Teacher Hustle Podcast: Recent Episodes
Alissa McDonald
Teachers! How can you take your passion and turn it into a business that creates more impact in classrooms around the world while also generating more income? Welcome to The Teacher Hustle Podcast! Every week, host Alissa McDonald, fifth-grade teacher, mom, and business owner, answers all your burning questions about business (without being overly complicated). She'll talk marketing, social media tips and tricks, mindset shifts, copy, content creation, and how to balance all of that with life! Consider her your new teacherpreneur bestie. And you do NOT need to be smarter than a fifth-grader to understand the marketing tips in this podcast. You know that one thing you can't stop talking about? We're going to share it with the world! So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s bring your wildest ideas to life!
Heidi is the go-to resource for hundreds of thousands of parents and educators on TikTok and Instagram, and she leads a membership where she shares resources and trainings on the Science of Reading. In this episode, Heidi talks to us about how she's built a successful business by following her own instincts. Heidi tells the story of how she put herself out there even when faced with criticism and push back, and how she used that push back to create more content and find the exact right resources her people needed. Like so many educators, Heidi is driven by her mission and uses that to guide her business as well. Let's dive in!
Connect with Heidi:
https://droppinknowledge.com/
https://www.scienceofreading101club.com/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
This is the first time on this podcast that we've done a deep dive into brand partnerships, UGC, and affiliates. This income stream helped Rebekah supplement her teaching income and eventually led her to her full-time job in edTech. She drops all the tips for getting started with partnerships, even if you don't have a large following. She also shares how to keep building your personal brand to welcome new opportunities you might not have otherwise seen coming!
Follow Rebekah on Instagram (@RebekahPoeTeaching)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Laura posted an IG story the other day saying she was having a pinch me moment because she's running her own business, writing a children's book, launching a new online program, feeling like she's winning motherhood, sharing her authentic, unfiltered life with 122k strangers that feel like besties, and is the strongest she's felt mentally and physically. She started this journey in 2019, and in this episode she walks us through exactly how she ended up here today, including her successes and her struggles. One thing I love about Laura is how willing she is to get vulnerable and tell her story. There's something powerful about hearing someone's story when they're just as willing to walk us through the bad times as they are through the good. How to be yourself and find your people in the online space, even when your views and style aren't for everyone. In this episode, Laura talks about finding your internet besties on IG stories, what to do when you have all the ideas and not enough time or resources to get everything done, and how to build a business that allows you to show up fully in your zone of genius. Laura's episode on the Teacher Hustle Podcast made it into the hall of fame for being the top 5 episodes on the podcast, so I know you'll love this one, too!
@TheOTButterfly
www.theotbutterfly.com
Sensory Processing 101
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Megan has a large following on Instagram that still feels like a tight-knit community thanks to a few of her authentic marketing strategies.
We love her impact-driven focus for her business, and how she uses her community to get feedback and ideas for her products.
Megan talks about a few of her strategies for staying in touch with her audience, how she finally decided to monetize her expertise, and what it's been like to grow her following with perfectionism and comparison by her side.
After listening to this episode with Megan, we know you'll be motivated to take the next step in your leadership pathway, even if you're scared.
Episode Links:
Instagram: @theliteracydive
Website: theliteracydive.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Asia Hines from The Sassy Teacher gives us the scoop on how she went from only publishing free resources to figuring out a marketing strategy and showing up as her authentic self online.
Asia helps us understand how to use both TikTok and Instagram to show up for your people and share your experiences and expertise, even if you're terrified to get started.
She drops all the tips on how to show up consistently on Instagram to connect with your community and chats about the importance of balancing spontaneity with strategy on the socials.
Asia’s Links:
Website
PowerPoint Made Easy Free Guide
PopPD Links:
Visit PopPD here
Get on the Waiting List for Version 2
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Caitie shares how she decided it was time to start her online business, and how she decided on the topic she'd talk about online.
She dives deep into the parts of her business that weren't working for her, and she shares how one thing led to another to bring her full circle into an online business that feels very authentic to who she is. Yes, Caitie had a major pivot in her business very recently when she came to work for PopPD as our marketing lead, and she's giving us a look behind the curtain at how that all played out.
If your business has been feeling out of alignment, this is the {very relatable} episode for you!
Caitie Cupples Creative on IG
PopPD
PopPD Beta Waiting List
PopPD Podcast Community
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
In this first episode of the BRAND NEW podcast "That Teacher" (formerly the Teacher Hustle Podcast), you'll hear what Alissa has been up to this last year, and you'll meet the co-founder of her new company, PopPD. You'll hear the story of how they found a path to leadership beyond the classroom, and how you can, too!
Important Links:
PopPD - A peer learning platform for K12 educators!
PopPD Coach Waiting List
PopPD Podcast Community - The community space for all listeners of That Teacher Podcast & Extra Curricular Podcast
Extra Curricular Podcast
Teacher Hustle University - The place to learn how to implement a simple, innovative marketing strategy for your online teacher business, brought to you by Alissa and the THU Team.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Welcome to the podcast for anyone who has been known as "That Teacher".
That teacher who is always dreaming up new ideas...
That teacher who has an Instagram account...
That teacher who goes on TikTok to share the latest teaching trends...
That teacher who isn't afraid to try new things...
If you're an educator who's been looking for something MORE...
More opportunities to lead, grow, and inspire others...
We're here to show you the newest pathways to leadership for modern educators.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit poppd.substack.com
Yes, this is the LAST episode of The Teacher Hustle Podcast. BUT... this isn't goodbye! We can still hang out over on Instagram, on my YouTube channel, and inside all of my programs. Thank you for being a loyal listener, and please connect with me in one of these ways:
Connect on Instagram
Watch on YouTube
Join Teacher Hustle University (Members' Only Podcast!!)
Join Course Creator's Intensive
In today’s episode of the Teacher Hustle Podcast, I'm answering the most frequently asked questions I receive about creating an online course.
So many of you send me dms on Instagram, or you're in my program, Course Creator's Intensive, and you have some really great questions that are getting in the way of putting that idea that you have out into the world.
It's easy to let perfectionism, indecision, or some of the other unknowns of course creation stop you from taking the leap, but creating an online course changed my life and business for the better, so hopefully this episode will help clear things up for you so you feel ready to take the next step forward.
Episode-At-A-Glance
- (2:10) How do I come up with an idea for my online course?
- (3:32) How do I know if my idea is a good one?
- (6:30) How big of an audience do I need to create an online course?
- (9:40) Should I only launch if I have open/close cart products?
- (10:41) More ways to add urgency to your launches
- (12:15) What tools do I need to create an online course?
- (15:00) I have an idea for a course, but I don’t feel like an expert. Should I still create an online course?
- (17:45) Should I run Facebook ads?
- (19:05) Do I have to launch?
- (21:20) What trends do you notice in course creation in 2022?
Links mentioned:
- Join the Map Your Course Challenge HERE.
- Get on the waitlist for Course Creator's Intensive HERE.
- My recommended tools for course creation
- Host your course on Kajabi!
In today’s episode of the Teacher Hustle Podcast, I'm sharing how I make money in my business.
This was inspired by a question that came through my Teacher Hustle University community. We're talking about how and when to hire, how to build up your programming and product suite, how to optimizing your time so you don't have to work 60-hour work weeks, build multiple streams of income, and more! So let's get into it...
Episode-At-A-Glance
- (3:05) How did you know to hire (and who)?
- (8:10) How I knew what programs to create and when
- (9:51) My biggest piece of advice for creating successful programs
- (14:00) How I developed my programs while still keeping everything else running smoothly .
- (16:10) How to NOT work 60-hour work weeks
- (21:05) Breaking down my income streams
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- Join the Map Your Course Challenge HERE.
- Get on the waitlist for Course Creator's Intensive HERE.
- Kajabi
- Full Focus Planner
- Shop my recommended resources on Amazon!
In today’s episode of the Teacher Hustle Podcast, we're taking you behind the scenes of Teacher Hustle University to talk about Email Sequences.
Teacher Hustle University is the coaching experience for teacher business owners who want to build sustainable businesses through simple, effective marketing strategies. This month inside THU, we had a live workshop on how to set up email sequences. Our members say that these monthly workshops are worth the value of the coaching experience alone -- and we want to give you a taste of what it’s like inside this experience.
Episode-At-A-Glance
- (1:00) Teacher Hustle University 3.0 COMING SOON
- (4:50) Sneak peek at a THU Show Up & Glow Up Training on Email Sequences
- (5:30) What does an email sequence do?
- (6:20) What do you need to have in place for your email sequences?
- (10:00) Why is email marketing important?
- (15:00) Dos and Don’ts when it comes to email
- (23:34) Review of what a lead magnet is and why you need that rather than a subscribe form on your website
- (29:45) All About Welcome Sequences
LINKS
- Get on the waitlist for Teacher Hustle University 3.0 HERE.
- Download your FREE Springtime Swipe Files for Teacher Business Owners
In today’s episode of the Teacher Hustle Podcast, I’m rounding up my top 5 tips for teachers just starting out in business. These tips are compiled from past episodes and are especially important for early-stage business owners. So if you're new to the marketing and business world, or want to refresh on the basics, this one's for you! You'll get mindset and strategy advice from me, as well as other past guest experts. Oh, and there's a special gift for you at the end, so stay tuned!
LINKS
- FREE Springtime Swipe Files for Teacher Business Owners
- Ask Alissa: How Can I Find My Tribe?: Season 1, Episode 8:
- How to Get Out of a Creative Rut and Skyrocket Your Sales with Viral Content: Season 1, Episode 9:
- Manifestation and Goal-Setting 101 with Felicia from Goldmine and Coco: Season 2, Episode 4:
- Growing Your Business through Community with natalie Franke: Season 2, Episode 11:
- Start Building Your Email List (Today!): Season 1, Episode 22:
I have been keeping a secret for the past couple of months and I am about to reveal it to you. Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with my friend, Megan Kensington, and we'll find out in a minute what she has to do with a special announcement. Megan is The Course Designer on Instagram. She helps entrepreneurs reimagine the programs they've already created. She's an expert in all things, curriculum and course design, but she doesn't just help by making things look pretty inside your course. She breaks it down and looks at every part of the learning experience and looks at how to make it work better for you and the students enrolled in your online course so that you can stand out as an expert, build your loyal community, and be truly proud of the product you're putting out into the world. So, enjoy this episode and I hope you absolutely love our secret...
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE
- Follow PopPD on Instagram and visit the Website
- Find Megan (The Course Designer) on Instagram and her Website
This month in the magazine and on the podcast, we’re talking about the key things you need to know about creating a Knowledge Product. You’ll learn about if a Knowledge Product is right for you to create and sell, how to do it, and I’ll even be making a seriously exciting announcement on the next podcast that has to do with Knowledge Products. This is an announcement that I believe is going to impact education in a major way, so stay tuned!
Be sure to grab your copy of this month's Companion Magazine all about creating knowledge products. Access it at ww.alissamcdonald.com/magazine.
LINKS
Register in advance to get notified when my FREE Map Your Course 5-Part Podcast Series launches on February 6th (Limited Time!)
- This month’s FREE issue of the Teacher Hustle Magazine!
- My go-to knowledge product platform of choice: Kajabi
- My favorite equipment/resources for business and knowledge product creation
- Favorite free course platform is Teachery
- Connect with Helena of The Present Teacher: Website and Instagram
Today, I'm sharing a special New Year's Q&A episode where we'll talk about imposter syndrome, course creation, wanting to quit, combating burnout, favorite fries, and so much more! I thought for January, it might be nice to just take a pause and reflect on some of the questions I got over the past year to make sure that you have all the answers you're looking for and also to have a little fun. I asked in my Instagram stories and in the Facebook group of Teacher Hustle University if anyone had any questions they would like me to answer and I have a whole bunch of good ones ranging from marketing strategy to favorite fries to overcoming obstacles in business, and more. I hope you enjoy this self-conducted interview and listener Q&A!
Thinking about launching a course, or have an idea but don't know where to start? Listen to a SECRET PODCAST episode about developing and launching your course idea at www.alissamcdonald.com/coursecreator. Available for a LIMITED TIME.
- Podcast episode with Amber Williams about Brand Messaging
- Podcast episode with Megan Hale about Money Mindset
- Podcast episode with Laura Beam about Wellness and Self-Care
- Grab this month's companion Teacher Hustle Magazine about investing and finding support depending on your stage of business.
On this month's magazine and podcast episode, we’re focusing on how to choose the right supports to grow your business in 2022. Think through what investments you’re making in your business, how you’re choosing mentors, what’s on your to-do list, and what mindset blocks you’re working through. Choosing our focus in each of these areas will help us stay on track for growth all year long.
Episode-At-A-Glance
- (1:58) Goal-Setting Reflection Questions & Journaling for 2022
- (6:30) How to make 2022 the year you take marketing tasks OFF your plate
- (7:40) Choosing the Right Supports to Grow Your Business in 2022
- (24:43) Listener Q&A: I’m a TPT seller. Do I need to launch a course to make more money in my business?
- (29:12) THU Member Interview with Lisa on Systems, Organization, and Improving Productivity for Business Owners
LINKS
- This month’s FREE issue of the Teacher Hustle Magazine!
- Register your spot for the Minimalist Marketing Planning Party on January 9th at 7:30pm ET! Cut the fluff in the new year so you can create a marketing plan for your teacher biz that actually leads to more sales… in less time!
- Lisa's (this month’s THU Member Interviewee) Website and Instagram
Today, my good friend, Laura Beam, is diving into all the things sustainable marketing strategy and self-care strategy for business owners. We talk about how to make social media marketing manageable, setting boundaries, how to make space for your health in your busy life -- basically all things self-care and business. We even give you a sneak peek behind the curtain of THU and what we've been working on from a marketing perspective.
Laura is a social media and digital marketing strategist for mission driven business owners who want to amplify their impact online. She helps clients tell their unique stories with sustainable and creative strategies design and implementation. With a background in wellness and certified as an integrative health coach Laura is also passionate about helping small business owners achieve practical and lifelong wellness to support their ambitions and the impact they want to make in the world. She believes that radical self care is the most powerful tool people can use to fuel the lives and businesses they ultimately want. She is currently based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and in every spare moment, you can find Laura hiking with our pup beans, traveling, cooking and reading in her time off.
Enjoy the episode!
Psst! If you haven't yet, be sure to grab your copy of this month's Companion Magazine all about how you find space for self-care and reflection as we head into the new year! Access it at ww.alissamcdonald.com/magazine.
Connect with Laura:
- Laura’s Wellness Instagram and Website
- BE.FLOW Digital’s Website and Instagram
Today we're walking through an end-of-year reset for your online business, minimalist marketing style! This is the perfect time to reflect, reevaluate, and set goals. Before we go propelling ourselves into a new year with NEW ideas, NEW goals, and NEW routines, we need to ELIMINATE. In this month’s magazine-style podcast episode, we're focusing on what wasn’t worth our time in the past year and say goodbye to the things that just didn’t work for the new year.
You'll also get the inside scoop on affiliate marketing and how to use it to generate more revenue for your business, a THU Member interview all about self-care for educators, and journaling prompts, and more!
Be sure to grab your copy of this month's Companion Magazine all about how to realign for the new year!Access it at ww.alissamcdonald.com/magazine.
LINKS
- This month’s FREE issue of the Teacher Hustle Magazine!
