Can You Really Launch a Business in a Week?

Imagine...

You've been on your teaching job 15 years. You're dedicated, go above and beyond, contribute to the team, you don't take a potty break 'til lunch, and most evenings you don't leave the building 'til well after sunset.

Then one very early March morning you receive an email notification from your school district not to come into work that day. As you read the email you can feel your heart racing as you get excited -- you've been praying for a miraculous snow day since the new year. You continue reading and suddenly realize the day off you've been hoping for might turn into a stay-cation! The email lets you know the earliest anyone will be returning to work is in 3 WEEKS!

You shout for joy and text your hubby the good news! He encourages you to "make the most of the time off by working on that business dream you've been wanting to make a reality".

You know he's dropping gems, but you're an overworked educator on the brink of burnout! You instead decide to make yourself a cup of tea, hop back into bed, snuggle under your king-sized down-feathered comforter, and scroll through IG.

Before you know it, you've been scrolling The Gram for half a work day and noshed half a box of Cheez Its. Your emotions quickly go from elated to anxious. A wave of nausea comes over you and you feel a pit in your stomach as you contemplate the reality that you have at least 3 weeks away from the classroom which can only mean one thing -- your students and your classroom management will --- not might --- fall behind.

Four years ago, this was the reality (or a variation of it) for every teacher.

In the world!

When the pandemic untethered Asian society in 2019 it took a few months to make its way to your personal world. But when it was at your front door step, it was undeniable. This is bigger than any of us could have imagined.

As we all longed for the sense of normalcy to return, you had a feeling, an inner knowing, that the pandemic's impact would be long-lasting. Life shifted. For everyone.

According to World Socialist Web Site*, in the United States, 4.8 million public educators and staff quit, retired, or resigned from their jobs during the pandemic.

I was one of them.

You can probably count how many educators you personally know who quit (during the pandemic and the first year following) on both hands. And your feet!

The teacher shortage already existed prior to the pandemic. But post-pandemic it was just a whole hot mess. Actually, it was an exodus!

Fast forward to 2024 and districts are doing what they can to retain hard-working employees and the ones who are just there for a paycheck. Administration is brainstorming new ways to promote paraprofessionals and substitutes into certified teaching positions.

Things might be on the up-and-up, yeah?

Sure, they might be. And they might not.

Job security is a tall tale as old as time. It's an illusion. Life is always altering. And someone's always moving chess pieces.

Like Heraclitus said "The only constant is change".

In other words, life will ebb and you must flow. And when your husband nudges you to work on your business dream, he's looking out for your security. Because that's what husbands do.

So hearken to his advice. Ground your business dream into physical reality. Your business could provide stability in the event of another world-wide event. When life seems uncertain, your business could be something uplifting to keep your mind focused on. It could be the momentum you need when you're feeling less than passionate or when the savings account is dipping a little low.

Now realistically, launching a business with bells and whistles (i.e. standard operating procedures) takes time. But there is an accelerated curve option! (You're welcome, Physics teachers??.)

Here's how to launch your business in one week:

Get Crystal-ish Clear

Ok, so you probably won't be able to get crystal clear just yet, but you can definitely get out of the murky water you're currently in. You know you want to help people. That's a great starting point! Do you know what you want to help them with? Chances are you probably do, and you're playing it safe on what to offer. You need that extra push. So here's the push:

Think about your life. Think about the people you've met in life or known all your life. The people you've admired and really valued their presence in your life. What was it about them that drew you to their character? Keep these characteristics in mind as you think about the type of customers/clients you want to serve and the services/products you will create for them. Because those are your people, that is your tribe, and they will totally dig your vibe. #bars

Draw Some Boundaries

Boundaries are healthy. Boundaries are necessary. When we fail to (1st) create boundaries for ourselves, and (2nd) communicate those boundaries to others, we are asking to be disappointed. Or worse, abused! Sounds dramatic? Well it is. Life without boundaries is dramatic. It's exhausting. So skip the soap opera and enforce boundaries in your business from the beginning.

Boundaries can/will change as your business grows, but you need them right out the gate. Think about the most toxic person you've ever had the 'pleasure' of knowing. Could be a colleague, could be a family member, could be a neighbor. Either way, by reflecting on their not-so-pleasant traits you will know what traits you're adverse to/not gonna vibe with. Set boundaries within your business according to those traits/circumstances you dislike. Just flip those negatives into a positive first.

For example, if you used to work with a teacher who wasn't shy about texting you at 10pm every Sunday, complaining about her students' lack of commitment to completing their assignments, but every time you'd share resources that helped your students, she'd scoff at and belittle your suggestions.... How did that make you feel / What were your thoughts during that encounter?

Now set your business boundaries related to that. Now you know that you don't want to work with people who are not proactive, who don't take heed to wise counsel, or who are just generally negative. And you definitely don't want to be texting people on the weekends 7 hours before you have to start the new work week. So flip it! You only want to serve people who take action and are problem solvers, who find excitement in collaborating, and who (for the most part) contact you during working hours. ??

Understand the Assignment

Why exactly do you do the work you do? Because honestly, there are a million and one template-making teacherpreneurs on Etsy and TpT! But you're 'built different'. In the most wonderful way imaginable! You have a very unique skill set and have gifts that no one else possesses. So when your business is launched, why are you doing the type of work you do? What problems are you helping people solve? How is your product or service going to improve someone's life?

Experts call this "Your BIG WHY". And if it's not abundantly clear that your big why is driving your business, then your business will indeed look like any other business that has similar products or services to yours. So in order to launch you must understand the assignment, the mission, your motivating factor, so you can stand out in the crowd.

Envision the Big Picture

One thing every entrepreneur has in common is we LOVE to dream. We find excitement in envisioning what the business would look like if we had that Musk-money in our bank account. Naturally, entrepreneurs are visionaries and thought leaders. You know... the kid in 2nd grade who colored the cat purple when the instructions clearly said color it gray.

Not all entrepreneurs are so defiant, but based on the research (and work) I've done, it appears having a vision for the business is one of the most exciting parts of launching, growing, AND scaling a business. And if that child was envisioning a purple cat all day, then no matter how many color-by-number sheets you make 'em redo, the cat is gonna be purple.

If you have a strong desire to launch your business, tap into that child-like daydream and envision the big picture. A manifesting technique I love (and it works!) is to envision your perfect day. What does that day look like? If money weren't an obstacle... What do you do in your free time? How much time do you want to spend working in your business? What are the goals and aspirations you have for your business AND your personal life? What do you want your business and life to look like 1 year from now? What about 5 years from now? But first start with just one day.

I understand at the surface it can be difficult to understand how exactly these tips can help you launch your business in a week. But they can. When paired with an actual individualized, foundational launch blueprint, 1:1 support, and the gumption to go for the gold, you CAN launch in a week! Even simply implementing the action steps from this article will help you have more clarity and direction than you had before you got started.

So give yourself permission to take action, do the steps mentioned, commit to your business, and start reaping the fruits of your labor!

Ready to attract your dream clients so you can launch your business?!

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Jessica Daniel is a digitally-nomadic, world-schooling mama from the Midwest, currently exploring the Middle East. Her company, Teacher's Helper??, provides remote project management and business operations to Teacherpreneurs and Edupreneurs, helping them launch, grow, and scale their businesses and increase their revenue. Jessica is an Early Childhood Educator by trade and holds a certification in Project Management, allowing her to be the strategic partner Edupreneurs trust.

*Sources: World Socialist Web Site (June 10, 2022) https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/06/11/tshr-j11.html