Advertise on podcast: The Education Business Podcast

Episode OverviewSeason 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/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode OverviewThis 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 LeaderWith 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 SuccessLeveraging 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 managementhttps://edtechconsulting.co.uk VolunteeringDiscovery Educational TrustDiscovery 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 EducationSteve 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.educationLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-robinson-22ba9a30/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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/mrhuntfromthefrontInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrhuntfromthefront/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-hunt-b0a442161/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrhuntfromthefront   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lessonspace/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-elliott-b1187023 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 language school and founding an education technology company. The conversation explores what really drives founders: curiosity, challenge, and the desire to build something meaningful. Kate explains why success is not just financial. She talks about the role of personal growth in entrepreneurship, the importance of listening closely to customers, and why there is no magic system for scaling a business. Instead, the work is straightforward. Build something people need. Talk to your customers. Improve the product. Repeat. For founders in education, her message is clear: competition should not stop you. When Kate opened her language school, there were already 38 schools on the same street. What mattered was commitment, energy, and focus on the customer.   00:00 — Introduction 01:00 — How Kate Started Her First Business 02:10 — Why Founders Need Challenge 03:05 — What Success Really Looks Like 04:00 — Can Money Buy Happiness? 05:30 — Entrepreneurship and Personal Growth 06:40 — Why Kate Never Chose Employment 07:30 — The Truth About Systems and Productivity 08:20 — Why Customers Must Be the Centre 09:30 — How Customer Conversations Shape Strategy 11:00 — Competing in a Crowded Market 12:30 — Final Advice for Entrepreneurs   All About Kate:Kate Bodrova is the founder and CEO of Amazy.uk, an award-winning platform that transforms how schools and educators create, manage, and deliver learning content while tracking student progress. A former ESL teacher, she is on a mission to modernise education by giving schools and teachers greater flexibility, control, and impact in the way they design, track, and share learning experiences. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 shares how illness forced her to pause and rethink everything. That period became a turning point, shaping the way she built her business around health, family, and purpose. She talks openly about the realities of running an education business while raising a family, what “balance” actually looks like day to day, and why building the right team is essential for sustainable growth. This conversation explores the intersection of education, entrepreneurship, and life design.   00:00 Introduction to Parita Patel 00:01:30 Leaving the classroom and discovering tutoring 00:03:00 Viral meningitis and a forced pause 00:04:30 How recovery reshaped the business vision 00:06:00 Growing LEAP Educate from two tutors to a team 00:09:00 What “balance” really looks like in practice 00:12:00 Structuring a founder’s day around family life 00:16:00 Building a team and letting go of everything yourself 00:18:30 Advice for education business owners   All About Parita: Parita, a mum of two teens, an educator of 18 years with experience in Primary, and Secondary SEND education. From Teacher to tutor and entrepreneur, Parita’s mission at LEAPeducate is about empowering ALL students to maximise their academic potential no matter their barriers. Supporting parents to support their children is one of her strengths; after all, a successful education journey blossoms in a triangulation with the child at the heart of the journey "Providing a platform for children to learn and be the best version of themselves is my passion and ultimate goal. Some children may want support in challenging themselves academically, some to overcome learning barriers and others to gain optimum confidence. All children have the right to learn in the in alignment for them, enabling them to achieve their potential."LEAPeducate is an award-winning inclusive education organisation aspiring to support its students (aged 5-21) to learn holistically while developing wider skills for longer term success in a competitive world. If you would like to optimise your child’s academic journey through tuition and academic mentoring, you can join the LEAPeducate family booking in FREE consultation to discuss your requirements >>> www.leapeducte.com/contactWebsite: https://www.leapeducate.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapeducate/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paritapatel-leapeducate/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leapeducate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 senior leadership roles in China. After running professional development across schools in Asia, he noticed something surprising: teachers would attend training, give positive feedback, and yet very little would change in practice. That experience sparked a deeper interest in sustainable change in schools. In this conversation, Shane explains why traditional professional development often fails, how leadership coaching can transform school culture, and what happens when schools develop real confidence in their own expertise. The discussion also turns to the realities of building an education business. Shane talks openly about the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship, particularly the challenge of sales and the difference between having expertise and building a sustainable business. The episode explores ethical business in education, the importance of trusting educators, and why founders should be cautious about the picture of business success portrayed on social media. Hosted by Claire Riley, this episode offers practical insight for founders building businesses that serve schools.   