From Classroom to CEO: How Educators Can Build a Profitable Personal Brand with Deidra Fogarty

August 7, 202500:22:54

In this episode of Social Media Decoded, host Michelle Thames chats with Deidra Fogarty, founder of Black Girls Teach and a former educator turned business coach and marketing strategist. Deidra breaks down how teachers and educators can transition from the classroom to CEO by building profitable personal brands.

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[00:01]
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[01:03]
Michelle Thames
Back to the Social Media Decoded podcast. The number one podcast to help you understand social media better so that you grow your business, get more clients and monetize and you always know. I am excited because we have a special guest today and this special guest loves digital marketing and social media as much as I do. For my educators who may be listening in, this is the episode for you. Welcome, Deidra, to the Social Media Decoded podcast.
[01:28]
Deidra
Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Thank you so much.
[01:31]
Michelle Thames
I would love if you would share your journey from educator to coach and also the founder of Black Girls Teach, which we're going to talk all about today.
[01:40]
Deidra
Yeah, so I actually started as a second grade teacher about 18 years ago. I taught in Baltimore with a second grade teacher, was a middle school teacher, went up the ranks into leadership, but I just started noticing a void in terms of the support for black women educators. And so I started building my business, Black Girls Teach. While I was a teacher. I actually, when I was a leader, I went back into the classroom as a teacher intentionally because I knew that I would have more capacity to work on my business as a teacher versus being a leader. And so built my business behind the scenes. And I knew the number one thing was that I knew social media was going to be a big player and me being able to really establish this business, Black Girls Teach, I honed in on social media. I didn't really know a whole lot. I just knew I knew how to create content that got people talking, but I didn't know any of the marketing things or business. I didn't know I was just creating content that was going viral. But as the business was or the platform was growing, I realized I Need to learn how to be an entrepreneur. Like I can't just be out here winging it. So I had to really learn what does it mean to be a marketer? What does it mean to really be, you know, the CEO of my business? And I had to invest in myself and learn the skills that I needed to learn. And so by, by doing that, I've been able to be a full time entrepreneur now for almost four years. And so I have an educational consulting business where I work directly with schools to provide leadership coaching and leadership development. And then the other side of my business is business coaching where I help other educators and non educators because I actually have clients that are not in education as well to be able to understand how to leverage online marketing as well as just being able to just step into that season of being a CEO versus kind of the mentality of being an educator. And that has been my journey. And I love it. I love, I wake up every day excited to work and you know, that's a good feeling.
[03:47]
Michelle Thames
Oh, see, that's important. Being able to wake up and you actually love what you do. So anybody listening? You may be an educator right now and you're feeling like, I'm just tired of this and I know my husband is a former educator. So when I say I know, I know. Okay, friend, I'm listening. I know, right? So many educators feel really stuck in their careers. And so let's talk about that. Well, why do you feel that teachers have, that they have this expertise and it's worth monetizing? Because many of them may feel like, what do I even have to offer?
[04:17]
Deidra
Yeah, I think that sometimes when you are an educator or a school leader, because I both, I work with both. I think you get so in like so in the, in the weeds of things from your day to day and that busyness, that investment that you're putting into your job, students, the school. There's so many expectations and labor expected of educators and school leaders. Especially because I have a couple like principals that I've been working with and it's a heavy load. Sometimes it's not even having the capacity to think about what would it be if I took some of the energy that I have right here and put it into starting a business. So it's like not always having the mental capacity, feeling like you have to give your job your all and feeling guilty about not doing that. But then also a lot of times it's like not knowing where to start. So assuming that people are not going to pay for XYZ because Education has been historically cheap when it comes to things like historically underpaying teachers, underpaying leaders. So we assume that people are not going to pay you for the skills that you have. And it's like they will, they will pay you and they'll pay you good money. So I think it has to do with some of those different factors.
[05:33]
Michelle Thames
Oh, no, that's good because we all have skills that we can make money from. You have a skill, we. You have a. Like Oprah says, you have a skill, you have a skill. We all have skills. But let's talk about personal brands. And what is the first step that educators and non educators can take to really establish themselves? Because like you said, they don't know where to start. And personal brands, especially in 2025 and beyond, is important. So what are some of the first steps that we can take to establish our personal brands?
[06:02]
Deidra
Yeah, I think it starts with getting clear on what do you want to be known for. I think I just, you know, talked about it in a piece of content the other day where I want more educators and leaders to operate as specialists, not generalists, where, what is your specialty? Oh, and maybe that's two to three things that you are really good at, you're known for and you actually want to. You want to do. You. You're open to doing that outside of your job. And then I think really honing in on those core areas, those two to three areas that you've identified. And I think sometimes for educators and leaders, you're good at a lot of different things. We can, you know, you can put us in a lunchroom and we can get 500 kids to be quiet, or we could lead a professional development session. Like, we have a lot of skills, but the key thing is like honing in on those two to three areas. So that looks like asking the people around you, what, what do you see me as? What am I good at? Like, if you had to name my top three strengths, what, what are they? And then asking people, your, your colleagues, people in your personal life, and then yourself, you know, and from there, I think once you've established, okay, these are the areas that I really want to hone in on. Give yourself permission to leverage social media and just start sharing your thought leadership, sharing your perspective, but staying kind of focused on those core areas. I feel like even just that allows you to just start to establish your brand, even if you haven't figured everything out.
[07:34]
Michelle Thames
No, that's so good. I hope you all were taking notes, like, step one, step two, step three, step Four. And it's that easy, right? Just sharing aspects of our life too, and just being relatable. Right. It's about being relatable and authentic as well. So no, those were amazing, amazing tips. So let's talk about making some money. Okay. What are some ways that even you have seen some of your clients in some ways that educators can start making money outside of the classroom? Because like you said, they get stuck in this mentality. But you can make money outside the classroom.
[08:07]
Deidra
