Business
This is getting into business and why leaning into your path helps you find your passion.I went to school to become an elementary school teacher. Often times educators must create their own lessons and curriculum to support the criteria for the school year. There is this amazing online commerce called Teachers Pay Teachers, it is resources created by teachers who sell their work digitally. I found myself spending my money on products that would help my students. These could be math games, novel studies, classroom decor, anything and everything.I began to think, these are educators just like me who are creating tools that help teachers all over the world reach their students, save the time of teachers, and even put a little change in their own pockets, why couldn’t I do this too?Grabbing a computer, watching plenty of youtube videos, researching the rules and requirements of Teachers Pay Teachers, I jumped onto PowerPoint and began creating!I posted my first product and my revenue for that item was $0.15 and let me tell you, I celebrated. I celebrated like it was $1500. My passion for creating and building had just begun. I loved that I was helping to create experiences for students, give the time back to teachers by creating something I was going to use in my classroom and they would most likely need too.I knew that I loved listening to other educators explain what they needed and driven by what the students needed to succeed. That platform is such a powerful way to create when you want, how you want, and continue to make revenue since they are digital downloads. If we go back to experiences, it is what also drove me to create Simply Stained, another place driven by creating for my students.We have all grown up with the same cat posters with a cheesy quote on the classroom walls that you stare at until the recess bell rings. The thought of my students sitting in class with that same feeling drove me to pick up my husband’s power tools and get to work. Now I build decor for classroom teachers, businesses, and homes that allow them to feel motivated, relaxed, and empowered each day because of what they see around them. Again, I grabbed my computer, watched youtube videos, went to many paint stores, and joined a platform called Etsy to start selling my handmade products online.Nowadays, I feel like I am completely in my element. Creating. Creating for others. Creating to build something bigger than me.I am such a firm believer that whatever your walk of life is, you are meant to be on that path because it will lead you to where you were meant to be. So, I want you to take a moment to think about the spot of your life now, or where you know you’ll be headed. So think about the different steps that put you there or you will be using to go to where you want to. If you are an established business or hobby, I think it is just as important to reflect on why you are here, and commend yourself on the steps it took for you to get to where you are now. Could it be that you too are a teacher and know the unique items that are crucial for the classroom? Are you married to a spouse that has a few pieces of scrap wood laying around the garage? Do you love to read and have a knack for telling stories? The things around you help you, shape you, and tell the story of where you are headed next so lean into them.I am leaning into mine, I am learning that it is okay to change and evolve as your walk of life does too. My passion for creation and learning new things is creating a new path and I am taking it, I hope you see the new paths or affirm the ones you are on now. Best wishes all, and until next time, meet us in the Simply Talking Business Podcast Facebook Group to talk about your path.