Not every business idea is meant to be a full-time business. For some people and some situations, it might only ever be nothing more than a side hustle for you. There are many occupations that you might find yourself in that “pays the bills” but it doesn’t meet your emotional or creative needs. One of those professions that has seen some real success in incorporating a side hustle is the teaching profession.

Side Hustle Opportunities for Teachers

Some great examples of educational side hustles are businesses popping up as subscription boxes or paid memberships. So much of what teachers do have real value to others. This might be to teachers just starting out, teachers looking for fresh ideas or maybe teachers with less resources.

Some teachers have found that they have discovered an effective or unique way to solve a problem. Some have found creative ways to solve problems or make teaching easier, more fun or saving time. What teacher couldn’t benefit from that? If you are a seasoned professional, think about the things that you wish you knew when you first started. Think about the biggest problems teachers face and solutions you have found. Think about the needs that teachers have and see if you have a way to meet those needs.

Things to Consider

There are some important things to take into account when considering how you will proceed and if your side hustle is worth it.

• One of the best pieces of advice that I can give you, or anyone starting a side hustle business, is to start small. Starting any business is going to take more time and more money and more energy than you thought it would. If you are still working a full-time job and trying to start even a part-time business, this can be your smartest move. If you try to create a multi-million dollar side hustle you might find yourself overwhelmed and giving up before you even get started.
• Create a very narrow focus with who you will serve and what you will offer. This plays well to “starting small,” but it is also a proven method of creating a better business. Consider what you do well and who needs what you have to offer then play to your strengths.
• Be realistic about how much time and money you have to invest in your idea. That involves spending the time it takes to do some market research and gathering a comprehensive list of start-up costs. If you are still teaching, you will have limited “extra” time and you will want to make sure you are maintaining some sense of balance with all of the other things in your life. You might find valuable help with start-up costs through industry websites, talking to others who have done what you want to do or contacting your local Small Business Development Center or SBA.

Setting You Up to Scale Your Business

If you are looking into creating something that will not require you to trade hours for dollars that will mean creating a business that can be marketable to a wide audience. It will mean creating systems and products that you can create once and sell over and over. That is one of the reasons that subscription boxes and paid memberships are so popular. It is because they are effective and efficient when done right. They are a lot of work up front in creating the framework and getting everything in place to do more of the work for you but there are plenty of resources out there to help you do just that. They will provide you with the proper steps to take, help you avoid mistakes and set you up for success.

Teachers generally enter the field of education for more than money because the pay is not often that great. For that reason, some will choose to launch a side-hustle to provide extra income. It might be just the thing you need to subsidize your income when you retire. For others their side hustle is just the first step in what will become a full-time, very successful and profitable business for them. Whatever the case, side-hustle or full-time business, you have something others need to know. Go on and make your place in the world.