Episode Overview

Season 3 of the Education Business Podcast closes with a reflective and practical solo episode from Claire Riley. After interviewing more than 50 education entrepreneurs, Claire shares the biggest lessons and recurring themes that emerged throughout the season — from starting before you feel ready, to staying resilient when business feels hard, to creating a business rhythm that genuinely works for your life and family.

This episode is both a celebration of the education business community and a motivating reset for founders heading into the next season. Claire also reflects on the realities of entrepreneurship in education, the importance of listening to teachers and schools, and why persistence matters more than perfection.

Perfect for tutoring businesses, education founders, school service providers, and anyone building a mission-led business in education.

Sponsored by https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/

00:00 – Welcome to the Season 3 Finale
01:00 – Thank You to Guests and Listeners
02:00 – Why Reviews and Sharing Matter
02:45 – Lesson One: Just Start
03:50 – Launching New Products Without Perfection
04:05 – Lesson Two: Keep Going
04:45 – Handling Difficult Business Seasons
05:00 – Finding Your Own Rhythm as a Founder
05:45 – Balancing Business and Family Life
06:10 – The Advantages of Seasonality in Education
06:35 – Build What Teachers and Schools Actually Need
07:00 – Looking Ahead to the New Season
07:20 – How Education Business Club Can Support You

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educationbusinessclub/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/education.business.club/

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Episode Overview

This episode explores what makes selling into education fundamentally different from other sectors. Steve Whitley shares four decades of experience across EdTech, international education markets, and consultancy, offering practical insight into long sales cycles, trust-based selling, exhibitions, MAT buying structures, and the financial realities facing schools.

The conversation focuses on how education businesses can grow sustainably while staying grounded in the realities schools face today. Steve also explains why empathy matters more than traditional sales tactics in education and why understanding the end user is critical.

00:01:00 – Steve’s journey into education and EdTech
00:04:20 – Why education sales are different
00:09:55 – Managing long sales cycles in schools
00:12:05 – Are exhibitions and BETT worth it?
00:19:40 – How to spend a small marketing budget
00:23:40 – Email marketing and database strategy
00:27:50 – How MATs are changing school buying
00:31:10 – Why the student is still the real end user
00:32:10 – The pressures schools are facing right now
00:35:05 – Final reflections on supporting schools

All About Steve:
Steve Whitley: A Seasoned Technology Leader
With over 40 years of experience in the EdTech industry, Steve has a deep-rooted understanding of the global education technology landscape. Starting his career in a local education authority, he transitioned to commercial roles, where he successfully sold technology products to governments, schools and institutions worldwide.

As a key leader in a prominent EdTech company for over 26 years, Steve oversaw worldwide sales, marketing, and development teams. The company's innovative STEM education products are used by K-12 students across the globe.

EdTech Consulting: Tailored Solutions for Success
Leveraging his extensive experience, Steve founded EdTech Consulting. The company offers a range of services designed to help technology companies thrive and grow, including:
• Go to market strategy development
• Executive mentoring and support
• Sales and marketing training
• Project management
https://edtechconsulting.co.uk

Volunteering

Discovery Educational Trust
Discovery Educational Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, based in South Essex and currently comprising five schools.

As vice-chair of trustees, Steve is actively involved in all aspects of governance of the schools in the trust. In addition to being vice-chair of the main trust board, he also sits on the Audit & Risk and Finance & Resources committees and is the chair the Human Resources committee.
https://www.discoveryeducationaltrust.co.uk

Education Research & Development Institute (ERDI)
Based in Chicago USA, ERDI work to create a rich and meaningful forum for education leaders and solution providers to collaboratively discuss, design, and shape the products and services, that support K-12 education.
As an expert network volunteer, Steve participates in ERDI events where he offers guidance, support, and mentorship to solution providers seeking to understand and launch into new international markets.
https://www.erdius.org

AI in Education
Steve is a member of the EdTech panel, guiding and supporting AI In Educations mission to ensure that every learner and educator in every school and college, is ready for an AI-powered future - one that nurtures not just knowledge and skills, but well-being, agency, creativity and lifelong adaptability.
https://www.ai-in-education.co.uk

Website: https://edtechconsulting.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenwhitley

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Episode Overview

Phil Robinson shares the unconventional journey that led him from military service and central government IT programmes into education and eventually founding Tide Education.

In this conversation, Phil talks openly about the realities of building an education business from scratch. He explains how his experience working inside schools revealed both the pressure teachers face and the operational gaps that still exist around student support and communication.

The episode explores leadership, trust, systems, scaling, networking in education, and the financial realities of launching an edtech company without major backing.

Phil also reflects on what founders often underestimate when entering the education sector, including time, trust, visibility, and the challenge of simply getting people to engage with a new product.

