Describe your professional journey and how you were able to grow your company from one person to where it is now.
Stages was conceived when I was an undergraduate psychology major at UCLA, working with children with autism. In 1993, autism was still emerging as a widely recognized diagnosis, and there were no tools or materials specifically designed to meet the educational needs of these children. Out of necessity, I created my own materials by cutting out pictures from magazines and ads, assembling them into homemade flashcards. As demand for these materials grew from fellow therapists and families, I realized that there was a much larger need. What began as a personal project quickly turned into a business that eventually became Stages Learning.
A pivotal moment came in 2019 with the launch of the Language Builder Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS), a comprehensive early autism education curriculum. ARIS pairs our educational tools with detailed lesson plans, assessments, and behavior management systems. It has since become one of the most widely recognized and transformative autism education curricula in the market, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from educators across the country.
Today, Stages Learning has grown into a company that not only provides innovative educational materials for children with autism but also serves broader early childhood education needs. Our offerings have expanded to include a complete physical curriculum, supplemental teaching tools, and a digital platform that supports school districts, clinics, and parents.
“Angela Nelson is a true innovator on behalf of kids and educators. She is always striving to create better tools to help them both succeed. From her start as an autism educator, she single-handedly created products that improved lives for students of all kinds. I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of this award. Our education industry would not be the same without her.” — Tom Brennan, School Outfitters
Over the past 27 years, we have navigated multiple crises — the dot com bust, the 2008 financial crisis, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout each of these periods, the core need for our products persisted, but we had to be nimble and adjust our strategies to meet customers where they were. Each challenge reinforced the resilience of our mission and the critical importance of providing inclusive educational solutions. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to empowering educators, caregivers, and therapists with the resources they need to help every child thrive.
What struggles did you face and how did you overcome them?
Building Stages Learning without external funding has been one of the biggest challenges of my career. We never took venture capital and didn’t have access to the typical “friends-and-family funding.” Instead, the business had to stand on its own, growing solely based on revenue. This approach made it hard to scale, and there have been countless moments of financial strain. I’ve liquidated my retirement savings multiple times just to make payroll, sold my car twice, and even moved into the warehouse to save money. At one point, I rented out my primary residence and moved in with friends, doing whatever was necessary to keep things going.
These sacrifices were made in the face of skepticism. There were many times when people told me I was crazy, that I didn’t know what I was doing, or that my business wasn’t valuable. Despite this, I pushed forward, trusting my instincts and the core belief that what I was building was needed.
Learning to run a business without ever having seen it modeled was another significant hurdle. I had to rely on trial and error and absorb as much as I could from those around me. This is where my involvement with EDmarket has been critical. Watching peers, engaging in conversations, and learning from the mentorship of others shaped my understanding of both the education market and how to run a business. Ultimately, I learned to filter through all the advice I received and find my own way. I trusted my instincts and pieced together a plan that worked for me, my employees, our business, and, most importantly, our customers.
“As someone who has been active in the education industry for 45 years, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the David McCurrach Distinguished Service Award than Angela Nelson. As CEO of Stages Learning, Angela has not only been leading the way for better solutions and services for early learners with special needs, especially autism, but she has also emerged a tremendous leader for the entire education industry from those who provide physical spaces to pedagogical solutions to technology innovations. Thanks to leaders like Angela, our industry looks brighter than ever!” — Kathy Hurley, Kathy Hurley Consulting LLC
Who were your early mentors and how did they help you?
One of my earliest and most impactful mentors was Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh, the founder of the Center for Autism & Related Disorders. I was fortunate to be part of the first cohort of therapists she hired. Doreen was less than a decade older than me, and watching her build her own business from the ground up, with the mission of helping people and changing the world, was incredibly inspiring. Seeing a woman in a leadership role, pursuing her vision and making such a profound difference, made me believe that I could do it too.
Another mentor who has been a tremendous influence is Kathy Hurley. Kathy is a force in EdTech, and I only wish I had gotten to know her earlier in my career. Her ability to network, her sheer stamina, and her industry connections are unparalleled. She’s shown me how to build authentic relationships, leverage them effectively, and persevere through challenges in a competitive market.