Educators definitely districts will pay you to conduct professional development sessions, which are like workshops, trainings, things like that. They'll pay you for that. They'll pay you to be able to come in and do an audit. Basically. I've had clients who, they go to schools, they walk and do audits with the principal. They give their strategies and their feedback. And now that's, you know, three hours. But they're getting four figures from being able to do that for three hours. Also. I think the, the easiest thing to transition to for educators with leadership experience is coaching. So I always tell my clients, start off with one on one coaching. Most of them are already doing it for free anyways. They have somebody that they're coaching just out the kindness of their heart. But now it's like, okay, well, you know, let me show you how to, how to charge people for it. So I think one on one coaching is a nice natural progression, even starting with people that you already know, but then expanding to people who may not know you. But I think as well, educators and leaders have a lot of experience usually with facilitating workshops and things like that. So like hosting virtual masterclasses, hosting webinars, hosting trainings online, we know how to do that. So now it's just a matter of turning the camera on and putting yourself out there so you can do it. I would say one other area that I think educators and leaders are great at is like curriculum design. And so that can look like curriculum design in the sense of designing curriculum for schools, but you also could be designing curriculum for other entrepreneurs. There are educators out, I mean, there are entrepreneurs out there who have coaching programs who don't know how to create curriculum for their coaching programs. And. And like, that's one of the things I'm. Cause I'm like, I can do that like easily. So now it's like, is that something that you would consider yourself doing? Because it is designing curriculum. It's just a different type of curriculum, like course design. There's all these areas. I think the possibilities are endless. I haven't even named Everything. Digital products, speaking engagements. The money is out there. But again, I think it's just a matter of you identifying what do you want to be known for and then deciding, all right, I'm ready to do this. And I just named a lot of different things that you can tap into.
[10:25]
Michelle Thames
So, yeah, so many different things. Speaking. People pay for speaking. And I know, I know a lot of educators have that skill. Right. And so you work with a lot of amazing people in education. Can you share a success story of an educator who you've helped build a profitable business just so we can see or listen, listen to a success story so that we know it's possible. Right. We have so many people listening, they're like, well, I don't think this is for me. But you've actually worked with educators to build, so could you share a story with us?
[10:58]
Deidra
Yeah. So I was working with a school leader, and so she's a school leader transitioning into leaving school leadership. She's been a principal for maybe three five, three, four, five years somewhere in that range and helping her to establish her own leadership coaching business. So she started, we started with just like one on one clients and then from there eventually expanding that into a group coaching program. So being able to see the revenue that you get with the group coaching program versus one on one coaching and her time freeing up. So she's kind of been able to go from, okay, having all these one on one clients all over her calendar to one night a week. She has her group coaching program and that's money coming in every month for the next six months. And she's now in a position where it's like she's still working her job, but she's making more money from her group coaching program. Right. So now it's like, you know, do I go into this full time or do I keep stacking up a little bit more because it's one night a week. And so the biggest thing for her was like designing a business that was sustainable with her lifestyle. Right now as a principal, she's a busy principal, she's a mom, she has kids, she has things going on. But then also something that would work even if she decided to go into it full time. So she has been able to replace her salary as a principal while still working a full time job. So now she has options. So she could decide like go full time or she can go part time, you know, so it's like, I think to me, that's what I love about entrepreneurship. There's no, like, there's not A specific path. You can do what works for you and you can build a business that works for your lifestyle. And that was one of the key things for her, building that business. But then making the money, that was really important, obviously, you know, so, yeah.
[12:48]
Michelle Thames
Oh, no, that's good. And now when you got choices to make, it's a different story, right? You got choices to make. No, that was good because again, we have so many skills. Right. I hope that you're listening and taking notes. And if you are loving the podcast, make sure you tag me on Instagram ichellellthames And also make sure to tag the podcast Social Media Decoded pod at Social Media decodedpod. Now, let's talk about platforms because, you know, people think they have to be everywhere. We got Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, all these places. But what do you feel is the best platform for educators to start building their online presence?
[13:24]
Deidra
Hmm. So I think I would. I would say Instagram. I think educators definitely Instagram. I feel like Instagram is kind of like the home base. Like, I feel like any other platform you're on, people are going to go to your Instagram and they're going to check it out. So I think it's important to establish Instagram. Instagram presence. After Instagram, I would say LinkedIn. I think there are a lot of educational leaders and decision makers and especially if you want to kind of be able to connect with those people, a lot of them are on LinkedIn. And so my strategy for myself and what I recommend to my clients is we're going to establish our expertise on and consistency on Instagram. That is going to be number one. Once you get to a place of consistency and you feel like you can add on something else and maybe repurpose content, then we're going to bring it over to LinkedIn. And I have found success for myself in my business with being able to secure clients from LinkedIn, which I, you know, I didn't. I wasn't even having the same type of strategy, as strategic as I am with Instagram. But just because there are so many people that are out there and I think it's the same thing, you're establishing yourself as the go to for whatever it is. And so you'll. I feel like LinkedIn, you get in contact with some of those district superintendents and people who may not be on Instagram as much. So those would be the two places for educators that I recommend honing in on. If you really want to be known for your thought leadership and go into Consulting or coaching. Yeah.
[14:58]
Michelle Thames
And I think Instagram is like that main platform that you just have to have. It's like the foundation.
[15:03]
Deidra
Right.
[15:03]
Michelle Thames
Because when you work with somebody, they're going to say, what's your Instagram?
[15:08]
Deidra
So, yep, they are. Yep, definitely.
[15:11]
Michelle Thames
And then they go to the other platform. I. I'm 100 in agreement with that. Okay, so let's talk about thought leadership, because educators are thought leaders. Right. We talked about LinkedIn. And so how can educators really position themselves as thought leaders to attract their first clients? Because that's going to be the hard part. Right now you're on social media, but how do you attract that first client?
[15:35]
Deidra
I think it's number one. You need to really know who that client is that you're wanting to work with. You have to know what are their challenges, what are their desires, what are the questions they're asking, like, what is keeping them up in the middle of the night? You really need to know who you're speaking to. And once you're clear on who you're speaking to, you're that. That ideal client. Then your content needs to just have a conversation with them, and it needs to position you as a solution to their problems. So if you don't really know what their problems are, then, and you don't really know what it is that they're going through in that internal dialogue that they have, it's going to be difficult to create content that's going to attract them. And I think for some people, it's like, we don't want to limit ourselves and say, oh, I'm only speaking to this type of person. And you feel like, oh, well, I'm not going to get as many clients. And it's like, no, you're going to start attracting that type of person. And now all those. That type of people, they're going to find you. And now it's like you just attracted them, and now it's a matter of closing them. So that means that showing that you are the solution that they are looking for, you're the only solution. You're the only person that can help them because you know what their problems are. So specifically that they feel like, wow, this person's in my head right now. I need to book a call with them, you know, and it takes time, it takes consistency, but that's. That's literally like the playbook that I would recommend to anybody, basically.
