Turn Your TPT Products into Reliable Income - The CEO Teacher Podcast

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Turn Your TPT Products into Reliable Income"

Podcast: The CEO Teacher Podcast
Host: Kayse Morris
Episode Title: Turn Your TPT Products into Reliable Income
Release Date: April 2, 2025

Introduction: Overcoming Teaching Burnout

In the opening segment of the episode (00:00), Kayse Morris sets the tone by addressing the common struggle among teachers: burnout. She emphasizes the need to transform the often exhausting process of creating and uploading lesson plans to Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) into a more sustainable and enjoyable endeavor. Kayse states:

“Today we're going to talk about turning your TPT products into a more reliable income stream. So we're going to talk about ditching burnout, reclaiming your joy...” (00:00)

This heartfelt introduction resonates with many educators who feel overwhelmed by the demands of both teaching and maintaining a TPT storefront.

Personal Reflections on Teacher Life

Kayse and her co-host delve deeper into the emotional toll of teaching (00:49). They share relatable experiences, such as feeling stuck in the car after school, exhausted yet unable to move forward. Kayse poignantly remarks:

“They don't tell you that teaching can feel like that, that you can love your students and still feel completely lost in the process.” (00:57)

This segment underscores the duality of being passionate about teaching while grappling with personal and professional challenges.

Introducing the SOAR Framework

Transitioning from personal experiences, Kayse introduces a strategic approach to transforming TPT products into a steady income stream through subscription models. She outlines the SOAR Framework, designed to help teachers create reliable and engaging subscriptions. Kayse explains:

“SOAR is an acronym, so we're going to go over the letters. S stands for solve a problem...” (04:20)

Breakdown of the SOAR Framework:

S - Solve a Problem
Identify a specific need or challenge that your target audience faces. This could range from classroom management issues to personal life struggles teachers encounter. Kayse suggests:

“Maybe it's dinner struggles, lesson prep nightmares, or even helping seniors craft the perfect college application.” (04:45)
O - Offer Immense Value
Go beyond the basics by providing valuable, high-quality content consistently. This includes enhancing your existing resources to better serve your audience's needs.

“You deserve a business model that lets you breathe, create, and live your life outside of checking your sales dashboard every two minutes.” (04:58)
A - Aim to Simplify
Make your offerings easy to use and accessible. Simplification ensures that your subscribers can effortlessly integrate your resources into their routines.

“Show them exactly how you'll make their lives easier, simpler, and way less stressful.” (05:35)
R - Retain Subscribers
Focus on strategies that keep your subscribers engaged and loyal. This includes offering seasonal resources, differentiated products, and exclusive discounts.

“Something that's going to help them stick around.” (06:05)

Subscription Model Examples for Teachers

Kayse provides practical examples of how teachers can implement subscription models to monetize their TPT products effectively:

Virtual Library Membership:
Offer members unlimited access to a curated digital library of your resources.

“Teachers love convenience. They pay monthly for the ease of having everything that they need at their fingertips...” (09:10)
Done-For-You Monthly Bundles:
Deliver themed products each month, paired with guides or teaching schedules to alleviate planning stress.

“By packaging your resources clearly, you eliminate their planning stress and you get to earn that recurring revenue.” (10:00)
Community Plus Coaching:
Combine your resources with a supportive community or personalized coaching sessions, enhancing value and retention.

“Members aren't just buying resources, they are now investing in you and personalized guidance...” (11:15)

Top 10 Reasons to Embrace Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to outlining the Top 10 Reasons why teachers should consider adopting a subscription-based model to generate Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR):

Predictable Income:
MRR provides steady, reliable income, eliminating the unpredictability of sporadic TPT sales.

