It makes sense to assume that as an entrepreneur, your prospects are limited to those in the realm of business. But this isn’t true. If your passion is to make a positive impact through teaching, then there are plenty of opportunities. This includes building new organizations, developing educational tools, and giving speeches at different institutions.

But whether it’s due to a lack of resources or the uncertainty that comes with these endeavours, you might be more interested in the idea of pursuing a stable career in education for the time being. In that case, you can still flex your entrepreneurial muscles through side-gigs such as selling online courses or hosting webinars in your free time.

We’ll look into some of these ideas in more detail later. For now, let’s run through some great career options available for entrepreneurs who are interested in teaching.

Teaching Assistant

Perhaps you’re not ready to enter a fully-fledged position as a teacher just yet. If so, then you can consider starting as a teaching assistant. Their role in the classroom is no less important and includes responsibilities such as managing learning activities, supporting student development, carrying out administrative tasks and preparing resources.

There are many opportunities here, with positions available in nurseries, schools, and higher education institutions. You can even specialise in an area such as students with special needs. As you gain experience in this field, the number of advancement opportunities grows exponentially.

Educational Administrator

Aside from the obvious choice of being a teacher, there’s also education administration. This field encompasses a number of different specialisations related to the leadership of a school system. Options include headteacher and administrator, though you’ll likely start as a head of year or deputy head.

In most cases, you can still spend some time actually teaching students. But the bulk of your responsibilities will revolve around setting policies and goals, as well as allocating resources, overseeing disciplinary actions, and handling day-to-day operations. Administrative roles can also involve finance, data management, careers and setting up of exams.

In any case, some experience and a qualification in education is usually a requirement. By completing a relevant degree, you’ll not only be able to pursue an occupation in this field, but also a wide range of other occupations related to teaching. This post has more information on where you can take your credentials.

Student Counsellor

Pupils of all ages face challenges in and outside of the classroom, whether it’s difficulties in certain subjects, personal issues or career choices. As a student counsellor, it’s your job to help them overcome these challenges and reach their potential. In doing so, you’ll be making a massive difference in their lives and keeping them on the right track.

Most of your interactions will follow a one-on-one structure, making it an ideal position for entrepreneurs who value interpersonal connections. This is another field that encompasses a wide range of specialisations, including school psychologist, guidance counsellor, education consultant, child life specialist, and career counsellor among others.

Recreational Activities

While the majority of school life might be centred around work, it’s the occasional moments of play that really gets students excited. Recreational and extracurricular activities teach children valuable lessons about responsibility, teamwork, and communication. Occupations in this field are perfect for those who prefer a more relaxed environment.

But that’s not to say you won’t be making a big impact in the lives of your learners. Some roles related to recreational activities include camp director, after-school or youth program director, student activities coordinator, sports coach, and in the case of tertiary education, society directors.

Adult Education and Mentoring

Education isn’t limited to teaching the youth. For many people, it’s a lifelong pursuit. What’s great about fields in adult education and mentoring is that they often don’t have the same stringent requirements as roles at the secondary or tertiary level. The pay can vary significantly though, so your entrepreneurial skills might come in handy here.

At the same time, these roles can be extremely rewarding, as the difference you make in the lives of your students is no less important than anywhere else. In addition, the growing awareness around lifelong learning has increased demand for adult education, creating a field that is growing at a rapid rate.

Some occupations to consider here include adult education teacher, ESL or GED teacher, prison system teacher and life coach. Take a look at what interests you or perhaps even more exciting, whether there’s a gap in the market for a unique adult education service that you can use your creativity to fill.

Side Gigs

As you can see, your teaching prospects extend far beyond the classroom. Moreover, there are plenty of ways to earn additional income through side gigs related to teaching. These can come in especially handy given the long holidays that are a mainstay of the education system, so having a few other pursuits can keep you busy during quiet times.

Tutor: Whether online or in-person, there’s a high demand for tutors across a range of different subjects. There might even be an opportunity to start your own tutoring business.
Selling Online Courses: If you’re an expert when it comes to a particular subject or field, perhaps it’s worth considering the idea of creating your own online course. The internet is home to numerous websites where you can sell your courses to knowledge-hungry learners. This includes the likes of Thinkific, Udemy, Teachable, and Click4Course.
Selling Lesson Plans: Some teachers also make money with their sharp organisational skills creating and selling lesson plans to other teachers.
Hosting Webinars: Feeling confident? Maybe you can host live webinars where you explain particular subjects to an interested audience.
Test Prep Courses: Another area that is seeing major growth lately is in test prep courses. Learners are keen to get their hands on material that can help them prepare better for challenging tests.

The sky’s the limit here. Don’t hesitate to get creative.

It’s clear that a career in teaching can take on many forms. Think about what you’ll enjoy most and take it from there.