Best of 2025: How Education Founders Can Turn Any Conference or Summit Into a Sales Engine That Builds Trust, Authority, and Pipeline

Some episodes don’t just inspire, they show you what execution really looks like.

This one’s a real-time playbook in action.

Originally LIVE from the University of Toronto at the Canadian EdTech Summit on 30th October, 2025, Josh breaks down exactly how education founders can stop wasting time and money at conferences, and start turning them into revenue-driving machines.

After two decades in education and sales leadership, Josh has learned one thing: conferences don’t grow your business, a conference strategy does. 

From DC Startup Week to the Canadian EdTech Summit to IEI, Josh shares the same framework he uses to walk into any event and leave with real opportunities, not just business cards.

This replay goes beyond theory. It’s about the systems and habits that turn showing up into closing deals: how to plan before you arrive, connect intentionally, follow up like a pro, and use the stage, not a booth, to build instant credibility.

In this Best of 2025 series of Breaking the Grade, Josh unpacks how education founders can turn every conference, summit, or networking event into a predictable sales engine, one that builds trust, deepens relationships, and drives real pipeline growth long after the booths come down.

🚨 You don’t need more conferences. You need a clearer plan, sharper positioning, and follow-up that builds trust,  not pressure.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1️⃣ Why Most Founders Waste Conferences
Too many founders “show up and hope.” Josh breaks down why that mindset kills momentum, and the pre-event strategy that ensures every handshake counts.

2️⃣ How to Turn Presence Into Pipeline
Learn how your visibility before the event determines your results after it, and how to use social proof and positioning to attract real conversations.

3️⃣ The Follow-Up Flow That Converts
Most education founders drop the ball here. Josh reveals the simple follow-up sequence he uses to turn quick chats and DMs into booked strategy calls that lead to closed deals.

4️⃣ Why the Stage Should Be Your Strategy
Whether it’s moderating a panel or sharing insights on LinkedIn, Josh explains why visibility builds credibility, and how to anchor yourself to topics that spark business growth.

5️⃣ From Attendee → Authority → Advisor
You’ll learn the mindset and messaging shift that transforms you from just another attendee to the go-to voice people trust, without pitching or PDFs.

If you’ve ever flown home from a summit with a stack of business cards and zero follow-up calls, This replay shows exactly how presence, purpose, and positioning can turn any event into predictable revenue.

📩 DM me “CONFERENCE” and I’ll show you how education founders inside the EdSales Elevation Experience turn events, summits, and speaking engagements into predictable lead generation and closed contracts.

📤 Know a founder spending more on booths than strategy? Share this episode, it’ll change how they sell, show up, and scale.

✍️ Love the show? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so more education founders can turn their presence into predictable pipeline.

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