00:01:00 – Phil’s career journey from engineering to the Army
00:03:35 – Moving into education and discovering the problem
00:05:00 – Why Phil founded Tide Education
00:08:00 – Similarities between military leadership and schools
00:12:10 – What founders should do first with an idea
00:16:20 – Why networking matters in education
00:17:05 – The realities of funding and marketing an edtech startup
00:22:05 – The hardest part of building Tide Education
00:27:15 – Scaling, automation and reducing barriers for schools
00:29:25 – Final reflections on building an education business

All About Phil:

Philip Robinson is a dad, technologist and veteran with a background spanning defence, UK Government and education. A former Major in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Philip served for 16 years, culminating in leading mission-critical IT system in Afghanistan.

On retiring he worked in central government leading IT programmes and portfolios for a number of years before moving into education as Head of Business Intelligence in a medium-sized Multi-Academy Trust. Here he brought together fragmented information to create 360-degree views of students, enabling better insight, coordination, and outcomes across schools and trust.

Philip is the founder of Tide Education, a real-time inclusion support platform for teachers, providing one view, one timeline, and one shared understanding of each child’s support journey.

Website: www.tide.education
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-robinson-22ba9a30/

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Episode Overview

Sarah shares how she built a tutoring franchise from an “accidental” start into a long-term business. The conversation explores franchising from both sides, decision-making under uncertainty, and what actually drives sustainable growth in education businesses.

The discussion focuses on practical realities: communication failures, hiring decisions, scaling challenges, and the operational pressure of running a small business. It also looks ahead to long-term thinking, including succession, flexibility, and what “retirement” really means for founders.

00:01:00 – Sarah’s accidental path into business

00:03:30 – Leaving a franchise and starting from scratch

00:05:00 – Building a family-run franchise model

00:07:45 – Where franchisors get it wrong

00:11:30 – What makes a great franchisee

00:19:30 – Online tutoring and building Study Central

00:24:30 – Rethinking retirement as a founder

00:32:00 – The reality of small business pressure

00:36:00 – Why outsourcing matters more than hiring

00:39:30 – Final advice: you are not alone

All About Sarah:
Sarah always wanted to run her own business, a passion that began in her teenage years and continues to shape her career today. She is part of the family behind MagiKats Tutoring, a company that delivers small group tuition through a network of franchised Tuition Centres across the UK and internationally. Alongside this, she supports private tutors through the Study Central subscription.

While tutoring itself isn’t her focus, Sarah is most passionate about helping educators grow and succeed in building their own businesses, so that they, in turn, can help the next generation achieve their full potential.. Outside of work, she sings professionally and enjoys keeping active with the gym, as well as spending time on coffee outings and dog walks.

Website: https://www.studycentral.info/ and https://www.magikats.co.uk/

Instagram: @sarahmagikats

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-marsh-51227523/

TikTok: @sarah.magikats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011448608582

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Episode Overview

Katie Stone shares the transition from teaching to building a scalable virtual assistant business. The conversation focuses on the realities of leaving teaching, the mindset barriers that stop founders from outsourcing, and the practical systems required to grow beyond a one-person operation. This episode is grounded in operational clarity: how to move from doing everything yourself to building processes that allow your business to run without you.

00:02:00 - Leaving teaching under pressure

00:05:00 - Starting a business with £500

00:07:00 - Why remote work changed everything

00:14:00 - The mindset shift required to outsource

00:15:00 - Control vs growth: the turning point

00:17:00 - Building simple processes that scale

00:22:00 - What to hand off first in your business

00:28:00 - Why systems matter early

All About Katie:
Katie Stone is the founder of Elevated Support Ltd, a virtual assistant agency that helps education businesses grow by taking admin off their plate. A former teacher turned entrepreneur, Katie is passionate about helping education businesses to find more time for the work that matters.

Since 2020 she has built an award-winning team of ex-educators and specialists who streamline systems, set up automation, manage email marketing and handle day-to-day operations.

When she's not digging her clients out of spaghetti like tangles of admin, she can be found in South Shropshire gaming, watching and much TV as possible and hanging out with her husband and two lovely kids.

Website: https://katiestonepa.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestonepa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevatedsupportltd

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Episode Overview

This episode explores how a classroom teacher built opportunities beyond school without leaving it. Simon shares how he moved from simply posting ideas online to working with global education brands, while staying grounded in teaching.

The conversation focuses on value, credibility, and the tension between education and business. It unpacks what companies actually need from teachers, why authenticity matters, and how educators can create opportunities without chasing them.

For education founders, it offers a clear perspective on working with teachers effectively. For teachers, it shows a realistic path into building influence and income without losing integrity.

