Side Hustle Teachers

Sometimes even when you have great ideas for your content, it can be tough to come up with fresh ways to present it to your audience. You know you’ve got great ideas to share, but your format is getting a little… stale. Give your audience something new, or pick a few formats that work for you and rotate between them as you create.  Tutorials The classic “How-to” post is a classic for a reason. Walk your audience through how to do something from beginning to end with a step-by-step guide. Myths vs Facts Contrary to what some of my students think, not everything on the internet is true. There’s lots of misinformation out there on just about every topic and you can use your platform to separate fact from fiction. Mistakes and Lessons Learned Part of becoming an expert is making mistakes. Share some of your oopsie moments with your audience, talk about what you learned, and give them tips to avoid the same pitfalls. Personal Stories One of the ways your audience gets to know, like, and trust you is to tell your s

There are people who will tell you that blogs are dead. There are others who will say podcasts are just for nerds and YouTube is just for Justin Bieber wannabes and kids who play Minecraft while people watch. And those people would be wrong. Content marketing – whether it be through a blog, podcast, or video show – is still a fantastic way to build and scale a business! But maybe you’re hesitant to get started because you’ve heard some of the rumors about content marketing and wondering if it will really work for you. I can save you the time of reading the rest of this post and tell you now that it is… but if you want a little more reassurance, keep reading. Myth #1: Content Marketing Isn’t Necessary for My Industry Okay, I’m going to make a bold statement here: Content marketing is an essential part of every business.  If you’re thinking that you don’t need to share content because your industry can’t benefit from it, you’re going to want to rethink that. For small businesses, blogs, podcasts, and video show

Batching is a hot buzzword right now, and for good reason. It works! But it’s not very realistic for teachers – or anyone else with a full-time job – to manage. Batching is the practice of focusing on a single task for a designated block of time in order to be more productive. In essence, it’s the opposite of multitasking. In terms of content creation, batching often looks like blocking off an entire day (or 2) to create several weeks worth of blog posts, podcast or video episodes. Lots of big names in productivity, like Michael Hyatt, and business, like Amy Porterfield, talk about how batching changes lives and give tips on how to do it. But, let’s be real. You’re a working professional. You can’t block off entire days of your week or month just to work on creating content.  So let’s talk about how you can make the idea of batching work within your already packed schedule.  Batching content creation during the school year Teachers sort of have 2 lives; school year life, and summer life. And school year life

It’s all well and good to know that you’ve got to produce quality content for your blog, podcast, or video show, but what should you create?  Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been creating content for years, coming up with ideas can be a feast or famine. Sometimes the ideas flow like water over Niagara Falls, other times it’s like a dry creek bed with nothing but dust and dead fish. So how can you find the spark of inspiration? Where are the good ideas? Brainstorm Set a timer and write down every idea for content that comes to your mind. Think of questions your audience might have, mindset issues they are facing, tools that could help them, other people they want to hear from. Don’t censor yourself and don’t give up when you feel like you’re tapped out. As Boss Mom Dana Malstaff says, “If you don’t get uncomfortable, you’re just making a list.” So keep writing, even if you think you’ve run dry. Ask Your Audience No one knows what your audience wants to hear from you more than your audience themse

There are many things to consider when choosing an outlet for your content. And, as much as I wish there was, there’s no easy checklist or quiz you can take to find out which is right for you. There are simply too many things to consider, including which one you are really interested in. Each outlet – blog, podcast and video channel – can help you grow your business by letting your audience know, like, and trust you, so there’s really no wrong choice here. The only wrong choice is to not start! To help you make the best choice for your business I’ve broken down the 3 primary content outlets to explain what they are, what skills are needed, and what equipment you will need to get started. Blog What is a blog? A blog is a regularly updated website, typically written in an informal or conversational style, that exists to entertain or to convey information to an audience. There are 2 key pieces of information in that ever-so-dry definition.  First, a blog needs to be something that you’re going to update regularl

There are a number of ways that content creators can monetize the content you create for your blog, podcast, or video show. Which ones you use will depend upon your business model and goals, so don’t feel like you need to do everything. Ads Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of monetizing, and they’re certainly a popular option. With Google AdSense and Media.net making ads super accessible to anyone, ads can be a good way to start earning money from your content. Sponsored Content Many brands work with online influencers (like you) to grow their brand recognition, introduce new products, or give ideas how to use their products. Food brands will work with recipe creators, outdoorsman brands will work with those in the space to show off their product line, and more. There are multiple companies who work to connect infopreneurs and influencers with brands who want to advertise in a more authentic way. Brand Ambassadorship Similar to sponsored content, becoming a brand ambassador is typica