[17:01]
Michelle Thames
And that's an amazing playbook. Again, I joke all the time. The social media decoded podcast gems are always dropped. The interviews are Always top tier. This is good information. Like, this is good information you can't. Probably can't get anywhere else. So tell a friend that the social media decoded podcast drops gems. Okay. All the time. Now let's talk about mindset, because that's a huge, huge thing for so many entrepreneurs. How do you help your clients shift from teacher to entrepreneur? Because we could be stuck in that, like, worker. Right. We're stuck in that worker or stuck in that teacher mentality. But how do we shift that to that entrepreneur mentality?
[17:42]
Deidra
Yeah, that's a big one. And I think that that's why it's so important to have a coach, because a lot of times you're in your own head and you don't have anybody to kind of, like, hear some of the thoughts that we have. And sometimes the things that we're thinking is irrational. Like, sometimes the things we're thinking don't really make any sense because it's just you, you know, in your head about it. And so the number one thing with my clients is just having that space to be able to talk, and then also them knowing my style, meaning if I hear something that is just, you know, I'm gonna question it. I'm gonna say, well, what makes you think that? What make you know, like, well, or even saying that does. When you. When you hear yourself saying that, does that feel like it's rash, the rational thing to think? Like, I'll ask questions like that because sometimes we have to hear ourselves and what we're saying. And so I think that with the mindset area, it's great to be able to have someone, whether it's a coach or even, like, being a part of your community where there are other entrepreneurs. Like, somebody. You have to have other people who know kind of what it's like to be an entrepreneur so you can bounce those ideas and who. Who are going to be honest with you about what it is that you're thinking or saying. And all of the feelings you have, I'm sure they are valid, but my biggest thing I say with my clients is like, all right, we gotta get out of this rut quickly. So everything you're saying is valid, but now we gotta take action. Like, we're not going to stay in this space and linger here. And so, like, really trying to get them to be aware, acknowledge it, go through the feelings and emotions. And now we need to move forward and problem solve. So, yeah. Yes.
[19:17]
Michelle Thames
No, the mindset is. It's big, and we got to work on it, especially as moving from Working, you know, nine to fives, being education and entrepreneurship, it's very different. Very different. So you are doing good work, helping your clients and maybe help somebody here today. I know it helped me. Right. So look, we're all good. So what's your advice for entrepreneurs who. And educators who may be nervous about transitioning to full time? Because that is a whole nother and I know it's a whole nother ball game. So what is some advice that you can give?
[19:51]
Deidra
I think it's a big decision to transition into full time entrepreneurship. I always say, I think if I would have, if I could go back, I might have done it a little bit differently. But what I did do was I had saved up money. I was like, all right, I know I need to do this, but I need to like stack up some savings, like just in case. So I do think it's helpful to have some type of savings established or whatever type of funding it is, but just you have to have some type of like nest egg there in order for you to really be able. In my opinion, I think it's important to know what your numbers are. So whenever I work with clients, I always say, like, well, what's your, what's the freedom number? Like, what's the number that you need to be bringing in every single month consistently in order to replace your salary? And then some. So now that we know what that number is, that's our goal that we're striving for. But if you are not hitting that number, we need to, we need to, like I say, we need to pause a little bit on going full time entrepreneur unless you have the funds to be able to sustain that. Because it's real out here. It's real out here in these full time entrepreneur streets. I also say if you have a job that does allow you to build your business and, you know, make money, then if your job is not stressing you out and it's not causing negativity in your life, then hold on to it until you are in a place that you feel like that consistent revenue is like, you're not required. We're not, you're not required to be a full time entrepreneur. At the end of the day, you got to do what works best for you. I just want people to not go into it in the sense of like, it's like a nice little fantasy. Like, I feel like there's a lot of romanticizing full time entrepreneurship and I'm like, I need you to know, like, I want you to be prepared. So we're Going to really prepare for it strategically versus just having a goal and, you know, not really knowing what it's really about. So.
[21:42]
Michelle Thames
Yeah, no, absolutely. Because like she said, it's real out here in these streets. Okay, definitely.
[21:49]
Deidra
So.
[21:49]
Michelle Thames
Oh my gosh, this has been such a good episode. So many amazing, amazing gems have been dropped.
[21:55]
Deidra
So.
[21:55]
Michelle Thames
I love books and so I want you to share Rapid Fire, one book every entrepreneur should read.
[22:02]
Deidra
Okay, I knew this question was coming. The book that I really like is called the Slight Edge. And that book, I read it maybe about four or five years ago and then I read it again and to me it's all about like discipline and habits. I'm all for books like that because I just feel like we, we sleep on those things. So the Slight edge is a great way to build up to atomic habits. I think atomic habits to me helps on another level with being able to form those habits and that consistency. I also like the 12 week year. I have not. I'm still working through it, but I do feel like it's been shifting my mindset in terms of how I create goals and how I'm paying myself and just all these different things. Like Profit first is another one. Yeah. There's so many books. There's so many books. So I would, I think those four books right there are a, a good place to start when it comes to entrepreneurship.
[22:59]
Michelle Thames
It's like the starter pack.
[23:01]
Deidra
Yes, yes, the starter pack.
[23:02]
Michelle Thames
Okay, the entrepreneur starter pack. I like that. I like that. No, thank you so much. This has been such a great episode. But before we head out, we. Where can the listeners connect with you to learn more about you, to hit you up on social media? Where can they learn more about you?
[23:18]
Deidra
Yeah, so I have two Instagram handles, Black Girls Teach, which is just that Black girls teach and then Teach Me D. Teach Me D is predominantly my business coaching, social media, marketing, that type of thing is over on Teach Me D page. But you can connect with me on either one of those pages and yes, would love to be able to connect with you all.
[23:37]
Michelle Thames
Yes. And we will make sure we have all that information down below in the show notes, so make sure you check that out. But thank you so much, Deidre, for coming on today. This has been such an amazing episode and I cannot wait to talk to you all in the next one.
[23:51]
Deidra
Thank you for having me.
[23:52]
Michelle Thames
No, thank you for being here.
[23:56]
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From Classroom to CEO: How Educators Can Build a Profitable Personal Brand with Deidra Fogarty