- Kajabi
- Full Focus Planner
- Brittney Prince (this month’s THU Member Interviewee) on TikTok and Instagram
In today's magazine-style podcast episode, we're talking about how to start building your legacy today with impact goals. I'm going to give you quick action steps you can take to start to define your values and implement into your day-to-day decisions and choices. Defining your values also helps you re-route and recalibrate when you get lose your way, so that you can use them as a North Star to help you stay aligned and get back on track. After that, I'm diving into some Listener Q&A around why it's so important to clean out your email list, followed by a Teacher Hustle University Member Interview with someone who is very new to the business world!
If you haven't yet, be sure to grab your copy of this month's Companion Magazine all about how you can grow your business to build a legacy and make the impact you were meant to make. Access it at ww.alissamcdonald.com/magazine.
LINKS
- This month’s FREE issue of the Teacher Hustle Magazine!
- Episode 5 of the Teacher Hustle Podcast with Amy McLaren
- Amy’s new book, Passion to Purpose
- FREE Marketing Masterclass for Teacher Business Owners
- Connect with Katie at Katie Couples Teaching
One of my biggest inspirations in business and mindset is Amy McLaren, author of Passion to Purpose, and today I'm sharing some key takeaways from her podcast episode about getting out of your comfort zones, overcoming self-doubt, and taking action on the things you love.
Amy and her husband, Stu McLaren, are two of my biggest influences in business, entrepreneurship, integrity, and how to use your passion to make an impact. I especially identify with Amy, because she has a background in teaching, but chose to ultimately leave to focus on her passions. She is also very passionate about women and entrepreneurship and has some incredible advice for following your passion, even when things get tough, your mindset junk gets in the way, and you can't really see where you're going. Today, we're talking about how you can follow your passion in a way that aligns with your values, supports your relationships, and allows you to be the role model you want to be for your children and community.
For a bit of background, Amy is a busy mom of two and author of Passion to Purpose. She splits her time between leading Lady Strength, a growing online community of driven entrepreneurial women, growing an Airbnb business, and being a hands on CEO of Village Impact. Village impact partners with communities in rural Kenya to provide community led access to quality education and entrepreneurship opportunities. To date, this organization has built 14 schools that deliver education to nearly 5000 students daily.
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- Stu McClaren’s website and Instagram
- Amy McClaren’s website and Instagram
- Amy's NEW book, Passion to Purpose
Get your notebook out, because today master brand strategist, Amber Williams, is sharing her top secrets for creating an unforgettable brand. You'll learn how to create your brand message, your brand promise, and get clarity around how you want to show up in the online space. If you've been listening to me long enough, you know that I am a part of Amber Williams' team helping her to develop her programs and now she's on the Teacher Hustle Podcast!
Amber Williams helps elevated beauty brands find the right words to stand out and sell faster. She is a master brand strategist, a details obsessed copywriter, and she lives to tell a good story which you will hear quite a few in this podcast episode today. Her work is dedicated to teaching savvy CEOs how to build their brands, and write words that sell without sounding like everyone else. She is a city girl, a mom of two, and an organic coffee snob. Her best vibe is found behind her Mac, whipping words into million dollar making narratives.
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- Get this month's FREE Companion Magazine all about Brand Building
- Amber Williams’ Website, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- FREE Masterclass, “Makings of a Million-Dollar Message”
- The Tory Burch Foundation
- Enroll in A.W. Writers’ Studio
In this week's magazine-style podcast episode, I'm talking about ways you can use audio and video content marketing trends to grow your audience. More specifically, I'm focusing on two things: Short-form video like TikTok and Reels on Instagram, and podcasting.
The trends around how people consume content are continuing to change and it's important to stay up-to-date on the best kinds of content you can create to attract new audiences and make sure you're staying relevant to the people you want to reach and ultimately make an impact on.
I'm sharing:
✨ Pointers for getting started with Instagram Reels
✨ 3 ways to podcast if you're just starting out
✨ 5 basic things you'll need to get started with podcasting
I'm also sharing a Lightning Round Q&A with a fellow THU Member, which is one of my favorite segments!
P.S. Come to my FREE Business Plan Workshop to start creating a totally do-able plan to start or grow teacher biz. It's on October 17th at 8PM ET and you'll also get access to a FREE training all about using short-form video content to grow your business and attract new audiences so you can dive into this topic even more.
P.P.S. Don't forget to grab your copy of this month's Companion Magazine all about Building your Brand at www.alissamcdonald.com/magazine.
LINKS
- Teacher Hustle Magazine (This month’s theme is all about Building a Brand)
- FREE Business Plan Workshop: Create a Totally Do-able Plan to Start or Grow your Business
- Built To Belong by Natalie Frank
- Blue Yeti microphone
- Zencastr
- GarageBand
- Connect with Jamie (of Basic Girl Teaches) on Instagram
Megan Hale is a Business Strategist & Money Mentor for freedom-driven entrepreneurs ready to step into #feelgoodmoney & create sustainable, aligned business growth. Her work is focused on helping you take leap after quantum leap by building a rock solid foundation in your business that taps into 4 key layers of FLOW; your offer flow, cash flow, marketing flow, and energy flow.
As a former psychotherapist with a soulful perspective & certified in Profit First®, she brings rich business acumen that expertly blends both practical and intuitive strategy with the “how-to” of money to help you consciously create a business that intentionally funds your dreams.
Her core values are freedom, integrity, & equity and believes our businesses can & should be powerful vehicles for creating a more just world. Check out The 2% Pledge on her website for how to get involved in leveraging your business for social change!
She’s currently based in Omaha, NE, is an Air Force spouse & mama to two boys. Connect with her at meganhale.co for all things Feel Good Money & sustainable business growth!
https://www.facebook.com/meganhale.ma
https://www.instagram.com/meganhale_mh
https://www.meganhale.co
Don’t forget to download your copy of the Teacher Hustle Magazine! You’ll find excerpts from this interview, along with bonus content and a bonus interview with my friends Ali & Josh from The FI Couple.
https://www.alissamcdonald.com/magazine
It’s a bird… it’s a plane! No… it’s the Teacher Hustle Podcast Season 3… and it’s actually A MAGAZINE?! Yep. No need to adjust your screen. This podcast will sound and feel a lot like a magazine. You can expect bite-sized snippets of tips, listener Q&A, lightning round interviews and more. Best of all, there’s an ACTUAL magazine you can get your hands on! Inside, you’ll find bonus content like Alissa’s take on a hot marketing topic, wellness tips, a challenge, journal prompts, an interview with Alissa’s real estate mentors, Ali & Josh, and a giveaway of a big box of money-themed goodies!
Head here to get your copy of this month's THU Magazine all about Money Mindset: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/magazine
Today's episode is all about money mindset. You'll learn practical tools for shifting your mindset around money, as well as hearing Alissa's personal journey with money and the one epiphany that changed everything.
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
- The Teacher Hustle Podcast Companion Magazine
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- You’re A Badass At Making Money by Jen Sincero
- EP25 with Tess Wicks
- THU Membership
- The Little Music Corner on Instagram and Website
As we wrap up this season, I have a few confessions to make, and this is the episode where I’m coming clean. Tune in to find out how I’ve been fooling you on this podcast, and what the future holds for the Teacher Hustle brand.
Join my free masterclass here: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Want to stay in touch over the summer? Connect with me on Instagram @teacherbynaptime!
I received an e-mail from a teacher who asked if I could chat about how to best use your summer to get ahead in your business. I loved this question, and my thoughts are in this episode!
Set your Big 3 for the summer - and keep it light!
(1) Learn something new
(2) Create a new product line, bundle, offer, or service
(3) Catch up on your marketing with content creation and organization
Links:
Content Creation Hub
Engage with Email Course & Vault
Free Marketing Masterclass for Teachers
If you have been thinking about launching a course, a membership, a workshop, a mini course, or any other program to teach people about your area of genius, this is the episode for you. I’m going to walk you through your next steps to get your idea out into the world.
We will go over:
- Identifying your passion topic
- Finding your target audience
- Communicating the purpose of your program
- Planning how to get this information out to people
- Selecting a launch date
- Choosing a platform to host your program
- Building your email list and seeking their feedback
Links:
Apply for the Course and Membership Creators Intensive
A 12-week group coaching program for educators with an idea for a knowledge product
Free trial of Kajabi
(this is my affiliate link - if you click through this link and make a purchase I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you)
Other Teacher Hustle Podcast Episodes About Knowledge Products:
- S2 E23 - How This 6th Grade Math Teacher Launched a Workshop Without a Giant Following with Steve Buch
- S2 E22 - Adding a Higher-Ticket Offer to Your Product Suite (Part 2)
- S2 E21 - Adding a Higher-Ticket Offer to Your Product Suite (Part 1)
- S1 E20 - How This O.T. Scaled her TPT Business & Launched a Mini-Course in Under a Year
- S1 E12 - How This Full-Time Teacher Mama Made $918 in 3 Hours...And You Can Too
Megan Kensington, AKA The Course Designer, is the course content bestie you’ve been looking for. Megan knows a thing or two about how to organize and structure the ideas you have to share with the world, and she’s sharing exactly how we can create quality content for our courses, workshops, memberships, or professional development trainings.
Do you have an idea for a course or a membership?
Apply for Alissa's group coaching program!
LINKS:
Megan's website
Follow Megan on Instagram
You’re going to love this interview with my Launch Coach, Chelsea Wallace! I connected with Chelsea because I was experiencing launch burnout. I was dreading launches because getting visible, going live, and talking about myself totally zaps my energy. Chelsea helps business owners have a profitable launch without the burnout, and she helped reimagine my launch into a week I could look forward to. If you’re getting ready to launch a course or a membership or you have a TPT sale coming up, and you know you’re going to have to get visible, this is the episode you need to hear.
Chelsea is The Launch Copy Coach who helps high-ticket business coaches create $25-100k group program launches using the Synergy Launch Method. With her experience as a Launch Strategist and Copywriter she has supported hundreds of online coaches, consultants, course creators and service providers execute multi-5 and 6 figure marketing campaigns, grossing up to $1,500,000 in revenue. Clients who work with Chelsea unlearn ways of launching that have created pressure, burn-out and reinforced cycles of fear and striving. She helps them shift their personal launch patterns into creating ways of launching for themselves so that they create their most lush, fulfilling, and profitable dream-launch.
Links:
- Follow Chelsea on Instagram
- Chelsea's Facebook
- Chelsea's Website
- Chelsea's Podcast: Apple // Spotify
Apply for Alissa’s Group Coaching Program: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/intensive
Nicole from Crafty Curriculum is giving us all the tips about creating video to enhance our products. If you’ve been thinking about adding video to your marketing plan, you’ll love this episode.
Links:
- Follow Nicole on Instagram
- Nicole's website
Connect with Alissa on Instagram or in the Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group.
Welcome back for part 2 of Kwame's interview! Kwame Sarfo-Mensah is a 15-year veteran urban educator and the founder of Identity Talk Consulting, LLC., an independent educational consulting firm that provides professional development and consulting services to K-12 school districts, educators, colleges & universities and educational non-profit organizations. He is also the author of two books: "Shaping the Teacher Identity: 8 Lessons That Will Help Define the Teacher in You" and "From Inaction to 'In Action': Creating a New Normal for Urban Educators".
In this episode, we do a deep dive into having and learning from difficult conversations as a business owner. We also discuss the responsibilities we have as content creators with platforms. It is so important to prioritize your mental health, consider the impact you want to make, and act with intention. Ultimately, staying true to yourself will differentiate you and help you to stand out from the crowd.
LINKS:
- Identity Talk Consulting Official Website
- Shaping the Teacher Identity 101 Course (via Teaching Channel)
- Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE Podcast (Audio Version Video Version)
- Self Publishing Educators Learning Lab (SPELL)
- Identity Talk Apparel Shop
Connect with Alissa on Instagram or in the free Facebook group.
This week and next week (we had A LOT to discuss!) you're going to hear from Kwame Sarfo-Mensah, a 15-year veteran urban educator and the founder of Identity Talk Consulting, LLC., an independent educational consulting firm that provides professional development and consulting services to K-12 school districts, educators, colleges & universities and educational non-profit organizations. He is also the author of two books: "Shaping the Teacher Identity: 8 Lessons That Will Help Define the Teacher in You" and "From Inaction to 'In Action': Creating a New Normal for Urban Educators".
We begin our conversation by discussing the journey from passion project to edupreneurship, harnessing your drive to make an impact, and staying true to yourself and your mission in the midst of all the noise in the online space.
Kwame also shares about his upcoming virtual summit, Stay True to the Teacher in You. Check it out - you won't want to miss it!
LINKS:
- Identity Talk Consulting Official Website
- Stay True to the Teacher in You Virtual Summit
- Shaping the Teacher Identity 101 Course (via Teaching Channel)
- Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE Podcast (Audio Version Video Version)
- Self Publishing Educators Learning Lab (SPELL)
- Identity Talk Apparel Shop
Connect with Alissa on Instagram or in the free Facebook group.
The doors to Teacher Hustle University are OPEN until April 9th at midnight ET. Come join us at https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework .
Kasey was a high school special education teacher in Virginia, and now she is a full-time PhD student. She started SPED for Secondary Ed on TPT to earn a little extra money while working as a doctoral student. After about six months, Kasey started her podcast Ability Driven Teaching with her best friend Madison. Now she is balancing working on her PhD, creating resources for special education students and teachers on TPT, and co-hosting her podcast.
Connect with Kasey:
Instagram: @sped_for_secondary_ed (https://www.instagram.com/sped_for_secondary_ed/)
Facebook Page: SPED for Secondary Ed (https://www.facebook.com/spedforsecondaryed)
Podcast: Ability Driven Teaching (on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts)
Website: https://spedforsecondaryed.com/
Link to Kasey's Starting a Podcast with Your Teacher Bestie E-Book & Audit: https://spedforsecondaryed.ck.page/products/podcasting
Teacher Hustle University doors are OPEN until April 9th. Join us inside to find out how to grow your business to make the impact you’ve been looking for and the income you deserve. Find out more at https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework .
Shannon is here to share her advice about finding your passion and getting it out to the world through an online business.
Shannon Schoenebeck is a social-emotional learning (SEL) coach who equips teachers with the tools they need to empower their students. From emotional management and mental well-being, communication, and conflict resolution, Shannon covers it all. Shannon helps teachers ditch the exhaustion by adding the missing piece of social-emotional skills to their classroom management system. With this, teachers can continue teaching with love in a smooth running classroom (and still have energy for themselves at the end of the day)!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonmareeteaching/
Website: https://www.shannonmareeteaching.com
Ready to join Teacher Hustle University to grow your business with a group of like-minded teachers? Doors are open until April 9th! https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework .
In this episode, Amy talks to us about how she’s found her way back to teaching in a non-traditional way. Amy is allowing herself to follow her dream, and dream big!
Amy is a visual arts teacher with 20+ years of experience teaching classes, workshops, camps, and private lessons to all ages – toddlers to 80-year-olds. She currently teaches primarily through Outschool and her local museum's residency program as a teaching artist. She believes art and creativity can be taught, you don’t have to start out with innate talent, but have a desire to create and practice, and that there's no age limit to when you can get started! Her goal is to help others realize that they don’t have to put a ton of pressure on themselves to be "good at art", just show up and enjoy the process.