00:00 – Introduction to the podcast 01:00 – Shane’s journey from teacher to international school leader 02:30 – The moment he realised professional development wasn’t working 03:30 – Discovering the problem of sustainable change in schools 05:00 – Life as a consultant supporting schools globally 06:30 – Coaching in education vs coaching in business 09:00 – Why teachers rarely get executive coaching 11:30 – Teachers as leaders in the classroom 13:30 – The transition from education to business 14:10 – Operationalising your offer as a founder 15:00 – The risks of product-led education businesses 17:30 – Why confidence changes school culture 18:30 – Psychological safety in schools 19:20 – Breaking the “waiting loop” in organisations 20:00 – How confident schools approach failure 22:00 – The steep learning curve of sales 23:00 – The myth of “if I build it, they will come” 24:30 – Learning how to sell without feeling salesy 26:20 – The reality behind business success on LinkedIn 27:00 – Why founders need a community   All About Shane:Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders around the world. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chart-topping school leadership podcast, community and academy, Education Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering school leaders, he co-authored the best-selling book, 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Website: shaneleaning.comPodcast: Education Leaders: shaneleaning.com/podcastInstagram: @leaningshaneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leaningshane/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@education_leaders See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode OverviewIn 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 to experiment with building simple online solutions for schools — starting with safeguarding training and growing into services like website audits, policy management tools and AI-powered support for senior leaders. The conversation explores how lived experience in schools helped Craig identify real problems worth solving, the importance of launching a minimum viable product (MVP), and the lessons he learned about pricing, marketing and validating ideas with customers. Craig also talks candidly about the realities of building an education business — from early uncertainty and learning the basics of self-employment, to scaling a subscription product and navigating marketing challenges in the education sector. This episode is packed with practical insights for education founders, teachers considering starting a business, and anyone looking to turn classroom experience into impactful products for schools.   00:00 – Introduction to the Education Business Podcast 01:10 – Craig’s career in teaching and school leadership 02:30 – Leaving headship and the unexpected start of a business 04:00 – Building the first product: safeguarding training 05:30 – Pricing your work and valuing your time 06:20 – Solving real school problems through lived experience 07:30 – Ideas that didn’t work and lessons learned 08:00 – The development of SLT AI 09:30 – Building products with feedback from school leaders 12:00 – Lived experience vs market feedback 14:10 – When the business started to feel financially real 16:30 – Marketing challenges in the education sector 18:00 – Social media, timing and organic growth 19:30 – Marketing experiments and what didn’t work 20:30 – Networking and building trust in the sector 22:00 – Managing expectations in marketing 24:00 – Lessons about running a business 25:00 – Systems, automation and starting as a sole trader 26:00 – Final advice for education founders   All About Craig:Craig McKee - former Head Teacher and former Chair of Governors With over 20 years’ experience in education, Craig has demonstrated exceptional leadership at every level. His track record includes serving as Deputy Head and contributing to a school’s journey from “Good” to “Outstanding” in their Ofsted inspection, and achieving National Teaching School status. As a former Chair of Governors, he has again supported a school’s transformation to “Outstanding” in their 2023 inspection. Throughout his career as a Deputy Head Teacher in a Teaching School and Head Teacher within an Academy Trust, Craig has championed school improvement through: - Designing and delivering impactful CPD programmes- Conducting peer reviews to support school self-evaluation- Collaborating with the Department for Education (DfE) on National Curriculum exemplification materials (2014)- Participating in expert groups at the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to develop SATs assessments Craig has designed, and now manages, a number of websites designed to support school leaders to increase their capacity and enable them to spend more time out of their office working with their staff, pupils and families. Website: https://sltai.co.uk https://headlite.co.uk https://schoolpolicytracker.co.uk https://schoolwebsiteaudits.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-mckee-486597239/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567749426322 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode OverviewIn this episode of the Education Business Podcast, Claire Riley speaks with education founder Kate Wadsworth about her journey from classroom teacher to launching What If Education. Kate shares the moment she realised the education system was pulling her away from the values that first inspired her to teach, and why she made the bold decision to leave the classroom without a backup plan. She talks openly about the realities of building an education business — from finding your audience and growing a network, to dealing with uncertainty, trial and error, and the emotional ups and downs of entrepreneurship. The conversation explores the power of connection, the importance of reflection, and why progress in business is rarely linear. Later in the episode, Claire and Kate discuss the unexpected lessons of entrepreneurship, including why your greatest strengths can also be your biggest challenges — an idea explored in the High Performance Podcast featuring psychologist Damien Hughes, author of Liquid Thinking. This episode is packed with honest insights for anyone thinking about starting an education business, already running one, or simply curious about what it really takes to turn an idea into impact.   