August 7, 202500:22:54

Summary6 min read

Podcast Summary: Social Media Decoded – Episode: "From Classroom to CEO: How Educators Can Build a Profitable Personal Brand with Deidra Fogarty"

Release Date: August 7, 2025

Introduction

In this enlightening episode of Social Media Decoded, hosted by marketing expert Michelle Thames, the focus shifts to educators aspiring to transition into successful entrepreneurs. Michelle welcomes Deidra Fogarty, the founder of Black Girls Teach, to discuss the journey from the classroom to building a profitable personal brand. This episode is a treasure trove of actionable insights, strategies, and inspiring success stories tailored for educators, creators, and brands looking to enhance their online presence and monetize their expertise.

Deidra Fogarty's Journey: From Educator to Entrepreneur

Deidra begins by sharing her 18-year journey in education, detailing her progression from a second-grade teacher in Baltimore to a school leader. Recognizing a lack of support for Black women educators, she founded Black Girls Teach. Deidra explains her strategic move back into the classroom to build her business behind the scenes, highlighting the crucial role of social media in her early growth.

Deidra (01:39): "I knew social media was going to be a big player... I was just creating content that was going viral."

Her dedication paid off, allowing her to transition into a full-time entrepreneur after four years, offering leadership coaching to schools and business coaching to a diverse clientele.

The Monetizable Expertise of Educators

Michelle and Deidra delve into why educators possess valuable skills ripe for monetization. Deidra emphasizes that educators are often overwhelmed by daily responsibilities, leaving little room to recognize the marketable skills they already possess.

Deidra (05:32): "Education has been historically cheap when it comes to things like underpaying teachers... But people will pay you, and they'll pay you good money."

She points out that educators bring a wealth of experience in areas such as leadership, curriculum design, and facilitation, all of which are highly sought after in various industries.

Establishing a Personal Brand: Step-by-Step

Deidra outlines a clear, actionable framework for educators to build their personal brands:

Identify Your Specialty: Focus on two to three core strengths.

Deidra (06:01): "Get clear on what you want to be known for... ask your colleagues and yourself what your top three strengths are."
Leverage Social Media: Start sharing thought leadership within your identified specialties to establish authority and attract your target audience.
Consistency and Focus: Maintain a consistent presence on chosen platforms to build recognition and trust.

Michelle reinforces the simplicity of these steps, encouraging listeners to take immediate action towards authenticity and relatability.

Michelle (07:33): "Step one, step two, step three, step four. And it's that easy, right? Just sharing aspects of our life too, and just being relatable."

Monetization Strategies for Educators

The conversation shifts to various avenues through which educators can generate income outside the classroom:

Professional Development Sessions: Offering workshops and training sessions to schools, which can be highly lucrative.
One-on-One Coaching: Transitioning current informal coaching into a paid service.

Deidra (08:06): "Most of them are already doing it for free anyways... let you charge people for it."
Virtual Masterclasses and Webinars: Utilizing existing facilitation skills to host online events.
Curriculum and Course Design: Creating specialized content for other entrepreneurs or educational programs.
Digital Products and Speaking Engagements: Expanding into various digital offerings and public speaking opportunities.

Deidra emphasizes the limitless possibilities once educators leverage their unique skill sets effectively.

Success Story: From Principals to Profitable Coaching

Deidra shares a compelling success story of a principal who transitioned into a leadership coaching business:

Deidra (10:58): "She has been able to go from having all these one-on-one clients... to one night a week with her group coaching program, replacing her principal salary."

