Luckily for me a few years ago my husband purchased a gift subscription to Kindle Unlimited for Mother's Day (they run a deal each year) and he renews it every May which has saved me (and subsequently him...😉) a ton of money buying books. I do try and utilize the public library whenever possible but I really LOVE my Kindle and the gratification of instantly downloading a book.
Each summer I try to add at least one nonfiction book into the mix. Sometimes they are education related and sometimes they are just for fun. This year I picked up "The Edupreneur's Side Hustle Handbook" edited by Lisa Dunnigan and Tosha Wright. The book highlights lessons learned and practical advice from educators who have managed to create successful educational side businesses.
I heard about the book through Michelle Ferrè's "A Pocketful of Primary" vlog on YouTube. To be honest she was the only one of the ten contributing authors I had heard of. I liked her enough to want to read her story and as a result got the stories of several more educators who have managed to successfully monetize their passions.
I bit the bullet and bought the actual book as opposed to downloading the Kindle version. My thinking was I might want to make notes in the margins or loan it to a friend (neither of which you can do easily on a Kindle).
When the book came in I went straight to Michelle Ferrè's section first. I liked that you could jump around in the book without losing the message. Each person's section can be read as a stand alone entry. After reading Michelle's story I took a more linear approach and read it from beginning to end (rereading Michelle's bit within the context of the entire book).
I didn't read the book to learn how to become one of the new breeds of Edupreneurs. I'm too lazy for that! I read it because I am fascinated by the journey and set of circumstances that takes someone from a normal background to becoming a well known "name" in their industry (I hold the same fascination across professions). Spoiler...the answer is always "hard work" and I would also add in determination and a bit of luck (mostly borne from "hard work"). None of these contributing authors had anything handed to them, which makes them all highly relatable.
Each of the stories offers glimpses into their lives from what motivates them to how they balance their business/brand with their personal lives.
A lot of the advice is what I would consider common sense:
- Have a solid work ethic
- Don't be afraid to fail
- Find a niche
- Set goals
Some of the advice was practical. In Bryce Sizemore's section "The Great Balancing Act: Fitting it All In" he suggests blocking out your non-negotiables (working out, time with family, date nights) to determine what times you are actually available for your side hustle. As someone who has tried some "side hustle" action I can say this is important otherwise you can get overwhelmed by the all or nothing approach.
I appreciated that nothing was sugar coated throughout the book. Each story contained the hidden truth of a successful side hustle - sacrifices, the sustainability, non-glamorous work, hours involved in creating and editing, etc. Like one of the edupreneur's noted a success side hustle is basically another full time job. There is no magic wand that replaces hard work. Like Kisha Mitchell wrote in her section "Write the Book, Already!" starting your own business (even if it is a side one) takes a certain level of grit and hustle.
Some of the things that resonated with me from the book include:
- The knowledge that "You can not expect YOU from people" and what that means when getting help and collaboration.
- Eric Crouch's quote to "Be a sharer, and it will pay you back in ways you can never imagine." Which speaks to my philosophy here on my blog.
- Resources I didn't know existed in relationship to branding, legalizing, and marketing.
- And finally the quote that "there is plenty of work for all of us." It is a nice reminder that even if you feel you are getting a late start there are plenty of ways to make your own edupreneural mark.
If you are thinking about jumping into the world of educational side hustles, or you just simply like inspiring stories from teachers like you, I would definitely recommend this book.
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