00:00 – Introduction to the Education Business Podcast 00:45 – Meet Kate Wadsworth and her journey into teaching 02:30 – Two very different school experiences that shaped her values 03:10 – Why Kate decided to leave the classroom 04:00 – Founding What If Education 04:40 – Starting a business without a backup plan 06:00 – Inspiration from Steven Bartlett’s business ideas 07:00 – Building an education business while teaching vs leaving 08:00 – Growing an audience through connection and networking 09:30 – Using LinkedIn and virtual coffees to build a network 10:20 – How podcast appearances created unexpected opportunities 11:20 – Saying yes before you feel ready 12:10 – How to decide what opportunities to accept 13:00 – Trial and error in building a business 14:30 – Learning to recognise when you’re at capacity 16:00 – The hardest lesson: progress isn’t linear 17:20 – Avoiding the solo founder echo chamber 18:20 – Messaging challenges and business evolution 19:20 – Moving through uncertainty and finding clarity 20:10 – Advice education business owners need to hear 20:40 – When your biggest strength is also your weakness 21:30 – Freedom vs structure in entrepreneurship 22:20 – The importance of reflection and “pinch-me” moments 23:30 – Looking back to appreciate progress 24:40 – Final reflections and closing thoughts   All About Kate: Kate is a teacher, educational consultant, coach and author and she founded What If Education?®️ to bring change into education and more curiosity and creativity into learning. Working with educator’s in all their forms… leaders, teachers and parents, her philosophy is that learning is far too special a thing to be endured. It should be fun in the moment, meaningful for the future and enjoyed by all. Recognising that we can’t wait for systemic change to make education happier, less stressful and more relevant, she works in the uk and all over the world with people and teams helping them make change happen on the ground. Her book Awedinary, The Wonder of Everyday Things underpins her most recent venture. Written to help teachers and parents bring awe and wonder into learning, but it doesn’t stop there… it has been designed to be enjoyed by all from 2 to 122, because curiosity, creativity, awe and wonder hold the keys to a life-long love of learning, for everyone.Website: www.whatifeducation.comInstagram:www.instagram.com/what.if.educationLinked In: www.LinkedIn.com/in/kate-what-if-education See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Education Business Podcast, Claire Riley sits down with Matthew Curnier — founder of Capital Tuition Group and Tutor Onboarder — to explore the winding road from marine biologist to multi-company education entrepreneur. Matthew shares how the National Tutoring Programme exposed critical compliance gaps in the tutoring sector and sparked the creation of Tutor Onboarder. He opens up about scaling pains, hiring mistakes, shiny object syndrome, rate increases, systemisation, and the emotional weight of entrepreneurship. This is a candid, practical, and refreshingly honest conversation about what it really takes to build and scale in the education space — without losing focus or burning out your team.   00:00 – Why Surrounding Yourself with Better People Matters 01:00 – From Marine Biologist to Teacher 02:00 – Training in a School in Special Measures 03:00 – Becoming a Specialist Leader in Education 04:00 – The Birth of Capital Tuition Group 05:00 – The National Tutoring Programme Opportunity 06:00 – Discovering the Compliance Gap 07:00 – Building the First Version of Tutor Onboarder 08:00 – Running Two Companies at Once 09:00 – Leveraging Teams Across Businesses 10:00 – Working On the Business, Not In It 11:00 – When a Lifestyle Business Becomes Bigger Than You 12:00 – The Biggest Scaling Mistakes 13:00 – Shiny Object Syndrome 14:00 – The Real Cost of Not Cutting Losses 15:00 – Hiring Mistakes & Hard Decisions 16:00 – Raising Prices with Confidence 17:00 – Why Systems Matter More Than Ideas 18:00 – Everything is Downstream from Lead Generation 19:00 – Marketing as “Dark Magic” 20:00 – The Reality of Entrepreneurship   All About Matthew:Website: www.capitaltuitiongroup.com / www.tutoronboarder.comInstagram: @capitaltuition @tutoronboarderLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-curnier-2bb20b257/CTG FB: https://www.facebook.com/capitaltuitiongroup.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Overview In this episode of The Education Business Podcast, Claire Riley is joined by Matt Wilkinson, founder of Restart Tuition. Matt shares his journey from FE lecturer to business owner, the reality of building a tutoring company, and the mindset shifts required to grow sustainably. They explore how to move from “doing everything” to focusing on the right clients, why undercharging harms both tutors and learners, and how word of mouth, local reputation, and systems can transform a small tutoring practice into a scalable business. Matt also discusses leadership, networking beyond the tutoring bubble, and why charging your true value creates more opportunity—not less—for impact. This is an essential listen for tutors and education founders who want to grow with confidence, clarity, and purpose.   00:00 – Word of Mouth 00:01 – Intro 00:02 – Matt’s Journey 00:04 – Leadership Growth 00:05 – Starting Restart Tuition 00:06 – Building the Business 00:08 – Team & Structure 00:10 – Local Authority Work 00:12 – Business Focus 00:14 – Systems & Safeguarding 00:16 – Growth Challenges 00:17 – Focus vs Fear 00:18 – Referrals & Marketing 00:21 – Income & Security 00:22 – Money Mindset 00:24 – Pricing & Value 00:29 – Belief vs Reality 00:31 – Boundaries 00:33 – Networking 00:35 – Perspective Shift 00:36 – Leadership 00:37 – Close   All About Matt:Matt Wilkinson is the founder of Restart Tuition Ltd. He is a maths teacher and tutor with extensive experience supporting learners across GCSE Maths and Functional Skills. Matt built Restart Tuition to help young people gain confidence in both Maths and English, particularly those who feel anxious, stuck, or behind. His approach is confidence-led and designed to reduce overwhelm, close gaps in learning, and help students make steady, lasting progress.Website: www.restarttuition.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwilkinsonedu/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/restarttuition/     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.