This example underscores the potential for educators to build sustainable and scalable businesses that align with their lifestyles, providing both financial freedom and professional fulfillment.

Choosing the Right Platforms: Instagram and LinkedIn

When asked about the best platforms for educators to establish their online presence, Deidra recommends:

Instagram:

Deidra (13:24): "Instagram is kind of like the home base... establish your Instagram presence."
LinkedIn:

Deidra (13:50): "Once you’ve established consistency on Instagram, bring your presence to LinkedIn to connect with educational leaders and decision-makers."

This two-pronged approach allows educators to build a strong personal brand while reaching a professional audience.

Positioning as Thought Leaders

To attract their first clients, Deidra advises educators to:

Define Their Ideal Client: Understand the challenges and desires of their target audience.

Deidra (15:34): "Know who your client is... what are their challenges, what are their desires."
Create Conversational Content: Develop content that resonates with the audience's needs and positions them as the solution.
Consistency and Persistence: Maintain regular engagement to build trust and authority over time.

This strategy ensures that educators not only attract clients but also establish themselves as indispensable experts in their field.

Shifting the Mindset: From Teacher to Entrepreneur

Deidra highlights the critical importance of mindset in transitioning to entrepreneurship. She underscores the value of having a coach or a supportive community to navigate this shift.

Deidra (17:41): "Having that space to be able to talk... to be part of your community where there are other entrepreneurs."

She encourages educators to acknowledge their thoughts and emotions, then move forward with actionable steps to overcome mental barriers.

Advice for Transitioning to Full-Time Entrepreneurship

For educators contemplating a full-time switch, Deidra offers practical advice:

Financial Preparation: Save a nest egg to sustain during the transition.

Deidra (19:51): "Have some type of savings... know what your numbers are."
Understand Revenue Goals: Determine the monthly income needed to replace their current salary.
Strategic Planning: Avoid romanticizing entrepreneurship; prepare strategically to handle the realities of the business landscape.
Maintain Current Employment if Feasible: If possible, keep a part-time or flexible job while building the business to ensure financial stability.

Entrepreneurial Reading Recommendations

In a rapid-fire segment, Deidra shares her top book recommendations for aspiring entrepreneurs:

"The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson – Focuses on discipline and habits.
"Atomic Habits" by James Clear – Delves into habit formation and consistency.
"The 12 Week Year" by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington – Offers strategies for goal setting and productivity.
"Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz – Teaches financial management for businesses.

Deidra (22:01): "These four books are a great starter pack when it comes to entrepreneurship."

Connecting with Deidra Fogarty

Listeners interested in learning more or seeking guidance can connect with Deidra via her Instagram handles:

Black Girls Teach (@BlackGirlsTeach)
Teach Me D (@TeachMeD)

Michelle assures that all relevant links and information are available in the show notes for easy access.

Conclusion

This episode of Social Media Decoded is an invaluable resource for educators contemplating a leap into entrepreneurship. Deidra Fogarty’s insights into personal branding, monetization strategies, and the necessary mindset shifts provide a comprehensive roadmap for building a profitable business. Whether you’re just starting or looking to scale your existing efforts, this conversation equips you with the knowledge and inspiration to successfully transition from the classroom to CEO.

Notable Quotes

Deidra (01:39): "I was just creating content that was going viral."
Deidra (05:32): "People will pay you, and they'll pay you good money."
Michelle (07:33): "Step one, step two, step three, step four. And it's that easy."
Deidra (08:06): "Let you charge people for it."
Deidra (13:24): "Instagram is kind of like the home base."
Deidra (15:34): "Know who your client is... what are their challenges, what are their desires."
Deidra (19:51): "Know what your numbers are."
Deidra (22:01): "These four books are a great starter pack when it comes to entrepreneurship."

Stay Connected

To stay updated with future episodes and gain more insights into social media and business growth strategies, follow Michelle Thames on Instagram @michellellthames and join the vibrant community at Social Media Decoded.

