Online Business for Teachers | TPT | How to Make Extra Money, Work From Home, Digital Products

55: How to Make Decisions in Your TPT Business Without the Overthinking Spiral

If you have ever sat down to work on your TPT store and ended up doing nothing because you could not decide what to do first, this episode is for you.
Today I'm getting really honest about something I have struggled with myself. Overthinking. Indecision. That spiral that keeps you stuck even when you know what you need to do.
I talk about why AI and Google are not going to fix this for you, why teachers are especially prone to overthinking, and the real tools I personally use when my brain just will not stop going in circles.
I also share a very personal story about a fear I carried for two weeks that was completely taking over my life and the exercise that finally got me through it.
In this episode:
Why ChatGPT keeps you average and what to do instead
Why teachers are the biggest overthinking rule followers on the planet
The "and then what" exercise that will change how you handle fear
Four decision making tools that actually work, including my personal favorite nap trick
When you need more than a walk and a journal to get unstuck
Links mentioned:
👉 Episode on How to Use Canva Without Breaking Any Rules
👉 Schedule a Coaching Call

54: Why You're Not Taking Action on Your TPT Store (It's Not What You Think)

If you've been telling yourself you're lazy or you just don't have enough time — I want to offer you something different today.
In this episode, we're talking about what is actually going on when TPT sellers stay stuck. And it usually comes down to three things: fear, overwhelm, and decision fatigue. The tricky part is that most of us don't even recognize it when it's happening. It's not something we do on purpose. It's more like a subconscious self sabotage that keeps us from taking action on the business we actually want to build.
We also talk about the difference between thinking like a creator and thinking like a seller — and why that shift is one of the biggest things holding teachers back on TPT.
In this episode:
Why "I don't have time" is usually not the real problem
The teacher giving mindset and how it conflicts with running a business
Why so many TPT sellers have products sitting in a folder they've never listed
The what-if spiral and what it's actually doing to your business
What it looks like to get real support and finally move forward
Not sure where to start? Grab the free mini course: 👉 www.yourteacherbiz.com/free-mini-course
Ready to stop overthinking and actually start? I work with teachers one on one to help them get clear, get focused, and take action, whether you are starting from zero or you have products but are still stuck.
👉 Book your coaching session here: www.yourteacherbiz.com/coaching
And if this episode helped you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other teachers find the show, and it means the world to me.

53: How to Turn What You Already Teach into a Product That Sells on TPT

You already have the idea. You already have the resources. So why haven’t you uploaded anything yet?
In this episode, I break down the exact process I use to turn a simple classroom activity into a product that earns money on Teachers Pay Teachers, step by step, no fluff. From opening your store to writing your product description, I walk you through everything. And I get honest about the real reason most teachers never start: it is not strategy. It is mindset. I even share the story of a friend who had a great idea, got stuck on clip art, and still has not opened her store to this day.
If you have been sitting on an idea and telling yourself you’ll get to it later, this episode is for you.
In This Episode
Why I always ask if you’re a premium or basic seller — and why it matters for your profit
The one file format rule every new TPT seller needs to hear
How to design a product that looks professional even if you are not a designer
What your cover, thumbnails, and preview actually need to include
How to write a product description that shows up in TPT search
The real reason teachers never start (and it is not what you think)
How I built my business while teaching full time — and exactly when I found the time
What to do in the next 30 minutes after listening to this episode
Resources Mentioned
Free Mini Course: com/free-mini-course — covers, thumbnails, Canva setup, and more.
Episode 5 — Tools I Use and How to Avoid Copyright Issues
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Not sure where to start? Grab the free mini course: 👉 www.yourteacherbiz.com/free-mini-course
Ready to stop overthinking and actually start? I work with teachers one on one to help them get clear, get focused, and take action, whether you are starting from zero or you have products but are still stuck.
👉 Book your coaching session here: www.yourteacherbiz.com/coaching
And if this episode helped you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other teachers find the show, and it means the world to me.

