EdSales Edge Show

Sher Downing has been a successful business owner for over 20 years.  She’s become the go-to in the ed-tech space and also hosts her own podcast, “Ed-tech Speaks”.  But Sher told us that she never discounts her own humble beginnings as an employee of a music store that really prepared her to climb the ladder in her own career.  We were lucky to have Sher join us in this episode as she tells us all about risk-taking, building relationships, and the soundtrack that got her there.

Don’t Stop Believing

At first glance, it might be hard to conceive how experience as a customer service worker at a mom-and-pop music store would have set one up for success as a leader in the ed-tech industry.  But Sher told us that it’s a no-brainer.  In the 80’s, the music store hosted a variety of diverse customers, as it was the only place to buy or rent instruments and the music to accompany them.  From reverends to rock stars, Sher had to know her customer, their needs and their preferences.  She learned how doing your homework deepened relationships, and brought paying customers back again and again.  This skill set her up for success in her own business, later on down the road.

Anyway You Want It: Distance Education in the 90sSher told us that she had a high school teacher who was great with the kinds of kids who didn’t follow a straight path. He once told her,  “You always manage to be driven toward a messy situation and you always make it work.  Keep doing that.  It will make a difference as you go forward.” It was this advice that stayed with Sher as she entered her career in ed-tech before the internet was a thought, much less what it is today. 

Sher told us that EdTech in the 90’s was referred to as, “Distance Education” as it basically consisted of mailing exams through the postal system. Enter, the internet and everything changed. People started talking about how they could use it for educational purposes. “ I was in the right place in the right time,” Sher says, “I grew up with all the big tech available now but they were Betas and Version 1.  We were a trial space and helped them learn and grow.  We were just at the beginning.” Sher told us that students would go to campus for online classes because they didn’t have access to the internet at home. Seeing how far we’ve come is so exciting to Sher.  The more online ed and ed-tech grew,  the more she saw it as a problem to be solved.  There’s always something to be challenged by which is exactly what she loves about it.  Looks like her teacher was right after all. 

After All These Years: Consulting Advice

Sher told us that ed-tech was a hard sell at first, considering how traditional education is and cares to remain.  She describes how she used the perfect storm of a dangling carrot and a good amount of risk taking to get the ball rolling.  Now, she helps others do the same.  The core of what she does and encourages others to do is simple, yet effective: focus on relationship building.  “Really look at what’s coming,” Sher says, in order to develop connections.  This is where her background in research at the music store comes in handy.  Sher is continuously reading and researching about the needs of her audience and new developments in the industry.  She always has her finger on the ed-tech pulse.  “Safe space doesn’t move, risk spaces move,” according to Sher.  In order to feel confident in the risk-taking, you have to do your homework.

If you want to hear more about Sher’s background in ed-tech such as her experience as a Beta for the first developed LMS Blackboard, advice on how to navigate strategy and relationship development, and other stories of her journey to the top, listen to the full episode. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

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A fantastic time spent talking with Erin Dowd and how she found her true calling in life! Erin comes from a family of educators, and she always looked up to her father and grandfather as mentors. They were more than just mentors; they were the key to unlocking her true potential. Erin's father, a master storyteller, weaved enchanting tales that made learning fun and relatable. 

And let's not forget her mother's father, a true champion of education and a trailblazer during the challenging times of segregation. He was all about building bridges, pushing boundaries, and doing things in the classroom that no other teachers were doing. With the seeds of curiosity planted early in Erin's life, she discovered a passion for education and ignited her own passion for making a difference in the lives of students. 

What Makes a Great Teacher?

Every student has their own unique take on teachers - some are unforgettable, while others fade away like yesterday's homework. A great teacher can work some real magic. They're like undercover superstars, sussing out what each child needs and who they are, so they can meet each individual right where they are and ignite their personal passions. 

Throughout the years that Erin spent doing what she loved most, it became more and more apparent that the education system was becoming toxic. Erin goes on to explain how educators are constantly training, spending excessive time and money getting master’s degrees, and jumping through certification hoops like circus performers. 

Eventually, she hit her breaking point and chose to take a few years off to recover.

During her time away from the school system, she dove into many hobbies and side hustles while traveling to places like Turkey, India, Honduras, and more. She let herself explore and considered being a travel writer, even setting up a blog while living it up in Thailand.

