Feeling frozen. Stuck. Ill-equipped. Not ready.
What I really want to talk about today are some of the things that commonly pop up for us as teachers... I’m wondering which one you relate to most?
😥I want to diversify, but I'm already strapped for time.
I know when I was teaching nearly 35 hours a week on top of taking care of tiny kids and homeschooling the not-so-tiny ones, I'd sometimes look at my life and be like... will I ever sleep again? But also, how could I possibly retain this amount of income without spending a ton of time on other stuff.
Here’s how I overcame this one: Yes, teaching on a platform is nice, especially when the curriculum is provided. HOWEVER, you can teach significantly less, bring in more income, and make more of an impact with your students when they're your private students. These kiddos are out there, and their families are looking for help with something. Are you the one to provide it? I found a niche where I do this for about 1/3 and make 2x the amount I made while platform teaching.
😯I see others selling digital products, but I have no idea where to start!
You see the big numbers. You think, "I could probably do that." and then you sit down to create something or go ahead and list something on TPT you've already made and you either 1) hear crickets or 2) make $0.67 per sale on a $1.50 resource because you didn't realize the platform has a 45% commission rate (and $0.15 charge for items under $3!). Yikes.
Here’s how I overcame this one: Take time to learn. The hourly pay rate is not going to look pretty for a while here. I found someone to learn form, I studied who was doing well, and how I could do my niche well.
😬Marketing is cringy, but how else do I I find students?
Marketing can be cringy, but I think that's because we've seen people do it poorly and went "Ew, let that never be me!" (or was that just me?). The idea, especially for teachers and tutors, is to meet a family's need. When you've been there, or you've seen success with students in your niche, and you KNOW you can make a difference, cringe has no place in your marketing. It's simply finding the family who needs your help at that point.
Here’s how I overcame this one: knowing my worth, creating professional systems, enumerating the value my kiddos and families get from our classes, and creating a rapport that has them raving to their friends and family members. That means I barely do any marketing now; it's all referral-based!
For me, especially when I was first starting out…#3 was the hardest thing for me to overcome. But I did it.
And I know you can, too.
Whatever you’re feeling right now…
Wherever you’re at in your path to building your diversified side hustle while also being present with your family, I know you can overcome it all and get to where you want to go.
I hope I can be part of that journey with you. It would be my honor.
If your mental treadmill is already running with ideas about how you could start to branch out, feel free to get in touch. We can chat about whether my low-cost monthly coaching membership is right for you. There are 3 pricing options, $37, $47, and $87 per month , depending on what would be a good fit. Got questions? Click here, and we'll figure it out.