End of Summary

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Transcript41 lines

[00:01]
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[00:31]
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[01:03]
Michelle Thames
Back to the Social Media Decoded podcast. The number one podcast to help you understand social media better so that you grow your business, get more clients and monetize and you always know. I am excited because we have a special guest today and this special guest loves digital marketing and social media as much as I do. For my educators who may be listening in, this is the episode for you. Welcome, Deidra, to the Social Media Decoded podcast.
[01:28]
Deidra
Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Thank you so much.
[01:31]
Michelle Thames
I would love if you would share your journey from educator to coach and also the founder of Black Girls Teach, which we're going to talk all about today.
[01:40]
Deidra
Yeah, so I actually started as a second grade teacher about 18 years ago. I taught in Baltimore with a second grade teacher, was a middle school teacher, went up the ranks into leadership, but I just started noticing a void in terms of the support for black women educators. And so I started building my business, Black Girls Teach. While I was a teacher. I actually, when I was a leader, I went back into the classroom as a teacher intentionally because I knew that I would have more capacity to work on my business as a teacher versus being a leader. And so built my business behind the scenes. And I knew the number one thing was that I knew social media was going to be a big player and me being able to really establish this business, Black Girls Teach, I honed in on social media. I didn't really know a whole lot. I just knew I knew how to create content that got people talking, but I didn't know any of the marketing things or business. I didn't know I was just creating content that was going viral. But as the business was or the platform was growing, I realized I Need to learn how to be an entrepreneur. Like I can't just be out here winging it. So I had to really learn what does it mean to be a marketer? What does it mean to really be, you know, the CEO of my business? And I had to invest in myself and learn the skills that I needed to learn. And so by, by doing that, I've been able to be a full time entrepreneur now for almost four years. And so I have an educational consulting business where I work directly with schools to provide leadership coaching and leadership development. And then the other side of my business is business coaching where I help other educators and non educators because I actually have clients that are not in education as well to be able to understand how to leverage online marketing as well as just being able to just step into that season of being a CEO versus kind of the mentality of being an educator. And that has been my journey. And I love it. I love, I wake up every day excited to work and you know, that's a good feeling.
[03:47]
Michelle Thames
Oh, see, that's important. Being able to wake up and you actually love what you do. So anybody listening? You may be an educator right now and you're feeling like, I'm just tired of this and I know my husband is a former educator. So when I say I know, I know. Okay, friend, I'm listening. I know, right? So many educators feel really stuck in their careers. And so let's talk about that. Well, why do you feel that teachers have, that they have this expertise and it's worth monetizing? Because many of them may feel like, what do I even have to offer?
[04:17]
Deidra
Yeah, I think that sometimes when you are an educator or a school leader, because I both, I work with both. I think you get so in like so in the, in the weeds of things from your day to day and that busyness, that investment that you're putting into your job, students, the school. There's so many expectations and labor expected of educators and school leaders. Especially because I have a couple like principals that I've been working with and it's a heavy load. Sometimes it's not even having the capacity to think about what would it be if I took some of the energy that I have right here and put it into starting a business. So it's like not always having the mental capacity, feeling like you have to give your job your all and feeling guilty about not doing that. But then also a lot of times it's like not knowing where to start. So assuming that people are not going to pay for XYZ because Education has been historically cheap when it comes to things like historically underpaying teachers, underpaying leaders. So we assume that people are not going to pay you for the skills that you have. And it's like they will, they will pay you and they'll pay you good money. So I think it has to do with some of those different factors.
[05:33]
Michelle Thames
Oh, no, that's good because we all have skills that we can make money from. You have a skill, we. You have a. Like Oprah says, you have a skill, you have a skill. We all have skills. But let's talk about personal brands. And what is the first step that educators and non educators can take to really establish themselves? Because like you said, they don't know where to start. And personal brands, especially in 2025 and beyond, is important. So what are some of the first steps that we can take to establish our personal brands?
[06:02]
Deidra
Yeah, I think it starts with getting clear on what do you want to be known for. I think I just, you know, talked about it in a piece of content the other day where I want more educators and leaders to operate as specialists, not generalists, where, what is your specialty? Oh, and maybe that's two to three things that you are really good at, you're known for and you actually want to. You want to do. You. You're open to doing that outside of your job. And then I think really honing in on those core areas, those two to three areas that you've identified. And I think sometimes for educators and leaders, you're good at a lot of different things. We can, you know, you can put us in a lunchroom and we can get 500 kids to be quiet, or we could lead a professional development session. Like, we have a lot of skills, but the key thing is like honing in on those two to three areas. So that looks like asking the people around you, what, what do you see me as? What am I good at? Like, if you had to name my top three strengths, what, what are they? And then asking people, your, your colleagues, people in your personal life, and then yourself, you know, and from there, I think once you've established, okay, these are the areas that I really want to hone in on. Give yourself permission to leverage social media and just start sharing your thought leadership, sharing your perspective, but staying kind of focused on those core areas. I feel like even just that allows you to just start to establish your brand, even if you haven't figured everything out.
[07:34]
Michelle Thames
No, that's so good. I hope you all were taking notes, like, step one, step two, step three, step Four. And it's that easy, right? Just sharing aspects of our life too, and just being relatable. Right. It's about being relatable and authentic as well. So no, those were amazing, amazing tips. So let's talk about making some money. Okay. What are some ways that even you have seen some of your clients in some ways that educators can start making money outside of the classroom? Because like you said, they get stuck in this mentality. But you can make money outside the classroom.
[08:07]
Deidra