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Why Simon Became a Teacher

04:30 – Starting to Share Online

06:30 – The Shift to Business Thinking

12:30 – Understanding Your Value

17:30 – Monetisation and Credibility

19:30 – The Role of Trust in Schools

23:00 – Getting Started in 30 Days

26:30 – What Brands Get Wrong

29:00 – Working with Small vs Big Companies

31:30 – What Education Businesses Need to Know

All About Simon:

Simon Hunt is a primary school teacher, education consultant, author, and content creator with 17 years of experience across a range of settings. He began his teaching career in Reception before teaching in Year 6 and now teaches a mixed Year 3/4 class at Tottington Primary School in Bury.
Alongside his classroom role, Simon is a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) for Bury, supporting schools to develop creative, inclusive, and effective teaching practices. He works with schools across the UK to deliver CPD, share innovative approaches to learning, and help teachers feel confident and inspired in their practice.

Simon has worked as an education consultant with the BBC on the 500 Words writing competition for the past three years and has collaborated with organisations including Netflix on projects linked to the Blackfish documentary. He is also a published children’s author and has worked with a range of education and EdTech organisations across the UK and Europe to develop meaningful, classroom-focused resources. He was also named Inspirational Teacher of the Year by the Manchester Evening News.

Known online as Mr Hunt from the Front, Simon shares practical ideas, classroom strategies, and creative approaches to teaching with a wide audience of educators. His work is driven by a passion for making learning engaging, inclusive, and memorable for all children.

Website: https://www.mrhuntfromthefront.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrhuntfromthefront
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrhuntfromthefront/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-hunt-b0a442161/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrhuntfromthefront

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Episode overview:

This episode explores what actually drives sustainable growth in an education business. Matthew breaks down why focus beats expansion, how luck shapes outcomes more than we admit, and why long-term success comes from subtraction, not addition.

Listeners will get:

• A clear lens on product-market fit vs early traction
• A grounded view on growth during and after COVID
• Practical thinking on focus, strategy, and saying no
• A realistic take on “net positive” success beyond revenue

00:00:00 – The core principle: scaling through subtraction

00:01:00 – Matthew’s journey into tutoring and edtech

00:03:00 – The accidental start of Lessonspace

00:05:00 – Early traction vs real product-market fit

00:07:00 – Customer-led growth

00:08:00 – COVID: luck, timing, and rapid growth

00:10:00 – Post-COVID strategy and saying no

00:12:00 – Focus as a growth strategy

00:13:00 – Building and scaling a team

00:16:00 – The personal cost of building a business

00:17:00 – Defining “net positive”

00:22:00 – Sustainability vs impact in education

00:26:00 – Final lesson: subtract to scale

All About Matthew:

Matthew is the founder of Lessonspace, a Zoom alternative to conduct your online tutoring.

Website: thelessonspace.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lessonspace/

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Episode Overview

This episode explores what it really takes to build a scalable education business. Jen shares lessons from three decades in one organisation, including leadership, succession planning, and preparing for exit.

The conversation focuses on the shift from founder-led to system-led businesses. It challenges common assumptions about growth, value, and control.

At its core, this episode is about building something that works beyond the founder. That means strong leadership layers, clear accountability, and a business model that can stand on its own.

00:01:00 – Jen’s journey into education business

00:04:00 – Purpose and working in schools

00:06:00 – Leaving and returning with clarity

00:07:00 – Ownership and mindset shift

00:11:00 – Preparing a business for sale

00:13:00 – Systems, metrics and scalability

00:15:00 – What buyers are really investing in

00:17:00 – Succession planning explained

00:22:00 – Hiring and developing leaders

00:25:00 – Culture and people strategy

00:28:00 – Staying relevant in education

00:29:00 – Relationships and long-term growth

All About Jen:

Jen Elliott is CEO of EPM Ltd, a leading provider of HR and payroll services supporting over 2,000 schools and trusts across the UK. With more than 30 years of experience, EPM partners with school and academy leaders to navigate complex staffing and employee relations challenges, delivering technology-enabled solutions across HR, payroll, pensions, safeguarding, compliance, and consultancy.

Having worked in the business since 1996 Jen was appointed as EPM CEO in 2017. She has worked with many schools and some of the UK’s largest MATs over the last 30 years, supporting academy leaders with complex staffing and employee relations issues. In 2025, Jen founded the Network of Education Excellence (nEdEx), designed to bring together education leaders to share insight, drive innovation and strengthen sector collaboration.

She also Chaired the Board of CF Group, an organisation dedicated to supporting young people through Alternative Provision, children’s homes, and independent social work services, leading the organisation through to its sale in 2025. Outside Education Jen is on the Advisory Board of www.eightfourtwo.co.uk, a financial investment business. Jen is passionate about supporting young people with their careers and providing development opportunities for students to support with the transition from school to business.

Website: www.epm.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-elliott-b1187023

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