I first learned about Teachers Pay Teachers when I was still teaching in 2012. I had visited TpT many times to check out teacher stores and products. I thought about my products for a long time. I actually created a whole new product just for practice. That product then was the victim of the annual computer meltdown I seem to have and I lost it. (I will recreate that product again because I really like it). But I did not launch my store until May 2017.

It took five years to begin my TpT journey.

Mostly, I wasn’t ready. Instead, I waited until I had my second child because nothing says, “I have time to launch a new business,” like having a second baby.

But then I had a business on my hands. I could have let it die. Many people launch TpT stores but never do anything with them. Many people even post products but never do anything and just expect their products to be found.

But I want my store to be something. It would be awesome to match my old teachers salary but right now, I don’t know if that is my goal. I haven’t figured out if that is a realistic goal for secondary social studies.

Right now, my goals are fairly simple.

1. Make enough money every month to pay for half of my Tailwinds bill. (Check. So far, I’ve done that).
2. Have 100k monthly views on Pinterest (as of this moment I have 89.3k and will probably meet this goal by the end of December 2017)
3. Create 50 products before the back to school push of 2018. Right now I have 18 but product creation has not been a focus of mine.
4. Have 100 Pinterest followers (62 now)
5. Have 200 TpT followers by my one year anniversary. (101 now)
6. Have 500 Instagram followers by the back to school push of 2018. (246 now)

 

As you begin your TpT journey you have to set goals.

Any real business has them. Be flexible in your goals in the beginning because you are new to TpT. Most people will not replace their teaching salary in the first year. But maybe you will create some amazing products that really take off. The willingness to be flexible in your goal setting is necessary.

Now that I have a feel for TpT and the secondary education market, here are my long-term goals.

By my second anniversary I want:

1. To have recouped all the money I have invested in my business. In 2017 that totals $400. In 2018, I know I will spend $540. That includes my premium membership, my Canva and Tailwinds subscriptions. I will probably not spend any money on advertising in 2018. So by my second anniversary, I estimate I will spend $1,210.
2. I want 150 products in my store.
3. I want to have several featured products in the TpT newsletter.
4. I want to have several hundred followers on TpT, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

 

By my third anniversary I want:

1. To have a steady, reliable monthly income of $500 or more a month.

These goals however, are subject to adjustment. Maybe in the next year things really take off for me and I can make my goals more aggressive. Or the reverse and things never really work out.

Please, set your own goals but, be realistic.