Transitioning from teaching to entrepreneurship is a path that many educators have embarked upon, leveraging their skills and passions to build successful businesses.
No one really talks about the grief. When you decide to leave teaching, people will ask you what you’re going to do next. They’ll want to know if you’ve got a plan, a job lined up, a backup option. Some will cheer you on. Others might look confused—or quietly judgemental. But few will talk to you about the emotional weight of it all.
Once seen as a lifelong vocation, teaching is now a career more and more educators are choosing to leave behind. The image of a dedicated teacher, chalk in hand, inspiring the next generation still holds a certain romance—but for many, the reality has become unsustainable. In recent years, there's been a noticeable shift: experienced, passionate and skilled professionals are hanging up their whiteboard pens and stepping into entirely new roles. But why? What’s really behind this growing exodus from the classroom?
Making the leap from teaching to full-time self-employment is a significant decision, and it's completely understandable if you’re not ready to walk away from your secure teaching role just yet. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t begin working on your entrepreneurial goals! Building a side hustle while staying in teaching can offer the perfect balance, allowing you to ease into self-employment at your own pace. In this blog, we’ll explore how teachers can successfully build a side business while continuing their teaching career. We’ll also discuss how this approach helps you build confidence, develop your client base, and eventually transition into full-time self-employment when you’re ready.