Educators definitely districts will pay you to conduct professional development sessions, which are like workshops, trainings, things like that. They'll pay you for that. They'll pay you to be able to come in and do an audit. Basically. I've had clients who, they go to schools, they walk and do audits with the principal. They give their strategies and their feedback. And now that's, you know, three hours. But they're getting four figures from being able to do that for three hours. Also. I think the, the easiest thing to transition to for educators with leadership experience is coaching. So I always tell my clients, start off with one on one coaching. Most of them are already doing it for free anyways. They have somebody that they're coaching just out the kindness of their heart. But now it's like, okay, well, you know, let me show you how to, how to charge people for it. So I think one on one coaching is a nice natural progression, even starting with people that you already know, but then expanding to people who may not know you. But I think as well, educators and leaders have a lot of experience usually with facilitating workshops and things like that. So like hosting virtual masterclasses, hosting webinars, hosting trainings online, we know how to do that. So now it's just a matter of turning the camera on and putting yourself out there so you can do it. I would say one other area that I think educators and leaders are great at is like curriculum design. And so that can look like curriculum design in the sense of designing curriculum for schools, but you also could be designing curriculum for other entrepreneurs. There are educators out, I mean, there are entrepreneurs out there who have coaching programs who don't know how to create curriculum for their coaching programs. And. And like, that's one of the things I'm. Cause I'm like, I can do that like easily. So now it's like, is that something that you would consider yourself doing? Because it is designing curriculum. It's just a different type of curriculum, like course design. There's all these areas. I think the possibilities are endless. I haven't even named Everything. Digital products, speaking engagements. The money is out there. But again, I think it's just a matter of you identifying what do you want to be known for and then deciding, all right, I'm ready to do this. And I just named a lot of different things that you can tap into.
[10:25]
Michelle Thames
So, yeah, so many different things. Speaking. People pay for speaking. And I know, I know a lot of educators have that skill. Right. And so you work with a lot of amazing people in education. Can you share a success story of an educator who you've helped build a profitable business just so we can see or listen, listen to a success story so that we know it's possible. Right. We have so many people listening, they're like, well, I don't think this is for me. But you've actually worked with educators to build, so could you share a story with us?
[10:58]
Deidra
Yeah. So I was working with a school leader, and so she's a school leader transitioning into leaving school leadership. She's been a principal for maybe three five, three, four, five years somewhere in that range and helping her to establish her own leadership coaching business. So she started, we started with just like one on one clients and then from there eventually expanding that into a group coaching program. So being able to see the revenue that you get with the group coaching program versus one on one coaching and her time freeing up. So she's kind of been able to go from, okay, having all these one on one clients all over her calendar to one night a week. She has her group coaching program and that's money coming in every month for the next six months. And she's now in a position where it's like she's still working her job, but she's making more money from her group coaching program. Right. So now it's like, you know, do I go into this full time or do I keep stacking up a little bit more because it's one night a week. And so the biggest thing for her was like designing a business that was sustainable with her lifestyle. Right now as a principal, she's a busy principal, she's a mom, she has kids, she has things going on. But then also something that would work even if she decided to go into it full time. So she has been able to replace her salary as a principal while still working a full time job. So now she has options. So she could decide like go full time or she can go part time, you know, so it's like, I think to me, that's what I love about entrepreneurship. There's no, like, there's not A specific path. You can do what works for you and you can build a business that works for your lifestyle. And that was one of the key things for her, building that business. But then making the money, that was really important, obviously, you know, so, yeah.
[12:48]
Michelle Thames
Oh, no, that's good. And now when you got choices to make, it's a different story, right? You got choices to make. No, that was good because again, we have so many skills. Right. I hope that you're listening and taking notes. And if you are loving the podcast, make sure you tag me on Instagram ichellellthames And also make sure to tag the podcast Social Media Decoded pod at Social Media decodedpod. Now, let's talk about platforms because, you know, people think they have to be everywhere. We got Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, all these places. But what do you feel is the best platform for educators to start building their online presence?
[13:24]
Deidra
Hmm. So I think I would. I would say Instagram. I think educators definitely Instagram. I feel like Instagram is kind of like the home base. Like, I feel like any other platform you're on, people are going to go to your Instagram and they're going to check it out. So I think it's important to establish Instagram. Instagram presence. After Instagram, I would say LinkedIn. I think there are a lot of educational leaders and decision makers and especially if you want to kind of be able to connect with those people, a lot of them are on LinkedIn. And so my strategy for myself and what I recommend to my clients is we're going to establish our expertise on and consistency on Instagram. That is going to be number one. Once you get to a place of consistency and you feel like you can add on something else and maybe repurpose content, then we're going to bring it over to LinkedIn. And I have found success for myself in my business with being able to secure clients from LinkedIn, which I, you know, I didn't. I wasn't even having the same type of strategy, as strategic as I am with Instagram. But just because there are so many people that are out there and I think it's the same thing, you're establishing yourself as the go to for whatever it is. And so you'll. I feel like LinkedIn, you get in contact with some of those district superintendents and people who may not be on Instagram as much. So those would be the two places for educators that I recommend honing in on. If you really want to be known for your thought leadership and go into Consulting or coaching. Yeah.
[14:58]
Michelle Thames
And I think Instagram is like that main platform that you just have to have. It's like the foundation.
[15:03]
Deidra
Right.
[15:03]
Michelle Thames
Because when you work with somebody, they're going to say, what's your Instagram?
[15:08]
Deidra
So, yep, they are. Yep, definitely.
[15:11]
Michelle Thames
And then they go to the other platform. I. I'm 100 in agreement with that. Okay, so let's talk about thought leadership, because educators are thought leaders. Right. We talked about LinkedIn. And so how can educators really position themselves as thought leaders to attract their first clients? Because that's going to be the hard part. Right now you're on social media, but how do you attract that first client?
[15:35]
Deidra
I think it's number one. You need to really know who that client is that you're wanting to work with. You have to know what are their challenges, what are their desires, what are the questions they're asking, like, what is keeping them up in the middle of the night? You really need to know who you're speaking to. And once you're clear on who you're speaking to, you're that. That ideal client. Then your content needs to just have a conversation with them, and it needs to position you as a solution to their problems. So if you don't really know what their problems are, then, and you don't really know what it is that they're going through in that internal dialogue that they have, it's going to be difficult to create content that's going to attract them. And I think for some people, it's like, we don't want to limit ourselves and say, oh, I'm only speaking to this type of person. And you feel like, oh, well, I'm not going to get as many clients. And it's like, no, you're going to start attracting that type of person. And now all those. That type of people, they're going to find you. And now it's like you just attracted them, and now it's a matter of closing them. So that means that showing that you are the solution that they are looking for, you're the only solution. You're the only person that can help them because you know what their problems are. So specifically that they feel like, wow, this person's in my head right now. I need to book a call with them, you know, and it takes time, it takes consistency, but that's. That's literally like the playbook that I would recommend to anybody, basically.
