Erin's Story
Hi, I'm Erin.
Teaching was always in the cards for me.
Running my own online business?
Not so much.
In fact, having your own teacher business is like one big game of expectation vs. reality.
Let me paint you a picture of my expectations…
Scene: Any day of my childhood.
✔️Students of the stuffed animal and sibling variety lined up in a row.
✔️My 1st grade penmanship scrawled across the playroom chalkboard.
✔️Star stickers on deck for the “good” students and principal office passes ready to be handed down to the “bad” students.
School was in session. Grown-up life was going to be sweet.
And now, a dose of reality:
Scene: Any day of my late 20’s.
✔️After a long day teaching, drive to the nearest Starbucks to work for 2 hours on my latest TpT product.
✔️Head home to a toddler and husband (also a tired teacher), try to enjoy family time, juggle bath and dinner, and wrestle said toddler to bed.
✔️Settle in on the couch with my laptop to tackle a new blog post, schedule Facebook posts, and basically all the things. Possibly pay attention to husband.
✔️Slip in bed at an ungodly hour while my mind races with the 928 things I *didn’t* get done today.
✔️Repeat again several hours later.
50% of the time, this life felt exciting + energizing, but the other 50% felt draining and impossible.
This was okay at the beginning, but once the charm wore off, the burnout set in. I knew I had to make a change.
If this sounds eerily familiar, it’s because you aren’t alone. Most seller stories begin with Ms. Frizzle-esque aspirations. That’s why it’s no surprise that-when we end up in a (virtual) business suit instead of a magic bus-we become busy, overloaded, + stressed to the max.
It’s okay, though. There’s a happy ending.
Here’s what my reality looks like today:
Scene: Any day of the week
✔️Wake up at any hour, and leisurely sip my coffee knowing that my to-do list is filled with intentional, reasonable tasks for the day
✔️Get cozy in my bed or all business-like at my desk (whatever floats my boat that day!)
✔️Creative juices start flowing + I’m whisked away to my happy place: creating products, batching blog posts, or recording a podcast. Whatever’s on my agenda, I know it’s important and doable.
✔️I close up shop for the day with a clear mind and a huge sense of accomplishment (no unfinished tasks on this girl’s list!)
✔️Read books, play games, and eat dinner with my family (who I can actually enjoy now since I don’t have 1,348 things I should be doing instead going through my mind).
✔️I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow (who am I?!) looking forward to another day of productivity.
If this sounds too good to be true, I can promise you it’s not.
This can be your story.
I believe in solving problems and sharing solutions.
Through School of Sellers, I’ve been able to share my systems, tips, mistakes, + experiences with thousands of sellers just like you.
I’ve developed ways of running my business that have saved me so much time + energy, and have made me happier than I ever thought possible. (My family, my mental health, and my bank account have also thanked me for it.)
I can’t wait to help you write your seller story–it’s never too late to start it, revise it, or write your ending!
I’d like to share my happily-ever-after with you. Sound good? Let’s go!
Meet Team SOS
Erin
Erin has been a teacher seller for 8 years. She currently runs her TpT business and School of Sellers full-time while homeschooling her two kids alongside her partner-in-crime husband.
While Erin loves all things business, she also possesses a mean knack for DoorDashing, is always down for arts + crafts, and is an avid 90 Day Fiance viewer.
Ashley
Ashley has been a seller on TpT since 2012. She works on TpT part time while homeschooling and raising her two children. Over the years of running a business, a true passion for business organization has formed. She has loved finding systems that work well and she loves learning about new tools to help with that. Apart from a love for organization, she also loves anything Harry Potter, Disney, and traveling.
Katie
Katie has been selling on TpT since 2013. She works on her business full-time while living in her RV and traveling around the country with her wife and dog. She loves learning and teaching about all things related to TeachersPayTeachers, but especially beginner tips and product creation. When she’s not working on her business, she’s most likely reading, camping, traveling, or wasting way too much time on TikTok.
