How to Conduct an Initial Parent Call
Your job is to make the parent feel heard, give them an honest picture of how Untapped works, and land on a clear next step. The phases below are the natural arc many of these calls follow. Cover what matters in your own voice, and skip, reorder, or linger wherever the conversation takes you.
Key Takeaways
- Make the parent feel heard before explaining anything about Untapped.
- Listen for the real story: diagnoses, what's hardest, what they've already tried.
- Be clear about what we are (executive function coaching) and what we are not (tutoring or therapy).
- Read for fit throughout, not just at the end.
- Close with a specific recommendation tied to what they told you, not a vague 'let me know.'
- Document the call in HubSpot while it is still fresh.
Call Purpose
The goal of the initial parent call is to make the parent feel heard, understand the student and family context, explain Untapped clearly, assess fit, and land on a clear next step.
Tone to Hold
The tone matters as much as the content. Hold these steadily throughout the call.
- Warm
- Calm
- Nonjudgmental
- Hopeful
- Practical
- Curious before explanatory
Call Flow
The natural arc of the conversation. Follow what the parent brings up rather than working through this rigidly.
Questions You Can Ask
You do not need to ask everything. Follow what they bring up and pull from these as needed.
- What made now the moment to reach out?
- What grade and school is your student in?
- What is your student good at, or into, outside of school?
- Are there any diagnoses or learning differences, such as ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, autism, or something else?
- What is hardest right now: organization, time, missing work, studying, motivation, regulation, or conflict at home?
- Where do grades and missing assignments stand?
- What have you already tried?
- How does your student feel about getting help?
- What would 'better' look like a few months from now?
How to Explain Untapped
The core ideas to get across. Let the order flex depending on what the parent cares about most: lead with relationship if they're worried about buy-in, lead with structure if they're drowning in missing work.
- We are not tutoring and we are not therapy.
- We do executive function coaching, which means building the skills underneath school success: organization, planning, time management, getting started, following through, self-advocacy, and confidence.
- It starts with the relationship. Most kids do not want another adult assigning them tasks. Our coaches earn trust first.
- Once a student feels understood, we help them build systems that create more independence, and often more free time.
- It is consistent and real. Students meet weekly with the same coach and work on their actual assignments, deadlines, and planning.
- Parents get updates, so they know what is being worked on without having to manage every assignment themselves.
Value to Lead With
You do not need to recite all of these. Pick the two or three that match what this family told you they need, and put them in your own words.
Less stress at home
When the coach tracks grades and assignments, parents can step out of the daily nag cycle and focus on the relationship instead of the conflict. This usually lowers the student's anxiety too.
Built around your student
Each student gets an individualized plan and a coach matched to fit them, not a one-size template.
The whole student, not just grades
Executive function skills like planning, follow-through, and self-advocacy pay off academically, socially, and well beyond school.
A coach who relates
Our coaches sit between peer and authority figure, so the guidance actually lands instead of feeling like another adult assigning tasks.
In person or virtual
Both formats work, which makes us accessible for busy families or families in different locations.
A real homework center, plus accountability
A structured place to actually do the work with coach oversight, paired with check-ins on assignments and grade portals so nothing slips through.
Steady, not sporadic
Weekly sessions build real momentum, unlike one-off tutoring or a single intervention.
Grounded in research
The approach is built on neuropsychological research, including Untapped's own peer-reviewed study, which gives parents real confidence it works.
Help through big transitions
Middle to high school and high school to college are transitions where many students need extra support.
Toward real independence
The endgame is a more autonomous, confident learner who owns their own systems.
Common Parent Questions
These come up on almost every call. Convey the substance naturally.
Read for Fit
You are listening throughout for whether this is a good match.
Signs of a strong fit
- Bright student who is underperforming
- ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, autism, or executive function challenges
- Missing work, procrastination, disorganization, or weak planning
- Conflict at home around school
- A student who needs more independence, confidence, or self-advocacy
- A family that wants skill-building, not just homework help
Things to slow down on
- The family only wants subject tutoring
- The parent wants us to 'fix' the student without the student involved
- The student is in an acute mental health crisis
- Severe school refusal, substance use, safety concerns, or needs beyond coaching
- The family's expectations do not match what we actually do
If something here gives you pause, do not promise a next step on the call. Bring it to a program lead first.
Closing the Call
End with a clear, specific point of view rather than a vague 'let me know.' Tie it back to what they told you.
“Based on what you've shared, I think we could be a strong fit, because your student is struggling with [their specific challenge] and that's exactly what our coaching is built around. The next step is...”If they are not ready, that is fine. Acknowledge that it is a big decision and offer to send the next-step info, pricing, and a short recap so they can sit with it.
What to Capture in HubSpot
Once you are off the call, capture the following while it is still fresh.
If You Get Stuck
These are not scripts. Use them as examples of tone, direction, and language you can adapt in your own voice.
Quick Reference
Tone: Warm, calm, nonjudgmental, hopeful, practical. Curious before explanatory.
Goal: Make the parent feel heard, understand the student, explain Untapped clearly, assess fit, land on a clear next step.
- Open the door.
- Let them tell the story.
- Validate before you pitch.
- Explain how Untapped works.
- Clarify the parent's role.
- Close with a specific recommendation.
Lead with: Two or three value points that match what this family said they need, not all of them.
End with: A specific recommendation tied to what they shared, plus the concrete next step. Document in HubSpot right after.