[17:01]
Michelle Thames
And that's an amazing playbook. Again, I joke all the time. The social media decoded podcast gems are always dropped. The interviews are Always top tier. This is good information. Like, this is good information you can't. Probably can't get anywhere else. So tell a friend that the social media decoded podcast drops gems. Okay. All the time. Now let's talk about mindset, because that's a huge, huge thing for so many entrepreneurs. How do you help your clients shift from teacher to entrepreneur? Because we could be stuck in that, like, worker. Right. We're stuck in that worker or stuck in that teacher mentality. But how do we shift that to that entrepreneur mentality?
[17:42]
Deidra
Yeah, that's a big one. And I think that that's why it's so important to have a coach, because a lot of times you're in your own head and you don't have anybody to kind of, like, hear some of the thoughts that we have. And sometimes the things that we're thinking is irrational. Like, sometimes the things we're thinking don't really make any sense because it's just you, you know, in your head about it. And so the number one thing with my clients is just having that space to be able to talk, and then also them knowing my style, meaning if I hear something that is just, you know, I'm gonna question it. I'm gonna say, well, what makes you think that? What make you know, like, well, or even saying that does. When you. When you hear yourself saying that, does that feel like it's rash, the rational thing to think? Like, I'll ask questions like that because sometimes we have to hear ourselves and what we're saying. And so I think that with the mindset area, it's great to be able to have someone, whether it's a coach or even, like, being a part of your community where there are other entrepreneurs. Like, somebody. You have to have other people who know kind of what it's like to be an entrepreneur so you can bounce those ideas and who. Who are going to be honest with you about what it is that you're thinking or saying. And all of the feelings you have, I'm sure they are valid, but my biggest thing I say with my clients is like, all right, we gotta get out of this rut quickly. So everything you're saying is valid, but now we gotta take action. Like, we're not going to stay in this space and linger here. And so, like, really trying to get them to be aware, acknowledge it, go through the feelings and emotions. And now we need to move forward and problem solve. So, yeah. Yes.
[19:17]
Michelle Thames
No, the mindset is. It's big, and we got to work on it, especially as moving from Working, you know, nine to fives, being education and entrepreneurship, it's very different. Very different. So you are doing good work, helping your clients and maybe help somebody here today. I know it helped me. Right. So look, we're all good. So what's your advice for entrepreneurs who. And educators who may be nervous about transitioning to full time? Because that is a whole nother and I know it's a whole nother ball game. So what is some advice that you can give?
[19:51]
Deidra
I think it's a big decision to transition into full time entrepreneurship. I always say, I think if I would have, if I could go back, I might have done it a little bit differently. But what I did do was I had saved up money. I was like, all right, I know I need to do this, but I need to like stack up some savings, like just in case. So I do think it's helpful to have some type of savings established or whatever type of funding it is, but just you have to have some type of like nest egg there in order for you to really be able. In my opinion, I think it's important to know what your numbers are. So whenever I work with clients, I always say, like, well, what's your, what's the freedom number? Like, what's the number that you need to be bringing in every single month consistently in order to replace your salary? And then some. So now that we know what that number is, that's our goal that we're striving for. But if you are not hitting that number, we need to, we need to, like I say, we need to pause a little bit on going full time entrepreneur unless you have the funds to be able to sustain that. Because it's real out here. It's real out here in these full time entrepreneur streets. I also say if you have a job that does allow you to build your business and, you know, make money, then if your job is not stressing you out and it's not causing negativity in your life, then hold on to it until you are in a place that you feel like that consistent revenue is like, you're not required. We're not, you're not required to be a full time entrepreneur. At the end of the day, you got to do what works best for you. I just want people to not go into it in the sense of like, it's like a nice little fantasy. Like, I feel like there's a lot of romanticizing full time entrepreneurship and I'm like, I need you to know, like, I want you to be prepared. So we're Going to really prepare for it strategically versus just having a goal and, you know, not really knowing what it's really about. So.
[21:42]
Michelle Thames
Yeah, no, absolutely. Because like she said, it's real out here in these streets. Okay, definitely.
[21:49]
Deidra
So.
[21:49]
Michelle Thames
Oh my gosh, this has been such a good episode. So many amazing, amazing gems have been dropped.
[21:55]
Deidra
So.
[21:55]
Michelle Thames
I love books and so I want you to share Rapid Fire, one book every entrepreneur should read.
[22:02]
Deidra
Okay, I knew this question was coming. The book that I really like is called the Slight Edge. And that book, I read it maybe about four or five years ago and then I read it again and to me it's all about like discipline and habits. I'm all for books like that because I just feel like we, we sleep on those things. So the Slight edge is a great way to build up to atomic habits. I think atomic habits to me helps on another level with being able to form those habits and that consistency. I also like the 12 week year. I have not. I'm still working through it, but I do feel like it's been shifting my mindset in terms of how I create goals and how I'm paying myself and just all these different things. Like Profit first is another one. Yeah. There's so many books. There's so many books. So I would, I think those four books right there are a, a good place to start when it comes to entrepreneurship.
[22:59]
Michelle Thames
It's like the starter pack.
[23:01]
Deidra
Yes, yes, the starter pack.
[23:02]
Michelle Thames
Okay, the entrepreneur starter pack. I like that. I like that. No, thank you so much. This has been such a great episode. But before we head out, we. Where can the listeners connect with you to learn more about you, to hit you up on social media? Where can they learn more about you?
[23:18]
Deidra
Yeah, so I have two Instagram handles, Black Girls Teach, which is just that Black girls teach and then Teach Me D. Teach Me D is predominantly my business coaching, social media, marketing, that type of thing is over on Teach Me D page. But you can connect with me on either one of those pages and yes, would love to be able to connect with you all.
[23:37]
Michelle Thames
Yes. And we will make sure we have all that information down below in the show notes, so make sure you check that out. But thank you so much, Deidre, for coming on today. This has been such an amazing episode and I cannot wait to talk to you all in the next one.
[23:51]
Deidra
Thank you for having me.
[23:52]
Michelle Thames
No, thank you for being here.
[23:56]
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[24:24]
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