Content marketing, using a blog, podcast, or video show to attract customers, is one of the best ways to grow your audience, build your business, and make more money.  But, like most other things, there’s a right way and a wrong way to use content as a marketing tool. Ask anyone who’s been blogging, podcasting, or YouTubing and they’ll tell you that they’ve all made mistakes along the way.  Honestly, you’re going to make mistakes, too. If you don’t make mistakes, you’re probably not trying very hard. But you don’t need to make all the mistakes, so let’s see if we can find a way to sidestep some landmines. Keep these common mistakes in mind as you create your content and review some of your old posts to see if there’s something that needs to be updated. Not having a plan Just like in your classroom, when it comes to content, you have to have a plan. You may not have every single step planned out in advance, but you know what your goals are, and each blog post, podcast episode, or video show should be moving yo

Do any research on how to grow a business - in any industry - and you’ll find lots of people telling you that you need to create content in some form.  But creating content takes time, and you’re a busy teacher, so is it reeeeeeeally that important? In a word, yes. Producing consistent quality content, like blog posts, podcast episodes, or video shows, is an essential part of growing a business that isn’t reliant on harassing your friends, family, and former high school classmates to buy from you. #nomoreheygirlmessages Why? There are a myriad of ways that content can support your business. 1 Content Builds Your Authority What’s the first thing you do when you’re looking to hire someone?  You Google them, of course!  You want to make sure that the person who runs that program, or designed that product, or created that course actually knows what they’re talking about. So when people Google you, you want them to find a library of consistently produced, high quality content that shows that you are an expert. 2 C

The other day a member of the Side Hustle Teachers Facebook group sent me a message. She said she knew she needed to build an email list, but she had no idea what she’d send to people once she had their email address. This is a very common worry about starting an email list. And I totally understand. After all, why bother collecting email addresses if you’re not going to send anything out? Finding out what your subscribers really want to hear from you can take trial and error, but there’s certainly no shortage of topics you can write about. Here are 10 emails you can sign your list! Stories Stories help people connect with you and your brand in a way that other forms of communication just can’t. They help your audience see themselves and the outcomes they want (or don’t want) in someone else’s life experience. Your Story. Tap into your audience’s emotions and dreams by sharing your own story or journey. This helps them see that where you are now is not where you started, and envision themselves having the sam

Welcome Back to the Side Hustle Teachers Podcast

Selling on Teachers Pay Teachers can be a great way for educators to make money while in the classroom and using resources you're already creating for your own students. Links From Today’s Show:  Website: fullspedahead.com Learn more about becoming a Teacherpreneur and selling your teaching resources here. It's hard to start a side hustle if you don't know what to try. That's why I created the Just Right Side Hustle Quiz! Answer 6 simple questions to find the hustle you're best suited for based on your interests, talents, and lifestyle! Take the quiz now.

Rob Phelan is an entrepreneur and high school personal finance teacher in Maryland. He is a Certified Financial Education Instructor by NCFE and has also co-created the ChooseFI K-12 Financial Education Curriculum. He has helped over 200 entrepreneurs start their first businesses through the Simple StartUp virtual courses. Links From Today’s Show:  Website: www.thesimplestartup.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/thesimplestartup Instagram: www.Instagram.com/the_simple_startup Twitter: www.Twitter.com/asimplestartup Learn more about becoming an Infopreneur here. It's hard to start a side hustle if you don't know what to try. That's why I created the Just Right Side Hustle Quiz! Answer 6 simple questions to find the hustle you're best suited for based on your interests, talents, and lifestyle! Take the quiz now.  

Today’s Featured Teacher: Caryl Pawlusiak Caryl Pawlusiak is an elementary teacher of 18 years who knew nothing about skincare when she took the plunge to become a personal shopper for Rodan+Fields. Putting her skills at following a lesson plan to use, Caryl learned while helping her customers with their skin and lashes, and soon began to teach others to do the same. Her original goal was to make a few hundred dollars a month but soon she was able to pay off her student loans early and now pays the mortgage each month. She coaches the women on her team to do more for their families around their existing schedules. Education continues to be what Caryl loves best, both teaching kindergarteners to count and read and teaching women to grow an extra stream of income. How did you select your side hustle? I think my side hustle selected me because I wasn't looking for anything at the time. A friend of mine from high school had been sharing Rodan+Fields on Facebook and I was sort of watching and then I said, “I'll go

Today’s Featured Teacher: Erica Trujillo Erica is a wife and mom of 3 girls ages 7, 5, and 2. She is a teacher and gym enthusiast and, most recently, an online gift boutique owner. She knows that sometimes teaching is messy, momming is messy, and life can be messy, but what’s most important is being real and being okay with the mess. Erica tries to radiate positivity and cheer people on as they create their own brand of happiness, whether that be her students or a stranger on the street. Links From Today’s Show:  Website: cart.tateandzoey.com/EricaT17/ Instagram: instagram.com/this_mommy_is_trying Learn more about becoming a Network Marketer here. It's hard to start a side hustle if you don't know what to try. That's why I created the Just Right Side Hustle Quiz! Answer 6 simple questions to find the hustle you're best suited for based on your interests, talents, and lifestyle! Take the quiz now.  