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
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For as long as she can remember, Susan Gold has been the “kid whisperer.” She just gets kids and they get that she gets them. A match made in heaven, especially since she founded her school in 2010. 

But - that didn’t mean that Susan’s peers in school got her. In fact, her middle school years were packed with bad days and bullying. 

By listening to our show about this excellent educator and even better person, you’ll learn about:

• How Susan made it through those tough years and then absolutely had a confidence-building four years in high school and beyond;

• How her success continued in college, grad school, and as a teacher by joining committees and organizations to support young people; 

• How and why Susan decided to start Feynman School outside of Washington, DC - and - how today this school is changing students' lives one subject at a time.

Breakers band together as we talk to this educator and entrepreneur, Susan Gold. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
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📩 Email: [email protected]

Join the Edsales Entourage

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Sher Downing has been a successful business owner for over 20 years.  She’s become the go-to in the ed tech space and also hosts her own podcast, “Ed-tech Speaks”.  But Sher told us that she never discounts her own humble beginnings as an employee of a music store that really prepared her to climb the ladder in her own career.  We were lucky to have Sher join us in this episode as she tells us all about risk taking, building relationships and the soundtrack that got her there.

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuadcdc/

📩 Email: [email protected]

Join the Edsales Entourage

Get closer to the conversations, strategies, and operators inside the ecosystem:
👉 https://www.skool.com/entourage

A high-powered personality in the fashion industry decides she wants to move into the education space. And she is successful in her first attempt to create a beautiful space for parents to work and children to learn. But, what happens when our education entrepreneur - Keltse Bilbao - decides she wants to take her concept from California to New York and beyond. In this episode of Breaking the Grade, you will learn:

• How Keltse went from fashion to families and created a super sleek and successful daycare plus co-working space for parents – Big and Tiny – in Santa Monica, California;

• How her first East coast location is doing – and how she has created demand and a waiting list for the new location;

• And why this education entrepreneur – from the fashion world – thinks she can redefine how daycare is managed (and maybe even take on the big players at Bright Horizons).

Breakers band together and be attentive as Keltse Bilbao dishes on her journey of breakage and brilliance!

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
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📩 Email: [email protected]

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Eric Nelson has made a habit out of turning setbacks into silver linings. Having grown up in a family of educators, Eric was taught early on to prioritize how to, “learn like a champion”.  This lesson served him well as he faced his own hurdles personally and professionally that led to the development of Fanschool; the platform that promotes trust, connection, and growth between students, parents, and community members revolving around students’ published work.  



EPIC FAILS

There is much to learn from failure.  Eric’s first lessons came from being too over-zealous about a project in speech class that ultimately led to one of his first-ever failures in school- all because he didn’t follow the rules and broke the time requirement by two minutes.  It was a hard lesson to learn.  His next lesson in failure was getting cut from his High School basketball team, after sitting on the bench for the majority of his freshman year.  Eric talked to us about how difficult it was to go for something you loved and just not be good enough.  He took these lessons and decided that it was necessary for him to write his own story; and perhaps, he could assist others in writing theirs as well.  

As a teacher.

What Are We Doing Here?

After graduating with a master's, Eric told us that he found himself employed at one of the first charter schools in the nation, during a time of transition; for the school and himself. He showed up on the first day of his 9th-grade Civics class, not knowing that neither a 9th-grade class or a Civics class had ever been taught yet in the school.  No curriculum was developed.  No lesson plans to follow.  He was on his own.  The seeds of Fanschool had already been planted, but what happened next really made them grow.

Eric told our listeners that one of the most influential events he lived through as an educator was the loss of a ninth-grade student to death by suicide.  He was surprised to have a full class the following day, including the girl’s best friend.  “What do I say in front of this class?” He wondered.  He found a song he felt would be fitting and played it for the class. He knew he needed to acknowledge the loss, and then provide them with an outlet to engage in projects and activities. 

 It made him ask the question,

 “What are we doing here?” 

How are parents and teachers alike able to provide a safe space for kids to build trust, connect, and grow? The research shows that everyone's lives are enriched when kids are able to play.  He knew he needed a way to get students out of the news and encourage them to write their own stories just like he wrote his.

FanSchool was born.

