The past year has been a whirlwind for educators. From transitioning to virtual learning, to finding ways to evolve their curriculum to meet the needs of families, nothing has been easy. COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s life, but educators have been hit harder than most. While conventional learning took a hit, one of the very few positives that surfaced over the past year was an increase in tutoring.

With many parents worried that their children are falling behind, the private tutoring business has been growing. Families are exploring additional ways and resources to ensure their children keep pace with their schooling. So, is tutoring right for you? While there’s no shortage of financial, legal, and logistical questions to consider, here are some big questions to consider before diving into the nitty gritty.

What’s your expertise?

Deciding what you want to specialize in is a big first step. Will you focus on test prep or stick to one subject? Maybe you want to work with kids, or perhaps teenagers? Spending time thinking about your skills, and expertise, is essential before carving out your lane. 

Taking time to do some competitive research about existing tutoring businesses in your community can also help you zero-in on the right lane. Investing time and energy into a specific type of tutoring that might be crowded with other educators might not be the most effective use of your time. How can you separate yourself from others? What specializations are lacking? 

What would your plan to bring in clients be?

Before you even begin your business, it’s important to have a clear idea and picture of where your clients will come from. Taking time to understand and identify your audience is a big step. By doing so, you can assess their interests, struggles, and what you can do to help them.

Maybe your initial business will come from friends, family members, or even past colleagues. Who do you know in your circle that can recommend you, while vouching for your expertise in a particular discipline? The first clients are always the hardest to land. However, once you begin to take off with your business, word of mouth from families will help do the heavy lifting of bringing in more clients.

Remember, asking for help is a good thing!

Network, network, network. Reaching out to others for advice is an important and welcomed part of developing your business! Every educator has had to start somewhere. Whether you’re making a name in your community or are the number one tutoring business in your neighborhood, the beginnings look similar for all businesses! All ventures take time to grow, but make sure you’re setting reasonable expectations for yourself as you start to turn your passion into a full-time tutoring business. 

If you need help activating your passion and running your business, reach out to a member of our team! Sawyer powers best-in-class educators across the United States and our team has software solutions to support budding entrepreneurs and seasoned children’s activity business experts.