In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Lauren from The Backup Teacher, a full-time middle school teacher and Teacher Resource Academy member. Lauren shares how she went from putting products in her store without a real strategy to building a growing TPT business, creating a year-long grammar curriculum, landing an affiliate partnership, and earning enough from TPT to cover the cost of an unexpected surgery.
They also talk about the beginner mistakes Lauren had to go back and fix, what she chose to stop doing in her business, the importance of community, and how she prioritizes her limited time as a full-time teacher.
Key Discussion Points:
[00:01:15] Meet Lauren from The Backup Teacher
Lauren shares how she started her TPT store while juggling teaching, health issues, coaching, and grad school—and why her early approach was pretty inconsistent.
[00:04:00] The TPT Mistakes She Made in the Beginning
From not understanding SEO to skipping product lines and bundles, Lauren talks about what she wishes she'd known when she started.
[00:06:00] Adding an Affiliate Income Stream
Lauren shares how an affiliate partnership grew out of her passion for making writing and grammar more engaging for students.
[00:09:00] Creating a Year-Long Grammar Curriculum
How resources Lauren originally created for distance learning eventually became a complete curriculum worth nearly $300.
[00:12:30] Why She Joined Teacher Resource Academy
Lauren explains why she needed to get back to the basics and improve her titles, descriptions, covers, thumbnails, previews, and overall TPT strategy.
[00:16:30] Why She Stopped Trying to Do Everything
Lauren realized Instagram wasn't worth the time it required for her, so she shifted her focus toward strategies she actually enjoyed—including blogging and email marketing.
[00:20:00] The Importance of a TPT Community
How a coworking group helped Lauren learn from more experienced sellers, get feedback, discover new tools, and figure out what to prioritize next.
[00:24:00] When TPT Income Became More Than a Side Hustle
Lauren shares how her TPT earnings unexpectedly covered the entire cost of a major surgery and relieved some of the financial pressure during her recovery.
[00:28:30] Balancing TPT With Full-Time Teaching
Lauren talks about giving herself permission to rest and using a five-hour workweek approach to prioritize the TPT tasks that actually move her business forward.
[00:32:00] Lauren's Advice for Other TPT Sellers
Why she believes Teacher Resource Academy was worth the investment and how her sales have continued to grow year over year.
Lauren's TPT Store - The Backup Teacher: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-backup-teacher
Check Out Groove Lit: https://groovelit.com/?utm_source=the-backup-teacher
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