growth as a business leader. 

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) has given me access to a per-to-peer-network of thousands of business owners. This community has helped each other through some very difficult times.

The individuals who have been part of the MindMax team over the years have put their sweat and heart into the company, fueled by their passion for higher education and commitment to our core values. I am forever grateful to them.

Last but certainly not least, my wife, Heather, seems to know just what I need at a given moment, whether it’s unwavering support or a gentle reminder of when to focus my attention on something other than the business. 

MindMax always has been and will be a collective effort. I can’t wait to see where the next 15 years take us.

Interested in working with MindMax to grow enrollments at your school? Reach out today.