Now she's waiting for travel to open back up to fulfill her goal of developing Creative Retreats for women looking for a no-pressure zone to explore their artistic and creative side. Finished works of art will be created without needing prior experience in the art media being used in addition to exploring the hidden gems of the selected locations with the goal of going home feeling relaxed and recharged.
Connect with Amy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.roadman.art
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.roadman.art
Website: https://www.amyroadman.com
Outschool Profile:
https://outschool.com/teachers/9a9d41ac-aa22-4aae-bd1a-c6384f1d77dd#usaB1BTa6r
If you’ve ever wondered what type of impression your brand leaves… you’ll love this conversation with Carrie. She takes us through some of her thinking around choosing your brand colors and designing your messaging based on your ideal customer’s brand archetypes. Carrie provides insight on all the things we should consider when it comes to building a brand.
Carrie Thomas-Omáur is a former corporate rebel turned entrepreneur. Carrie's mission is to help entrepreneurs build premium brands to increase their visibility, credibility, and profitability.
Carrie wants to help entrepreneurs get their message and mission out to the world to impact others through getting visible. She loves working with heart-centered entrepreneurs, and she’ll train you on how to get loud about your business! Carrie makes positioning yourself as the “go-to” easy and fun.
Links:Carrie's Website
Follow Carrie on Instagram
Follow Carrie on Clubhouse
Let's build your profit funnel!
FREE 5-Day Challenge for Teacher Business Owners [starting March 31]
Boundaries. We know we need to be setting them- around our teaching, around our business, just in general, really!
We all wish we would’ve started setting boundaries on DAY ONE of running our business, but it often doesn’t go that way. Instead, we usually have to set boundaries because we realize we simply can’t keep pushing on without one. So whether you’re brand new, and you’re wanting to start off on the right foot or you’re listening to this episode because you know it’s time for that fence- I’ve got you!
We’re going to talk about the 5 most important boundaries to set in your business, especially if it’s something you’re working on the side of teaching or momming! I also polled my Instagram audience to find out their top tips for setting boundaries around teaching, so I’ll share that too, and I’ll share the game-changing boundary that helped me leave school at the end of the day, which ultimately gave me more time with my kids and more time to spend working in my business.
There will always, always be more work… in your classroom, in your business- but if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we need to get a handle on our boundaries, so we can spend our time where we want to spend it most.
Check out the Full Focus Planner mentioned in the episode.
[Alissa's referral link]
Let's build your profit funnel!
FREE 5-Day Challenge for Teacher Business Owners [starting March 31]
I’m taking you behind the scenes and sharing some of my big life decisions that led me to where I am now. My hope is that listening to this episode will show you that you’re on your way toward living in your vision, even if you’re feeling unsure right now. If you’re living in something scary, painful, or sad; if you just paid for something expensive or if you’re terrified of making your next move, you’re exactly where you need to be. I’m here to support you, help you get some clarity on your next step, and nudge you forward toward your dream.
If you want more marketing tips to take your business to the next level, check out my free masterclass.
The Big Marketing Gurus (BMGs) are constantly giving advice and making us feel like we’re not doing enough. On this episode, I break down some of that advice so it makes sense for teachers. You can keep it simple while still being innovative. There are all sorts of tips out there for growing your business, and you know I always have strong opinions about marketing! I’m here to give my honest opinion on the BMGs’ advice and my suggestions on whether to follow it or not.
For more marketing tips for teacher sellers, check out my free masterclass.
Blogging isn’t dead! Anna shares the strategy behind blogging consistently and incorporating Pinterest marketing into your workflow. She’s dishing the details on creating high-quality posts, reviving your Pinterest account following the algorithm changes, and batching to streamline your content creation.
Anna Huff is a former teacher, turned home decor blogger, turned content and Pinterest strategist. She is the founder and CEO of Midwest Social Creative, and her sweet spot is the intersection of content creation and Pinterest. Anna is passionate about serving entrepreneurs and helping them to develop a content strategy that converts through the power of Pinterest.
Links:Follow Anna on Instagram
Facebook Group
Facebook Page
Let’s talk money! My money coach, Tess, makes this scary topic way less intimidating. She’s talking about how to set up a business banking account, which accounts you should have, how to pay yourself, how to decide on business investments, and how to tackle your biggest money mindset blocks.
Tess Wicks is a business and financial coach for online coaches. She primarily mentors new, aspiring, and frustrated money coaches to build their booked-out coaching businesses, but she can’t pass up helping female online entrepreneurs wrap their heads and their hearts around the cash flow in their life and business. With a background in finance, and a certification in mindset coaching, Tess loves to bring the tangible and intangible aspects of money together.
Links:
Follow Tess on Instagram
Website
Podcast
Payday Parties
Bench Accounting (Alissa's referral link with promotion)
Double tap to like this post. Comment here. Go to the link in my bio.
Do you ever get tired of hearing the same call to action over and over?
A call to action. It’s possibly THE most important line in our content, but are we giving it the thought and attention it deserves? In this episode, you’ll find out the 3 most common mistakes people make when it comes to writing the call to action in a social media post, on a blog or video post, or in an e-mail.
In this short and sweet episode, I’m pushing you to think outside the box when it comes to your call to action. It’s time to take your CTA seriously!
Check out the free marketing masterclass for teachers: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Steve Buch’s self-checking games and activities excite students about learning while saving teachers valuable time on grading. In the teacher community, Steve is better known as One for the Books, which is a play on his last name. Whether you’re seeking ready-made templates or looking to learn how to create resources of your own, Steve is all about sharing his passion for Google Sheets.
Steve is a proud father, doodle dad, 6th grade math teacher, tech nerd, avid snowboarder, fitness fanatic, hot wing junky, and always seeking to learn more to level-up his teaching.
As the mastermind behind Mystery Picture Masterclass and Mystery Picture Masterclass+, Steve is on a mission to get all students actively engaged in a digital world.
Get started on a journey with Steve by accepting his Ten Minute Pixel Art Challenge.
Connect with Steve on Instagram.
Check out Steve's Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Alissa's Free Marketing Masterclass for Teachers:
alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Having at least one higher-ticket offer helps us reach our goal monthly income faster. When I recently polled my audience, most were aiming to make $1-3k per month, but some were aiming for $5k+ months. Reverse engineer that! You have to think through your offers. Is it POSSIBLE or LIKELY that you’ll make $5,000 months? Or are you simply hoping? It’s important to know your numbers.
I’m doing a special 2-part podcast series on how to add a high-ticket product or offer to your product suite. Last week I talked about knowledge products- adding a course or membership offer to your business. A lot of the big marketing gurus will tell you that you MUST offer a course or membership to have a higher-priced offering, but this is simply not the case. A course or membership or workshop is not for everyone!
Today I’ll talk to you about two additional ideas for adding a higher-priced offering. We’ll talk about adding product bundles and adding a layer of service to your business. I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each model, and then I’ll tell you the secret to making any of these higher-priced models actually work for you.
In next week’s episode, I’m interviewing a member of Teacher Hustle University who added a workshop offering to his business after we talked about doing this in one of our monthly coaching calls. If you’ve thought about offering a workshop or mini-course, be sure to tune in next week because he’ll be telling us his process for launching this workshop (with a small audience by the way), and he’ll share how he finally landed on the perfect niche.
Before you go, please take a minute to rate and review this podcast. We so appreciate your support and thank you for hanging out each week!
Check out the free marketing masterclass for teachers: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Applications for the Course and Membership Creator’s Intensive due January 30th: APPLY HERE
Quick. Which one of your offers is the most expensive? (Yes, I’m going to talk money for a minute. Cringe-worthy, I know. But necessary.)
Having at least one higher-ticket offer helps us reach our goal monthly income faster. When I recently polled my audience, most were aiming to make 1-3k per month, but some were aiming for 5k+ months. Reverse engineer that! You have to think through your offers. Is it POSSIBLE or LIKELY that you’ll make 5,000 months? Or are you simply hoping? It’s important to know your numbers.
I’m doing a special 2-part podcast series on how to add a high-ticket product or offer to your product suite. Tune in this week and next week to find out how this could look in your business. I’ll be talking through 4 options you have to add this to your business model.
Today we’re talking about knowledge products. I’ll tell you the PROS and the CONS, and I’ll help you decide if you’d like this pathway.
You’re essentially taking the thing you love to talk about or teach on, and turning it into a series of lessons. You’re doing what we love to do best- TEACH!
Find out the pros and cons of putting together a knowledge product and how to get started. I’ll give you the 3 questions you need to ask your audience BEFORE you create your product.
Real talk! Let’s chat about this mistake I’ve made (and keep making) in my business. Let me give you a hint. It has to do with all the “SHOULDS” being shouted at us entrepreneurs from all directions.
“You should be posting on social media every day!”
“You should write e-mails every week!”
“You should be on this platform and that platform and that one!”
With “shoulds” coming at us every day, how are we supposed to stick to one, simple strategy to grow our business?
Can listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos and reading blog posts actually create chaos in our business lives?
The answer is YES. It happens to me all the time. I listen to one podcast, and suddenly I’m down a rabbit hole on a topic that wasn’t even on my radar 20 minutes before. (Hello shiny object syndrome!) In this episode, I’ll teach you how to keep your blinders on and stay focused on the things that really move your business forward. I’ll remind you about values and trusting your instinct - because (repeat after me) you’re a smart and savvy business owner!
Want more advice about how to stay focused on your business in 2021? Grab my free Marketing with Intention Guidebook: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/guidebook
Liked what you heard? Don’t forget to rate and review this podcast. Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram! Thanks for spreading the word to help teachers create more impact and generate the income they deserve!
Want to see behind the scenes of my business in 2020? In this episode, I’m going over exactly what products I kept, what I retired, what I tested out, what worked and didn’t work, and what changes I plan to make for 2021. I’m also diving into what it’s been like to work as a Membership Director, and what it was like to transition out of teaching this year. Let’s start the new year with a look at what we should keep and toss going into 2021!
Join us inside Teacher Hustle University before January 15th at midnight to get your free ticket to the 2021 Planathon Virtual Retreat!! https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
Is your 2021 business to-do list getting longer by the day? Come to the 2021 Audience Audit Free Class on January 10th to figure out exactly what you need to do to make this the year you finally make consistent cash in your online business! I’ll be sharing the biggest mistakes I see teachers making when it comes to building an online business, and I’ll also share my Profit Funnel Framework - a 5 step system to creating hype around your products and offers.
Register now to save your seat! Limited spots available.
https://www.alissamcdonald.com/audienceaudit
There are tons of ways to package your genius and build a business. Today, Molly is on the podcast to talk to us about another pathway to business - tutoring! As a teacher, your magic is working with kids. What if you could make money doing this outside of the classroom too?
Molly helps us understand the best way to scale a tutoring business and to maximize your income with systems and productivity tips. She talks to us about how to get the word out about your business using your connections, and she makes this pathway super simple to start. (You can start TODAY!)
Molly is the founder of Literacy Fundamentals and creator of the Tutorpreneur Academywhere she helps teachers build a profitable tutoring business using skills they already have so that they can make money on the side without quitting their teaching jobs.
She discovered her passion when she reached the 5 year mark of teaching and felt completely burnt out and realized she could use her teaching strengths to make money on the side which created her unique approach which is the Tutorpreneur Method.
Since then she has worked with countless students and it’s become her mission to empower every teacher to start earning great money on the side.
Molly's Facebook and Instagram @literacyfundamentals
10 Step Guide to Starting Your Online Tutoring Business
www.instagram.com/speakingofimages
https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f7d387fa31e6b0bee259453
Waitlist for Image Maker Membership (Next door open dates will be Dec 26-30)
Kelly Harvill, our resident brand and product photography expert, is back for an encore episode! In this episode, Kelly and I chat about how to get in front of the camera and show the behind the scenes of your biz. She answers questions about equipment, lighting, and how to find the perfect place to take photos, even during a pandemic. Kelly explains how mock-ups can be a total game-changer for people with digital products, and she walks us through some tips and tricks for getting started. If you’re ready to start building your brand through images, this is the episode for you.
Kelly is a Preschool SLP, National Board Certified Teacher, and Professional Photographer. She helps Teacher Authors to up level their business branding with modern images designed for educators. Members of her Image Maker Membership have access to a growing gallery of over 2,000 images for use on social media, blog posts, Pinterest pins, email marketing, sales pages, within their TpT resources, and more.
Black Friday Toolkit: alissamcdonald.com/blackfriday
Free FB Community: aubreemalick.com/community
Freelancer to CEO Academy Waitlist: aubreemalick.com/waitlist
Check Out Aubree's Podcast, Freelancer to CEO here!
OH BOY you are in for a treat with this episode! I brought on my good friend Alissa who is a fellow teacher and a new online bestie! Alissa and I connected through a membership we were both apart of and we hit it off ever since. Alissa is going to share all the things in this episode and you do not want to miss this. We talk everything from building a business while working full time, new ways to market your business (that you haven't thought of or tried yet) and if freelancers need an email list! Press play on this interview!! Alissa is a teacher, marketing strategist, toddler mom and lover of French fries! She’s the host of The Teacher Hustle Podcast and business coach for teachers in the Teacher Hustle University membership. She’s passionate about helping teachers diversify their income by launching, growing, and scaling their online business while maintaining their values and staying mission-driven. In this episode, you will learn: How Alissa's road to entrepreneurship has been filled with many experiencesHer marketing do's and don'tHow to overcome fear of putting yourself out there If freelancers need an email listWhy and how Alissa added a service based layer to her income streams.
Shownotes credit: Freelancer to CEO
DEI resources:
Pause on the Play Podcast by India Jackson and Erica Courdae- https://www.pauseontheplay.com/show
Pause on the Play Community Membership- https://www.pauseontheplay.com/community - "Collaborate with other leaders in a safe space to support diversity, equity + inclusion with intention"
Erica Courdae- https://www.instagram.com/ericacourdae/
India Jackson- https://www.instagram.com/theindiajackson/
Values Resources:
Michelle Sanchez- https://www.instagram.com/heymichellesanchez/
List of Values from Brene Brown's Dare to Lead: https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Values.pdf
Kolbe-A- (it's $55)
https://www.kolbe.com/kolbe-a-index/
Where to find Me!
instagram.com/megkco
megkco.com
I’m going to come right out and say this is one of my favorite episodes of our entire season! Meg and I have a candid conversation about everything from hiring your first team member to aligning with your core values as a business owner, educator and parent. Meg brings tons of value in this conversation that felt more like a personal coaching call or chat with a friend, and you’re going to love her advice on the best way to build out the systems in your business.
Meg is a hiring and team expert based in Chicago, IL. Meg serves visionary entrepreneur business owners through Done for You Hiring services and leadership and systems advising. Her clients are often on the edge of burn out and need their dream team in their corner so they can make an even greater impact and serve more clients and customers (and scale to or closer to 7 figures). Previously, Meg was a French and third grade teacher and loves leveraging her teacher training and her passion for leadership to support her people!
Website: www.stacyeaguilar.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/stacyeaguilar Teacherpreneur Design School FB Group: www.facebook.com/groups/teacherpreneurdesignschool/ Outschool Referral Link: https://bit.ly/AguilarOSTeacherReferral
Font resources I mentioned in the podcast: Font Pair Font Spark Better Font Finder
Sign up for my free “Make More Money” Masterclass: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Stacy and I chat about my least favorite topic...graphic design! I don’t hate talking about graphic design, but it’s something I’ve always struggled with creating. It gives me nightmares and brings back memories of middle school art class. But Stacy is breaking it all down- colors, fonts, how to design products and cover photos that convert, and how to make our Instagram feed look cohesive. I took plenty of notes during this episode, and I’m sure you will too! Don’t miss the ending of the episode where Stacy talks to us about her experience as an Outschool teacher. I think many of you will find this conversation interesting and may find yourself looking into this as another stream of income for your online business!
