Episode
Ep. 76 - Fiona Hayes: Why Perspective Is the Most Underrated Skill in Higher Education
- Podcast
- The Signal
- Published
- Feb 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1310
- Processing state
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Summary
Fiona’s journey is anything but conventional: from clinical audiologist and university instructor to scaling a global edtech startup used by over 30,000 students at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley. She serves as the CEO and co-founder of Viewpoint Simulations. She shares how teaching during the pandemic revealed a gap in experiential learning—and how she and her co-founder turned a classroom tool into a thriving platform that transforms lecture content into active role-playing simulations. Fiona shares her experiences building a fully remote, mission-driven team, why educator-to-educator referrals fuel growth, and how deep LMS integration became a non-negotiable key to adoption. Whether you’re an educator looking to engage students in new ways, an edtech founder navigating early growth, or a leader curious about the future of experiential learning, this conversation is packed with real-world insights on innovation, empathy, and scaling with purpose. Key Takeaways Experiential Learning Fills a Critical Gap – Viewpoint Simulations transforms traditional lecture content into active role-playing, debate, and negotiation exercises—helping students move from passive consumption to engaged, perspective-taking learning. Empathy-Driven Product Development – Fiona’s background as an audiologist and educator taught her that communication isn’t one-size-fits-all. This mindset shapes how Viewpoint designs for diverse learners and maintains an open feedback loop with educators. Educators Are Your Best Advocates – Viewpoint’s early traction came largely from educator referrals and peer-to-peer sharing. Building tools that educators genuinely want to use—and making them easy to share—creates organic, scalable growth. LMS Integration Is Mission-Critical – Deep inte…