“Monthly recurring revenue gives you predictable income. No more guessing or waiting on those TPT sales spikes.” (06:30)
Less Hustle, More Stability:
Focus on quality over quantity, reducing the need to constantly create new products.
Freedom from Algorithms:
Depend less on fluctuating marketplace algorithms, maintaining control over your business.
Deeper Connections:
Build a loyal community, fostering real relationships with your subscribers.
Scalable Income Potential:
Generate continuous revenue without the need for constant product creation.
Less Competition:
Subscription services often face less competition, allowing for greater control over offerings and pricing.
Control Over Marketing and Branding:
Maintain full authority over your messaging and branding without external restrictions.
Reduced Burnout:
Sustainable revenue models allow for better work-life balance and less stress.
Increased Lifetime Value (LTV) of Customers:
Longer-lasting customer relationships lead to more revenue per customer over time.
Real and Lasting Impact:
Create ongoing transformations for your subscribers, building a meaningful legacy.

“Monthly recurring revenue lets you create ongoing transformations. I like to think that you're building a legacy.” (11:50)

Practical Steps to Implement Subscription Models

To assist listeners in taking actionable steps, Kayse presents Three Ways teachers can start integrating subscription models into their businesses immediately:

Resource Library Membership:
Provide members with access to a comprehensive digital library of existing resources.

“Teachers pay monthly for the ease of having everything that they need at their fingertips...” (09:10)
Done-For-You Monthly Bundles:
Curate monthly themed packages paired with teaching aids to offer convenience and value.

“By packaging your resources clearly, you eliminate their planning stress...” (10:00)
Community Plus Coaching:
Enhance your offerings with a supportive community or personalized coaching to increase engagement and retention.

“Members aren't just buying resources, they are now investing in you...” (11:15)

Recap and Closing Thoughts

In the concluding remarks (12:56), Kayse recaps the episode's main objectives:

“My ultimate goal for you in the coming weeks is to teach you exactly how to package your resources in a way that provides a more reliable income stream.” (12:56)

She reiterates the importance of transitioning from traditional sales to subscription-based models to achieve greater freedom, stability, and personal fulfillment. Kayse also hints at upcoming content, promising further insights into the SOAR method and exclusive announcements.

Additionally, she invites listeners to join the CEO Teachers Lounge, a supportive community for educators building their online businesses, fostering a sense of belonging and continuous learning.

“Come join us. Go to kaysemorris.com/patreon to sign up right now.” (13:37)

Key Takeaways

Embrace Subscription Models: Transitioning to subscription-based offerings can provide a stable and predictable income stream, alleviating the unpredictability associated with traditional sales platforms like TPT.
Implement the SOAR Framework: Utilizing the SOAR framework (Solve a problem, Offer immense value, Aim to simplify, Retain subscribers) can guide the creation of effective subscription services tailored to educators' needs.
Focus on Community and Value: Building deeper connections with subscribers through community engagement and personalized support enhances retention and lifetime value.
Reduce Burnout and Increase Quality: Shifting to a recurring revenue model allows teachers to focus on creating high-quality resources without the constant pressure to generate new products.

Final Note:
Kayse Morris delivers a compelling case for teachers to rethink their business models, emphasizing sustainability, community, and personal well-being. By adopting the strategies discussed in this episode, educators can transform their passion into a thriving and reliable online business.

This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from "Turn Your TPT Products into Reliable Income" by Kayse Morris of The CEO Teacher Podcast. For more detailed strategies and community support, listeners are encouraged to explore kaysemorris.com.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hello, CEO teachers. Welcome back to the show. Today we're going to talk about turning your TPT products into a more reliable income stream. So we're going to talk about ditching burnout, reclaiming your joy, and making your teacher life something that you actually look forward to instead of just thinking to yourself, I got to come home and recreate these lesson plans and make them look beautiful so that I can upload them to table. So today's episode, it's juicy. It's all about your amazing TPT products that you already have or that you're thinking about creating and instead transforming them in to something way bigger, something reliable, predictable, and let's be honest, way more fabulous than waiting for the next TPT sale. Stick around. You don't want to miss it.

B (0:49)

Have you ever sat in your car after school, keys in the ignition, engine running?

A (0:54)

Check.

B (0:54)

Just sitting there, too tired to move.

A (0:57)

Yeah, me too.

