EdSales Edge Show
EdSales Edge is the strategy podcast for education founders, consultants, operators, and leaders selling into education.
For years, this show was known as Breaking the Grade, a space to challenge the status quo in education and think differently about how change actually happens. That mission hasn’t changed.
But the work has.
Over time, one thing became clear:
Education founders don’t just need inspiration.
They need clarity.
They need real strategies for selling into schools.
They need predictable ways to generate leads.
And they need to understand how trust is built in a system that doesn’t move fast, and doesn’t give many second chances.
EdSales Edge was rebuilt to match that reality.
Hosted by Josh Chernikoff, a two-time education founder who’s built and exited companies in this space, the show breaks down how selling into education actually works—across B2C, B2B, B2B2C, and B2E—always through the lens of how education institutions really make decisions.
This is not a show about hacks, shortcuts, or quick wins.
Education doesn’t work that way.
On EdSales Edge, you’ll hear:
- Real strategy for selling into education systems
- Conversations with education decision-makers who explain how buying actually happens from the inside
- Stories from founders, CEOs, and operators who’ve built real traction selling into schools—what worked, what didn’t, and what actually moved deals forward
- Teachings from the EdSales Elevation Experience, the system used to help education founders move from unclear and invisible to trusted and in demand
You’ll learn how to:
- Define your Perfect Client
- Pull the right credibility lever
- Move from being hidden… to trusted… to building a real lead engine
Josh is joined by his good friend and mentor, John Gamba—Director of Innovative Programs and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Penn GSE, and a former education founder who’s led companies through real growth and successful exits. John brings the institutional lens, shaped by years inside districts, universities, and education systems, seeing how decisions get made when the doors are closed and what earns trust over time.
Together, they sit on both sides of the table, the builder side and the system side, so the show stays grounded in reality, not sales theory.
If you sell into education and you’re tired of guessing,
guessing who to talk to,
guessing how decisions get made,
guessing why interest doesn’t convert—
this show is built for you.
EdSales Edge
Clarity. Credibility. Real traction.
If you sell into education, this is where you earn your edge.
EdSales Edge Show
3 Essentials To Grow Your Business: Lessons I Learned From Starting, Scaling, and Selling Flex Academies
In this episode, Josh Chernikoff shares his experiences and challenges in growing his second business, Flex Academies. He discusses the importance of finding the ideal client, pivoting the business model, and building a strong offer. He also emphasizes the need for a lead generation system and the importance of surrounding oneself with experts. Josh highlights the significance of systems in scaling a business and shares his own journey of continuous learning and improvement.
Takeaways:
- Finding the ideal client is crucial for business success.
- Pivoting the business model based on customer feedback and needs is essential.
- A strong offer that delivers results is key to attracting clients.
- Having a lead generation system is vital for consistent growth.
- Surrounding oneself with experts and building a strong team is important for scaling a business.
- Systems and automation are necessary for efficient and effective operations.
- Continuous learning and improvement are essential for long-term success.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:09 Finding the Ideal Client
05:46 Pivoting the Business Model
08:46 Building a Strong Offer
12:04 The Importance of a Lead Generation System
15:08 Scaling with Experts
18:04 Systems and Automation
21:03 Continuous Learning and Improvement