Stacy Aguilar is a teacher and graphic designer with a mission to empower fellow female educators and teacherpreneurs to take control of their brand, design their own content, and confidently establish themselves as an authority in their niche. A former public school CTE teacher with a background in advertising, she loves everything at the intersection of design, education, technology, and entrepreneurship. You can typically find Stacy in a dance-off with her daughters (to Frozen 1 or Frozen 2 of course), consuming yet another podcast at a local coffee shop, or pushing one of those giant “mom carts” around Target. She lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.
Tiktok: thecrazycreativeteacher Instagram: thecrazycreativeteacher
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/crazycreativeteacher/
Sign up for my free “Make More Money” Masterclass: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Be honest...have you dabbled in TikTok? Maybe you’ve found yourself down a rabbit hold of DIY and recipe videos, you’ve laughed out loud at the dad jokes, or you’ve even danced along with your kids. In this episode, Meghan Mayer talks to us about how she’s “gone viral” on TikTok and how that’s opened up business opportunities for her.
Meghan is a 6th grade reading teacher in Sarasota, Florida. She’s an active creator on TikTok where she shares weekly teacher tips and advice. She’s dishing on the good (and the bad) of TikTok so you can decide if this is a platform to help grow your business.
Meghan gives us her top three tips for standing out on TikTok, and she breaks down exactly how to write a caption that captures the attention of millions (yes, I said millions) of fans. She walks us through the hashtag strategy and how to create a video, which is...of course, all very different from any other platform we’ve used.
Podcast: aubreemalick.com/itunes
Free FB Community: aubreemalick.com/community
Freelancer to CEO Academy Waitlist: aubreemalick.com/waitlist
If you’re looking to start earning money right away with an online business that uses your skills and talents as a teacher, you might be ready to add freelancing to your income streams!
In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Aubree Malick, a former teacher turned CEO of a service-based business. She walks us through what it takes to start a service-based business, how you can get started, and how to put systems into place to help you make money in as little as 5 hours per week!
Aubree is a wife, boy mom and a former elementary teacher who took a huge leap of faith to start her own freelancing business. After two months of growing her business, she was able to replace her income and resign from her teaching job, and she hasn't looked back since!
In addition to serving clients of her own and hosting the Freelancer to CEO podcast, Aubree helps other freelancers step into the CEO role by teaching them the systems and strategies they need to organize and automate their business so they can earn more and stress less. In her spare time, you can find her looking for her next DIY project, enjoying a good reality TV show or snuggling up on the couch with her boys.
https://www.instagram.com/nataliefranke
I say every podcast episode is my favorite, but this one is really THE ONE. Natalie Franke is my soul sister when it comes to our love for small businesses, communities, and the spirit that drives value-based entrepreneurship.
Natalie Franke Hayes is an entrepreneur, mobilization marketer, community builder, and neuroscience nerd.
As one of the Founders of the Rising Tide Society and the Head of Community at HoneyBook, she leads tens of thousands of creatives and small business owners while fostering a spirit of community over competition around the world.
Natalie talks to us about how we can get out of the toxic competition mindset and cut down comparison to make way for more impact and more income. She teaches us how to find our voice and our unique strengths and stand together as a greater community of entrepreneurs. In this compelling episode, Natalie teaches us that together we are better. Together, we’re making a greater impact on the world of education.
If you’re a teacher starting or growing an online business, this episode is a MUST LISTEN.
It’s my birthday!!!! We’re celebrating with a raw, conversational podcast episode with Alissa’s real life bestie, Nicole. No question is off the table in this casual, interview-style episode. The Teacher Hustle University Crew posed questions to Alissa, and she’s committed $5 to a non-profit organization for each question answered. Find out the one secret Alissa hasn’t been telling you, her feelings about maternity leaves for teachers, struggles with postpartum anxiety, and a whole lot of advice about French fries...including a top secret trick about how to order the best fries at a fast food restaurant. Special thanks to the THU Crew for writing the best questions for this unique episode.
Want to join a community of visionary teachers? Come take a look at what we’re learning in the totally free masterclass about making more money and more impact: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
https://meaganwilliamson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/meaganawilliamson/
https://www.pinterest.com/rowhousenest/
Stop the scroll! This is a must-listen episode if you're ready to use Pinterest to make more sales in your online business. I know this platform has felt a little bit overwhelming lately with all of the changes at Pinterest, but Meagan is the best person to lead us through it, and she's dropping tons of tips that you can turn around and use to improve your Pinterest performance TODAY!
Meagan Williamson, Pinterest Strategist, niche marketing expert and OG Pinner. Meagan helps overwhelmed and confused business owners learn how to grow their audience with Pinterest. Unlock the power of Pinterest so you can level up and create a constant funnel of leads, sales and website traffic.
www.withhannahmurphy.com
www.instagram.com/withhannahmurphy
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Hannah Murphy all about building a schedule you love by creating systems and workflows that move your business forward. Hannah drops some amazing tips about how to assess your to-do list and sustain productive habits. Hannah explains the best way to hire out help in your business and how to be sure they’re helping your business grow. She even gives us a few tips if we want to add freelancing to our income streams! If you’re ready to make better use of your work time, Hannah is a wealth of knowledge!
Hannah is a productivity strategist who helps entrepreneurs create a profit-focused schedule that eliminates unnecessary task switching, long nights and never-ending to do lists.
Hannah was that business owner who worked 7 days a week and was desperate to have overnight success. The business world had a lot of noise about how she should spend her time and how she should grow her business - yet it wasn't effective. SHe realised a productive schedule wasn't doing the wrong tasks quickly, it was finding the right tasks that actually worked and grew her business from 3 clients to 27 clients in 6 months.
Today we're talking about The Three C's: Competition, Copying, and Collaboration. I'll tell you exactly what I think of each of these topics, and I'll give you my best advice on how to navigate some of your most difficult situations as a business owner. Hint: It's a mindset thing.
www.blackgirlmathgic.com
https://linktr.ee/blackgirlmathgic
So much value packed into one podcast interview! You will love hearing Brittany’s journey to creating a mission-centered subscription box business. She explains how she came up with her business idea and how she brought it to life. She gives her top tips for running a subscription box model and for creating content on Instagram when you’re selling a physical product. Brittany is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to conquering math anxiety in kids, and this podcast episode will leave you with inspiration and ideas to increase math confidence.
Brittany Rhodes is a math tutor/coach, GED Math Instructor, and Founder and General MATHager of Black Girl MATHgic (BGM). BGM is a movement dedicated to increasing math confidence, awareness, enthusiasm, identity, fluency and persistence in children, with a focus on girls and black children. BGM’s flagship product is the Black Girl MATHgic Box, which is the first and only subscription box designed to increase math confidence and decrease math anxiety in girls on a 3rd-8th grade math level. Brittany received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Spelman College and her Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Communication and Organizational Behavior from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Brittany is a proud native of Detroit, where she lives with her husband, Oscar.
Join my FREE Marketing Masterclass: www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
As teachers, we know there’s one aspect to teaching that if done well can make everything run smoothly...and that’s organization. The more organized we feel, the easier our school day (for the most part!).
If you’re anything like me, Back to School season is the most organized I am all year long. I clean out my classroom, get it all in order, and start fresh with my checklists on clipboards, my planner neatly organized, and student supplies in all the right places.
But this year, everything feels out of control. Things are constantly changing, and we’re already feeling like we’re just keeping our heads above water. I know I won’t be able to help you with your businesses until you feel organized at school. We need to be able to get our systems in place so we can feel some sense of control and so that we can set a boundary around the length of our school day.
In this episode, we’ll hear from 3 experts of organization. The first is Erin Godwin of @organizedinelementary. This is Erin’s second time on the podcast, and she’s coming at us with lots of tips for setting up an organized space, whether you’re in person or remote learning.
Next up, Kelly Jackson from @simplyorganizedteacher is talking to us about her tips for clearing the clutter and making way for simple systems in our classroom this year.
Finally, Allie from @techaboutmath tells us some easy ways to use technology to make our lives easier this year.
This is a longer episode, but is full of useful tips to inspire you to rethink organization in this crazy time.
Find All of Goldmine and Coco's Links here!
Join Alissa's free marketing masterclass here.
Are you a planner girl? That’s a mug-addicted, planner toting, pen-smuggling, list-writing, IG posting, Happy Mail opening, craft store loving, sticker hoarding, bow addicted, fierce and beautiful boss babe!
If that sounds like you, you’ll love this inspirational podcast episode with Felicia from Goldmine and Coco. She’s helping us work through our worries and doubts when it comes to our business, and she has the best advice for setting goals and manifesting our dreams with some hard work and mindfulness.
Connect with me on Facebook: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/facebook
Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime
Sign up for my free “Make More Money” Masterclass: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Grab the brand new free Email Marketing Checklist: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/email
Welcome to SEASON TWO of the Teacher Hustle Podcast. My first ever episode was called Our Awkward First Date, so this episode is our slightly less awkward second date! I’m so grateful for all of you for listening during Season One and sticking with me for Season Two! I never would’ve known when I hit record on that first episode how many wins, lightbulb moments, and moments of inspiration would come from all of you as a result.
In today’s episode, you’ll find out how taking a break totally rejuvenated my business, where my business is headed, and about all the amazing things I have planned for you in Season 2!
Please continue to share the podcast, snap a picture of yourself listening so I can share with my audience, dm me when you have a lightbulb moment or enjoyed an episode, leave a review- all of this keeps me motivated, helps me understand how I can serve you best, and gives me inspiration for new episodes.
To celebrate the start of this season, I’m hosting a giveaway, of course! I’m giving away a prize each day this week in my Instagram stories. All you have to do is go in and answer the Teacher Hustle Trivia question for an entry.
But the most exciting part is Friday’s grand prize- a set of airpods! There are two ways to win. The first is to SHARE the podcast, and the second is to leave a review. If you do either of these things- share or review, send me a screenshot or tag me and I’ll put your name into the drawing for the Airpods!
I can’t wait to hear what you think about all the new episodes for this season, thank you for following along, and I’ll see you right here each Monday morning for a new episode.
Website: https://www.classroomtoceo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericaterryceo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericaterryceo
Black Lives Matter to Educators Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklivesmattertoeducators/
Edupreneur Success Summit
Next time your friend asks you where you bought your dress, you can give her your affiliate link and cash in on some of the profits when she buys the dress! That’s right. With affiliate marketing, you get paid for recommending products you love. Erica from Classroom to CEO is on the podcast today to tell you how to get started with affiliate marketing, how to find companies that align with your brand, and how to promote your affiliate products.
Erica Terry is an 18 year educator turned edupreneur and host of the Classroom to CEO Podcast. Through her courses, programs and yearly conferences, she equips educators with actionable strategies to turn their knowledge and experiences into a profitable online business.
With her unique background as a former teacher, counselor, director, Chief Academic Officer and state level consultant, she shares exactly how she was able to use the good, bad and ugly from each of those experiences to create multiple streams of income and provides you with the exact steps that you need to make it happen too!
While inspiring 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. You can find her hanging out on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter @ericaterryceo
In this episode, I’m going behind the scenes to show you the breakdown of how I make money in my online business. I’ll talk about how digital products, courses, memberships, coaching and affiliate sales work together to put me in the driver’s seat of my business.
You’ll notice I despise talking about myself and my success, but I’m sharing because I know this can happen for you too, and I want to help you get there. Whether you want to sell on TPT, Etsy, have a course or membership, sell physical products, run a service-based business, coach, tutor...you’re in the right place. My mission is to help give you the financial freedom you deserve, to give you the means to make change in the world, to lead and to share your ideas.
I get really intense toward the end of this episode….and you can expect tears. Be sure to stay tuned for the emotional chat and announcement at the tail end of this episode.
Join our free Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group or connect with me on Instagram to enter the Season 2 kickoff week of giveaways! All you have to do is answer a trivia question to be entered to win the prize of the day. ALSO, you can leave a review & screenshot it or share a pic of you enjoying this podcast and tag me @teacherbynaptime to be entered to win a pair of Apple Airpods on Friday!
It's the very first episode of the Teacher Hustle Naptime Chat!! Tune into these episodes for a quick marketing tip just for teacher sellers.
Today I'm giving you the latest update on the good news (& bad news) of what's going on in my biz PLUS I'm giving you the 3 reasons you need to be networking with other teacher sellers right now!
Here are the links featured today's episode:
JOIN THU NOW! (Shhh..flash open! Listen to the video for a DEAL on joining now during this quarantine time) https://www.teacherhustleuniversity.com/flashopen
And the Instagram names of the teachers I'm collaborating with because my MOM BRAIN is totally shot & I couldn't remember all the handles during the episode...
www.instagram.com/basicgirlteaches (Instagram!)
www.instagram.com/edverythingeducation (Virtual Summits)
www.instagram.com/luckychloverwriting (Video Marketing for TPT)
Join Teacher Hustle University: www.teacherhustleuniversity.com/flashopen
Free Marketing Masterclass: www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Edverything Education Homepage: https://www.edverything.com/
TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Edverything-For-Everything-Education
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/edverything
TTS Speaker Application: https://www.edverything.com/tts-july-2020-speaker-application
Danielle & Nicole from Edverything: For Everything Education are on the podcast today talking to us about what goes into attending and presenting at a Virtual Summit, including how to make the pitch and find opportunities to speak at an online event. They have tips on how to make a meaningful connection and deliver a quality presentation that will give your audience value and leave them wanting more.
If you’ve been wanting to take your thought-leadership to the next level in the form of collaborations and speaking engagements, this is the podcast for you!
You’ll love hearing from Danielle and Nicole, a pair of high school teachers that want to make professional development more relevant, serving the total teacher. They work to bring you PD that is delivered on a timeline and in a manner that makes sense for your busy schedule and one that touches every aspect of your best teacher life. Now more than ever, educators are flooded with ideas and additional demands, and with more individuals than ever living the teacher side hustle life after the bell rings, it is easy for even the most motivated to get overwhelmed.
But Danielle and Nicole know it doesn’t have to be this way. They wanted to find a way to bring together inspiration and advice for implementation based on what is working in classrooms now in a format that makes sense for teachers with already hectic schedules.
Check out their binge-worthy content in the form of weekly podcasts, done for you monthly social media plans, and annual virtual summits so that highly motivated teachers can make the most of their time inside and out of the classroom.
Want to learn my 5 step system for mastering your marketing strategy? Save your spot in my free workshop, Marketing with Intention in 2020. www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Ahh, the art of the Brain Dump strategy. The concept is simple! Take all of those nagging to-dos, the house projects, the business ideas, the school work, the things you’ve been meaning to do with the kids, dinner ideas...and dump every single one of ‘em down into a notebook.
What a relief, right?! That simple act of getting those thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper feels like cleaning out your e-mail inbox. Suddenly the important stuff comes to light, and you can think much more clearly about what your next steps will be.
But what happens when your brain dump has a whole lot of juicy goodness on it? What happens when your brain dump contains some of your best ideas yet? What if you REALLY want to get started on those ideas and don’t just want them to get lost in some notebook somewhere?
