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
Erin Dowd: Learning to Love Stories | Sowing Seeds Early in Life
A fantastic time spent talking with Erin Dowd and how she found her true calling in life! Erin comes from a family of educators, and she always looked up to her father and grandfather as mentors. They were more than just mentors; they were the key to unlocking her true potential. Erin's father, a master storyteller, weaved enchanting tales that made learning fun and relatable.
And let's not forget her mother's father, a true champion of education and a trailblazer during the challenging times of segregation. He was all about building bridges, pushing boundaries, and doing things in the classroom that no other teachers were doing. With the seeds of curiosity planted early in Erin's life, she discovered a passion for education and ignited her own passion for making a difference in the lives of students.
What Makes a Great Teacher?
Every student has their own unique take on teachers - some are unforgettable, while others fade away like yesterday's homework. A great teacher can work some real magic. They're like undercover superstars, sussing out what each child needs and who they are, so they can meet each individual right where they are and ignite their personal passions.
Throughout the years that Erin spent doing what she loved most, it became more and more apparent that the education system was becoming toxic. Erin goes on to explain how educators are constantly training, spending excessive time and money getting master’s degrees, and jumping through certification hoops like circus performers.
Eventually, she hit her breaking point and chose to take a few years off to recover.
During her time away from the school system, she dove into many hobbies and side hustles while traveling to places like Turkey, India, Honduras, and more. She let herself explore and considered being a travel writer, even setting up a blog while living it up in Thailand.
