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/

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.
&nbsp;
00:01:00 &ndash; Phil&rsquo;s career journey from engineering to the Army 00:03:35 &ndash; Moving into education and discovering the problem 00:05:00 &ndash; Why Phil founded Tide Education 00:08:00 &ndash; Similarities between military leadership and schools 00:12:10 &ndash; What founders should do first with an idea 00:16:20 &ndash; Why networking matters in education 00:17:05 &ndash; The realities of funding and marketing an edtech startup 00:22:05 &ndash; The hardest part of building Tide Education 00:27:15 &ndash; Scaling, automation and reducing barriers for schools 00:29:25 &ndash; 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&rsquo;s support journey. Website: <a href="http://www.tide.education/">www.tide.education</a> Linkedin: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-robinson-22ba9a30/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-robinson-22ba9a30/</a>

The Education Business Podcast is for educational consultants, small education-based business owners, Edtech providers and workshop leaders focused on providing education services to schools, as well as for teachers transitioning to freelancing with an entrepreneurial business idea. Growing and scaling a business that provides a service to schools and education requires a different skillset and inside knowledge to many other entrepreneurial ventures. In this podcast Claire Riley, CEO of Classroom Secrets and host of The Teachers' Podcast, shares what it takes to market and pitch your services to this sector. Find out exactly what headteachers and teachers are looking for, and why building a personal brand matters in your marketing and how you can grow your education business.

The Education Business Podcast is for educational consultants, small education-based business owners, Edtech providers and workshop leaders focused on providing education services to schools, as well as for teachers transitioning to freelancing with an entrepreneurial business idea. Growing and scaling a business that provides a service to schools and education requires a different skillset and inside knowledge to many other entrepreneurial ventures. In this podcast Claire Riley, CEO of Classroom Secrets and host of The Teachers' Podcast, shares what it takes to market and pitch your services to this sector. Find out exactly what headteachers and teachers are looking for, and why building a personal brand matters in your marketing and how you can grow your education business.

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.

Each episode dives into the realities of running and growing an education business—from building sustainable income streams and navigating challenges, to embracing innovation and scaling with purpose. You’ll hear inspiring stories from fellow entrepreneurs, expert insights, and Claire’s own experiences of successes and setbacks along the way.

Whether you’re an aspiring edupreneur just starting out or a seasoned business owner looking for fresh perspective, this podcast will give you the tools, clarity, and encouragement you need to grow with confidence.

Tune in weekly to discover how to make your education business thrive while staying true to your mission of making a difference.

Building a business in education can feel overwhelming&mdash;but you don&rsquo;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.
Each episode dives into the realities of running and growing an education business&mdash;from building sustainable income streams and navigating challenges, to embracing innovation and scaling with purpose. You&rsquo;ll hear inspiring stories from fellow entrepreneurs, expert insights, and Claire&rsquo;s own experiences of successes and setbacks along the way.
Whether you&rsquo;re an aspiring edupreneur just starting out or a seasoned business owner looking for fresh perspective, this podcast will give you the tools, clarity, and encouragement you need to grow with confidence.
Tune in weekly to discover how to make your education business thrive while staying true to your mission of making a difference.