That’s where this podcast comes in. Instead of thinking about your daily to-do list, I want to teach you the art of reorganizing your brain dump to turn it into a vision you can actually carry out.
As usual with these “workshop style” podcast episodes- there are some materials required! So I doubt you’re driving- but lots of you told me you’re running or walking while listening to podcasts now, so you can listen to this episode and come back to the work part later. If you’re listening and you actually can do the work right now- you might want to have some materials on hand.
After this episode, be sure to send me your brain dump to action pictures! I want to see how your mind works. Let’s take some of these ideas out of our head where they’re taking up a ton of mental space and put them onto paper where we can reorganize them and TAKE ACTION.
Engage with E-mail Course & Vault OPEN NOW to the beta group until May 1st: www.alissamcdonald.com/email
E-mail Service Providers Recommended During This Show:
ConvertKit Free Plan: www.alissamcdonald.com/convertkit
Kajabi 28 Day Trial: www.alissamcdonald.com/kajabi
I’m here talking to you today AGAIN about possibly my favorite marketing topic to geek out on, and that’s e-mail marketing. I started learning about e-mail marketing back in 2012ish when I helped local businesses leverage this marketing strategy. They always had the same common questions coming up. How do I get people on my “list”? Why would people want to be on my list? What do I say to them once they’re on the list? How do I make sure I’m not SPAMMY?!
Small businesses care a lot about being genuine. They don’t want to be lumped in with big businesses who seem to constantly be throwing SALES at us without any value or connection in between. Small businesses want to nurture relationships with their perfect audience, and they want to have conversations with them. They want those genuine interactions, the feedback loop, they want to actually serve them what they need.
Of course, if you’ve listened to this podcast you know I consider teachers with an online business to share those same “small business” values, and that’s part of what I hope to bring to this space. I want to help teachers maintain that same hometown feel that the local businesses I’ve worked with were hoping to bring to the online space. We want to show up and help our audience in real, meaningful ways.
The first place small businesses always started their online marketing journey in 2012 was with e-mail. It was the simplest way to connect with customers on a meaningful level- to serve them in this way where it didn’t feel like they were shouting at them, but it felt like a personalized message between friends.
And I’ve found that teachers often want to start there too, but they aren’t sure when to start, what to say, or how it fits in their overall marketing strategy.
E-mail is a revolving door. It takes consistent energy. In fact, the amount of energy a business owner puts into building their e-mail list is reflected in the energy of that list. If you ghost your list and stop showing up, they will likely stop opening your emails.
On the other hand, we know it can grow our business tremendously. People have told us the statistics. That the return on investment for e-mail is $44 for every $1 spent. That email drives more sales than Facebook and Twitter combined. That IT WORKS to help make repeat sales.
So where does it fit in in your marketing plan? Email marketing is jogging alongside your solid marketing strategy. It’s always there, hyping up whatever other content you’re putting out into the world. Email marketing is your hype man! He helps to bring together all the loose ends of your marketing strategy and give your message to your perfect audience all wrapped up in a nice little bow.
So I decided this hype man deserved his own show! I’m going to answer a bunch of questions about e-mail marketing in this podcast, and if at the end you decide this is something you want to tackle and implement in your business- sign up to join Engage with Email course while you can get in on the beta pricing! www.alissamcdonald.com/email
Take the original “What’s Your Teacher Hustle?” Quiz to find out the best online biz for YOU: www.alissamcdonald.com/quiz
Find out more about creating and launching a mini-course or workshop: www.alissamcdonald.com/courses
Take the Marketing with Intention Masterclass: www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
Who wants to talk MONEY?!
With all that’s going on in the world, in the economy- this time is terrifying for most people with a business, and for everyone in general! With worry about losing jobs and losing income at an all-time high, we need a cushion.
Now more than ever, we need to make sure we’re diversifying our income so that we have multiple streams of income coming in. Online businesses, thankfully, are still thriving.
Thousands and thousands of teachers were thrown into this enormous task of continuing education for children who are dealing with a crisis. They were given the seemingly impossible task of staying connected with kids, and they accepted that task wholeheartedly. We are still learning to show up for our students in this new way. We’re adjusting our expectations for this school year, and we are learning that we can do hard things.
All that to say that being online- starting an online business- may have seemed like a hard thing to us once. But I would be willing to bet now that we’ve somewhat tackled this whole online learning thing….starting an online business doesn’t seem quite as scary.
We know that in the face of uncertainty, self-doubt and difficulty, we can persevere.
I asked my Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group what they thought the secret to having a successful business online was.
Here’s what they said:
Persistence, willingness to transform, patience, momentum, desire, systems, consistency, passion, hustle and grit, connection.
Isn’t that what you’ve had to show up with during this transition to online learning? Isn’t that the same toolkit you used to maintain learning for your students during a pandemic?
Persistence, willingness to transform, patience, momentum, desire, systems, consistency, passion, hustle and grit, connection.
It’s the same. It’s that TEACHER HUSTLE. It’s that special sort of passion meets persistence that teachers innately have.
Those are the same qualities you need to start and run a successful online business.
And the amazing thing about having an online business is that it can also give us the income we need to get through some of these difficult times. It will keep money flowing through our economy, and it will give us the creative outlet we so need without having being surrounded by our physical classrooms and coworkers.
It can provide us with a creative outlet, a community, and gives us the opportunity to impact classrooms around the world.
There are a million ways you can make money online, but I am most excited about the ones where teachers serve other teachers. Because we each have something unique and special to offer to this space, and there’s plenty of opportunity to help one another.
With a little bit of persistence, that special teacher hustle, and the passion to make it work, you can start bringing in income from more than one source to help give yourself a cushion during this difficult time.
Remember, you don’t have to tackle a new business during this time- you can keep Netflixin’ and simply getting through the days- I won’t blame you one bit. But when you’re ready to take on the world...because you will be….come back to this episode.
Join the free Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group: www.alissamcdonald.com/facebook
Check out the free Marketing with Intention Masterclass at: www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
3 steps you can take today to set yourself up for a balanced week
It’s been a whirlwind month...March felt like FOREVER! Many of us were figuring out how to teach our students online, how to manage our own routines at home, and how to keep our online businesses running! Let’s face it...we’re still figuring this out, right?
I actually don’t know what week we’re on or even what day it is, and I honestly am still going back and forth between feeling a need for rest, feeling a need for routine, and feeling a need for peace and acceptance. So this week, I wish you BALANCE.
And I know this is where I step in. Before today, my job was to LISTEN to you, to help where I could, and to figure out how I could help. Now that I’m feeling the energy shift to this place where I believe many of you are ready to find that balance again, I’m going to give you 3 bite-sized things to do TODAY to set yourself up for a balanced week.
If you have a notebook handy- we can go through this process together & you can pause and do some writing. This is going to involve some brain dumping and list making. If you’re running or walking or cooking or cleaning while you listen to this, just come back to it later.
I’m going to walk you through the same steps I walk you through whenever I create a schedule, only this time we’re taking into consideration the circumstances we’re in during this time.
As teachers, I think it’s fair to say plans and schedules, routines- they are a familiar face to us. They give us that structure and control we crave. They allow us to say NO and to set the boundaries that we desperately need. They force us to carve out time for ourselves and to evaluate what’s really important.
Just like the first week of school, maybe the first few months of school- it takes time to settle into our new normal. Routines and plans need to be tweaked and adjusted, we find out what’s truly important to us and what can be set aside for another day. We learn how to take care of ourselves- because we know we can’t take care of our students and families until we take care of US.
I’m glad to have you here, and we have a totally free community of amazing educators who also listen to this podcast. We chat about all the things over in the free Facebook group called Teacher Hustle Podcast. If you’re not already a part of that community, we’d love to have you!
And as always, please remember to post a pic on Insta of you listening to this episode- I’d love to see your schedule! Tag me @teacherbynaptime so I can see what you’ve been up to!
Find Kelly on Instagram: www.instagram.com/speakingofimages
Purchase Kelly’s photos and mockups: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Speaking-Of-Images
Kelly is a preschool Speech Language Pathologist and Branding Photographer in Washington state. Her business supports Teacherpreneurs in two ways: Through Teacher Personal Branding photo sessions, and by saving teacher authors time in photographing their resources with school related mock ups and styled images in her TPT store. Kelly is my go-to person for all the knowledge when it comes to taking photos of products! Whether you have a physical product or a digital one, Kelly knows all about creating images that pop. She’s giving us tons of tips today that you can turn around and use in your own photo sessions, and she even walks us through how to get our own faces in front of the camera without feeling totally awkward! If you’ve ever wondered how to take those crisp, scroll-stopping images you see on Instagram or Pinterest, this is the episode for you.
Join Teacher Hustle University!
Doors close April 3rd: www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
Just about one year ago, I launched my Teacher Hustle University Membership- we’re about to celebrate with a THU Crew appreciation week! I know there are many of you listening who have thought about starting your own course or membership, so I thought you might want to hear about my experience in running one. I’m going to really peel back the curtain and give you a behind the scenes look at what it’s been like to start a digital product like this from scratch & the lessons I learned along the way!
Join the Nail Your Niche Bootcamp e-mail series starting April 6th! www.alissamcdonald.com/niche
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachtalkinspire/
Blog: https://www.teachtalkinspire.com/
Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teach-Talk-Inspire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachtalkinspire/?notif_id=1584578689949543¬if_t=page_fan
Teachers, it’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks. We are taking on all kinds of new roles from online educator to homeschool mom to coach and trainer, housekeeper, and on and on! We are exhausted and overwhelmed from trying to navigate these new waters and keep our students engaged and connected.
I asked Jayme to come on the podcast this week to help us settle into our new roles as work-at-home teachers. She’s going to give us all the tips on scheduling, fitting in time for ourselves, and figuring out how to find time for our own families.
Jayme Yannuzzi is a former elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home mom who now shares toddler activities and resources for before or after nap time. Jayme tries to balance working from home with her 2 1/2 year old daughter one activity at a time. She focuses on meaningful activities to help you learn and play together with your children.
You’re going to walk away with some concrete ideas for settling into your new roles thanks to Jayme!
To join the free 4 day Nail Your Niche Bootcamp Mini-Course, click here! www.alissamcdonald.com/niche Blog post on scheduling your time during extended school closures: www.alissamcdonald.com/teachermombossonbreak
Find Erin on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/organizedinelementary
Join The Decluttered Classroom Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/619230678611160/
If you’ve been thinking about niching down in your business- getting really specialized in one area and getting known for your area of passion, this is a MUST LISTEN! Erin Godwin is a Teacher Hustle University Crew member who recently made the pivot from talking about all things 2nd grade to a much more niched area- organizing your elementary classroom.
Erin helps fellow teachers create organization and management systems in their classrooms. The rhythms that she shares allow teachers the ability to prioritize their time and improve the overall teaching and learning happening in their spaces.
Erin talks to us about her decision to narrow her niche and change her name, and she tells us how her business has changed in doing so. (Hint: Since her change to a more niched topic, her e-mail list has grown by hundreds in just a matter of a few months!)
Erin also walks us through her topic of expertise- all things organization and systems to get us set up for success both at school and in our businesses. You’ll want to clean your work area after listening to this one!
Free Marketing with Intention Guidebook: www.alissamcdonald.com/guidebook
It’s the question on all of our minds, right? Do we need to be blogging in 2020? Isn’t blogging sooo 2012? I’m going to answer that question in today’s podcast, and I’m also going to tell you what to do if you absolutely despise blogging!
I don’t doubt that you’ll hear lots of people tell you you don’t have to blog- that marketing by putting out content is slow-moving, and that there are faster ways to increase sales in an online business.
People are likely not checking in on your blog every week to see what you’re writing next like they used to back in 2012 when blogging was all the rage!
Yes, blogging is a slow-moving marketing tactic, but it’s also an effective one. (If it ain’t broke, why try to fix it?! Sometimes “old school” is better.)
And just because people aren’t reading blogs like they were in 2012 doesn’t mean people aren’t reading blogs at all now. They’re reading them differently now than they were years ago, and we need to be aware of that and change our approach accordingly.
Blogging, like everything we do in marketing our online business, needs to be purposeful. You would be wasting your time blogging if you didn’t take the time to learn what makes a great blog posts, to reflect on what your readers are responding to, and to make sure your posts are optimized for search and have a clear call to action- just like everything else we do online. You should have a solid content strategy so your blog isn’t confusing and all over the place.
If you want more help getting your marketing plan ironed out, if you want to be sure you’re doing everything in your business with intention- be sure to download my free Marketing with Intention Guidebook- you’re going to love it!
When I pulled up the timehop for February 22nd- I recognized it immediately. Some of you who have been along for my one year journey as an online biz owner may even remember watching my Insta story! It was a quick Insta story video that I took of myself sitting at my kitchen table. I didn’t have any makeup on, my hair was in a bun that I clearly had slept in, and I was still wearing my polka-dot pajamas from the night before.
In the Instastory, I basically told my then audience of maybe 100 people that I had officially had my lightbulb moment. It was the moment where I knew what I needed to be doing online. The moment where all of my skills, passions, and seemingly random past experiences came together to make this idea that I knew could change lives. That might sound dramatic- but that’s exactly how excited I felt in that moment when it finally hit me.
Up until that point, I had a bunch of seemingly random interests and past experiences. I was always feeling guilty about wanting to spend more time behind my laptop- always getting comments from people about my side hustles. I knew I’d developed a unique set of skils, but it just didn’t quite fit together.
And then it hit me- right there in my kitchen- right there in my polka dot pajamas. A moment I would forever refer to as the polka dot pajama moment.
I could help teachers build a solid foundation in marketing that would allow them to make more sales- steady sales- an additional income stream they could actually count on every month.
I could use my experiences working with small businesses to bring back that genuine, hometown feel to the online space- I could help teachers connect with other teachers on a genuine level- as if we were all in the same room sharing ideas and changing our teaching together.
I could be part of a movement to help teachers impact classrooms beyond the four walls of our own classrooms- to inspire, connect, and build relationships with other teachers around the world- much the same way small businesses do.
All of that guilt about my hobbies and passions, all of the desires I had about my own future, all of my seemingly random past experiences came together- and I had to hop on Instagram and tell my 100 followers.
It was the moment I said HECK with trying to look like perfect mcperfectson on Instagram, the moment I stopped trying to FIT IN with what everyone else was doing. It was the moment I decided to stand out.
And since that polka dot pajama moment- there have been several hundred...maybe even thousand lightbulb moments that followed. It wasn’t as if everything was perfect in my business from that moment on- it was a clearing of the fog that allowed me to take a step forward in my business. But it was in that actual step forward- that movement toward something I loved and knew I could help with- it was in that completely imperfect makeup-free, messy hair moment- that the true growth started.
I’m breaking down three of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past year that will help you as you build your business.
So if you’re ready to get MUSHY with me, hear my story, and hear me gush over all of you who have been a part of the story, you must listen in to this episode. (Sorry in advance for the pregnancy hormones that get the best of me at the end of this one!)
Connect with Dawn from The Calm and Resilient Teacher
The Calm and Resilient Teacher Facebook group
The Calm and Resilient Teacher Podcast
Books mentioned in this episode:
Breathe by Belisa Varnich
Do Less by Kate Northrup
How to Breathe Video from Belisa Varnich
Join the Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group to let us know what your biggest takeaway from this episode was!
