Best of 2025: Robert Martellacci on How Education Founders Stuck Chasing Sales Can Turn Relationships, Setbacks, and Partnerships Into Scalable Credibility and Revenue Growth

Some episodes don’t just share insights, they show education founders how to turn relationships, strategy, and innovation into measurable results. This one did.

Robert Martellacci, founder and president of Mindshare Learning Media, has spent 25 years shaping Canada’s EdTech ecosystem, mentoring leaders, and creating opportunities for companies to scale. 

From launching Kevin O’Leary’s school division to moderating the Canadian EdTech Summit, Robert has seen firsthand how trusted relationships and ecosystem buy-in drive both impact and revenue.

In this conversation, Robert shares lessons from decades of experience: the importance of community buy-in, learning more from setbacks than wins, and how to strategically position your company for adoption and growth. “You learn more from losing than winning,” he says…whether on the hockey rink or in business. 

For education founders, this mindset directly translates into stronger pipelines, better partnerships, and predictable sales growth.

Originally streamed as a LinkedIn Live in September, 2025, this replay dives into the strategies behind the Canadian EdTech Summit, a pivotal event connecting founders, educators, policy makers, and investors. Attending events like this isn’t just about networking; it’s about opening doors to channel partners, investors, and schools that accelerate adoption and sales.

🚨 Innovation alone won’t close deals. Trusted relationships, credibility, and ecosystem alignment are what turn opportunities into signed contracts.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1️⃣ Relationships That Drive Revenue
How trusted connections with educators, district leaders, and investors directly influence sales pipelines.

2️⃣ Learning from Setbacks to Close More Deals
How reflection and problem-solving improve strategy and lead conversion.

3️⃣ Scaling With Purpose
Why thoughtful international growth, summits and conferences participation open doors to new clients, partnerships, and markets.

4️⃣ Community Buy-In = Pipeline Acceleration
Engaging teachers, students, and leaders creates faster adoption and measurable impact.

5️⃣ Turning Innovation into Sales Opportunities
How tools like the Mindshare Workspace Pod exemplify pivoting ideas into products that schools and co-working spaces adopt, driving revenue.

If you’ve ever chased sales that never close, watched partnerships fade after the first meeting, or wondered why innovation alone isn’t driving revenue, this episode will show you how credibility, community, and community trust turn connections into contracts.

📩 DM me “CREDIBILITY” to learn how education founders can turn ecosystem engagement and summit participation into predictable lead generation and closed contracts.

📤 Know an education founder trying to grow pipeline or close more deals? Share this episode, it’s a playbook for scaling with credibility and impact.

✍️ Love the show? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so more education founders can turn relationships, strategy, and innovation into real sales growth.

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