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
Slow Burn Methods for Lead Generation in EdTech
Don’t miss the Catalyst at Penn GSE Innovation Summit on June 21st at the University of Pennsylvania. It’s a must-attend event for entrepreneurs in the education sector, filled with insights on advancing your business. Register now at https://mailchi.mp/gse.upenn.edu/catalyst-summit-2024
Welcome to today’s episode where we delve into the world of lead generation within the education industry. We'll explore a variety of strategies from quick social media ads to the slow and steady wins of SEO and relationship building. Join us as we navigate the complexities and discover sustainable methods for growth.
Lead generation in the education sector is both intricate and resource-intensive. This episode unpacks the challenges of deploying various methods like SEO, Facebook ads, and cold emailing. We highlight the importance of tailoring these methods to fit the unique needs of your business, especially when resources are scarce.
Takeaways:
- Why supposedly “quick-fix” methods like social media posting and conference networking don’t actually work, and what to do instead.
- Find out what's stopping you from getting more leads and how to start booking in sales calls as soon as this week!
- Discover the Secrets of Hunting Methods and how these powerful strategies get leads faster and more efficiently than traditional approaches.
- Why Facebook Ads aren’t the holy grail of lead generation - and what my clients are doing instead to get booked out.
- The real problem with SEO and why you don’t have 6 months to wait for your business to start generating leads.
- Why you need both hunting and farming methods when generating leads and growing your business.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:13 Dissecting Lead Generation Challenges
04:17 Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Various Marketing Methods
06:31 Understanding the Impact of Impersonal Outreach Techniques
09:39 The Role of Traditional Networking in Modern Lead Generation
12:57 The Strategic Use of LinkedIn for Direct Outreach
14:56 The Long-Term Benefits of Relationship Building
15:34 Transitioning to Sustainable Lead Generation Strategies
