It’s all too common in 2024 to hear about a teacher jumpstarting a social media influencer page, setting up a TeachersPayTeachers account, or looking for ways to make extra money to supplement their full-time salary. With the average salary for starting teachers being $44,530 in 2022-23, it’s no wonder that 20 percent of public school teachers in our country are forced to work two or three jobs like Uber, Doordash, serving, or other part time jobs during the school year.
In this article, I’m going to talk about the skills that teachers possess which make them invaluable candidates for running a business, six successful Edupreneurs, and tips for those who are considering transitioning out of the teaching profession. Stick around to get inspired and hear success stories from those who took the risk to transition out, yet remain dedicated to empowering teachers and students, even while working beyond the classroom.
Why Teachers Make Excellent Entrepreneurs
You may have come across the terms “Teacherpreneur” or “Edupreneur,” which in simple terms is the crossover between education, teaching, and entrepreneurship. This is where teachers fill the gap between business and teaching, discovering ways to address specific challenges in education or unconventionally helping students meet and exceed learning goals. In this article, I will be using the terms Edupreneur and Entrepreneur interchangeably.
The pipeline of teachers to Edupreneur is growing more prevalent as teachers realize their skills and traits are highly desirable in various industries outside of education.
This is a cornerstone for everything that follows: It’s easier to get teachers to take time off work than it is to get them to stop doing work off the clock. To put it simply, those who are on the outside looking in may think teachers are overworked, but from the inside looking out, teachers know they don’t have enough time to give their 100% in finishing their to-do’s in a mere 40 hour workweek. And among the many other skills that qualify teachers as good candidates for entrepreneurship, work ethic is the most notable trait that allows for success in all other aspects of their efforts.
Let’s take a look at the skills that make teachers in demand beyond the traditional classroom, and in particular, the entrepreneur world.
Teacher Skills
Strong Communication
Teachers find ways to communicate with students of all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, and intellect. They also know how to deliver a message so that it is received, ensuring parents and the community are informed.
Adaptability
Anyone who runs a business may have used the term “putting out fires,” as a way to say there are unforeseen circumstances that happen daily. If there is any profession that understands this first hand, it is teachers. We are always adapting to things we could have never seen coming, and in this day and age, Artificial Intelligence is that fire we didn’t see coming. Teachers and homeschooling parents are finding that learning about AI and how it will impact education and our kids is not really an option.
Instructional Ability
Teachers are phenomenal at knowing how to understand complex concepts, and package it up into a nice little package so that their audience understands. This is common for entrepreneurs who are selling a product or service, looking to appeal to their audience and provide true value without over complicating anything.
Administrative Workflow
Many teachers are type A people who are heavily systematic. Within a couple years of teaching, they have a solid administrative workflow to follow to stay organized and ahead of the game.
Organization
Teachers have to manage on average 20-40 elementary students, and about 175 middle and high school students on a day to day basis. That doesn’t include lesson planning, grading, parent communication, field trips, projects, exam reviews, and the list goes on. Not too different from managing clients, communicating with their employees, and project managing deliverables as an entrepreneur.
Work ethic
Although teachers may not have the best work life balance, they are great at multitasking. As mentioned above, teachers wear a lot of hats and have a long list of to-do’s that seems to fluctuate on the daily. No kidding, our work ethic is unparalleled.
Data analysis
Data analysis is a critical skill that is needed in almost any role if you want to be someone who makes data-driven decisions that lead to the best possible outcome for a company or classroom.
Leadership roles
The last one we will mention is how teachers are highly effective leaders. They have a schedule of content to follow, but they get to decide how they want to teach, and how to manage the classroom throughout the year. It really depends on the individual and what goals they are willing to work to accomplish each quarter.
6 Teachers Turned Edupreneurs
Lauren Farrow, Schooling America
Meet Lauren Farrow, a dedicated former teacher specializing in the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and AI Literacy. With a deep understanding of child development and a passion for reforming the education system, she helps educators, parents, and students navigate a safe and successful path into the future through her Professional Development workshops. Some of her main services include 1-on-1 Consultations, and Homeschool Consulting.
