Side Hustle Teachers

Have you ever set a goal for yourself? I mean, something along the lines of a new year's resolution or something you say you’re going to do at the start of every school year? Did you know that 90% of these personal goals we set for ourselves go unfulfilled? Well today, we’re talking all about taking action so we can reach those goals. When it comes to being successful at anything, there is one thing that separates people who are successful from those who are not: doing something. Taking action. You can’t achieve anything without taking action. But those people didn’t just take action, they took consistent action. It’s not about going big or going home, it’s not about just going all in on one day and hammering it out then sitting back and letting the profits roll in, it’s about little things you do every single day. Think about how your students hit the summer slide. Without consistent progress pushing them forward toward learning they’re unable to progress. So let’s talk about a few things you can do right aw

Nate and Alysha Jackson are former teachers turned seven figure Amazon sellers who know what is like to start from nothing. They started their business selling on Amazon nearly four years ago flipping everyday things they found at Walmart and Target. After selling over $180,000 in their first year, they were hooked. They are commonly referred to as “the Bra People,” since they have sold more Kohls bras on Amazon than their house is worth. Their end goal was to be able to be stay at home foster parents. However, they never lost that teaching bug but now, instead of teaching in the classroom, they continue to build an online community and support group for those wanting to get rid of debt, quit their jobs, and be financially free. If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon, you’ve probably noticed that there are literally millions of sellers using this platform to make money. But how do they do it? It can seem really overwhelming. My guest today, Nate Jackson, is here to share all the details of how he and his wife bui

When people come to me for help choosing their side hustle, I usually ask them “what are you awesome at?”, or “what are you an expert at?”.  Teachers have a hard time identifying themselves as an expert in anything because they put a lot of pressure on the word expert. Today, we are talking about how you can start thinking of yourself as an expert, even if you don’t feel like one yet.  Expert is a big word. We put a lot of meaning behind this one little word. There are so many teachers I know that have amazing skill sets and could do amazing things out there with their side hustle but they won’t take that first step because they wont allow themselves to think they might be an expert.  I am going to take you through a few steps today on how you can start shifting your mindset to start thinking of yourself as the expert that you really are.  I hear a lot of teachers say to me “I’m not an expert, it’s just easy”. The thing is we often don’t see our own super powers, the things we are really great at because they

Today's Guest: Kayse Morris, Online Business Owner Kayse Morris is a former 8th grade english and language arts teacher and now helps teachers live their best lives. Her main goal is to empower the educators of the world to leave a legacy online by selling their teaching resources. She got started on Teachers Pay Teachers in 2013 and it changed her life. She had no intention of leaving the classroom, she loves being a teacher and it is her greatest joy. However in  2018, she stepped out of the classroom to start helping other teachers with their businesses. Summary If you’re a teacher, you’ve probably thought about selling on the website Teachers Pay Teachers, but sometimes it can be daunting. How do you get started? What do you sell? Well today’s guest is telling us all about it and she is an expert.  This website has been around for a long time and many teachers have thought about or tried to sell their course materials on that website. But sometimes it can be overwhelming. There’s so many teachers on the

Teacher guilt is real, my friends. But that doesn't mean you should let it stop you from running your business the way you want. Today we are talking about why you shouldn’t feel guilty about your side hustle, and how you can let that guilt go.  Guilt is a real thing. Every teacher feels guilty for some reason or another. I swear, I have even felt guilty for sleeping before. Yes, sleeping! One of those things that you have to do. I felt guilty for doing that rather than staying up and pulling an all nighter and working on something for my kids. Do we recognize how ridiculous that is? We might recognize it, but it’s hard to get past it.  So why should you not feel guilty for your side hustle? There are so many reasons!  Let’s think about this for a second. First of all, what you do outside of school hours is no one's business but your own. When you clock out of school and pull out of that parking lot, your time is your own. My personal opinion is that doing something that lights you up and brings you joy makes

The term side hustle can mean different things to different people, and even different things at different points in your life. So today, we are going to dig into all of those different definitions and in what situation you might use to decide which side hustle is for you.   What is a side hustle?  In some cases it might be just anything you do that brings in extra money. In my mind, I have always thought of a side hustle as something that is more within your own control. So a business that you run or a side gig that you are in complete control of. There are different types of side hustles and different situations might make you more interested in a certain type.  People Who Need Money Now You can’t wait, you’re behind on your bills, and you just need money now. A side hustle would be something along the lines of driving for Uber, delivering for Instacart, or something along those lines. You could even get a second job. You would have a second employer and you would get paid through a regular paycheck system.

The first episode of the new season of Side Hustle Teachers drops 2 weeks from today - September 28, 2020 - and it is going to blow. your. mind.  I’m Stacey Ogden, self-taught entrepreneur and founder of Side Hustle Teachers. It’s my mission to help teachers like you make more money, follow your passions (education-related, or not), and give you the confidence to know that teaching is just one of many career options you have.  So if you’re an educator who is struggling financially, feeling stuck, and not sure that you can handle being a teacher for another 10, 20, or 30 years, you have come to the right place! This season on the podcast you will hear practical tips for starting and growing a business of your own from me and my guests. And since I only feature educators on this show, you know that every piece of advice or strategy is totally doable for a busy teacher. Mark your calendar for September 28, 2020 for the first episode of season 4! You’re not going to want to miss it!

