If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe there’s more I could do with my teaching skills than just worksheets and lesson plans”…, you aren’t alone.
In this episode of the Teacher Business School podcast, we dive into three big reasons teachers should consider creating an online course – whether you’re already selling on Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT), thinking about passive income, or want a business that fits your life and your family.If you’re sitting there and thinking, “Online courses are a thing of the past,” I can tell you that they are not. You can listen to this podcast where I explain how online courses are still selling today.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through my links – at no additional cost to you. I only share tools and resources I personally use and genuinely recommend.
What’s an online course?
Before we get into the details, let’s break down exactly what an online course is. Essentially, an online course is a series of videos, usually pre-recorded, that are designed to solve a specific problem or bring about a transformation for the person taking the course. Sometimes they come with bonus materials like handouts, access to a Facebook community, or even one-on-one coaching.
What’s great about online courses is how versatile and accessible they are. You can teach pretty much anything to anyone who speaks the same language as you! Some things I’ve seen online courses about are: baking, running an Etsy store, homesteading, parenting a toddler, digital downloads, and so much more.
There’s lots of reasons that creating an online course is a great idea for providing income for your family. But here are three of the top reasons I think online courses are so great.
1. Online Courses Provide Financial Freedom with Low Start-Up Costs
One of the best things about online courses is you don’t need a ton of money to create one. You really only need two things to get started: an email service provider and a place to host your course.
There are tons of options, so you can choose what best suits your budget and your level of tech-savvy. Some popular options are:
- ConvertKit: email service provider that offers a free plan up to 1000 subscribers
- Flodesk: email service provider that is very user-friendly and has a low monthly cost
- Teachable: course hosting platform that offers a free version
- Stan Store: course hosting platform that has a low monthly cost
- Kajabi: all-in-one platform that is more expensive, but makes everything super simple and easy to manage
There will be some fees for these platforms, but compared to other business ventures, these start-up costs are very low.
2. You Can Teach What You Already Know in an Online Course
Starting an online course business isn’t just about making money – it’s about helping people and making a real impact on their lives. Your course will solve problems and provide transformations for real people.
You don’t have to have a teaching degree to create a valuable course. Any expertise or knowledge you have can be shared with others to make a positive difference in your student’s lives.
You don’t even need to invent something totally new – you just teach what you’re already great at.
Online courses are incredibly versatile. You can teach academics, classroom management, time-saving systems, organization strategies, niche skills like dyslexia-friendly instruction… the list goes on. All you need is expertise that helps someone solve a problem, learn something new, or improve their life.
If you need ideas about what to create a course on, make sure to check out my free 100+ Profitable Online Course Ideas!
3. Online Courses Provide the Potential for Passive Income
You may have heard the term “passive income” thrown around before and a lot of times, it feels too good to be true. The truth about passive income is that nothing is truly passive – it takes lots of work in the beginning and setting up systems to get your business running on autopilot.
Online courses are no exception. You have to work hard up front to pick a profitable topic, create the course content, and get your marketing down. But once you’ve laid the foundation, you can start automating your online business.
Automation is where the magic happens, letting you earn money without having to work 24/7. It’s what gives you the freedom to set your own schedule and prioritize the things that truly matter.
Not Ready for an Online Course Yet?
Not ready to create an online course yet? That’s completely okay.
Before I ever launched a course, I started by selling my teaching resources on Teachers Pay Teachers. TPT was my first step into online income – and it’s one of the simplest ways to turn what you’re already creating for your classroom into consistent, scalable revenue.
If you want a clear, step-by-step roadmap to open your store, upload your first resource, and make your first sale, I have a free training that walks you through the entire process. It’s designed specifically for busy teachers who want to start building income online without feeling overwhelmed.
You don’t have to build a course to start building freedom. You can just start with one resource