B (0:58)

Back then it was back roads, Diet Coke, and embarrassingly enough, a cigarette in hand, I was trying to hold it all together, wondering why I felt like falling apart. They don't tell you that teaching can feel like that, that you can love your students and still feel completely lost in the process.

A (1:19)

Well, I decided to write about it.

B (1:21)

This is the version of teaching that we just don't talk about. It's called the not so Fabulous Life of a Teacher. And if you've ever felt like you're barely making it to 3pm, if you've ever questioned whether this is the life you were actually meant to live, then this story is for you. It's free, it's honest, and it just might be the reminder that you didn't know you needed. You can go to Casey morris.com SL book or click the link in the show notes to download it. Now it's K A Y S E m o r r I s.com book and let this be your permission slip to want more.

A (2:03)

I mean, Carrie Fisher nailed it when she said, stay afraid, but do it anyway. And so what I'm going to be talking about over the next few weeks, maybe something that you don't know, know a lot about. And so you might be scared to jump right in, but that's what we're here for, is to help train you and get you ready. You don't need confidence to start. You just need courage to show up. And Gary Vee keeps it real too. And he says your energy should always go into creating genuine and lasting value. So let's jump right in. Look, I love selling my resources on tpt still but the marketplace doesn't belong to us. I know. You know, let's be real. You deserve a business model that lets you breathe, create, and live your life outside of checking your sales dashboard every two minutes. So let's talk about what I like to call the subscription scoop. Let's talk about what subscription models are. It's not just Netflix or Spotify. Teachers are actually doing it, too. So picture this. Your customers pay you regularly, meaning monthly, yearly, weekly, whatever floats your boat for continued access to your teaching genius. So this subscription thing, it's actually really booming right now. I'm talking billions of dollars booming. It's everywhere from cute subscription boxes full of Play DOH and coffee mugs to virtual subscriptions like meal plans, workout routines, and teachers creating anything that they want to have room to breathe while making subscription recurring revenue. So we love frameworks. We love to teach things as teachers do. So I want to introduce to you what we call our SOAR framework. I'm giving you this exactly designed specifically something that's inside of our membership for the basics. Okay? This is going to help you take what you've already created and turn it into a reliable subscription. Now, SOAR is an acronym, so we're going to go over the letters. S stands for solve a problem. What's the headache that you could solve for teachers? Maybe it's nothing to do with the classroom. Maybe it's dinner struggles, lesson prep nightmares, or even helping seniors craft the perfect college application. You could deliver it weekly, monthly, digitally, or you could even create it inside of a beautiful box. Imagine a world where your teacher clients just open up a box and start teaching. Whether that's a virtual box or one in real life. It sounds like heaven, right? The O&SOAR stands for offer immense value. Now, this isn't about doing the bare minimum. This is about going all in. I'm talking about the extra mile. Cutting, laminating the things that you already do in your classroom. Amazing. Those are things that help people go the extra mile. So prepping your membership or subscription service, something similar in the online space, that makes it even better. Because we all know that our customers are teachertired. And you want to ask yourself, how can you ease the next teacher's load? That's the magic in the O of the SOAR method. Okay, so A stands for aim to simplify. We want to make it easy, so we want to offer immense value. But I want you to make it as easy as possible for people you already know that your audience needs you. You just haven't really realized exactly how yet. So I want you to give them clarity. Show them exactly how you'll make their lives easier, simpler, and way less stressful. It's like you're on cleanup duty showing them how to peacefully process tomorrow's day. As a teacher, the R in our SOAR method stands for retain subscribers. So what makes them stay month after month? I want you to think seasonal resources, differentiated products, or that fresh new material that they can't get enough of. Maybe it's offering special discounts for loyal customers. And I want you to make it a no brainer. Something that's going to help them stick around. So I created a few little fun ideas of things that could be a subscription model for you. Maybe you could do a virtual library for early readers. You could send monthly digital or printable books in literacy centers. Parents would love you and teachers would too. You could do a teacher inspired subscription box. So you could do jewelry or lanyards. Maybe even deliver planners feminine checklists and monthly goodies. And something that is special for moms that are teachers. You could also do something like a high school math subscription. Again, this would be monthly or seasonal math lessons prepped and ready to go. So no more late night curriculum panic attacks for the teacher next door. I wanted to give you now the top 10 reasons