ITP - 122: Building International Schools (What They Don’t Tell You)

Greg:
All right, this is Greg the Single Guy coming at you with a new episode. I do want to mention a welcome back to Kent the Cat Guy. How you doing, Kent?

Kent:
Great to be here. Thanks, Single Guy.

Greg:
And not from Mexico this time, but from Canada and Mom’s basement again is JP Mint. How you doing, JP?

Jacqueline:
Hello, good morning from Canada.

Greg:
I want to introduce you to someone we have just barely even met. His name is Greg Perry. He’s a co-founder and CEO of Global Services and Education Limited. Did I get that correct, Greg?

Greg Perry:
Yes, you did.

Jacqueline:
Woo!

Greg:
Yes, welcome to the show, Greg.

Greg Perry:
Thanks very much. It’s great to be here. I hope I can match the energy. My day hasn’t been as energetic and positive as this last five minutes have been, so thanks for finishing my day really well.

Greg:
Well, it’s really bizarre because Kent and I could wave at you right now, right out the window, because you happen to be in Saudi at the same time we’re recording this, right?

Greg Perry:
Yeah, I didn’t expect this at all. We’re just down the road from each other, and I don’t know anyone, so it’s nice to meet you because you’re the first people I know. Well, not quite.

Greg:
Wow. Kent, do you feel special?

Jacqueline:
And for those of you listening trying to place Greg, can you tell us where you’re from originally?

Greg Perry:
Yeah, I’m Australian and I’ve been working overseas since 2008. Born and bred in Queensland, Australia. I’ll get more into what I’ve been doing since, but that’s where I’m from.

Greg:
You guys are going to have to call me something else because I’m Greg, and he’s our guest Greg. So what are you going to call me this whole episode?

Jacqueline:
Single Guy.

Kent:
We’ll call you the same guy, but Greg, our guest, is by far the best dressed guest we’ve ever had. So you’re Shabby Greg, and he’s just Greg.

Greg:
Definitely. I’m wearing a T-shirt, he’s wearing a tie. I feel underdressed right now.

Greg:
You can call me Shabby Greg on this episode then. That’s fine. We all know who is the better dressed guy.

Greg Perry:
I had some big meetings earlier.

Jacqueline:
So Greg, we usually ask for a little elevator pitch of how you got into international education. Can you walk us through from Australia onward?

Greg Perry:
Sure. I was a teacher who became a head of school in Australia, and I thought I wanted to do something different. My first appointment was in Dubai as the principal at an American International Baccalaureate school.

Over the next couple of years, I met my wife, Shanna, and we launched our own company called Global Services and Education. What we do is set up and operate international schools on behalf of investors and developers.

Since 2008, we’ve led projects in around 30 different countries—some full school startups and some smaller teacher training projects. I’ve been to 64 countries, and home is wherever my hat is. I love what we do.

Jacqueline:
Right off the bat, I’m thinking, what made you go overseas? You were already a head of school in Australia.

Greg Perry:
I was reasonably successful, but the next step was to be principal of a large inner-city school in Brisbane, and that didn’t excite me. I wanted something different, so I thought, why not go overseas?

The International Baccalaureate really appealed to me. Some people thought it was crazy since I didn’t have IB or American school experience, but I broke that rule and became very passionate about it.

Greg:
Did you get that job through IB, or did you go through recruiting?

Greg Perry:
I went through Search Associates, attended a job fair, and was interviewed by Dr. Ray Taylor, who became a mentor. That’s how I got into Dubai.

Jacqueline:
Was Nick your associate from Australia?

Greg Perry:
Yes, he was at the time.

Jacqueline:
And did you go to the Melbourne fair?

Greg Perry:
I think it was Sydney back in 2007 or 2008. I was recruited there in person.

Jacqueline:
And when you met your wife in Dubai, where is she from?

Greg Perry:
She’s from Louisiana in the United States. She’s a former head of school and is now doing her PhD in curriculum design, focusing on women’s representation in history.

Greg:
I looked you up earlier, and your wife has been recognized among top global education experts alongside people like John Hattie and Robert Marzano. That’s impressive.

Greg:
Do you talk about curriculum at home, or do you have a rule about that?

Greg Perry:
We have a strict rule—we don’t talk about work at home. Professionally we collaborate a lot, but at home we switch off.

Kent:
So tell us about some of the places you’ve opened schools. Is it easier or harder than people think?

Greg Perry:
When we started, it was a romantic idea. We thought we could do it better than everyone else because we’re educators. But it’s much harder and more complicated than we imagined.

We’ve done projects in India, China, and many other places. We lived in China for eight years and set up multiple schools there. We’ve also worked in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. It’s complex work.

Jacqueline:
How do people find you? Do you reach out to investors, or do they come to you?

Greg Perry:
In the early days, I did some outreach, but now most leads come to us. We’ve published hundreds of articles, and people find us online. We get about 12 to 15 inquiries per week from people wanting to start schools.

Kent:
How big is your operation?

Greg Perry:
We have a person in each of our locations. We don’t run a big central office—we operate virtually. Our company is registered in the US and in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but our people are placed where they’re needed, in the schools themselves.

Greg:
From a listener perspective, especially newer teachers, there’s this idea that startup schools can be exciting. What draws quality teachers to new schools?

