What exactly is a teacherpreneur and what can they do? Here are a few definitions and top career moves for teachers turned entrepreneurs!
What is a Teacherpreneur?
It takes a special person to be a teacher. We are passionate about education and care about shaping the young minds of the future. But what if teaching isn’t enough to fuel all of your passions in life? What if you can’t afford to be a teacher anymore? What if you feel undervalued and under-appreciated?
If these are the questions you are asking yourself then maybe it is time to start something of your own.
Most entrepreneurs are happy with their decision to be their own boss and are generally happier with their lives, according to a recent survey from American Express. In this current economy, 20 percent of entrepreneurs feel their business is growing and flourishing. Like teachers, it takes a special person to be an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs operate on a different level and strive for innovation and positive change. When teachers become entrepreneurs, I believe great things can happen for the future of education. We call these special people Teacherpreneurs.
Teacherpreneur definition: A teacher turned entrepreneur working in the field of education. There are many types of teacherpreneurs. If you are considering starting your own business, doing some freelancing on the side, or transitioning into a new career in the field of education, consider the following opportunities available for teachers.
1. Teacherpreneur Education Consultants
Teaching is a wonderful and meaningful profession but being contained in the classroom is not for everyone. There is no reason to let your teaching skills and experience in education squander if you no longer have the passion to teach. Many former teachers who want to remain in the field of education find successful careers as independent educational consultants.
Teachers flourish in these positions because the work needed combines their teaching skills with their administrative skills. This helps to provide qualitative advice on policies and procedures. Educational consultants also provide guidance on curriculum, resources, and teaching styles.
The type of work provided by educational consultants can not only be used to make decisions and improvements in school systems, but corporations and home-based settings too.
2. Digital Course Creators
There is no better time to jump into the world of designing learning courses than now. This is a great definition of a teacherpreneur opportunity. By 2025, E-learning will be a $325 billion industry by 2025. I created my digital course, The Teacher Career Coach, to help teachers transition out of the classroom because I believe that teachers can thrive in this environment.
You can earn a lot of passive income and creating your own digital course looks great on your resume. If you love building lesson plans, learning new technologies, and have an eye for design, you should consider designing digital courses as a career path. A lot of your skills as a teacher will naturally transfer into creating digital courses, such as writing and editing, general technical aptitude with the ability to comprehend complex technical topics, and the ability to translate challenging materials into easy to understand lessons.
Websites like Udemy.com and edX.org have affordable training courses so you can understand the ins and outs.
3. TPT Teacherpreneurs
Teachers Pay Teachers is an online marketplace for teachers to purchase learning materials. 100% of these materials are created by teacherpreneurs. It’s a low-cost option to generate extra income for teachers and it’s great for creative types. It’s also something you can do in your spare time. When I started selling products on Teachers Pay Teachers in my online store, I did not know what to expect. It took a lot of time and hard work to get my business moving, but after a few years I now earn thousands of dollars from my products.
On my store, I have project-based learning assignments with multiplication problems mixed in. I also created an interactive math mystery game. These activities are not only fun to do but learning is still the objective. In addition to the money, it showcased my abilities and helped me land positions outside of the classroom as an educational professional.
4. Etsy Sellers
Similarly, Etsy is a great online global marketplace for small businesses that want to sell their products without having the overhead of a storefront. People flock to Etsy for handcrafted and artisan products. It’s a perfect place for a creative entrepreneur with a knack for arts and crafts. There are millions of products on Etsy, so it may seem you are throwing a pebble into the ocean.
With a little effort you can create a niche for yourself, such as creating teacher appreciations gifts, classroom decor and apparel. The process to become a seller is easy and cheap, and Etsy walks you through step by step.
5. Teacherpreneur Influencers
There is a growing trend of tech-savvy teachers who are turning their side-gig into real cash, and is one definition of a teacherpreneur. The term Teacher Influencer is starting to create some buzz, and if you love social media, promoting brand awareness, and creating engaging content, then you can carve out a nice business for yourself.
Teacher Influencers are just like other social media marketers except they focus on education. They mix their social media skills, blogging skills and TPT sites and stores to generate enough followers to get advertising and affiliate marketing dollars, as well as promoting their own products.
Companies are constantly looking for ways to reach teachers, parents and students. It takes work to keep up with trends and creating content, but once you get started, your blogs, websites and social media accounts can start earning income while you sleep.
Final Thoughts for Teacherpreneurs
If you’re considering becoming a teacherpreneur or looking to transition out of the classroom, there are many opportunities out there that are a good fit for your skills.
As a teacher you have experience and qualifications that are in demand right now. You have a wide variety of career options as well. Most of which don’t require you to go back to school! Our course has helped thousands of teachers successfully transition out of the classroom and into their new careers.
