Meet Rebekah Shoaf | Author, Educational Consultant, and Social Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebekah Shoaf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebekah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I started my consulting business, What If Schools, I had been working for the New York City Department of Education for 14 years, first as a high school English teacher and then as an instructional and teacher leadership coach. I wanted to keep doing that work, but there were bureaucratic changes in the system that were making it impossible for me to do so in the way that I wanted to and that I believed was best, so I resigned to strike out on my own. I knew I was taking a big risk in some ways, but I also knew that I needed to stay true to what I believed in and what I knew would make me happy. During this period, I was also starting Boogie Down Books, a bookstore-without-walls® for kids, teens, families, and educators in the Bronx and beyond. I had always wanted to open a children’s bookstore, but commercial real estate costs made the idea of a brick-and-mortar store feel impossible. Instead I thought about what it would look like to bring the things you’d find in a traditional children’s bookstore to communities that don’t have one, and I conceptualized the business from that perspective. So in starting both businesses, my thought process involved looking at the limitations that were creating obstacles to my initial goals and then figuring out how I could still meet those goals by going my own way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My biggest professional accomplishment to date has been the publication of my first book this year. It’s called Educating with Passion and Purpose: Keep the Fire Going without Burning Out, and my co-author Meredith and I wrote it during the pandemic. We originally conceived the book 10 years ago when we were teacher leaders together. We had been educators in NYC public schools for about 10 years at that point and we were already veterans at our school. We felt like we had found some answers to questions we were asking for ourselves and our colleagues about how to continue doing the work we loved in a sustainable way without burning out, and we had an idea to write a book about it. But life got in the way and we both pursued other professional opportunities. Meredith became the Assistant Principal and then the Principal of the school where we had been teachers, and I left the public school system to start two businesses, What If Schools and Boogie Down Books. But we stayed in touch, and in April 2020 she texted me, “Remember that book we wanted to write?” So we started assigning ourselves writing prompts for homework and meeting on Zoom once a week to share and discuss our writing, and within a year and a half we were ready to pitch to a publisher. It took us another year and a half to finish the book after we got our book deal, and it was just published on May 2, 2023. We originally thought we were writing a book about teacher burnout, but eventually we figured out we were actually writing a book about purpose because reconnecting to why they entered the profession in the first place can support teachers in decision-making when they’re asked to do things that are misaligned with their purpose, which we’ve found plays a significant role in burnout. In contrast to a lot of books in the education space, it was important to us that our book be really approachable, relatable, and personal. This is not a heavy, dense, academic book, although those are important too! Instead, we wanted this to be basically the teacher version of a beach read.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m based in NYC and Miami, but I do spend a fair amount of time in LA, so I’ll share my recommendations based on what I absolutely have to do whenever I visit. I’ve been a student with The Class since 2015, so whenever I’m in LA I always try to take as many in person classes at their Santa Monica studio as I can. My favorite teachers are Jaycee and Amanda, but no matter who’s teaching, the experience is always simultaneously cathartic and revivifying. The studio is right next to Holey Grail Donuts, so I love stopping there for a treat afterwards. Whenever I’m in town I also try to eat at Gjusta because the Baklava Croissant is one of my favorite things in the entire world and goes perfectly with a turmeric latte. I also make a point of going to Elephante for lunch because it’s the best deal in town. I always get a salad, the pesto fusilli, and the sorbet, and if I’m lucky enough to get a table with a view of the beach I’m just the happiest person alive. I tend to spend a lot of time on the west side when I’m in LA, so I do a lot of walking along the beach and try to watch the sunset in Venice at least once during every stay. My favorite bookstore is Children’s Book World, and the staff there is super knowledgeable and really go above and beyond to help you get the right book into the hands of any young reader you’re shopping for. During my last visit a friend introduced me to Framed Ewe in Los Feliz, and I bought the most fabulous pair of sunglasses I’ve ever owned in my life. I also went to Wi Spa for the first time recently, and that’s a place I’ll be going back to over and over too. The Buff + Massage is not for the faint of heart, but it’s extremely effective! Because I spend a lot of time in NYC, being able to enjoy the outdoors is also something I love about LA. Sometimes my friends take me to their favorite hiking spots, but honestly I love walking around anywhere and enjoying the weather.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m blessed to have had so many guides and guardians throughout my life, but the person I always think of first when it comes to the support that’s helped me get to where I am is my sister Elizabeth. She’s my biggest cheerleader, my best customer, and my personal hero.

Website: www.rebekahshoaf.com

Instagram: @whatifschools @boogiedownbooks

Linkedin: Rebekah Shoaf

Image Credits
J. Demetrie Photography