The Education Business Podcast
The Education Business Podcast
Building a business in education can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to do it alone. Hosted by Claire Riley, founder of Classroom Secrets and passionate advocate for helping educators turn their expertise into thriving businesses, this podcast brings you honest conversations, practical strategies, and the behind-the-scenes lessons from those already making an impact in the education space. …
Phil Robinson: From Military Leadership to Education Innovation
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 scratc…
28:13
Sarah Marsh: The Accidental Founder: Building an Education Franchise
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 focu…
39:51
Katie Stone: From Teacher Burnout to Scalable Business
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-perso…
32:16
Simon Hunt: Why Credibility Matters More Than Followers
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, credibili…
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Matthew Henshall: Scaling by Subtraction: Building a Net Positive Business
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 o…
28:33
Jen Elliott: An Operator’s Guide to Scaling and Exiting an Education Business
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 bu…
28:59
Kate Bodrova: Building in a Crowded Market
Episode Overview Entrepreneurship often looks glamorous from the outside. Fundraising announcements. Revenue milestones. Big exits. But the reality is much simpler. In this episode, Kate Bodrova shares her journey from selling private English lessons as a university student to building a languag…
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Parita Patel: Building an Education Business Around Life, Not the Other Way Around
Episode Overview Parita Patel spent nearly two decades in education before building a tutoring business almost by accident. What began as a stop-gap after leaving full-time teaching is now a growing education company supporting students from primary through A-levels. In this episode, Parita shar…
18:38
Shane Leaning: Building an Ethical Education Business
Episode Overview In this episode of the Education Business Podcast, Claire Riley speaks with education consultant Shane Leaning about the journey from classroom teacher to running an education consultancy. Shane began his career teaching in the UK before moving into international schools and seni…
28:40
Craig McKee: From the Head’s Office to SaaS Founder
Episode Overview In this episode of the Education Business Podcast, Claire speaks with former head teacher and chair of governors Craig McKee about his journey from school leadership to building a portfolio of successful education tools. Craig shares how stepping away from headship in 2021 led him…
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