Starting a business is excitingโuntil reality hits. You have a great idea, but getting clients, making sales, and scaling? Thatโs a whole different game.
I learned this firsthand when I built, scaled, and sold Flex Academies, an education business that went from struggling to thrivingโpartnering with 82 schools and working with 500+ providers. But the journey wasnโt easy.
When I launched Flex Academies, I thought my ideal clients were schools without after school programs. Seemed logical, right? But after launching my first program, I hit a wall โparents werenโt signing up. They already had trusted providers and didnโt need my service. Instead of giving up, I dug deeper and realized my real clients were schools with programsโones that were failing because they were run by overwhelmed volunteers. They needed structure, reliability, and better results.
My first mistake? Thinking I needed to โsellโ my program. The truth? If your offer is clear, compelling, and directly solves your clientโs problem, it sells itself.
Once I nailed my messaging and addressed the exact pain points schools were facing, the sales process became effortless. Iโd walk into meetings and answer their biggest concerns before they even asked.
Starting a business is excitingโuntil reality hits. You have a great idea, but getting clients,
making sales, and scaling? Thatโs a whole different game.
I learned this firsthand when I built, scaled, and sold Flex Academies, an education
business that went from struggling to thrivingโpartnering with 82 schools and working
with 500+ providers. But the journey wasnโt easy.
When I launched Flex Academies, I thought my ideal clients were schools without after-
school programs. Seemed logical, right? But after launching my first program, I hit a wall
โparents werenโt signing up. They already had trusted providers and didnโt need my
service. Instead of giving up, I dug deeper and realized my real clients were schools with
programsโones that were failing because they were run by overwhelmed volunteers.
They needed structure, reliability, and better results.
My first mistake? Thinking I needed to โsellโ my program. The truth? If your offer is clear,
compelling, and directly solves your clientโs problem, it sells itself.
Once I nailed my messaging and addressed the exact pain points schools were facing, the
sales process became effortless. Iโd walk into meetings and answer their biggest concerns
before they even asked.
That level of clarity builds trust โand trust closes deals.
That level of clarity builds trust โand trust closes deals.
Early on, I relied on word-of-mouth. It workedโuntil it didnโt. Growth stalled because I had no system to consistently attract and convert new clients.
Thatโs when I developed a lead generation strategy that worked on autopilot. I used LinkedIn, email outreach, and content marketing to get in front of the right people.
Instead of chasing clients, they started coming to me.
Growing a business isnโt just about salesโitโs about systems. I brought in the right people, streamlined operations, and automated processes so the business could run without me.
Early on, I relied on word-of-mouth. It workedโuntil it didnโt. Growth stalled because I
had no system to consistently attract and convert new clients.
Thatโs when I developed a lead generation strategy that worked on autopilot. I used
LinkedIn, email outreach, and content marketing to get in front of the right people.
Instead of chasing clients, they started coming to me.
Growing a business isnโt just about salesโitโs about systems. I brought in the right people,
streamlined operations, and automated processes so the business could run without me.
After my exit, I realized too many education founders were stuckโoffering great services but struggling to generate consistent leads and sales.
Thatโs why I started coaching.
Craft a no-brainer offer that attracts the right clients
Build a lead generation system that fills their pipeline weekly
Develop scalable systems that eliminate bottlenecks and maximize profits.
After my exit, I realized too many education founders were stuckโoffering great
services but struggling to generate consistent leads and sales.
Thatโs why I started coaching.
Craft a no-brainer offer that attracts the right clients
Build a lead generation system that fills their pipeline weekly
Develop scalable systems that eliminate bottlenecks and maximize profits.
Josh Chernikoffโs career started behind the mic as a sports broadcaster before he transitioned into the education space. With a passion for sales, marketing, and communications, he went on to found, grow, and successfully exit two education companiesโproving he doesnโt just talk about scaling businesses; heโs done it himself.
His expertise in storytelling and messaging, shaped by his background in journalism, now helps EdTech founders crack the code on lead generation and sales.
NOW FOR THE FUN FACTS...
I'm an avid golfer who can turn any business lesson into a sports analogy.
A family man at heart, I love traveling with my wife and daughter as much as possible.
I'm currently building my dream home in Mexico, which means I split my time between Mexico and DC.
I love the entrepreneur life because it means more time at home for those priceless moments with my daughter!
Josh Chernikoffโs career started behind the mic as a sports broadcaster before he transitioned into the education space. With a passion for sales, marketing, and communications, he went on to found, grow, and successfully exit two education companiesโproving he doesnโt just talk about scaling businesses; heโs done it himself.
His expertise in storytelling and messaging, shaped by his background in journalism, now helps EdTech founders crack the code on lead generation and sales.
NOW FOR THE FUN FACTS...
I'm an avid golfer who can turn any business lesson into a sports analogy.
A family man at heart, I loves traveling with my wife and daughter as much as possible.
I'm currently building my dream home in Mexico, which means I split my time between Mexico and DC.
I love the entrepreneur life because it means more time at home for those priceless moments with my daughter!
What happens when you stop trying to serve every school and start solving one urgent problem for the right schools? Itโs the positioning shift most founders resistโbut itโs the exact move that transf... ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
September 28, 2025โข3 min read
Most education founders think buyers want the perfect pitch, the flashy product, or the right political connection. But Kevin Chavousโnational education reformer, bestselling author, and President of... ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
September 21, 2025โข3 min read
In this episode, Michael drops truth bombs on how to generate leads, close deals, and scale smartโwithout burning out. From hiring the right salespeople to leveraging university partnerships for cred... ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
September 07, 2025โข4 min read
Most education founders donโt fail because of bad ideas. They fail because they lean too hard on โAI-poweredโ buzzwords, skip the research-to-practice proof buyers demand, and donโt form the partnersh... ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
August 31, 2025โข3 min read
What happens when you finally land the big meetingโฆ and walk out with nothing but โWeโll think about itโ? Itโs the growth killer most founders donโt see comingโyour pitch isnโt aligned with how educa... ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
August 24, 2025โข3 min read
In this re-aired conversation, I go deep on the one tool that turned my โgood pitchโ into a clear, closeable, and irresistible offer to my perfect client โ The Signature Solution. ...more
Lead Generation & Growth Strategy
August 17, 2025โข3 min read
GET AHEAD WITH YOUR LEAD GENERATION
The only podcast teaching education companies how to get more leads and sales in their business! Ready to start and scale your education company - it's time to get the breakthroughs you need when you tune into Breaking The Grade!
GET AHEAD WITH YOUR LEAD GENERATION
The only podcast teaching education companies how to get more leads and sales in their business! Ready to start and scale your education company - it's time to get the breakthroughs you need when you tune into Breaking The Grade!
Programs
Programs
Programs