Are you embarking on a new adventure to start an online business as a teacher-author? When first starting, it can be challenging to know where to begin. Do you need a blog? How to use Pinterest? Should you hire a virtual assistant? If you don’t know the answer to any of these questions and you’re a teacher-author, you need a mentor.

Reason 1: Mentors Provide Information

Starting in the world of Teachers Pay Teachers or any other teacher-author adventure is a whole new world. If you are a teacher who enjoys making resources for your classroom, you may think it would be easy to open up a store and add your work to the site. 

However, there is a lot more to it than just posting your work online. The Internet has a ton of advice for you, and some of it is great! 

Unfortunately, there is a lot of information floating around that is not. A mentor can help you sift through the data and provide valuable insight to help you get started. 

Did you know I offer a free one-on-one 30-minute strategy session? I only do a couple of sessions a month, so be sure to sign-up now. You can sign up here!

Reason 2: Your Mentor is a Support System

Your mentor can help you start your business, but you may need other assistance to get your business off the ground. Check out my Work with Me page to see how I can support you. 

Finding support can provide valuable insight into systems you need to create for your business or offer encouragement to keep you going. Many teacher-authors are teaching while they start their business, so having extra help and support is very important.

Reason 3: Mentors Challenge You

Let’s face it; there is a reason you want to be a teacher-author. Knowing you can impact the lives of teachers and students all over the world is fantastic! You know you have just what teachers need to help their students. 

But wait! Why do you hear crickets in your store? There is more to selling your products online than adding them to your store or website. A mentor can help you if you are hitting a roadblock, and whether you want to believe it or not, the most significant barrier in your business could be staring at you in the mirror.

Be willing to acknowledge that your business is a direct reflection of you. Stop playing the blame or scarcity game; a mentor can challenge you to your core.

Reason 4: Mentors Provide a Path

There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Having a mentor that has traveled the same path can provide valuable insight into your business. This support can prevent you from making mistakes and save you time in the long run.

Learning from others mistakes and success help navigate you build a path that is right for you. You must listen and learn from others rather than thinking you have all the answers.

Reason 5: Mentors Have Resources

A mentor can help a teacher-author during times when you don’t know what to do next. You need to understand how to run Pinterest, Instagram, make videos, write a blog, and create new and up-to-date products that are not only aligned to standards but are visually appealing. If you’re stuck and aren’t seeing the traffic you want to see in your store, your mentor might be able to direct you in a different direction.

Your mentor can point teacher-authors in the direction of courses, Facebook groups, and how to hire virtual assistants! A virtual assistant can be a lifesaver when it comes to time. 

Because you have so many different things to get done, you need help, and a mentor can help you find someone who can take over the jobs you shouldn’t be doing in your business. 

It’s hard to learn how to run your own business as a new teacher-author, and a mentor can help you with that! You will need all the support you can get, and a great mentor is someone who has been there, done that.