52: Stop Overthinking and Start Your Teacher Business: How to Go from Idea to Action

Stop Overthinking and Start Your Teacher Business: How to Go from Idea to Action
You have had the idea. You have thought about it, researched it, and maybe even had a full conversation with ChatGPT about it. But you still have not made anything.
In this episode we talk about:
Why teachers stay stuck before they even start
The real cost of waiting to feel ready
How comparing yourself to other sellers is keeping you broke
My own story of starting over and what finally clicked
The truth? You already have everything you need. You just need to get out of your own way.
Not sure where to start? Grab the free mini course: 👉 www.yourteacherbiz.com/free-mini-course
Ready to stop overthinking and actually start? I work with teachers one on one to help them get clear, get focused, and take action, whether you are starting from zero or you have products but are still stuck.
👉 Book your coaching session here: www.yourteacherbiz.com/coaching

51: Before You Quit Your Teacher Business… Listen to This | 1 Year of Podcasting

I just hit one year of podcasting… and I didn’t go viral.
In this episode, I’m sharing what actually changed and why it matters if you’ve ever felt like quitting something you started. Whether it’s a podcast, a TPT store, or any kind of online business, this is the part we don’t talk about enough.
Because most of the time, it doesn’t look like it’s working.
But something is happening.
I didn’t see massive growth. I didn’t make a ton of money. In fact, I invested more into my podcast than I got back. But what changed the most wasn’t the numbers. It was me.
My message is clearer. I understand who I want to help. I’m not afraid to be seen or heard the way I used to be. And that only happened because I kept showing up.
In this episode, I talk about:
what changed after showing up for a year
why clarity doesn’t come before action
how your message and confidence evolve over time
and why slow progress doesn’t mean it’s not working
If you’ve been second guessing yourself or wondering if you should keep going… this is for you.
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.

50: Email Marketing for Teachers: What to Say (Without Feeling Salesy) | Liz Wilcox

If you’ve ever stared at your email like…what am I even supposed to say?
Or you’ve avoided emailing your list because you don’t want to sound salesy… this episode is going to help you so much.
Today, I’m talking with Liz Wilcox, and she breaks email marketing down in a way that actually feels doable—especially for teachers.
We’re talking about how to connect with your audience, what to say in your emails, and how to make sales without overthinking every word.
And the best part?You don’t need to be a “great writer” or tell long stories to make this work.
In this episode, we talk about:
What to say in your emails when you don’t know where to start
How to connect with your audience without oversharing
Why you don’t need long storytelling emails to make sales
How often you should really be emailing your list
How to sell in your emails without feeling pushy or annoying
The mindset shift that makes email feel easier (and actually work)
Connect with Liz:
Liz has a freebie that gives you:
a full welcome sequence
newsletter examples
and 52 subject lines for the year
👉 Grab it here: https://lizwilcox.com
Want direct access to her super cool membership? 
👉 Grab it here: Liz's Membership
 
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.

49: Can You Afford to Leave the Classroom? The Financial Reality Teachers Should Know

Thinking about leaving the classroom… but not sure if you’re financially ready?
In this episode, I’m sharing what I learned after leaving teaching and trying to figure out how to replace a full-time salary with business income.
This came up after a teacher friend (and mom of three) asked me how to actually make the transition. And I get it. When you have a family, especially young kids, the decision to leave teaching isn’t just emotional… it’s financial.
I thought I was prepared when I left.
My business was growing, I saw the numbers going up, and I assumed it would continue.
It didn’t.
So in this episode, I’m walking you through what I would do differently and what I think every teacher should think about before leaving the classroom.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why business income is not the same as a teaching salary
How to figure out where your money is actually going
A simple way to separate needs vs wants in your budget
Why I started paying myself based on my lowest income months
What to look at financially before you leave the classroom
Why giving yourself time to build your business matters
Who This Episode Is For
– Teachers thinking about leaving the classroom– Teacher moms trying to balance work and family– Teachers building a TPT or online business– Anyone wanting to replace their teaching salary with business income
Mentioned in This Episode
48: How I Manage the Money in My Teacher Business (Taxes, Profit & Paying Myself) (go back and listen if you haven’t yet)
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.

