Teaching What You Know: Growing Your Business in Jamaica

You were blessed with a special talent.

Something that only you can do in exact way that you do.

Too often we downplay our gifts because we feel that there are already so many other people out there who have the same talent and use it well.

Throw those excuses through the window! Leave them at the door!

It’s time for you to share your talent with the world by teaching what you know.

I believe our outcome in life is determined by what we choose to do with our talents. Teaching is one way that you can give back to the world by helping others become as skilled as you or even better.

Why would you want to help people be better than you?

You earn money doing it and you’re able to create your own little tribe – something that becomes particularly useful later on as you try to build your business.

Entrepreneurs who play to their strengths and innate gifts are on the right path to creating profitable ventures. If you want to start a business in Jamaica, you need to understand your strengths and how you can use them to earn extra cash.

I have previously discussed how you can use your creative talents to earn extra cash. If you are already an entrepreneur, a ‘creative entrepreneur’ or just tapping into your creative side, I’m here to introduce you to yet another path to cash in on your existing enterprise or creative talent. You can earn extra cash by teaching what you already know.

We are sailing in uncharted waters and the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many
entrepreneurs to retract and reinvent. The demand for your products may have decreased but more people have been forced to stay at home. Some are using this time to learn something new. Therefore, it’s not surprising that “the elearning industry is expected to triple in size from 2020 to 2025.”

Here’s an example of how to successfully teach online from one of our own featured entrepreneurs. Phillip Taylor, a graphic designer featured in Issue 3 of Success Lifestyle Magazine, spent time learning how to use open source graphic design tools. Other designers began to approach him for help. That’s when the light bulb went off in his head. He began creating tutorials to instruct others in using these tools. By teaching others what he already knew, Philip found a new way to earn from his existing skills.

Here are two online teaching options that you can pursue to share your knowledge.

2 Ways to Start An Online Teaching Business In Jamaica

man in white crew neck t-shirt sitting on black office rolling chair — Image Source: ConvertKit on Unsplash

Create an online course

There are many learning platforms where you can create and host a course that eager students can pay to participate in. We discussed SkillShare as a viable online teaching platform for creatives in this blog article. Other options include:

Udemy
Thinkific
Teachable
Podia

The platform you choose ultimately depends on your goals and the level of flexibility you desire. Do your research to find the platform that works best for you.

You may just think it’s a silly idea but the best of the best in their respective fields do teach online courses. MasterClass is a platform that hosts true masters in their respective fields. It provides video lessons to subscribers willing to pay for lessons from moguls such as Gordon Ramsey, Anna Wintour and Spike Lee.

Start a YouTube Channel

A YouTube channel is a good place to teach others what you know in the form of tutorial
videos. I can attest to the fact that the first place I go to learn anything these days is
YouTube. I know because I passed undergrad chemistry thanks to the dozens of lessons I binge watched before my exams.

It may take a while to build a subscriber base that can earn a significant amount of cash. YouTube requires a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch minutes within a year before you’re eligible to earn.

However, YouTube has another benefit that goes beyond getting paid through YouTube advertising – it gives your brand exposure. If your tutorials are fun, engaging and appeal to significant portion of the population, you may just find a few new clients. Phillip experienced this benefit and you can too.

Face-To Face Teaching Still Matters

woman sitting near girl while holding her hands — Image Source: Alexandr Podvanly

We will not be quarantined forever and the reality is that face-to-face instruction is still important, especially in Jamaica where internet access isn’t ubiquitous.

Start a learning centre/institute

School teachers already know how to make extra cash via this method by renting a physical space and catering to hundreds of students preparing for various exams.

As more parents seek to enrich the lives of their kids, unconventional classes that may teach a skill or creative art will have appeal. Institutes or learning centres can also cater to adults looking to learn something new. It could be the essentials of personal branding or even learning to bake; there is a portion of the population who genuinely prefers face to face instruction.

Instruct on the go

Government and private sector organizations are sometimes required to have training seminars as professional development opportunities for employees. Your unique skill or area of expertise may make for an interesting professional development seminar. You can definitely make some extra cash here marketing yourself as a trainer in your field.

2 Things You Should Do To Succeed

man standing near high-rise building — Image Source: Bruce Mars

These are two important considerations that you should pay attention to as you try to make money teaching online or face-to-face.

Develop your instructional skills

You may be quite knowledgeable in a particular area but may not know how to instruct another. This is why developing instructional skills are important if you want to earn by teaching what you know.

Phillip used his background as an educator to create engaging tutorials to guide other graphic designers. You may not have this background in education. Don’t let that stop you! You can learn to teach in just the same way you would like others to learn from you. There are numerous courses, tutorials and books that can help you learn to create content for instructing others.

Build your brand

The concept of personal branding is on the rise and in order to build a successful enterprise you must ensure that your potential clients know exactly what you are about. Social media platforms such as Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube are just a few avenues you can use to promote your personal brand as an instructor or tutor.

If you are new to the concept of personal branding, don’t you worry. We’ve got your back!

Check out our blog post on developing your personal brand to get you started on your personal branding journey.

Teach Others What You Know

If Covid-19 taught us anything it’s that the more skills and knowledge you acquire, the more prepared you will be to navigate this world of uncertainties. As more individuals learn this hard lesson, keen entrepreneurs should be on the lookout for potential students yearning to learn.