If you’ve been wanting to start your side hustle, but are worried that you need a stack of cash to get going, this is the episode for you! In a perfect world every business would be able to start with a healthy flow of capital, a staff full of capable people, and a plethora of assets like a bright shiny website.  But the reality is that most of us are starting out with little-to-no money and we’re starting from scratch, doing everything ourselves. Here are several helpful hints on how to start your side hustle when you don’t have money to throw at it to begin with. Make Use of Social Media I am a big proponent of having your own website - owning the land you’re building on - but I also believe that starting where you are is better than waiting for perfection. So if you are hesitating on starting your business because you don’t have the time to get a website up and running, start with social media. There’s several advantages: it’s free, it’s easy, and it helps you get a sense of what you want to do and who you

We teachers tend to think in terms of quarters, semesters, or school years. But our businesses aren’t limited by the same constraints. Today we’re talking about how to take the pressure off yourself by thinking long-term. So often entrepreneurs, not just teachers, get upset because their business isn’t growing “fast enough.” But, just like the kids we teach, everyone’s business is going to move at its own pace. As long as it’s growing, you’re going in the right direction. So how do we take some of that pressure off of ourselves so we don’t feel we need to get there fast? Starting your own business is a long-term play Back in Episode 37 we talked about how starting your own business is, I feel, the best way to gain financial independence. However, it is a long-term play. If you’re not in a position to wait, I talked about two other opportunities to maybe make money a little bit quicker. It is possible to work on building your bigger business while working those smaller and more immediate income gigs.  So when

What if I told you that there was a highly effective, simple, and cheap way to grow your business? You’d want to try it, right? I would. But a huge number of side hustlers are ignoring this essential piece of expanding their reach and customer base. It’s called “Content Marketing” What is content marketing?  Well, simply put, content marketing is when you share useful information on your blog, your youtube channel, your social media, what-have-you that does not explicitly promote what you sell. Some examples include if you’re running a food blog you could share recipes, tips on kitchen organization, or something like how to choose an Instapot. Again, something that your audience would find useful that has no push to sell anything. If your niche is health and fitness, maybe share your workout routine, or a routine you’d like to try as well, a daily menu, or even mindset journal prompts to help your readers with their fitness journaling. In the makeup niche, try giving a 5 minute face, tips for picking out the

Joey Mascio is a certified life coach, teacher, and counselor. He works with young adults ages 16 through 24 on learning crucial life skills they aren't getting in school to help them achieve more and live happier lives after high school. He was certified through The Life School and works with young adults on those social emotional skills that aren’t really taught in school that can help students thrive in the real world. He’s also an experienced performer, a trained comedian, and a talented story-teller. He was able to build a side hustle that is the teaching career he wants to have- teaching kids life skills without all the red tape. Joey considers himself first and foremost a husband and father. He and his wife have been married for seven years with three kids ranging from 5 down to an infant. He started his teaching career as a high school theater teacher but now teaches middle school theater and is in the discipline office. With a juggling act like that in his school work, how was he able to get involv

Today we are talking all about playing small. Now, this is something a lot of us do early on in our business but sometimes it carries well into our business journey, or it can even cut short our journey that we are trying to find our way on.  The reason for this is that when we play small, we sabotage ourselves. Not intentionally of course, but we do get into a mindset of minimalism and even defeat. We keep looking for evidence of why we shouldn’t go bigger and find it because, well, that’s what we’re looking for.  Whereas, if we were looking for reasons to go bigger and celebrating our successes, we could find that too. So what I’m saying, is that if we go all in, we have a better chance for success than if we play small. Of course, going big can be scary and require you to put yourself out there in a way you aren’t used to. “Small is easy, small doesn’t attract attention, small is comfortable, small doesn’t offend, small doesn’t raise eyebrows, small keeps that little voice in your head quiet, small doesn’t

If you’ve ever thought about leaving the classroom for the corporate world, today’s episode with Ali Parrish of Teacher Transition is a can’t miss. Her business is all about helping teachers transition from classroom to corporate.  A lot of teachers come to Side Hustle Teachers with the intent of building a business that can help them leave the classroom, but what if you don’t want to wait? What if you just want to see what else is out there beyond education, now? Now that’s a tricky road because we’re trained as teachers, so who would want to hire us as anything other than a teacher? Well it turns out a lot of people. Teachers have crazy high levels of abilities, skills, and talents that lots of companies are begging for. Ali noted that the saying teachers often use is, “I wear a lot of hats,” but what that means is that teachers have crazy loads of skills. The first step is just identifying what those skills are and what that means for work outside the classroom. When Ali got into the business of helping