I’ve also had the privilege of working with incredible advisors — David Dockterman, John Richards, and Chris Dede — whom I met as professors at Harvard. Teaching alongside them gave me a deeper understanding of how to thoughtfully contribute to the education of students. They taught me that the products we create must always be designed with the utmost care and intent, ensuring that they make a meaningful, positive impact in the lives of educators and learners alike.
And sometimes, mentors come from unexpected places. Cindy Bowers has been a close friend since law school, and she supported me through the hardest moments in my business journey. Even after seeing the struggles I faced firsthand, she believed in me and was willing to join Stages as my COO. Now, Cindy walks side by side with me, navigating the daily challenges of running a business. From her, I’ve learned invaluable lessons in grace, patience, and resilience. I couldn’t have made it this far without her unwavering support.
What are your goals for the next 5 years for your company and self?
Over the next five years, I see Stages Learning continuing to grow in both impact and scale. We’ve made the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies list two years in a row, and I would love to see us achieve that recognition a few more times in the coming years. As we expand, my goal is to strengthen our position as a leader in both autism and early childhood education, continuing to innovate with products that meet the evolving needs of educators, therapists, and families. We’re looking to deepen our presence in school districts across the U.S. while expanding our reach to more clinics, therapists, and parents who need our resources.
Personally, my goal is to grow the business to a place where I can step back from the day-to-day operations and focus more on long-term strategic vision planning. While Stages has been my life for many years, I want to ensure that the company is positioned to thrive beyond me, providing opportunities for others to grow their careers and influence. I’m deeply committed to fostering a team that feels empowered and invested in the mission of Stages, and I look forward to seeing where we can take the company together.
How has your EDmarket involvement helped you in your professional journey?
My involvement with EDmarket over the past 20+ years has been absolutely essential to my professional growth. From serving on various committees to becoming chair of the organization, I’ve had the opportunity to watch, learn from, and collaborate with incredible peers who’ve shaped my understanding of both the education market and business management as a whole.
In the early days, when I was learning to run a business without any models to follow, the mentorship and support I received from other members of EDmarket were critical. I learned so much just by engaging in conversations, watching how others navigated their businesses, and absorbing their advice. It helped me not only to understand the complexities of the education market but also to develop my own leadership style and strategy.
But beyond the practical knowledge, the friendships I’ve built through EDmarket have been invaluable. What I do isn’t always easy to explain to people outside the industry, so having a group of friends within EDmarket who understand the unique challenges and successes has made all the difference. Whether we’re sharing ideas, commiserating over the tough times, or celebrating each other’s wins, this network has been my sounding board, my support system, and a source of continual inspiration.
You were a co-founder of the EDmarket Bold Women Collective. What is your message to other women in the education market?
My message to women in the education market is simple: we need to support and lift each other up. While there are many women in education, the higher up you go in business, the more you see leadership roles dominated by men. In that environment, it’s easy to feel like we need to fit into certain molds, but I’ve learned that many of the qualities that might be seen as weaknesses are actually our greatest strengths.
“Angela is, and will always be, an inspiration to us all. We hope that we can continue to build the Bold Women Collective on your vision, make you proud, and continue to let the legend of YOU inspire the many that will move through the path that you continue to blaze for us all. Congratulations and so well deserved!” — Jolene Levin, 2023 EDmarket Chair
Our ability to collaborate, show empathy, and lead with a balanced perspective isn’t just valuable — it’s transformative. What some may view as “soft” skills are often the superpowers that allow us to see and solve problems in unique ways. For example, our focus on relationship-building can help foster stronger teams and more effective solutions that drive long-term success.
Trust your instincts, even when others may suggest a different path. We bring a unique perspective that is vital to shaping the future of education, and it’s essential that we believe in the value of that perspective.
Above all, we need to build a community where we champion each other. The success of one woman should be celebrated by all of us because it paves the way for more women to rise. The Bold Women Collective was born out of this belief, and it reminds us that we are not alone in this journey. Together, we are stronger, more resilient, and more capable of achieving the change we want to see in the world.