How to (Not) Grow an ELT Business
As opportunities for talented ESOL teachers increase, more and more language teachers are setting up their own ELT businesses and going solo.
This post celebrates 4 years of Blue Noun Language Hub by sharing my best advice for growing a healthy ELT business.
(Yes, it’s our business-birthday!)
All About the Woo-Woo
This blog is for all language teachers: the so-called ‘teacher-preneurs.’
Hopefully, it should help you avoid the fairly obvious mistakes which I walked headlong into.
I have made every single mistake I mention here. It’s ok, you are going to make your own mistakes too.
Some may be unavoidable.
What matters is quickly learning from them.
The purpose of this blog is to share the business advice and support I sought to grow our ELT business, in the hope that you can grow your ELT business in a quicker, healthier way.
But before we crack on with the main content of this blog – the people who have helped me with business skills to grow an ELT business, I wish to point out that business skills and mindset are interlinked and must be worked on in tandem.
I’ll give you my best mindset tips here too.
Know your Business Values
We aim for transparency throughout our business. This is one of the 10 business values we have as a list.
Don’t write such a list and forget about it. Use the list as your guide through any tricky situation, and use it for inspiration.
As part of our quest for transparency, in this blog, I want to give a big shout-out to just some of the amazing people who helped us over the last 4 years.
I hope this is useful to other English teachers.
More generally, even just recognising that you will need help and other people’s expertise is a win.
Remember, free stuff only gets you so far.
If it’s good, it’s worth paying for.
Just like your English teaching!
Our Opportunities for English Teachers
Before sharing my best tips for self-employed English teachers, I want to let you know about a couple of opportunities that we have at Blue Noun Language Hub for independent Online English Teachers.
- Firstly, we could recommend you to our network as part of our Online English Needs Analysis.
- Secondly, we pay affiliate ESOL teachers a 10% Finders Fee for Promoting our Holidays.
Maybe I can become part of YOUR business story one day.
ESOL English Teacher Support
Stronger Together
Blue Noun are keen to help independent online English teachers with resources & networks.
Not only do we recommend your online services to clients we can’t help ourselves – but you can also be an affiliate for our English language immersion holidays and earn £££.
Tip #01 You Can't Do Everything at Once
Instead of trying to do everything (5 + social media accounts, blogs, articles, ads) design the right strategies for the place in business you are at.
For example, you probably can’t fill workshops if you haven’t worked 1:1 with clients.
Your audience will not be ready to buy big-ticket items if you haven’t warmed them first.
Starting small doesn’t mean staying small, but it can mean not burning out.
Tip #02 Your Health is Your Business's Biggest Asset
Remember to schedule in quality time off with friends, and any other things which keep you healthy – eating well, relaxing etc.
Prioritise what you need to do – and leave what you DON’T need to do (I like urgent, not urgent, important, not important list making).
Delegate whenever you can.
Recognise and reward small wins – even if sales aren’t great or a launch flops, celebrate trying. Celebrate showing up in the way you want to. (Your brain loves celebrating).
Articulate stuff like this out loud or in a journal. This feeds positive reinforcement messages into your brain (imagine running a business on a brain which has only been told negative things about you).
Believe in your worth.
Charge for the transformation you bring.
Tip #03 You Also Need a Transformation!
You can’t be good enough at everything already.
Lean into it. Accept and get ready to learn.
I had to learn that needing to learn certain skills is not the same thing as being ‘bad at something’.
For years, I told myself I was ‘bad at sales’ and that held me back from taking risks.
Sales skills I continue to work on – but without negative self-thoughts and with less fear.
“So often our greatest fears are the gatekeepers to our greatest gifts. And if you pause a moment to feel into that, what comes up for you?
What are the things that shake you up? The things that make you shrink and be small, run away or hide? I believe that if you can summon the bravery to look into the aspects of yourself that lie in the darkest places, there will be light there waiting for you.”
Rebecca Campbell, website
Tip #04 Be Your Own Champion
Don’t just chart future business plans. Keep track of what you are achieving, who you are helping and what new knowledge you learn.
Keep a list of words (or a vision board) which represent you at your best.
5 Online Coaches Who Helped Us Grow
Business Coach for Language Teachers
Ola Kowalska
Ola helps language teachers build sustainable, profitable and fun businesses through courses and coaching! Her enthusiasm is infectious and her kindness an honesty attracted me to her network.
Visit Site
Business coach for freelance ELT professionals.
Rachael Roberts | Earn Learn Thrive
Rachael offers business and mindset coaching for ELT freelance professionals.
She offers a great value membership called Earn, Learn, Thrive. It’s useful for every business stage – but absolutely brilliant for anyone in their first few years of business.
Visit Site
Linkedin Training & Business Coaching
Helen Tudor | Linkedin Mastermind Programme
Take Helen’s free 5-day challenge to start attracting leads on Linkedin.
If you love it, there’s a membership to join – but you can get LOADS of great tips from the free challenge alone.
Visit Site
Sales Training
Nicola Lutz | No Fluff Sales Coaching
Nicola’s No Fluff Skills training helps schools and agents enrol more international students, more efficiently.
Not for beginners – but for language schools & businesses ready to grow.
Visit Site
Copywriting
Dr Hannah Gibson | Copywriting
Paying someone else to write your copy is a great idea – when you can afford it.
Until then, Hannah has developed a system that combines the art and science behind copywriting – and teaches you how to make your copy compelling.
If you are investing in a website (you don’t need to) Hannah can help you do it yourself.
Visit Site
Keep on track:
What does your soul love? What are your values?
Tip #05 | It's all Scalable
I hope that this blog has shed a bit of light on the many varied skills you need.
My final piece of advice is to think of your business as scalable.
The mistake we made was trying to do everything at once – and all the time.
I’m an artist and I think big. That’s in my creative training, personality and upbringing.
But thinking of your business as being scalable will be more manageable, and help you get good systems in place right from the start.
Now, get out there and make a true difference in your clients’ lives!
I’ve just seen this, Ruth. Thank you so much for your mention of my membership for ELT Freelancers. Really kind of you.
You are very welcome. You help so many people, so much!