FANSCHOOL

Fanschool is a safe and engaging student publishing platform that encourages students to own their own learning and verified adults to celebrate it.  “ We’re not trying to break the grade,” Eric says,” We’re not trying to be disruptive. We want to activate, celebrate and elevate student work.” Teachers have known for decades that, “student folders are where good work goes to die.” Eric wants to encourage students that whatever they’re working on, publishing will only make it go, “up”.  The ability to connect and to grow in their publishing reinforces the social-emotional learning element of who you become is just as important as what you achieve.  Fanschool makes it all come together.

If you want to hear more inspirational stories and practical steps on how Eric used his experience as a teacher to build a wildly successful platform like Fanschool, listen to the full episode. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
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Alberto Rossi always dreamed of being an airplane pilot or even an astronaut. A boy can dream all he wants, but this was a tall order for a young man who couldn’t even drive due to visual impairment. 

But Rossi, the son of parents from Italy and the Canary Islands, never saw a challenge or an opportunity in life that he didn’t want to drink up and dominate.

By listening to our show today, you'll learn:

• How Rossi turned growing up isolated in the Canary Islands as a chance to explore languages and live an international life;

• How Rossi saw a chance to work for an international hotel chain as his opportunity to travel the world – even if he wasn’t the one piloting the planes he was on.

• And why that very optimistic way of seeing life - despite his visual impairment - helped him open his mind further and attract fulfilling jobs - like his current one at IMT Lazarus;

Breakers band together and be ready to see, smile, and maybe shed a tear with Alberto Rossi.

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
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📩 Email: [email protected]

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Lisa Friedlander is that family member, friend, colleague, and mentor that we all want in our lives. She is strong, smart, and super driven, and that has been evident throughout her personal and professional life.

But, sharing all of these essential qualities with other people has come at a cost at times for Lisa because she has not always put herself first.

By listening to our show today about Lisa, you will learn about the following:

• How her daughter was born at 1.5 pounds, the struggle for her family, and how she turned that crisis into an opportunity at Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC;

• Why she decided to become an entrepreneur and start a company with her best friend (and the many lessons she learned from that adventure);

• And hear what Lisa is up to at her exciting job at NEXT where she is able to be a friend, mentor, legal advisor, and ass-kicker to start-ups looking for sound leagal advice. 

Breakers band together and be prepared to make a friend as we listen to Lisa’s bruises and brilliance. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
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📩 Email: [email protected]

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Oliver Knott excelled in school from childhood through university. No surprise there because Knott was lucky enough to attend one of the UK’s prestigious grammar schools, which set him on a path to success. 

But – his brother, who did not attend the same school and struggled as a student, had a very different educational experience growing up. UNTIL – he was diagnosed with dyslexia which changed his life. And – Oliver’s life too. Dramatically. 

By listening to our show today about this champion for dyslexic people - including his brother - you’ll learn about: 

• How Knott used his schooling and his brother’s schooling to shape his early career and drives him every day at International Dyslexia Learning Solutions;

• Why Knott returned to the more financially depressed part of the UK where he grew up - the NW part - and how he plans to make a difference in his hometown;   

• And how working at a supermarket after college for five years gave Knott experiences that taught him a lifetime of lessons about the inequality facing people today. 
• 
  

Breakers band together as we talk to a champion of all people – especially dyslexic people – Oliver Knott. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuadcdc/

📩 Email: [email protected]

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Brian Zapf has always been good at math. And the strategic CFO has taken those number skills from his start at a community bank to investment banking, to M+A advising, and his strategic CFO business today. 

But – it wasn’t until an accounting course at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University that Zapf fully grasped how financial statements for a business tell an important story that any business owner needs to know. 

By listening to our show today about this math man who has created over $1 billion in value for his 100-plus clients over his career, you’ll learn about: 

• How Zapf went from an Econ/Poli Sci major at the University of Michigan to work at a bakery to starting his current company Flight Financial;

• How working for multiple companies across multiple industries has led Zapf to become a seasoned strategic accounting advisor to his clients in the education space;

• And what Zapf learned from failing his first accounting class in college and a failed partnership with his best buddies. 

Breakers band together as we talk to a man who is right on the money with his knowledge and caring personality – Brian Zapf. 

Connect with Josh Chernikoff

Founder, Edsales Revenue Machine
Host, Edsales Edge Show

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.chernikoff
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuadcdc/

📩 Email: [email protected]

Join the Edsales Entourage

Get closer to the conversations, strategies, and operators inside the ecosystem:
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