Lauren founded Schooling America to bridge the gap between traditional teaching practices with modern technological advancements. Through this initiative, she champions digital education and harnesses the power of AI to help teachers create personalized learning experiences that accelerate student growth while making the 40-hour workweek a reality for educators once again.
Lauren’s journey as an edupreneur is not just a story of another teacher who left the classroom; it’s a deeply personal mission to support teachers across the nation so that they can continue being effective teachers. With firsthand knowledge of the challenges teachers face–balancing endless responsibilities with the need to stay ahead of technological advancements–Lauren offers solutions that ease the burden. Through Schooling America, she takes on the heavy lifting of researching and implementing AI tools, so educators can focus on what truly matters: enriching student learning and building connections with students of the future generation.
Niqueea Sykes, Dual Citizen
Meet Niqueea Sykes, the founder of Dual Citizen and Scriptures, Stories, & Strategies. While not a traditional classroom teacher, Niqueea has embraced her spiritual gift of teaching in a different way—by simplifying scripture and making it practical for business strategy. Dual Citizen is a Bible Study Brand for Christian Entrepreneurs wanting to do business God’s way, and “Scriptures, Stories, & Strategies” is a Christian business podcast teaching Christian entrepreneurs how to use the Bible as their number one business book.
Through in-depth Bible studies and reading plans, Dual Citizen helps entrepreneurs deeply understand biblical principles and apply them to real-world and modern business challenges. Just as educators shape young minds, Dual Citizen empowers faith-driven business owners to build and scale their ventures with wisdom, purpose, and a Kingdom-first mindset.
Anna DiGilio, Simply Skilled Teaching
For 23 years, Anna DiGilio dedicated herself to teaching, pouring her energy into the classroom and her students. But along the way, she discovered TeachersPayTeachers. Within a few short years, she built a million-dollar business, and continues to impact the education industry to this day.
After long days of teaching, she would spend an additional 40–60 hours a week creating resources to sell on platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers and through her blog, Simply Skilled in Second. Her creativity and drive led to the development of unique educational brands like Flip Flap Books, Tab-Its, Spin-Its, Teach-Its, and more.
She continues to channel her passion for teaching and education in a new way—by helping teachers around the world engage their students with thoughtfully designed, creative resources. Her journey as an edupreneur is a testament to the power of dedication, innovation, and the lasting impact of a teacher’s creativity.
Allison Williams, Tutor Tots Online
Teaching had always come naturally to Ms. Allison, driven by a belief that every child is a masterpiece in the making. In 2021, she took a leap of faith and left her Kindergarten teaching position to pursue her dream of creating a virtual classroom as an edupreneur. She then launched Tutor Tots Online–a space where children feel safe, valued, and capable.
What began as a small idea quickly grew into something extraordinary. Today, Ms. Allison has had the privilege of teaching over 100 children nationwide, helping them build confidence and embrace their limitless potential. Her journey is a testament to the power of passion, dedication, and the belief that every child deserves to shine.
Kristen Doyle, The Savvy Seller
Kristen Doyle’s journey from classroom teacher to edupreneur is a story of passion and persistence. After spending 10 years as an elementary teacher Kristen channeled her creativity into designing engaging lessons and activities and launched her Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Like many, she initially thought her resources would sell on autopilot, but she quickly realized that true success required strategy and hard work. Determined to thrive in a competitive space, Kristen mastered the art of business growth and began helping other teacher-sellers achieve their goals.
Today, Kristen runs three sustainable six-figure businesses as a TPT seller, web designer, and SEO coach. Since 2015, she’s been empowering educators and creators through courses, coaching, and custom website design—proving that with the right tools and dedication, the leap from teacher to edupreneur is more than possible.
