CASE STUDIES
Across schools and communities around the world, we help people see their work through new eyes.
American International School of Johannesburg
South Africa
When Michael Schooler arrived at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), he encountered a community with tremendous potential - and complex challenges. Separate offices managed enrollment, marketing, and communications independently, each working hard but without a unified strategy. Having heard about [YELLOW CAR] through trusted colleagues, Schooler saw an opportunity to bring greater cohesion, purpose, and alignment across the school’s experience ecosystem.
I heard about [YELLOW CAR] through a colleague at the International Community School in Addis. She talked about their work, and I saw how she used their vocabulary around experience. I decided that this perspective was precisely what we needed at AISJ.
Based on a conversation with
Michael Schooler, Director
Building an Advancement Culture
BEGINNINGS
After moving to Johannesburg, Schooler reached out to [YELLOW CAR] to explore how they could help align and elevate communications and enrollment strategy. He had previously attended David Willows’ workshop at the AISA Conference in Cape Town, which became the final convincer.
Once I heard David speak in Cape Town, it all made sense. I knew this was the kind of work our school needed.
EARLY IMPRESSIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS
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What stood out most from that first engagement was an emphasis on experience from the client’s point of view. Michael recalls being struck by the notion of mapping the peaks and valleys of staff and family experience - not as abstract data points, but as actionable insights.
They talked about really understanding the staff experience - from the very start to the end. That helped me think differently about incentives and timing. If people are already down at the end, it’s too late. The key is to strengthen the experience at the beginning, when energy and engagement are high
PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTED BY [YELLOW CAR]
When David and Suzette arrived on campus, AISJ was navigating a number of enrollment challenges and we looked to them to bring fresh ideas that were going to have an immediate impact.
[YELLOW CAR] supported AISJ in several key areas:
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Advancement Office Creation: [YELLOW CAR] guided the restructuring of multiple departments into a single Advancement Office, combining enrollment, marketing, and communications.
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Enrollment Recovery: Following significant losses, AISJ regained students through targeted campaigns, enhanced messaging, and community engagement.
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Felt Experience Indicator®: The team helped leadership interpret data from the Felt Experience Indicator®, and to tailor responses to each stakeholder group.
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Communication Alignment: Principals began collaborating with the communications team to ensure messages were consistent, empathetic, and on
They helped us see communications not as a task, but as brand protection.
The team caught things before they became bigger problems.
ENROLLMENT RECOVERY
The new Advancement Office led a series of initiatives that restored confidence and growth:
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A five-year loyalty reduction for returning families.
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Expanded financial aid and sibling support.
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A new boarding programme.
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A retention campaign targeting departing USAID families and other affected agencies.
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Enhanced visibility for growth initiatives under a unified message.
We lost close to a hundred students and picked up around fifty, starting the following year with significantly more than expected. That’s directly tied to the Advancement Office.
STRATEGIC DECISIONS &
BOARD INVOLVEMENT
AISJ’s Board embraced [YELLOW CAR]’s data-led insights, participating in joint discussions and using survey summaries to inform planning. The collaboration reinforced a shared sense of ownership.
THE [YELLOW CAR] APPROACH
What distinguished the work of David and Suzette was the relational depth and professional empathy of both David and Suzette. They built trust quickly - not just with leadership, but also with staff navigating uncertainty.
They’re not pitching things. They say, ‘Focus on your experience. Build it strong, and they will come.’ That’s powerful for a school to hear.
THE LEGACY: AN ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
The most tangible legacy of the collaboration is AISJ’s Advancement Office: a unified structure that now plays a strategic role in every major decision.​​
Michael hopes the next stage of collaboration will focus on helping teachers understand how every person contributes to the school’s success.
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​He also hopes to use [YELLOW CAR]’s tools to raise key metrics, such as parent advocacy and referral rates, through deeper staff understanding of the school’s shared mission.
I’ve already recommended [YELLOW CAR] to another school director in Angola. They’re not just consultants; they understand schools, culture, and people. They’ll help you build something that lasts.
CONCLUSION
For AISJ, [YELLOW CAR]’s impact extends far beyond strategy documents and workshops.
It’s a story of structural renewal, cultural trust, and leadership clarity.