Did you know that getting a massage isn’t actually self-care? Walking around Target for 2 hours leisurely with a mocha latte doesn’t count either- I made sure to check on that one. (Darn.)
Dawn from The Calm and Resilient Teacher talks to us about how to use self-care strategies that have a lasting impact on our health, mental health, and general wellbeing. (Yes, we’re getting a little woo in this episode!)
**As a former, stressed-out teacher, Dawn left the classroom to figure out how to heal after burnout and a few mysterious illnesses. Finding EFT/Tapping was the catalyst for her healing and after finding health and peace again, Dawn became trained and certified and is on a mission to bring EFT to as many busy, stressed-out people as possible!
Dawn is passionate about helping people, particularly teachers, find alternative ways to stay healthier and happier. In her spare time, Dawn loves reading, chai lattes, and spending time with her family. When it’s not muddy or icy, Dawn can be found exploring new trails with her horse, Chinook, and enjoying time outside.**
I’m hoping my listeners will appreciate how much I resisted Dawn on some of these strategies because it’s a great learning experience for us busy teacher business owners! I told her I didn’t have time for morning routines or yoga classes, and she won the argument by proving to me that making little changes in my day could take just seconds and would clear my mind to be even more productive in my business.
I’m calling this the LIFE-CHANGING episode because I actually had a moment where I realized I could be a better entrepreneur thanks to some of these strategies. (Listen in to see if you can hear when the lightbulb goes off in my head.)
Right after this episode, I was already implementing some of the techniques Dawn suggested. This is a must-listen for any teacher business owner who isn’t progressing in their business. What if you’re not progressing because you have a mindset block? What if you’re not progressing because you’re holding stress you didn’t even know you had? What if you’re not progressing because you simply don’t know what self-care looks like, and you’ve been trying to self-indulge instead?
Dawn breaks it all down for us in today’s episode.
And of course, you know I couldn’t let her leave without talking actionable business strategy! Dawn also runs a thriving free Facebook community with an engaged audience. I asked her to share some of her best tips for keeping her audience engaged.
Take a deep breath, grab a glass of water, and enjoy this chat with Dawn! I hope it leaves you feeling calm and ready to take on the world.
Grab your free Marketing with Intention in 2020 Guidebook here
Join the Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group for more tips & tricks, coaching, questions & community!
Episode 25: Time-saving tricks for side hustlin’ teachers
I have to be real with you. A lot of the scheduling tricks and tips I’ve heard just plain DON’T WORK for those of us trying to work on this business while teaching. I want to save you from the stress I went through trying to make scheduling work for me. MOST people I listened to all gave tips for full-time business owners. Many of those tips work well in theory, but when you only have a few hours to work each night (if that), they need some adjustments.
In this episode, I’m diving deep into strategy and scheduling to tell you which strategies DON’T work for me, and I’ll tell you what DOES work.
Of course, especially when it comes to scheduling your time- try the different methods, and choose the one that works for you. Just because one scheduling method works for someone else, does not mean it will work in that same way for you!
As a side hustlin’ teacher mama- that means I teach full time all day, I hang with my toddlers in the evenings, and I build this business from 7:30-9:30 when the kids are in bed. I HAD to find scheduling strategies that really worked for me and the time I did have to spend in my biz. And I’m happy to report that these tips work. I’m sharing it in hopes that some of you are going to have a lightbulb moment and feel a lightened load by these simple shifts in the oh-so-popular time-saving strategies.
You know I’m DYING to know your favorite productivity tips and tricks! Be sure to come over to the Teacher Hustle Podcast group on Facebook to let us know your best strategies for saving time! I can’t wait to hear about it. Now I’m headed off to schedule this episode and start the process for the next one. See you next week!
Join the free Teacher Hustle Podcast Facebook group to continue the conversation!
Download your free Marketing with Intention in 2020 Guide here
Books mentioned in this podcast:
Spark Change by Olivia Van Ledtje and Cynthia Merrill
Do Less by Kate Northrup
Think of this week’s podcast episode as a conversation. If we could sit down together, have some coffee, and chat about all the things business, marketing, teaching, and life...this would be the episode that came out of that coffee talk!
I asked my Instagram audience to ask me a few questions for this podcast, and they totally delivered. We’re covering topics like…
- What is your fave part of being in the classroom?
- How do you stand out in the midst of TPT sale madness on Insagram?
- How do you make your pins stand out on Pinterest?
- How do you snag people’s attention with product covers on TPT?
- How do you deal with self-doubt?
As a warning, this episode does contain a little bit of rambling, some funny stories, and of course...lots of analogies. I hope one day we can really hang out for coffee, but until then...this will have to do!
Free Marketing with Intention in 2020 Guidebook: www.alissamcdonald.com/guidebook
Has there ever been a time where one of your friends recommended a product and you went out and grabbed it right away just because they were raving about it? 91% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Think about it! Before you go to restaurants for the first time, before you book a hotel...what’s the first thing you do? I know I could spend hours reading reviews! And when a product or service doesn’t have reviews, I’m sometimes hesitant to be the first to try it.
So how do we go about getting those reviews, especially with a new product? And how can we be sure our audience actually sees those reviews? In this episode, we’ll talk about the power of customer reviews and how to leverage that power to increase your sales.
Have you ever gone into a pizza shop or a coffee shop and seen a sign where you could get a discount if you checked in on Facebook? That’s the small biz way of drumming up some excitement about their biz. And of course, this isn’t the only way to leverage the power of reviews. I’m going to tell you about some creative ways to showcase your business with social proof.
Reviews feel a little like gifts, right? You’re excited when they pop up- they’re kind of a surprise. But reviews aren’t just good luck. Think about how you could grow your business by seeking out opportunities to get reviews of your work. What if you carved out some time to actively seek out reviews and testimonials?
You need to start thinking about ways to encourage your current customers to leave their thoughts about your work. Not only does this encourage sharing and word of mouth, but it also strengthens the quality of your brand.
Once you’ve built up a bank of reviews and testimonials, it’s time to get them “out there” to your audience in creative ways. We need to actively and consistently be sharing these reviews. This means sharing them out regularly! Build up your bank of reviews, and get into the routine of putting those reviews out there.
We’re also going to talk about the downside of reviews. You know what I’m talking about right? Those punch-in-the-gut NEGATIVE reviews. I’ll tell you exactly what to do when this happens.
Remember, if we aren’t sharing our reviews, they’re left hiding in some corner of the internet. We can’t shy away from talking about ourselves and our work.
Oh, and of course..you know I have to leave you with the reminder that your words of appreciation can carry up another small business- so be sure to go and leave a review of your favorite business today!
Are you on my e-mail list yet? I'm turning this whole e-mail thing upside down and making it fun again with MONDAY MIXTAPES. Grab the brand new free Marketing with Intention in 2020 guide here & you'll be on my list! www.alissamcdonald.com/guidebook
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Email me hello@alissamcdonald.com if you sign up using either of these links to receive the follow-up support!
- If you’ve heard you’re supposed to have an e-mail list, but you’re not sure what to say..
- If you don’t know why anyone would want to be on this “list”, and you’re sick with worry that if you do start e-mailing people, you’re going to annoy them…
You are not alone!
So many teachers are wondering why in the world they need to be e-mailing people on top of posting on social media, blogging, and creating products. If you’ve ever wondered if e-mail marketing is “worth it” this is the episode for you!
I’m going to walk you through why e-mail marketing is an important strategy to add to your plan when you’re ready, and I’ll tell you exactly how to get it going in a way that doesn’t feel icky or annoying. I’ll also tell you how to overcome the fear that people will do that dreaded U word….ya know, unsubscribe.
We’re gonna conquer that fear together on today’s episode.
I saw it on a Facebook group the other day.
“Hey guys, um I know I’m supposed to have an e-mail list, so I put one of those name and email things up on my blog, and two people signed up. Well, one was my mom. But anyway, does anyone know what I’m supposed to be emailing these people? Does email marketing even work?”
Sorry if this was you and I’m calling you out- I totally get it! The reason I cringed when I read it wasn’t because of your question. It was because of the way we’re doing this whole marketing thing.
There’s SO much information out there for you to sift through that you’re left feeling this huge weight- this huge burden and guilt that if you want to grow you should be adding MORE on your plate. As if we don’t already have enough going on!
We have school and life and our business- we don’t need to be adding tasks to those to-do lists. I don’t want you to build an e-mail list because you think you have to. YOU are the reason I have a podcast like this…because it doesn’t need to be this hard.
So here’s what we’ll do. I’m going to give you the simple run down about e-mail marketing. Who should be using it, why you should use it, and how to get started. You have to know before I start though…I’m obsessed with e-mail. Out of all the pieces of a marketing foundation that I talk about, e-mail is my favorite. I could talk about it way more than anyone in their right mind would ever want to hear. So know that I am biased, k?
The thing about e-mail is that we have a way to personalize communication with our perfect audience, and we don’t have to fight an algorithm to do it! E-mail is one of the last remaining platforms where the content is actually served to your audience in chronological order. There’s no secret formula to figure out. You send an email, it lands in the inbox.
Email is a way to stay in contact with a curated group of people who are interested in following along with what you’re going to offer next. Think of it as the contact list in your phone! You have a direct line to let people know when you have a new product launching or to stir up excitement about an existing product.
If y
TEACHER HUSTLE UNIVERSITY DOORS NOW OPEN! www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
In today’s episode, we’re covering one of those topics that could totally make (or break) your business. Today I’m breaking down exactly what IS worth investing your money on to propel your business over that plateau and toward growth...and what IS NOT worth investing in. (Ya know, the money pit.)
Let’s face it! Some business expenses are just NOT worth your dollars. But some things we may have been avoiding paying for are actually the ones that could be the reason your business is a massive success this year.
Remember, at the end of the day, we are business owners. We need to make choices just like the local business owners I used to coach in our area. When I worked with those businesses, they had overhead costs that were just accepted because if they wanted a brick and mortar store, they had to pay for the rent, the employees, the products, the membership to the Chamber of Commerce, the paid advertising and on and on and on.
If we want to see success and growth, we do need to invest in our business. It’s often that investment, that click of a PAY button, that leads us to say, OK. This isn’t just a side hustle. This isn’t just something I do when I have time and something I drop when I don’t. This is my business, and I’m going to treat it that way.
And when you treat your business like a business, THAT is when the growth happens. You won’t believe the amount of business growth and personal growth that comes from stepping into the role of business owner. It means that sometimes you have to make purchases that make the butterflies in your tummy swirl, but it also means you are building something from the ground up- something you can be proud of. Something that will bring in an additional monthly income- or, multiple streams of extra income. Be wise about your investments, they will pay off.
My word of caution would be to really think about your business goals before you make a purchase. Which investments do you need to focus on THIS YEAR to grow your business?
Teacher Hustle University doors are OPEN! We only open to the public a few times a year, so if you’ve been thinking about getting serious with your business in 2020, now is the time.
Becoming a THU Crew member means having all the marketing resources you need at your fingertips, a solid core training in marketing, a pretty cool business coach that you get to hang out with live twice a month, and a stinkin' incredible group of supportive Crew members surrounding you and cheering you on.
Consider THU your biz bestie. It’s basically your one-stop-shop when it comes to marketing- a place to go with all of your questions and a support to keep you accountable as your business grows. The results The Crew has seen so far are amazing- we’re talking doubling and tripling their monthly income in their biz, getting things DONE, making connections with their niche, and scaling their business to include multiple streams of income. Doors are closing this Friday, so be sure to get in TODAY! Head to alissamcdonald.com/framework and we’ll see you over in The Crew!
BRAND NEW Marketing with Intention in 2020 Free Workshop happening Sunday, Jan 19th: www.alissamcdonald.com/workshop Creating an online Event Mini-Course: www.alissamcdonald.com/minicourse
Laura’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/theotbutterfly
Jessica’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/foundational_ot
Laura is a pediatric OT who works with children with sensory processing disorder and other developmental disabilities. Laura has a passion for educating teachers and parents and other therapists about the impact of sensory processing on children's success and learning abilities.
**Laura is chatting with us today about how she took on marketing her TPT business from almost day one, and she shares how staying in communication with her ideal audience sparked an idea to grow her business. Laura walks us through the ins and outs of creating and launching a mini-course, and she did it all on a budget!
In addition to creating no prep printable handwriting and visual perceptual resources on teachers pay teachers, Laura has taken advantage of the platform she's created on instagram by finding her voice with her niche audience. Laura found a gap in her community and is determined to serve her audience by providing continuing education and invaluable information related to sensory processing via instagram stories, posts, and her most recent venture: online webinars. She prides herself on establishing true connections with other therapists in her field, and building mom-tribes with other moms who have toddlers with social emotional challenges, like her own daughter.**
You can find Laura at:
Instagram @TheOTButterfly
Facebook The OT Butterfly
Website/Blog: www.theotbutterfly.com
Sensory Savvy Classroom Waitlist: www.theotbutterfly.com/sensorysavvyclassroom
Email: LauraPetix@Theotbutterfly.com
Free Visibility Challenge for Teachers with an Online Biz: www.alissamcdonald.com/challenge
The new year is here! I know for some of us it’s just another day, but a new year means we have a minute to reflect on what we’ve done over the past year and we can set goals moving forward. It forces us to stop & plan. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the day to day of our businesses that we don’t stop to get organized.
Hopefully our Planathon session helped you with this! If you didn’t follow along with the Planathon, be sure to go back and binge watch those episodes. They're set up to help you journal and plan your way through some common business road blocks, setting you up for major success in the new year. Everyone who has tried the “year in a day” planning session is raving about it, and I’m still getting dms about how amazing our guest speakers were for the Planathon series.
Today we’re going to talk all about the 5 biggest marketing mistakes to avoid in the New Year. I know sometimes marketing can feel like one giant to-do list…a giant to-do list that never ends. There’s so much information out there for you about marketing- almost too much!
You’re listening to all the podcasts, watching all the YouTube videos, you’re in all the Facebook groups, and everyone’s telling you something different! So how can you show up in the online space and be MEMORABLE? How can you stand out among the crowd? And when you only have a few hours a day to dedicate to creating products AND marketing AND learning about marketing, how can you avoid WASTING your valuable work time making MISTAKES when it comes to marketing?
I’m going to help you cut through the noise and be sure you’re not making these mistakes. I’ll talk about each mistake and give you some tips for avoiding them.
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Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Do you have a question you want to submit?
Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram!(@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
Don’t forget you can come on over to the Facebook group and answer a question about today’s episode to be entered to win a HAPPY PLANNER for 2020! www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhustle
Free Masterclass- 4 Step Foundation of Marketing for Teacher Business Owners: www.alissamcdonald.com/masterclass
This is it! The very last episode of PLANATHON! We’ve done SO much planning. If you didn’t catch all of the Planathon episodes, be sure to go back and journal and list your way through them.
I wanted to wrap it up by giving you a list of the 5 THINGS you need to do in your business in 2020 in order to grow. These 5 to-do’s for your business will set you apart from the rest in the new year, and could be the key to your business totally taking off.
There’s something about hearing them wrapped up in this one little package- about taking the time to review them and be absolutely sure we’re sticking to them. As with everything else in the Planathon, I’d love it if you WROTE THEM DOWN in your notebook to give them some time- to think through what they mean for you and your business.
These 5 to do’s are really the secrets to success for the coming year. This isn’t the episode to listen to on your way to work and then get doing 100 other things and forget you even listened. (That’s me by the way.) This is the episode to take it in and really stand by it in the new year.