48: How I Manage the Money in My Teacher Business (Taxes, Profit & Paying Myself)

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I manage my business finances, not as an accountant, but as someone who has learned through experience.
I’m sharing what I did when I first started, what changed when my business started growing, and the simple systems I use now to stay organized.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
What I did when I made my first $500 in my business
The moment I realized I needed better financial systems
Why I opened an LLC and a business bank account
How I keep my business and personal finances separate
The simple spreadsheet system I use instead of QuickBooks
How I track income, expenses, and deductions each month
How I estimate and save for quarterly taxes (without surprises)
How I organize my money for:
taxes
business expenses
profit
owner’s pay
The difference between profit and paying yourself
Tools I Mentioned
I use a bookkeeping spreadsheet created specifically for TPT sellers.
It helps me:
track all income and expenses
calculate deductions
estimate quarterly taxes
You can check it out:
👉 Emily Bryant Bookkeeping
Remember:
The goal is to create a simple system that works for you
Even small changes like separating your accounts or tracking monthly can make a huge difference.
 
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.

47: Why Most TPT Sellers Quit (And What Actually Grows a Teacher Business)

Many people start a TPT store or teacher business feeling excited about the possibilities. But after a while, some of them get discouraged when their store grows slower than they expected.
The beginning stage of a business requires a lot of time, energy, and learning. You’re figuring out how to create resources, how to design them, how to list them, and how to explain them so teachers understand how they can use them.
In this episode, I share the way I think about those early stages of business. I often describe it as the “baby stage” of a business. At the beginning, your business needs a lot from you before it can really start producing consistent results.
We also talk about a mistake I see many new sellers make — trying to build everything at once. Creating products, starting an email list, blogging, Pinterest, social media… all while their store only has a small number of resources in it.
Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do early on is simply focus on creating resources that genuinely help teachers and continue building your store.
If your teacher business feels slower than you hoped, this episode is meant to encourage you and help you understand what growth actually looks like in the early stages.
In this episode:
Why many teacher sellers stop working on their business
The early stage of a teacher business and why it feels hard
Why your store needs time and energy in the beginning
The mistake of trying to build everything at once
Why building a well-stocked store matters
If you’re currently building your teacher business or TPT store, this episode will help you understand why patience and consistency matter so much in the early stages.
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.

46: Why My First Businesses Failed (But My TPT Store Finally Worked)

Have you ever wondered why some businesses work while others never really take off?
Before I started my TPT store and my teacher business, I actually tried several other business ideas. Looking back, I truly believe those businesses could have worked. But they didn’t… and the reason might surprise you.
In this episode, I’m reflecting on what finally made my teacher business work and how starting a Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) store helped me build the confidence I needed to grow something much bigger.
If you’re a teacher who has been thinking about starting a business, creating resources online, or building a TPT store, this episode will help you think about your next steps a little differently.
I also talk about some ideas I’ve been learning from Alex Hormozi about having a clear offer and a clear niche, and how those principles showed up in my business long before I even knew what they were.
You’ll hear the real story behind how my teacher business started and the three things I believe every successful teacher business needs.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why my first business ideas didn’t work
The fear of visibility that holds many teachers back from starting a business
How starting a TPT store helped me build confidence as a business owner
The importance of having a clear niche and a clear offer
Why niching down can help your teacher business grow faster
How to know if there is a real market for your resources or business idea
Why building a teacher business is a long game
Resources Mentioned
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
$100M Leads by Alex Hormozi
If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here:
Free TPT Starter Mini Course
And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together.
Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call
📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at info@monica-lopez.com. I read every message and would love to hear from you.