5 Teacher-Approved Passive Income Streams That Actually Work (From a $2M Digital Biz Owner!)

 

What if your teaching experience could help you earn money while you sleep? In this episode, Lindsay breaks down five legit ways to earn passive income as a teacher—all based on her real-life experience growing a $2M+ online business. Whether you're just starting your side hustle or scaling your digital empire, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas, inspiration, and free resources to get started today.

[00:01:00] What Passive Income Really Looks Like

Lindsay sets realistic expectations for passive income—and shares why most online business models require upfront effort but offer long-term freedom.

[00:02:10] #1: Selling Resources on Teachers Pay Teachers

TPT is where Lindsay got her start—and it still earns her $4-5K/month with zero recent uploads. She explains how to get started the right way and why a little training goes a long way.

[00:04:16] #2: Selling on Your Own Website

From Shopify to WordPress, selling directly gives you control but comes with added responsibilities like sales tax and traffic generation. Lindsay shares her setup and who this path is best for.

[00:06:07] #3: Creating Low-Ticket Digital Products

Mini courses, PDF guides, or templates—these products sell for under $97 and can become a powerful stream of income. Learn how Lindsay made $30K in 5 months (with zero ad spend!).

[00:09:34] #4: Creating an Online Course

Lindsay’s biggest income driver! She reveals why online courses work, what niches are hottest, and why you must pre-sell before building.

[00:11:40] #5: Starting a Membership

Memberships offer recurring revenue, but Lindsay shares the pros and cons, including why her own didn’t perform as expected—and what you should consider first.

[00:13:11] Bonus Ideas for Passive Income

From affiliate marketing and YouTube monetization to print-on-demand merch, Lindsay offers even more ideas for income streams that don’t require clocking in.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free TPT Training

• Free Low-Ticket Offer Training

• The Hey Digital Product Playbook

• Free Online Course Training

• Episode 42 – 3 Automated Funnels You Need To Try

• Episode 71 – My TPT Store Overhaul

Connect with Lindsay:

• On Instagram: @lindsaybowden

• On YouTube

• Website

Feeling inspired? ✨ Share this episode with a fellow teacher, take one action today, and grab one of the free trainings above to jumpstart your passive income journey. And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram for daily business tips, encouragement, and behind-the-scenes strategies!