The first to-do for your 2020 to-do list is to NICHE DOWN.I know you’ve heard me say that before, right? We have to get crystal clear on who we’re serving. We need to know exactly what we’re doing in this online space. Because until we know that- we’re all over the place. It’s way too hard for your customers to follow someone who is all over the place. They’ll get confused, they’ll honestly probably forget about you.
The second to-do for your business in 2020 is to create and nurture genuine human connections in your business. We are not robots trying to gain the biggest following on the planet. Remember you’d rather talk to 100 of your ideal audience than 10,000 people who aren’t even paying attention to you. It’s about talking to your ideal customer, listening to what they need, and creating the solutions for their problems.
We need to create our mission statement. How are you serving your customers? What are you using as the vehicle to do that? And what makes you different from others in your niche? Keep it to a few sentences. And post that statement right up on your wall. Every decision you make in your business- every product you create, every blog post or social media post you write...needs
Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Do you have a question you want to submit?
Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram!(@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
If you’ve been struggling with what to post on social media, what to write on your blog or in you e-mails to your audience, this is the episode for you!
We’ll bust through myths about not having enough time to create content, not being “good” enough, how to put out content when others are already talking about your passion topic, and how to show up as a thought leader in your niche.
Rebecca’s 4 C’s framework for creating content that moves your business forward will help drive your content creation for 2020. This episode is full of activities to try, lists to make, and topics to journal about in your notebook for the new year.
We talked about what to do if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by content creation. Rebecca is passionate about staying close to the “why” behind your content, making sure to take breaks and realign when needed. She’ll teach us how to be sure that what we’re talking about online takes our ideal customer through a journey that ultimately leads them to look for what they can purchase from us to solve a problem.
My favorite part of the episode is when Rebecca walks us through ideas for recycling content. She suggests that instead of constantly trying to come up with new content, we revisit our “vault” of content, reflecting on what’s performed well and driven our sales. She teaches us how to amplify that content by pulling out pieces of it to use in different formats, giving it new life for our audience.
This episode is packed with actionable steps. It’s a must-listen as we head into the new year.
Download your free Take Action Worksheet to help you look closely at your content and business actions every week - https://rebeccastanisic.ck.page/takeactionworksheet
Rebecca Stanisic is a writer, speaker, and digital content creator. She's been blogging on her website, A Little Bit of Momsense, since 2009 and for almost as many years has helped fellow bloggers and small business owners create and curate relevant digital content for their own businesses to help meet their goals. She's the proud mom to two, living in Ottawa, and is fueled by fiction and coffee. You can find more content tips on Instagram (especially her IGTV videos) www.instagram.com/bitofmomsense or on www.rebeccastanisic.com
We’ve been talking all things business strategy and mapping out our goals for the new year. This episode is a total twist! We’re taking our plans and intentions back to OURSELVES for a little bit of self-care.
In this episode, fashion expert Elizabeth Hambleton of Closet Confidence gives us actionable steps to find our style, organize our chaotic closets, and get really authentic in choosing our outfits.
After styling thousands of women one-on-one at Stitch Fix, Elizabeth created Closet Confidence to help modern moms find more joy and less stress when getting dressed. She wants to help you rock your look so that you feel confident showing up as the awesome woman and mom that you are!
I’m asking Elizabeth all the questions about how to combine style and comfort, how to find your confidence again after having babies, and how in the world to get away with wearing comfortable clothes to school everyday without sacrificing style.
Elizabeth has tons of tips from her “Rule of Thirds” to her advice on how to work with what you already have in your closet instead of just adding more STUFF. She’s even talking to us about how to style those photoshoots I’ve been encouraging you to have!
Take some time out of your busy schedule to get back to taking care of YOU. Elizabeth makes it simple to settle into your style again and add some fun in your wardrobe for 2020!
Not sure you own the right basics? Get your free, ultimate closet checklist here: https://www.getclosetconfidence.com/
Elizabeth on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/getclosetconfidence/
Elizabeth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getclosetconfidence/
Facebook Group for Weekly Planathon Questions and Contest Entries: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhuste
Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Do you have a question you want to submit?
Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram!(@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
Elizabeth is a former elementary school teacher turned full-time web designer and digital marketing specialist. She's passionate about helping other female entrepreneurs grow their businesses by getting them in front of their ideal customers online and on social media.
Elizabeth found a passion for web design and digital marketing after starting her first blog in 2010. After side-hustling her business while juggling her teaching career, she finally made the leap in June of 2018 to run her business full-time. When she's not working, Elizabeth loves going to yoga, enjoying a glass of wine while watching Friends or The Office and traveling to the Outer Banks with her significant other.
Facebook Group for Weekly Planathon Questions and Contest Entries: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhuste
Sign up for Black Friday Sale Week Updates & Grab All the Deals:https://www.alissamcdonald.com/blackfriday Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Do you have a question you want to submit?
Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram!(@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
Want to see more of Elizabeth?
- Website: www.lotusmediadesigns.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lotusmediadesigns or just @lotusmediadesigns
- Email: hello@lotusmediadesigns.com
- Free 30 Day Content Calendar: https://www.lotusmediadesigns.com/content-calendar
- Free Hashtag Master List for Business Owners (Over 500 Hashtags): https://www.lotusmediadesigns.com/hashtag-masterlist
- Free Social Media & Digital Marketing Toolkit: https://www.lotusmediadesigns.com/online-marketing-toolkit
- Instagram Research Guide for Business Owners: https://www.lotusmediadesigns.com/ig-research
2020 is right around the corner! Are you ready for it or are you feeling super under-prepared??
In today's episode, we’re gonna plan out our entire year. In one sitting. Yes, you heard that right! Now plans may change, plans can be tweaked, but having a year-long vision for your business can be the most powerful way to kick off your year.
I’m going to give you a strategy to do this that will make it easy to map out in just one work session.
We want to plan out 3 major things for 2020:
- First, we need to map out our plan for CREATION.
- Second, we need to map out our plan for MARKETING.
- Third, we need to map out our plan for LEARNING.
So, grab your your planning supplies and let's plan out your entire year in one sitting!!
Facebook Group for Weekly Planathon Questions and Contest Entries: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhuste
Sign up for Black Friday Sale Week Updates: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/blackfriday Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Do you have a question you want to submit?
Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram!(@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
Ready to grow and scale your business in 2020? Hosting an online event like a workshop or mini-course is the PERFECT way to add another stream of income to your business in the new year. Be sure to grab the newest mini-course that will help you plan your online event in as little as 2 weeks! We’re getting things done in the new year! https://www.alissamcdonald.com/minicourse
Who’s up for talking about planning the new year? 2020 is a fresh start- the chance to reevaluate goals and dreams, take stock of what you’ve been up to, and create lots of lists for the future.
I’m talking about celebrating the changes we’ve made, planning for the future, and setting actionable goals to get us to our big dreams. Pressing pause to look ahead to the new year in front of us gives us the opportunity to really take the time we need to set these intentions. We’re setting ourselves up for a much easier follow through.
If you’re into this- if you want to set yourself up for success in the new year- if you have BIG dreams and you’re ready to finally make them happen- you’ve got to tune in to the rest of my podcasts for 2019
This episode kicks off a series on getting ready for the new year. I’ll be spilling all of my goal setting and planning secrets, and I’ll be interviewing some of my favorite business owners for all the tips and tricks to help set you up for success in 2020- a planathon of sorts!
All you’ll need for this plan sesh series is a notebook for some journaling and listing. (I think the new year is a perfect time for new notebooks, don’t you?)
In this episode I’m going to walk you through a couple of exercises to visualize what you want your life to look like in 2020. Oftentimes when we can’t get past a block in our business, it’s because we haven’t spent enough time thinking about the destination. We’re driving the ship, but we don’t know where we’re headed! Let’s start with the end in mind.
Visualization: Close your eyes and imagine you’re cozy on the couch with your favorite warm blanket and a cup of coffee. You pick up the remote and push play to watch a movie. As you look at the screen, you notice it’s a movie of your life in November 2020. What happens in the movie? What’s happening when you wake up? What is your typical day like? How are you feeling? Use words in the present tense to describe the scene.
Now turn these visualizations into statements of affirmations. Turn your visualizations into positive statements such as “Creativity flows through me and leads to new ideas.” Keep it short and simple.
Affirmations help you stay focused on your goals, and makes it easier to break down the tasks needed to reach those goals. Keep these statements handy so you can refer to them throughout the year!
Next, I want you to think about who you want to BE in 2020. Not what you want to HAVE, or what you want to DO. These are purposefully not your to-do list items. What kind of person do you want to be?
Whatever word you’re left with- that’s your word for 2020. Whatever you do, don’t forget that word. What you have to DO and what you’ll HAVE will fall into place once you are laser-focused on being what you need to be to fulfill this value.
Be sure to head over to Instagram and post your word!! Tag me @teacherbynaptime so I can repost!
I promise you’ll be glad you took the time to visualize and set your dreams for 2020. Our little Planathon will be healthy balance of strategy and mindset- just what we need to bust through those mental blocks and achieve our goals in the new year!!
Links from this episode:
www.alissamcdonald.com/minicourse (Use code PODCAST11 Expires November 10th, 2019)
Ok...I know what you’re thinking. You made $918 in 3 hours, Alissa? And you teach full time and have 2 toddler boys? Was this a legal transaction?
YES. This was all perfectly legal...I promise! I legitimately made $918 in 3 hours with my online business. And in today’s podcast, I’m going to break down exactly HOW I did this, WHY I did this, and how you can do it too.
If you’ve been working on your business, but you need some cash in the bank, or you’re looking to grow your e-mail list full of your ideal audience, one that knows/likes/and trusts you & you want to do it fast, this episode is for you.
HOW did I make that money in such a short time...legally? I created an online one-day virtual workshop. The topic was e-mail marketing- some of you may have attended! (You do not need to create a workshop on marketing- we’ll talk more about topics later.) A virtual workshop is an event that takes place over a day or two- some sort of online training where the participants can easily see a start and finish.
There are TONS of benefits to holding an online workshop.
First of all, participants are much more likely to sign up for a workshop because it can be offered at a lower price point.
Also, the workshop gives participants the opportunity to actually WORK ON the topic. How many times have you taken a course or PD and LOVED the content, but when you get back to your classroom and life gets back to normal, you suddenly have NO TIME to put any of it into play? A workshop gives participants a chance to dive in and come out with something ready to use
If you have a topic you love to talk about, there are teachers out there who need to hear more about your topic- that thing you can’t stop talking about. And no, you don’t need to be a total expert who knows every little thing about your topic.
You just need the RIGHT topic. Something teachers are looking to tackle. Something teachers are willing to spend time and money on because they know in the end they’ll walk away with something that makes their lives easier, more convenient, or solves a problem in their classroom. If you’re still freaked out by the LIVE factor- a mini-course can be really effective too. I think there’s something special about a workshop or a mini-course. We don’t have the time or resources to complete yet another 8 week intensive FULL BLOWN signature course with 10 modules of video trainings.
A workshop or mini-course is much more manageable for you, it’s lighter and simpler for your participant, it’s easier to sell because of the price point, and it almost always leads to a captivated group of your ideal audience. That means if you create another mini-course or you have a related product to promote during the workshop, they’re more likely to buy.
We’re going to talk burn out. And I don’t mean just teacher burn out. I mean teacher mama business owner burn out. The kind where you wonder WHY THE HECK you ever started a business ON TOP of all you have to do with teaching.
You wonder if you were even cut out for this sort of thing. Maybe the sales aren’t rolling in like you’d hoped, your to-do list is piling up, and even though you went into this to spend MORE time with family and have some financial freedom, you find yourself spending less and less time present with family, and more and more time behind the laptop and scrolling Instagram...and you’re not even sure WHY.
I’m going to give you the NUMBER ONE secret to getting inspired when you’re burned out. And then I’m not stopping there. I’m going to give you 5 follow-up steps to take after you take the initial step.
Because after all, YOU are the designer of this business. YOU get to decide what this looks like. You get to decide the time spent, the end product- you get to determine if you’re following your true passion, and if this is still your true passion.
Passions, goals, and dreams change. Many times when we’re burned out, it’s because it’s time for a change. We need to hit that reset button. And that doesn’t JUST mean rest. It certainly doesn’t mean giving up. It means stepping back, resting, recharging, and getting back there in a calculated and purposeful way.
If you’re looking for a supportive group, but you don’t want to search high and low- don’t worry! The Teacher Hustle U. Crew is the most amazing group of educators, and the conversations they have each day surpass what I could ever try to plan out for the group. Get on the waiting list for Teacher Hustle University at www.alissamcdonald.com/framework.
I’ll see you back here next week!
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**Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
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Xo Alissa
In this podcast, I’m gonna tell you all about being visible on video is going to absolutely change your business...and FAST. I’ll tell you why it’s critical that you push yourself to get in front of that camera on the regular, and I’ll teach you how to do it in a way that feels authentic and effortless. Ok...almost effortless.
So why video? Do I really NEED to create video for my business?
YEP. Yes you do need to create video for your business- and here’s why. One of the major reasons is because it provides an immediate connection with your ideal audience. Think about local businesses! They have the amazing ability to create a quick bond with a customer that could turn them into a customer for life- because they get to have face to face interactions. That’s harder for us online business owners because there’s this pesky computer in the way! So you have to get CREATIVE! You have to find a way to make those connections online. And one of the best ways you can do that is through video.
Need some stats?
- Social media posts with videos have 48% more views
- 62% of people were more interested in a product after viewing it in a Facebook story
Bottom line- we have to be showing up through video in our business if we want to grow our impact and income, if we want to make connections with our existing audience, and if we want to expand our audience.
Here are my 5 tips for looking like a pro on video without having to be totally put together and perfect!
- Set up an area in your house that is strictly for video
- Create a hype playlist
- Make sure you have an outline
- Be aware of the purpose and content of your video
- Keep it short and sweet
I’m also sharing my tips for going LIVE. Yes, you can go live! The first time might be a little bit awkward, but it does get easier. (And less sweaty.)
Live video packs some extra oomph for your biz because of that interactive piece. People feel like they’re a part of something- something that’s happening right now! It’s why apps like Periscope were so popular in its day. People love to ask questions, chit chat, and see what’s going on in your world! I have a few extra tips specifically for live video.
So what will you try? Instastories? IGTV? Or will you go live? I’d love to hear what you tried out. Be sure to dm me after this episode @teacherbynaptime and let me know your video goals for this week! Getting visible means getting vulnerable, and that’s what sets you apart. You’ve got this!
I’ll see you back here next week!
Links Mentioned
- Visibility Quiz
- Find me on Instagram
- Video production equipment (budget-friendly!)
This article contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
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**Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
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Xo Alissa
Today we’re talking about one of my favorite topics- viral content.
We’ve all seen a post or a pin that’s gone completely viral, and let’s be honest! We wish the same would happen to us..right? Well...what if you could actually PURPOSEFULLY create something that you know will go viral? I’ll tell you why you NEED viral content to get you out of a rut, how I created a viral blog post that had 6,000 engagements on Twitter, has gone completely viral on Pinterest and now even has its own hashtag, and how you can do this in your own business.
Get on the waiting list for Teacher Hustle University: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.