Greg Perry:
The pioneering opportunity is a big draw. It’s exciting to create something from nothing, and younger teachers are often attracted to that.

More experienced teachers understand it’s far more complicated. You’re starting with a blank slate—no curriculum files, no systems, no history. You design everything from scratch.

It’s exciting because there are no rules, but that’s also the challenge. You need broad shoulders. It’s entrepreneurial and tough.

Greg:
What about accreditation? For teachers looking at these schools, is there a way to know if a school is legitimate?

Greg Perry:
That’s a tricky question. There are many so-called “rubber stamps,” and some are more credible than others. Serious accreditation bodies include CIS, WASC, and the International Baccalaureate.

But you have to be careful. Some schools display memberships that don’t actually mean accreditation. You need to verify directly with the accrediting body.

Greg:
That’s exactly the concern many teachers have.

Greg Perry:
If a school claims accreditation, go to that organization’s website and confirm it. That’s the safest approach.

Jacqueline:
So your company doesn’t always brand the schools you open?

Greg Perry:
It depends. Sometimes clients want us behind the scenes. Other times, we operate under a visible model, like “operated by GSE.”

We’re also exploring more accessible models where smaller schools can connect with us without full management.

Kent:
What do schools usually need help with after they’re established?

Greg Perry:
We act as a bridge between education and business. Without money, there’s no mission, and without mission, there’s no money. Both have to work together.

For a new school, that includes educational design and financial modeling—costs, enrollment growth, and long-term sustainability.

Kent:
Why is there so much growth in international schools right now?

Greg Perry:
There’s a rise in the middle class in developing countries, and families want better education than local options provide. That demand is driving growth.

There’s also significant investment in education. Schools can be very profitable, which attracts investors.

Kent:
What do you want teachers to understand about for-profit schools?

Greg Perry:
What matters most is vision and mission integrity. It’s not about whether a school is for-profit or not. It’s about whether the school lives its values in practice.

You can walk into a school and feel whether it’s authentic or not. That’s what teachers should look for.

Jacqueline:
How do you maintain that across different countries?

Greg Perry:
We rely heavily on communication and mentoring. Even if we’re not physically present, we’re constantly connected through technology and supporting school leaders directly.

Greg:
Do you handle hiring as well?

Greg Perry:
We lead the process. We’re very hands-on with selecting heads of school. For teachers, we guide and support the process.

Strong leadership is critical. Good teachers can struggle under poor leadership, so we focus heavily on getting that right.

Greg:
Do you headhunt for those leadership roles?

Greg Perry:
Sometimes, but often we advertise and screen candidates. My wife is actually very strong at selecting leaders—she has great instincts.

Jacqueline:
What about teachers who want to move into leadership? Should they actively pursue that?

Greg Perry:
It depends on the person. Leadership isn’t for everyone, and it shouldn’t be seen as the only path forward. Some of the best educators stay in the classroom and have incredible impact.

That said, if someone wants to move into leadership, they need to seek opportunities early—take on responsibilities, get involved in school improvement, and learn beyond their classroom.

Greg:
So it’s not just about doing your job well—it’s about stepping beyond it.

Greg Perry:
Exactly. You need to understand the bigger picture of how a school operates.

Kent:
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see new schools make?

Greg Perry:
Trying to grow too fast is a big one. If you don’t have the systems, staffing, and culture in place, it can fall apart.

Another is underestimating how long things take. Building a strong culture doesn’t happen in a year—it takes time.

Jacqueline:
That’s something teachers don’t always see from the inside.

Greg Perry:
Exactly. There’s often a bigger process happening behind the scenes.

Greg:
What about parents? How do they factor into all of this?

Greg Perry:
Parents are critical stakeholders. In many international schools, they’re also paying customers, so expectations are high.

Managing that relationship requires clear communication, transparency, and consistency.

Kent:
Do you ever say no to projects?

Greg Perry:
Yes, more often now. Early on, we took on almost everything. Now we’re more selective because alignment matters.

If the vision doesn’t align with our values, it’s not the right project.

Greg:
That’s a good place to be.

Jacqueline:
What’s next for you and your company?

Greg Perry:
We’re expanding our reach while making our services more accessible. Not every school can afford full management, so we’re developing models that allow more schools to benefit from our expertise.

We also want to continue publishing and sharing knowledge. Education is something we’re passionate about, and we want to contribute more broadly.

Greg:
Before we wrap up, any advice for teachers thinking about international education?

Greg Perry:
Be open-minded and do your research. Not all schools are the same—it’s important to find the right fit.

Also understand that international education is a professional commitment. It’s not just travel—it’s a career.

Jacqueline:
That’s a great reminder.

Greg:
All right, let’s go to final thoughts. Kent?

Kent:
Really interesting conversation. It’s great to hear the perspective from the other side of how schools are built and run.

Jacqueline:
I agree. It’s helpful for teachers to understand the bigger picture and what goes into creating these opportunities.

Greg:
Greg Perry, thanks so much for joining us. Really appreciate your time and insights.

Greg Perry:
Thank you. I really enjoyed the conversation.

Greg:
And that’s another episode of the International Teacher Podcast. I’m still not great at endings, but thanks everyone for listening.

[End of transcript]