In my last post about tutoring, I mentioned how I'm learning to say no when it comes to overwhelming myself with work-related tasks. Today, I want to share some cool things that have happened recently, as far as my business is concerned.
I currently have 10 students. That might not sound like a lot, but it's a really good start for me, especially considering how I see some of them more than once a week. I'm in the process of acquiring two new ones as well. Right now, the topics I'm covering include writing, reading comprehension, ESL, and SAT prep. I also have a few students that I proofread for, but I don't count them among my regulars because their need for assistance is pretty sporadic. My current goal is to have 15 regular students by the spring, which is what I need to be fully booked if I continue to have a few students that I see multiple times a week. Totally doable.
As I'm taking steps to reach that goal, I'm also trying to stay positive about my ability to achieve that goal. My mind gravitates toward thinking about anything regarding myself in a negative way. I'm using my business to try to change that mindset around, so I'm keeping track of all of the wins I get where my business is concerned to remind me that I CAN make this business venture of mine happen and to remind me that impostor syndrome is something I don't have to cling to. After helping a college junior with a paper she had to write, I was informed that she received a 22/25 on it when the class average was 16. Another student, a college freshman, has consistently received high 90s on her essays. I've tracked the progress of the essay writing of a seventh grader I have, and the difference between his first essay with me and his most recent essay with me is remarkable. I'm actually making a difference in the lives of my students, and it's the most amazing feeling!
One of the ways I advertise my business is through social media. I have a business Instagram account where I post content geared towards English learners. I now have over 1,000 followers, I've been featured on the pages of some accounts with over 10K followers, and I've even gotten a few students from Instagram as a result, including an English teacher from the Ukraine who is working on her spoken English with me. I didn't really start putting my everything into Rachel Tutors Online until this past August, but I'm already seeing some really great results, and I'm super proud of that. =D
There's actually a reason why I waited until today to post instead of yesterday when I normally would. Today, I was a guest on a podcast targeting English learners for the first time. Two weeks ago, a guy named J who has an Instagram account with 148K followers made a post about his desire to start a podcast. J was an English learner (his English is impeccable now), and he started his Instagram account to share content with other English learners like himself. He often shares content from different English teachers' accounts (with permission, of course), including mine. He's a really nice guy. Anyway, in his post announcing his podcast, he asked his followers to tag their favorite teachers and said he'd invite them onto his podcast to be his guests so he can continue to help learners improve their English skills. One of my followers tagged me, and J commented saying he too loves my content and asking me if I'd like to be his first guest. The actual recording happened an hour ago. Isn't that amazing??? I can't begin to imagine the kind of exposure I'll get from something like this. It was such a great opportunity, and I'm so thankful for it. I'm also looking forward to what else is on the horizon.
You can't see me, but I'm smiling from ear to ear, a smile that's just slightly bigger than the one posted in the picture above.
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