Get on the waiting list for Teacher Hustle University: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
"Hi Alissa, my name is Meghan. I’m about three months in since launching my blog and business back in June, but I’m starting to feel very isolated. While I’m at home every night, grinding away at the next steps for my business, my friends fill our Marco Polo chats, breaking down what they ate for dinner, the latest Netflix series they binge watched, or the amazing work out class they got to go to in the middle of the day. Seriously! Who has time for that? But in all honesty, I’m not disappointed in that per-say, because I have a lot of clarity and direction for my long-term goals. But I’m just here, helplessly wondering if it’s normal to feel bouts of loneliness throughout this Teacher Hustle journey. I just feel like no one can relate to me. Do you have any advice?"
It’s hard to find people “in real life” who share a love of WORK. But an online business not just WORK for us. It’s a creative outlet, and it has the potential for us to earn a substantial income- one that allows us to contribute to our finances in a significant way. It’s also a way for us to continue to LEARN- something we tend to love as educators by nature! To me, it’s totally exciting to spend my Friday night writing social media posts or creating content for this podcast. I know that’s not the norm, and I also know it can be tough for those who don’t have this drive to relate to it.
We have to reframe the way we think about this special drive- that teacher hustle. Why do we take that and make it SMALL with words like “It’s no big deal” or “I’m not as good at this as you think I am”? Why are we quick to minimize our work?
It’s because it’s comfortable to be small. It’s more comfortable to remain humble about our aspirations and accomplishments. It’s uncomfortable to stand out-- to want something more.
This business NOT just something you do in your spare time. You work HARD for your business, and if you’re anything like me, you actually PREFER that work to going to the movies or going bowling or whatever your friends are doing.
Your self-care is creativity. Like an artist or a writer, you love to create content or to learn about marketing or to create products- to dream and to see those dreams through. That’s self-care. That’s your time.
So how can we grow our circle of people who understand this drive? Because it’s incredibly important to have a place you can go to laugh, vent, and cry about this side of your life. Just like you can call your mom about cooking, or you can call your best friend to vent about your kid, you need a group of people you can chat with about your business.
In this episode, we’ll talk about:
- The 3 best places to meet like-minded business owners!
- How to create an accountability group or mastermind
- Why you need to make connections with other teacher business owners
We all have our own zone of genius, of course, but we have one thing in common. We can’t shake this urge for personal and professional growth...and we’re fine with that.
However you find your people, whatever way makes the most sense for you...go for it. It’s a little scary chatting with new people, but that’s what makes you incredible-- that’s what makes you different. This entrepreneur life isn’t always easy, and sometimes it feels like we’re the only crazy people in the world sitting behind our laptops in our free time. But you’re not alone. Surround yourself with driven people, surround yourself with people who can strategize and brainstorm with you, and watch your business and your relationships grow.
If you’re looking for a supportive group, but you don’t want to search high and low- don’t worry! The Teacher Hustle U. Crew is the most amazing group of educators, and the conversations th
TEACHER HUSTLE UNIVERSITY doors are publically open at the time of this episode. Sign up now before the doors close at the end of the week. https://www.alissamcdonald.com/framework
In today’s episode we’ll talk about how to choose a course, a coach, or a mentor in a world that seems SO incredibly saturated- the world of online marketing. (It’s A LOT more saturated than the teacher world, believe me!) There is a TON of variety when it comes to choosing a coach, mentor, course, membership, workshop etc. in the online space.
As teachers, I think we’re used to being kind of scrappy. We’re used to figuring things out on our own, we’re the queens and kings of DIY, we love a good challenge. I don’t know about you though, but when I see a project on Pinterest and think I can do it myself, I always manage to royally screw it up. Sometimes DIY isn’t the best choice. It isn’t even always the quicker choice...or the cheaper choice. Sometimes you end up spending MORE time, MORE money, and MORE energy trying to figure it all out and piecing it together yourself, when you could’ve come out with a better quality product if you had taken the time to really learn the steps in the process from someone who has done it before and can teach you how.
When it comes to marketing for your online business, you don’t have time to waste- especially if this is your side hustle! If you try to DIY your marketing, I’ll tell you right now how that might go for you in today’s episode, and I’ll tell you one way you can be sure you won’t waste time trying to figure out your marketing on your own ever again.
Maybe you’re a little scared because you’ve signed up for courses before and it hasn’t been all it was cracked up to be or you weren’t able to complete the course work for whatever reason. You’ll have to let all of that go when shopping around for a new way to learn about your business. This is a fresh start. Maybe take into consideration your own learning style and how you like content delivered, and pay attention to that as you read about the different program offerings.
We’ll talk about:
- How to find the right offering
- How to find the right coach
- How to choose the right fit for you and your business
- The type of online program I think is best for teacher business owners
Don’t let the pressure of the CHOICE get to you. You will grow from every investment you make in your education around your business goals. You’ll grow from every unique experience with a coach. And When you see growth as a result of your experience in one course, you’ll feel confident enough to invest in another course. Even if the material happened to be exactly the same, each business coach would teach the material in a different way. Each coach has their own story, messaging, values and experiences to bring to the table. Because of that, every experience in a course, membership, workshop or conference will benefit your business.
Behind the Scenes! A Day in the Life of a Mom with 2 Toddlers, a Career and a Side Hustle
Grab your spot in the FREE video training on how to put a solid marketing plan into place for your business and how to make SALES without being SALESY! www.alissamcdonald.com/video
Being the HUGE reality show fan that I am, it only seemed fitting to do a “behind the scenes” podcast. In this podcast I’ll tell you a little about what my days are like as a hustlin’ teacher mama & I’ll answer all your burning questions about my BORING life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two- but more likely I’ll probably be ASKING YOU for advice on this one.
I’m answering all the questions in this episode and breaking down how I use systems to do “full time” work for my business in just a few hours a week.
- What are your mornings like? (Spoiler Alert: They’re not perfect!!)
- What’s a typical school day like for you?
- What’s your after-school routine like with kids
- How do you keep yourself on track and motivated after a long day?
- Do you schedule your day ahead of time, and what does that look like?
- How do you manage the overwhelm that comes with so many life and work to-dos
I’d love to hear all your productivity tips- taking all suggestions about how to make my mornings more productive over on www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime! Maybe I can have a few of you on the podcast to teach me all your ways!!
If you haven’t already, be sure to reserve your spot for that FREE video training on how to sell without being icky, pushy, or sales-y. It may not be professionally recorded, but I promise you’ll walk away with more clarity around your marketing strategy. You can save your spot at alissamcdonald.com/video
**Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.**
Today’s #askalissa question is from Monica...and I swear she read my mind on this one. This is the exact topic of my upcoming video series called “Selling Without Being Sales-y”. Be sure to reserve your spot for the free training at https://www.alissamcdonald.com/video.
“Hi Alissa, my name is Monica, and I am on Instagram as @thelipsticklifeteacher, and recently I actually changed my name from The Lipstick Life Girl to The Lipstick Life Teacher because I am trying to rebrand myself and just change my Instagram because for so long I was just selling makeup, and it felt very restrictive, and I felt very held back because every post had to be about makeup. And I’m so much more than that! I’m a teacher, I’m a new mom, and I do want to sell my resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, but I really want to connect with other educators and teachers that are moms, and I just want to find my tribe like you’ve mentioned. I’m really at a loss about how to start, how I can change my Instagram so it is all of those things, or if I should start from scratch. I’m hoping I can find a way to make the account I have now work and be something that is all me and that I can still have my side hustle built in. Hope that makes sense, and thanks for your help!”Understanding your brand is more important now than ever before. Here’s why. Have you noticed that the noisier it gets online, the more everything seems to look the SAME? And when things start to look the same- that’s boring. And it’s also scary. We’re- as a collective group of human beings- we’re not supposed to be the same. It’s our differences that help us learn and grow- these are the same values we teach our kids. Yet, somehow, we tend to get sucked right into that “sameness”.
The word brand may bring up images of professional logos and professional images, but it isn’t that. Your brand is the way you bring your unique stories, values, and experiences to the world. It’s the way you showcase your personality in the online space.
We’ll be answering all of these questions on today’s podcast:
- Can both of those things co-exist on your Instagram?
- What if your target audience will be completely different?
- What is your content strategy?
- How can you develop a brand that’s reflective of your story and serves your ideal customer?
And the controversial answer Alissa has for…
- What if someone else is already doing the thing I want to do?!
We, as consumers, we need multiple voices in one niche area. If we didn’t have multiple voices in one niche, life would be BORING!
We wouldn’t have Coke and Pepsi, we wouldn’t have Nike and Adidas, we wouldn’t have Britney and Christina! Competition makes the world go round!
Lean into your passions, and tell your story! Not only is there room for you, WE NEED YOU.
Monica, thank you, thank you, thank you for this question- for getting us all thinking about our brand, our voice, and how to best serve OUR PEOPLE. I can’t wait to hear all about how you decide to map out your brand.
Don’t forget to head over to alissamcdonald.com/video to get in on that free video training dropping September 13th- thats Friday the 13th...so wish me luck! And YES by now you know that a free training means Teacher Hustle U is opening soon, and if you’re signed up for the video series you’ll be the first to know when those doors open.
I’ll see you back here next week!
**Subscribe & Review
Don’t forget to hit SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. If you have a question about marketing, mindset, momming, or life in general...you can send me a voice recording over at alissamcdonald.com/askalissa!
Who knows? Your question might be featured on the next podcast! Can’t wait to connect with you.**
Great Big List of This or That Questions for Teachers: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/03
Got a question for Alissa? https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
Let me know how the “trick” went for you over on the gram, https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime
Instagram is an amazing platform that can be powerful when used to make genuine connections, showcase REAL stories (the good AND the bad), and to support one another in business
If you go to YouTube and search Instagram tricks, there are PLENTY of tactics you can try to just grow that follower number- tricks that grow an audience that isn’t your ideal customer, people who aren’t truly interested in your content, and sometimes those followers are even fake accounts!
If I told you right now you could talk about your product for 15 mins at an intimate gathering of 100 of your IDEAL customers or an auditorium full of 10,000 people, only some of which even needed your product, who would you want to talk to? Which one is more personal? Which is more likely to grow a relationship with you? Which is LESS NOISY??
That follower number means absolutely nothing. If your sales aren’t increasing in your business as that number rises, the number doesn’t matter.
Anytime we talk about Instagram, we’ll always talk about growing RELATIONSHIPS, not growing the follower number. Your following will grow organically as you nurture your relationship. People will see you interacting, they’ll feel your vibe. Real finds real.
We’re in this AMAZING time where teachers across the globe can connect, share resources and ideas, and support one another in implementing those ideas. As standards, rigor, and pressure on teachers seems to be weighing on us, we can lean on our community for support. Sometimes your people are states or countries away...and you’d never find them if it weren’t for this incredible platform.
Today we’re talking Instastories. If you’re not using Instastories...you MUST start. That’s your official challenge. If you’re nervous about being on camera- try a filter. The eyelashes filter and the “pretty” filter will make you feel like a million bucks!! (I’m not nearly as polished as I look in Instastories. It’s all in the filter!!)
I’ll teach you one way you can connect with your audience in a meaningful way, taking your conversations to deeper levels...all while having FUN!
Don’t forget to stop over to my corner of the gram @teacherbynaptime and let me know what you thought of today’s episode! If you need more ideas for this or that questions, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered. I created a great big list of random this or that questions just for you. Head over to https://www.alissamcdonald.com/03 to download!
Do you have a question for Alissa? Head over to the site to leave a voice recording. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be featured on the next podcast! https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa
5 mini-challenges to work through to get started with your online business: https://www.alissamcdonald.com/starterkit
In this episode of the Teacher Hustle Podcast, Sam from @engineerdoeseducation asks about balancing school life with home life AND a business.
“Hey Alissa, it’s Sam from Engineer Does Education. I was wondering if you could talk to how you transfer from summer mode into back to school mode when it comes to your business. I feel like over the summer I finally got ahold of how to do everything from creating and marketing my products to working on my blog, my e-mail list, Pinterest and Instagram, and now that school is back in session I have grading, I have new content I’m creating for my classroom- that I’d love to put on TPT, but when I get home it’s family time and grading time. So I’m just struggling to balance it while still giving my passion the time it deserves. Any tips?”
It’s that time of year! Summer is ending, and we don’t want to neglect our online business, but there just isn’t enough time in the day.
For many teachers, September is also the season of having big hopes and dreams for our plans for the upcoming school year, which means this is the time that actually our businesses are expected to kind of ramp up because teachers are in need of new resources for their classrooms!
All the things we wanted to do over the summer are not done and now September is here and we need to focus on our classrooms. What do we do with our business? Do we just let it go? Do we drop it? How do we keep it going when we're expected to be doing all of these things with school?
First, give yourself grace! If you didn’t finish all the things that were on your summer to-do list, if there are a million more things you want to do, that's okay. There will always be something more to do in your business- that’s what makes you a great entrepreneur!
But give yourself the gift of September. You are not going to finish all the things at this point that you need to do for back to school season when it comes to your business- that time is over. Whatever you accomplished on your to-do list, you did! And whatever you didn't, you didn't! We can’t change that.
Let’s focus on the future! We’ll be talking about how you can rest, reflect, and organize during September and use the upcoming quarter- October, November, and December to meet your end-of-year goals.
- Rest: Really! Give yourself September to focus on school and family. We need rest in our business the same way every cycle has a “down time”.
- Reorganize: You need systems for your business, and the sooner you begin to implement those systems, the sooner you’ll see growth and feel a sense of peace in your business.
- Reflect: Look at where your efforts paid off and how you can set goals moving foward
The problem with our business is that when we do sit down to work, there is nobody to say, “Alissa, today you're going to focus on your blog, and don't you do anything else because your job is to work on the blog tonight!”
I'm going to give you a process for how you can set a goal for next quarter and how you can achieve it.
If you’re anything like me, at a buffet I fill my plate to the brim and eat maybe a quarter of it. Don’t do that here. Don’t set your task goals so high that you’re unable to get it done. Make it easy enough that it's achievable. Simplify it.
What are the smaller tasks you need to do in order to complete that larger task? What do you need to learn- what do you need to create-
What’s the thing that when people mention it, you say “That’s my jam!?”
Whatever you picked...that’s your passion! Now we’re going to take that passion and find a way to turn it into an additional income stream.
So what types of digital businesses can you create? I’ll tell you about the 4 most popular digital offerings for teachers.
I just have one….little...favor to ask.
When you give it a listen, could you let me know what you think??
- Leave me a review over on iTunes! When you do this, it gives my podcast this little boost. And this “new girl” needs all the boosting she can get!
- Take a pic of yourself listening to my podcast & tag me over on Instagram! (@teacherbynaptime) I want to share so I can show all the places my (hopefully not-too-cringy) voice is traveling!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE so you’re notified when my new episode drops each week. I can’t wait to talk hustle with you!
Xo Alissa
Check out https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa to ask me a question!
Are you ready for our date? Not the kind of date where you get all dressed up and do your hair and makeup! I'm much more low maintenance...promise. This is the one where you turn on your podcast player and curl up on the couch with a blanket and some tea. You'll get to know me, and I'll make some good guesses about you.
Find out why I think teachers have that certain something special. You'll learn how you can take an idea, that thing you love talking about, and turn it into a business that grows your impact and your income.
We'll dive in to some of the topics this podcast will cover, and you'll find out why I purposefully chose the word "hustle" for the title of this podcast! I can't wait to chat with you about all things business, mindset, and inspiration!
Check out https://www.alissamcdonald.com/askalissa to ask me a question!