Alyssa Broome, @teachernoire
Alyssa’s journey from teacher to edupreneur began with a vision: to create chic, empowering accessories and fashion for educators around the world. She was inspired to design pieces that reflected her own style–bold, simple, and meaningful–not just for casual wear, but as powerful statement pieces.
When Alyssa started, she noticed a gap in the space–there weren’t many women who looked like her doing what she was doing. Undeterred, she embraced the opportunity to share her voice and perspective online, and now she has 12k followers on instagram.
From learning how to sell products online to finding her ideal audience and building lasting customer relationships, Alyssa transformed her idea into a thriving business. Today, her brand empowers educators everywhere to express themselves with confidence and style.
Tips for a Successful Transition from Teacher to Edupreneur
1. Start with what you know, and stay true to yourself.
This tip is number one on my list because the personality cluster of people who work in education versus those who work in business are two very different groups of people. And oftentimes, teachers feel like they have to try to be someone they’re not, or learn slimy sales techniques in order to be successful in the business world. But that’s just not true. Edupreneurs are essentially just a specialized subset of entrepreneurs, specifically focused on educational innovation.
2. Be willing to take risks
For a successful transition from teacher to edupreneur, you can’t have one foot in the door and one foot out. You need to be all in, willing to take the good with the bad. The good thing is, schools will always be in need of teachers, so if the worst comes to worst, you can always go back and try again!
3. Be a sponge
Teachers wear a lot of different hats in their classrooms. Being a founder is not a whole lot different. When you are running a business, you are the CEO and simultaneously the sales rep, outreach manager, marketing and social media guru, among so many other things. For a successful transition from teacher to edupreneur, be a sponge and learn everything and anything you can from those around you. Now that leads us to our fourth tip.
4. Don’t take advice from someone who hasn’t done it themselves
Transitioning to a different career is a bold move for any industry, age, and ability level. Know your ‘why,’ and don’t let anyone tell you what your why should be, or what it should look like. Especially if they haven’t done the thing that they are telling you not to do.
5. Have a Growth mindset
Last but not least, have a growth mindset. Be willing to adjust the sail with the wind, and take every opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Success is always on the other side of fear.
Resources For Edupreneurs Transitioning Out Of Teaching
One resource that I highly recommend to edupreneurs is that they get their hands on a copy of the Happy Sales System, written by Entrepreneur Coach Shah Day. This book is a game-changer for salespeople and teachers who want to succeed without compromising their integrity or making their clients uncomfortable.
People can spot insincerity a mile away, and they deserve better. That’s why this book is built on principles of honesty, respect, and genuine care for your prospects. If you’re an edupreneur who is ready to transform your sales approach and start closing more deals with confidence and ease, then “The Happy Sales System” is your go-to sales book. Embrace a sales process that makes you feel good about your work and leads to long-term success in this short, impactful read.
Schedule a Consultation with Schooling America
I recognize that teachers have schedules that are planned down to the minute and oftentimes do not have the time to start up a side business or learn all about AI and how to integrate it in their classroom when they’re working 50-60 hours a week. However most don’t even know how much easier it can make their life both inside and outside of the classroom.
Whether you’re looking for high value professional development or are considering transitioning out of teaching to edupreneurship, Schooling America has you covered. With personalized consultations, I offer strategies that are tailored to your instructional approach, classroom dynamic, and school values. You will leave this consultation feeling empowered with AI tools and techniques, ready to leverage AI effectively.
During our consultation, I will help you:
✰ Minimize time spent working outside of contract hours
✰ Improve your Performance Evaluations
✰ Build a Techie Toolkit to equip you for a smooth and efficient school year
✰ Maximize student learning & engagement with innovative learning techniques
Students will grow up in a society where AI systems are highly integrated in the workforce. It is our responsibility as educators to become better equipped with the skills and tools so we can teach them to navigate the world with these powerful systems responsibly and ethically. I am here to answer all of your questions as well as provide effective ways you can integrate AI into your classroom and teaching approach, guided by best practices. Ready to reclaim your weeknights and Sunday evenings? Book a consultation today!