Summer is here, or at least close, for teachers and that means you get 2 months off!  Okay, now that we've all had a good laugh... Summer is a great time to work on your business because, even if you have a full-time job over the break, it's likely not as intense and draining as teaching, so you've got some extra time and energy to work with. How can you use these 2 months to strengthen your business? There are a couple of ways. You can put the extra time and energy you have toward building your business, and you can use the time to get ahead on side hustle work so you're prepared when busy times of year crop up. Go All In In the summer months, especially if you don't have to work a job, you can basically make your side hustle a full-time gig. Use this time to dedicate yourself to building your business in ways that you simply can't do while school is in session. Some of the things I like to do during this time is batch my content, But one of the most important things I do over the summer is spending time thi

No matter how much you love what you do, you will inevitably go through a period when you just don't wanna. So what do you do what you lose your side hustle mojo? Call it what you want, a dry spell, a down period, a blah phase, but at some point, all of us go through and have to find a way to pull ourselves out of it.  Easier said than done. Figure out what's up Before you can fix a problem, you have to know what the problem is. If your septic tank is overflowing, sure you need to call the septic guy to drain it, but if you don't fix the constantly running toilet, the problem isn't going to go away. Over the years in my work with clients I've found that there are 4 basic reasons people lose your side hustle mojo: Self-doubt or imposter syndrome Idea fatigue Overwhelm Exhaustion Maybe you can identify with one or more of these, and notice them in your own business Find inspiration When you start to feel imposter syndrome tapping you on the shoulder, it's important to go back to the inspiration that helped yo

When people start thinking about trying a side hustle, many get stuck on the thinking and never get to the trying. The same can often be said for those who have a business and are thinking about leveling up... lots of thinking. Today we're talking about why action will get you farther than thinking (and faster), how to get over your fears of starting, and simple ways to gain some momentum! Have you left a review for the Side Hustle Teachers podcast?  Reviews from listeners help other people find our little corner of the world and let us help even more teachers.  If you haven't written a review, we'd be honored if you could take a moment to do so on whatever podcast app you're on.  If you use an iPhone you can simply open the Apple Podcasts app, search for Side Hustle Teachers and tap on ratings and reviews. You can also use the desktop version of iTunes on any computer and leave a review there.  Like I said, it really helps us spread the word and help more people. Why is it wrong to think about things? It's n

Today's Guest: Erica Terry Erica Terry is a 17 year educator, who currently serves as a professional learning consultant and coach committed to empowering co-teachers to build collaborative relationships that include shared roles & responsibilities. In addition to her role as a consultant, she also is an edupreneur and host of the Classroom to CEO Podcast, where she equips educators to build an online business and create multiple streams of income. While empowering educators to create a life they love embodies her professional passion, her husband, Melvin and daughter, Eva are the driving force and greatest blessings in her life. Summary When Erica decided to start her side hustle journey, she first started with a blog. She wanted to talk about goal setting and personal growth, but she soon realized that she hadn't fully developed her idea, her focus, or her ideal customer avatar. Without those three key pieces, it was difficult to find an audience, so the blog didn't last very long. Of course as side

In working with teachers along all points of the entrepreneurial journey, and through the Side Hustle Teachers Facebook group, there are some mistakes that come up over and over.  Today we’re going to dig into them and what you should do instead.  Stick around. When you’re starting something new, mistakes are inevitable.  But some mistakes are avoidable, if you’re prepared for them. Today I’m going to share 5 of the mistakes I see most often with clients and members of the Side Hustle Teachers community (and may or may not have made myself when starting out), and how to avoid them. Choosing a business based on what your friend sells People will post in the SHT group that a friend of theirs has had good luck with XYZ business, and they’re thinking of doing the same thing. This happens most often, but not exclusively, with Direct Sales companies partly because they actively recruit people, trot out successful sellers, and promise quick returns. While it’s great that you’ve been inspired by another edupreneur, i

Before starting a side hustle there’s always a little voice that says, “But what if it’s not right for me?”  Today we’re talking about a few things you can do to dip your toe in your side hustle pool before you take the plunge. A few weeks ago I did an episode about how there’s no such thing as a perfect side hustle.  And while that’s totally true, it’s natural to want to take your hustle for a test drive.   After all, you’re making a big commitment of time and energy, and possibly money, so you want to do what you can to assure yourself that you know what you’re getting into. So how can you get some experience, get some inspiration, and make sure you’re taking the next right step? Volunteer  Find an organization that works with the population you want to help, or does the kind of work you want to do.  Spend some time learning the ins and outs. Places like libraries, women’s organizations, animal shelters, and groups that serve the elderly are always looking for volunteers, and I would bet that many other pla

