If you’re thinking about selling on Teachers Pay Teachers, it’s easy to assume you need to be in a traditional classroom, live in the U.S., or already know how to make polished resources.
Cherene’s story proves the opposite.
She’s an ESL teacher based in the UK who started teaching online, found Teachers Pay Teachers by chance, and built real momentum as a newer seller – while learning new tech skills, navigating a steep learning curve, and rebuilding confidence after major health challenges.
If you’re an online teacher, an international educator, or someone who feels behind because you’ve never created “teacher seller” style resources before, you’re going to relate to this.
Before TpT: Teaching Online (and Feeling Isolated)
Cherene began her teaching path in the online ESL world. She earned her TEFL certification, completed additional training to support one-to-one online teaching, and taught students through online platforms. Because her work happened online, she didn’t have the same day-to-day exposure to teacher coworkers sharing ideas, side hustles, or resources like Teachers Pay Teachers.
After health issues disrupted her early teaching schedule, she later had major jaw surgery. During recovery, she continued building her qualifications by completing a teaching diploma and a business English course, then transitioned into teaching business professionals online.
At that point, she was looking for something flexible that could grow over time – without depending entirely on trading hours for dollars.
How Cherene Discovered Teachers Pay Teachers
Cherene found TpT through a free resource-creation workshop she saw online. She almost ignored it (like most people do with ads), but the idea of creating a simple board game was interesting enough to try.
And like a lot of brand-new sellers, the first attempt felt harder than expected.
PowerPoint was not something she had used deeply before—so learning the basics while also creating a resource felt like doing two jobs at once. The first day took hours. The process was slow, messy, and overwhelming.
But she finished the project, shared it for feedback, and that small win turned into momentum.
That board game became her first free resource on TpT – and it still attracts the most downloads in her store, which is exactly what a strong freebie should do.
Opening a TpT Store (Without Knowing What to Expect)
After completing the workshop, Cherene decided to take the next step and open her Teachers Pay Teachers store. She didn’t wait until everything felt perfect. Instead, she listed what she had, knowing she could improve and refine as she learned more.
That decision mattered.
Many new sellers delay opening their store because they want everything to be “ready.” Cherene learned quickly that resources can’t sell if they aren’t listed—and that progress comes from doing, not waiting.
She opened her store in late April, using the board game as a freebie to bring in traffic and begin building trust with buyers.
The First TPT Sale (and Why It Matters So Much)
Two weeks after opening her store, Cherene made her first sale.
Financially, it was small. Emotionally, it was huge.
That first sale proved something important: someone she had never met found her resource, needed it, and chose to buy it. For a new seller – especially someone outside the U.S. and new to TpT – that validation changes everything.
Finding a Profitable Niche as an ESL Teacher
Cherene’s store focuses on ESL grammar and language skills. Her best-performing products include:
- Editable ESL worksheets
- Grammar-focused lesson slides
- Vocabulary, reading comprehension, and creative writing resources
She began organizing her store into product lines, which allowed her to work faster and create consistency across her listings.
Even though she lives in the UK, she creates most resources using American English to serve the largest TpT audience. In some cases, she includes both American and British English versions—turning her international background into an advantage instead of a limitation.
Can Teachers Outside the U.S. Succeed on TpT?
Cherene’s experience is a clear yes.
Teachers Pay Teachers is an international marketplace. If you teach in English and understand what teachers need, your location does not disqualify you from success. With thoughtful keyword choices, clear previews, and high-quality resources, international sellers can absolutely thrive.
What Cherene Wishes New Sellers Knew
If Cherene could give one piece of advice to new TpT sellers, it would be this:
Covers, thumbnails, and previews matter just as much as the resource itself.
It’s not enough to create something helpful. Buyers need to understand what it is, who it’s for, and why it will help them – all within seconds of seeing your listing.
Once she corrected where information belonged (cover vs. thumbnail vs. preview), her store performance improved noticeably.
Today, Cherene continues to grow her TPT store while teaching online. She creates faster, designs with confidence, and understands the business side of selling resources far better than when she started.
Her story is a reminder that:
- You don’t need to start as an expert
- You don’t need to live in the U.S.
- You don’t need everything figured out on day one
If Cherene’s story resonated with you and you’ve been wondering whether Teachers Pay Teachers could work for you, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
I host a free training where I walk you through how to create your first (or next) TpT resource, what actually sells, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that keep new sellers stuck. It’s designed for teachers at every stage – whether you’re just curious or ready to take action.