why I think that you should start considering the subscription scoop that I was talking about. Or my favorite term, monthly recurring revenue, also known as MRR. There's 10 reasons and here they are. The the first is that monthly recurring revenue gives you predictable income. MRR means steady paychecks every month, so no more guessing or waiting on those TPT sales spikes. Number two is it allows you to hustle less, which creates more stability instead of constantly creating new products with the idea of the harder you work, the more money you make. Memberships allow you to focus on quality, not quantity. And what that gives you back in life is a lot more time to do the things that you love, things with your family, things that make you happy, like your hobbies or even putting your health first. The third reason why I think you should start considering monthly recurring revenue is it's freedom from any algorithm. So I know that you know, if you've been in the TPT world for a while, you understand that algorithms change. The good news about having some sort of subscription model means you're no longer dependent on TPT's algorithm. This is your business, which equals your rules. The next one, and probably my favorite, is deeper connections. So subscription services build loyal communities instead of a one time buyer where you can create real relationships. I love learning about my students, families, their dogs, their cats. I love hearing about milestones, when babies are born and when they get married. And it helps me create real lasting bonds with my students. Another tip is scalable income potential. Now this is a fancy marketing term that just means that right now you have one product and it's not bringing in continuous revenue. People buy it. It's a one and done. But. But if you have scalable income, people could purchase one subscription, one product that brings in recurring income month after month without constantly having to recreate the wheel. Next is that there's not a lot of competition out there for subscription services. Less competition equals more control. You get to set the terms, the prices, the offerings. It's no longer the crowded space that some of our marketplaces are. Of course this is your platform, which means it's your terms. Monthly recurring revenue lets you control your marketing, your messaging and branding without restrictions. It allows you to reduce burnout. So sustainable revenue means that you can actually rest, recharge and again spend that precious time that you value most and insert a whole lot of fun. It allows you to increase the lifetime value of a customer. We call this LTV in the marketing world it means when your people stay longer. This allows you to have more money from each person over time rather than just one of those one off sales. And increasing your students overall value will allow you to reduce a lot of stress on yourself for constantly finding new customers. And then finally, my last tip is it allows you to have real and lasting impact with monthly recurring revenue. You're not just selling one thing, you're creating ongoing transformations. And I like to think that you're building a legacy. So I got three ways as a teacher that you could potentially get started today. The first is create some sort of resource library membership. So what it is is it provides members with unlimited access to curated digital library of your existing resour insert. A whole lot of questions you probably have. I know I'm coming at you with them in the coming weeks. And why this works though is that teachers love convenience. They pay monthly for the ease of having everything that they need at their fingertips without repeatedly purchasing individual products. You may be thinking, but Kasey, what if they get all my products at once and they download all of them and then they leave? Well tune in in the next few weeks and we will be answering some of those questions. The second way that I think you could get started today is some done for you monthly bundles. So each month deliver carefully selected themed products directly to your members paired with a simple guide or a teaching schedule. Why It Works Teachers value guidance and structure and by packaging your resources clearly, you eliminate their planning stress and you get to earn that recurring revenue. The third way you can get started is add on a community plus your coaching. So combine your resources with a supportive community or monthly Q and A calls like office hours, where members can ask questions and get personalized support. Now here's why it works. Members aren't just buying resources, they are now investing in you and personalized guidance, increasing value and retention. So just a quick recap of today's show. My ultimate goal for you in the coming weeks is to teach you exactly how to package your resources in a way that provides a more reliable income stream. I gave you the 10 steps or reasons why this is important. Then I gave you three ways that you could potentially start doing this today. This isn't about selling more, it's about giving yourself more more freedom, stability and the life that you actually enjoy. All right, friends, I can't wait to talk more about our SOAR method and so much other goodness. You don't want to miss a special announcement that we have coming your way next week and it's going to be the talk of the town. Thanks so much for listening. And as always, remember your best is yet to come.