If you've thought about starting a side hustle, but don't think you have any skills that are worth anything, think again.  In this episode we're talking about how to use talents you already have to make some money! Today's Guest: Elizabeth Yarnell, Founder, Digistars Make-a-Movie Workshop Elizabeth Yarnell has been designing and delivering multimedia educational programs for almost thirty years, starting off in the film and video industry and then as an instructional designer. She began developing digital storytelling programs for kids in 2010 as a parent volunteer at her son's elementary school in Denver, Colorado. For the last ten years her side hustle has been delivering these fun and enriching programs after school, in summer camps, and during school holidays to elementary and middle schools. Summary Elizabeth Yarnell didn't intend to be an edupreneur. She had a thriving career and everything was going well. Her business idea sprang from helping her child's school create a digital video program, to be

Is anxiety of asking for money keeping you from getting your business up and running, or growing to a point of scalability?  Today we’re talking about believing in your worth as an edupreneur, so stick around. No matter how much you love what you do, there’s one thing that separates a hobby from a business; Money.  If you’re not making money, you don’t have a business. This is a big point of contention for teachers who enter the entrepreneurial space, and I completely understand why. Part of being a teacher is being broke… or at least that’s how it feels sometimes.  It’s ingrained in our culture and constantly reinforced every time we’re asked to chip in for something, work way outside our contract hours, and volunteer to work at school events.   And teachers aren’t blameless here.  We buy into this culture hook, line, and sinker.  Who are the first ones checking out the discount bins after every holiday so we can buy stuff for our classrooms and our kids?  Who pays $5 to wear jeans to school on Fridays? Who

There are gurus out there who preach working 20 hour days, 7 days a week, grinding out work, and eating, sleeping, and breathing your business. I’ve heard Mark Cuban tell entrepreneurs on Shark Tank that they shouldn’t be presenting the sharks with opportunities if they haven’t worked from dawn until midnight, given up all their earthly possessions in pursuit of their dream, and been forced to crash on the floors of random friends. And while, I’m not in any position to question Mark Cuban or Gary V., I do know that advice doesn’t fit for me, and it likely doesn’t fit for you either.   And that’s okay. You’re never going to be able to follow all of the entrepreneurial advice out there - namely because so much of it is contradictory - so you might as well find someone who's giving advice you can work with. Enter Side Hustle Teachers. There are multiple paths to success  Don’t let the fact that you can’t walk one of those paths keep you from looking for others. I didn’t consider my first successful business, my

Sheldon started his business with a podcast. He didn't have any particular destination in mind, or a thought of how this was going to become a business, he just knew he was passionate about teaching equity. It was from this passion that a business naturally evolved. When people started reaching out to Sheldon asking for advice and input he realized that his passion could help make him extra money while helping other teachers. He got an LLC, and was off and running.  Living in rural Idaho, Sheldon didn't have a lot of access to travel to speak to people about his business. The airport was far, flights were expensive, and he still had to be present for his job in education. But rather than let those obstacles prevent him from doing what he wanted to do, he found a way to make it work.  After starting with a course, Sheldon was invited to participate in an online summit with Matt Miller of Ditch That Textbook, and discovered a new way to reach and help more teachers. When he participated in a second summit, wit

Teachers have a lot going on in the best of times. So what do you do during especially crazy times happen; like parent teacher conferences, grades are due, or there’s an unprecedented pandemic on top of everything else? You’re a busy teacher, working all day and hustling at night and on the weekends (and in the morning, and at lunch…).  You’ve got a handle on things - or you’re starting to - and then a school or family obligation pops up and throws you completely off your routine. What’s an edupreneur to do? Mark your calendar Sure there are things that crop up at the last second and spoil all our well-laid plans, but many of our extra busy times are planned in advance.  So make sure that as soon as your school puts out its calendar, you add all the important dates to your own family calendar. Make note of things like the ends of grading periods, when you know you’re going to have to enter grades and comments, parent-teacher conferences, when your Honors English papers are due… you know. Do the same for famil

When times are difficult it might seems fruitless to work on growing your business, there is plenty you can do to set yourself up for long-term success. Use this time wisely and you can reach your goals and your business will thrive.

​Are you waiting to start your business until the perfect side hustle reveals itself to you?  Today we’re talking about why you should stop waiting and start taking action. Oftentimes people come to Side Hustle Teachers with the goal of starting a side hustle, but no clear idea on what to do.  And while I and the Facebook group can provide lots of ideas, only you can decide what’s right for you. There’s no “1 way” Like many things in life, there are multiple paths a side hustlin’ teacher can follow.  What most people don’t say out loud is that most of the paths available to you are equally good. It’s like when you input a destination into Google maps.  You’re often given several routes to choose from - maybe one has tolls while another takes a few minutes longer - but in the end, they all get you to your destination. No matter what your side hustlin’ destination, whether it’s early retirement, saving for college, or to build up a savings account and stop living paycheck to paycheck, there are multiple side hu