5 Great Business Opportunities for Educators

Teachers are not respected enough for what they do, and that’s unfortunate. They aren’t the most well paid and often have to work without being recognised even when working in tough conditions and with limited resources. Teachers have very valuable skills, however, and your talent and skill for teaching could be turned into a very lucrative business. Not to mention that demand for educational products and services is very high at the moment. Let’s take a look at a few great opportunities for educators.

Open a Charter or Independent School

If you have significant experience in the field and feel like you could do better at crafting a curriculum or identified needs that aren’t being met in the public school system, then you could consider starting a charter school. For those living in the UK, these are referred to as independent schools.

Yes, it’s a significant investment, and it’s a lot of work, but it’s not as difficult as some people imagine. You will need to come up with a mission statement and concept, set up a governing board, outline your program, and submit the information to your local Department of Education Charter School Office – if your area has one. Know that not all states in the US allow for charter schools, so you have to look at the legislation in your jurisdiction. Those wanting to establish an independent school in the UK will have to register with the DfE in England.

In addition, you should consider upping your credentials if you were thinking of going that route. Getting something like a master’s in education will make you better at doing things such as building a curriculum and will help to enhance your school’s prestige. You’ll also be aware of the most recent changes in methodology and teaching approaches. This will make you more credible and knowledgeable, which will make you more respected and reduce the chances of dissent within the board. This is very important as 72% of charter school failures are set to be caused by governing board issues.

If you were worried about how you would be able to juggle work with your studies, we suggest you look at online programs. Universities like Exeter have an online masters degree in education that you can follow from the comfort of your home. This will allow you to get the credentials needed and be more competent and respected as an administrator.

Start Tutoring

Another common business idea for teachers is tutoring. What’s great about this is that you can start big or small. You can decide to teach students one on one from home, work with small groups, or large classes. This is also a business that you can start with a limited budget.

Another thing you could do is work with a service that will connect you with students. There are plenty of sites for tutors that will allow you to teach at distance and get paid in the process. If you’re more ambitious, you can even decide to start one of these yourself.

These services are great because they allow you to work as much or little as you want. You can decide to teach at the level you want and tackle the subjects you want as well.

Start Selling Courses

Another thing you could do is start selling courses online. There are outlets that will allow you to create your educational programs and sell them. Maybe you have expertise that goes beyond teaching. You as a teacher have the set of skills needed to deliver information in an easily digestible way, which makes for great educational material. Look for subjects that are in high demand and where you either have expertise or a genuine interest for.

Sell Educational Toys and Books

Another thing you could do is get in the educational toy business. Parents increasingly want their children to be ready early and have a solid foundation so they can get an advantage when they start school. Educators are well placed to know what kind of play could help children develop critical skills and create games or toys that will help.

This has a lot of potential if you execute properly and do your research. You need to look at the market and see where there’s demand. You also have to make sure that the space for the type of toy you were thinking about isn’t saturated.

Next, you will need to look at things such as research and development and at manufacturers. Ideally, you want to start with a toy with low production costs that will be easy to ship. Once you have a business rolling, you can look at extending your selection.
Another thing you could do is sell books. Interactive books that get the children involved are big winners at the moment. Note also that you could end up selling this book to schools as well, so this could have great potential for growth.

Copywriting Business

Teachers are by nature great content creators. They are required to have outstanding writing skills to even work as teachers. As such, they have a set of skills that is perfect for them to work as copywriters.

The role of a copywriter is to write content that will help publishers reach specific goals. Some businesses may want you to advertise or spread awareness about their brand or product. Some will want to build authority and write informative content for their audience. Either way, you are perfectly equipped for that, and you don’t need to be an English teacher either.

Another option would be to operate your own copywriting agency. Here, you will have to actively work on finding talent and clients. You might also have to do some editing. The average agency owner can make as much as £90,000, which could be way higher than your current salary.

If you’re a teacher, know that your skill set is worth its weight in gold. So, consider all of these business options and see which ones would work for you.