Latest news with #tutoring
Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
I Took My Side Hustle Full-Time and Earned $222,000 Last Year
This as-told-to story is based on an interview with Seattle, Washington-based tutor Carter Osborne, who owns college essay consulting business Carter Osborne Tutoring. Osborne started tutoring as a side hustle in 2017 to help with tuition payments while in graduate school. In 2024, Osborne quit his job as a PR director to take the business full-time. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Image Credit: Courtesy of Carter Osborne Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here. I turned my tutoring side hustle into a full-time business in January 2024. There was a push and pull for me in this direction: The push was that it became challenging to balance both my full-time PR job and my college essays, which I considered a side hustle at the time, although it had grown to the point that it took up as much time as my PR job. During the busy college application season, I was essentially working two full-time jobs, and it just didn't work anymore. Then the pull was that I love the artistic and creative aspect of working on college application essays. I find it so personal and enriching in a way that PR just didn't quite match. So I was like, Okay, I have a connection to something here that is generating a lot of revenue, as much revenue as my PR job, but it's more enjoyable day-to-day. I like working with the kids. I like working on storytelling. By the time I made the choice, it had become fairly obvious which one was right. Related: This Graduate Student Started a Side Hustle to Help Pay Tuition. It Earned Over $115,000 Last Year — More Than His Full-Time Job. I had a vague idea that I wanted to increase my revenue by about double, thinking, Okay, I'll have twice as much time and should be able to dedicate that to my business. I'd love to double my revenue. So I raised my rates, knowing that that was a stretch goal going in. Just because I'd freed up an hour didn't mean I'd have that much more business. I had to go out and earn more clients and spend more time with them. Between 2020, a few years into the side hustle, and 2023, I grew revenue from $58,000 a year to $114,250 a year. I had 37 clients in 2020 and 54 clients in 2023. When I took the side business full-time in 2024, I hit $222,000 in revenue with 66 clients. My business is highly seasonal. College application deadlines typically fall between November and January, so the second half of the year is the busiest. I made roughly 80% of my revenue last year between July and December. During the busy season, I work 50 to 70 hours per week, depending on the month. October is typically the busiest as we approach the first major deadlines of the year, which fall on October 15 and November 1. During the off-season, I work roughly 10 to 15 hours per week, and I often step away entirely for vacations that aren't possible during the busy season. This industry runs on referrals; they're the golden ticket. When parents want to hire someone to work with their kid on something as high-stakes as the college admissions process, frontline advertisements, social media marketing or other click-and-learn campaigns aren't the way in for people because it feels a little too high-stakes and is often a multi-thousand-dollar commitment. Parents want to hear from their friend that they had a really good experience, and then rely on that barometer of trust to select a consultant. Related: This Former Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Made More Than $22,000 in One Month: 'I Have Never Been More Fulfilled' So, the more clients I work with, the more referrals I get for the following year. It's an exponential increase, so often in this industry, starting out is quite slow, which is why I ran the business as a side hustle for a long time. As word got out, my name got around at different schools and communities, and because I went full-time last year, I had a lot more time to put into actively working my network to generate more referrals. And I generated enough referrals to meet my revenue goals. I was actually more excited about the number of clients I worked with than the revenue that I saw last year, because I knew it would set me up for even bigger years this year and then the following year. Additionally, referrals from other consultants play an important role in the business's growth. Currently, there is far more demand for services within the college admissions industry than there are professionals to provide them, so that means folks like me typically are fully booked every year. Nearly everyone in my network has filled up for this year; I've almost filled up. So that means we don't have to be cutthroat and competitive with each other. I'll receive referrals from other consultants whom I know and who trust me to do high-quality work. I've also found that sharing my story with media outlets has helped my business get some attention, but interestingly, those pieces more often lead to messages from people who want to start a tutoring side hustle themselves, versus paying clients. I've been able to have a lot of great conversations with aspiring tutors. Since I've taken the side hustle full-time, one of the biggest challenges has been staying on top of the administrative workflow. Now that I work with a lot more clients, I'm answering a lot more emails and addressing small questions that a student or a parent might have after our meeting is over. I do a lot more scheduling and onboarding calls with people. Even the time I spend billing and invoicing has gone up. So there's a lot around the margins that I'm trying to make as efficient as possible. Related: This Arizona Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Immediately Earned More Than Her Full-Time Job: 'Much Better Than $40,000' Down the line, I'd consider hiring someone to help with the administrative side, and by next year, I'd definitely like to hire tutors to work with me. I'd like to bring someone on to help with editing and a little bit of the at-home essay work that I spend a lot of my time doing. But I like to be hands-on with that and am hesitant to hand that off to anybody else whom I haven't thoroughly trained, so it'll be a long process to get the person I hire up to speed. I'm looking forward to building a team around this business. Obviously, I worked for a large company during my PR days, but I've never built my own team before. You hear entrepreneurs talk all the time about how motivating and inspirational it is to build something yourself, and while I don't necessarily know if I would call myself an entrepreneur so much as just a tutor who's managed to find some success, the idea of building a team and expanding my services is really exciting for me. I now work with students all around the U.S. and from around the world. Over half of my clients come from outside of Washington state. That is fundamentally motivating for me, to think I'm able to meet these people from all over, learn all these stories and help students who are in other countries work through the international application system. That is exciting in a way that I haven't felt in another job before. I genuinely love working with these students on their personal statements. Most people are very stressed out by college essays. I am not at all. To be fair, it's easier when you're not the one writing it. But I love working with the kids on these essays. I never cease to be amazed by the thoughtfulness and insight that high school students can bring to these essays. We often think of them as people in development, but that's not true at all. When you read these personal statements, you realize that they see the world in a different way than we do, and often it's in a very rich and constructive way. The more students I get to work with, the more creative and inspiring stories I get to come across in the future, which I find to be enriching in my own life as well. Related: I Turned My Side Hustle Into a Passive Income Stream That's Earned More Than $1 Million — But Making Money Isn't Even the Best Part For anyone considering taking a tutoring side hustle full-time, my first piece of advice is pragmatic: Map out the finances. Use constructive negative thinking and assume that it won't work, then ask yourself, What would happen if this totally crashed and burned? Do I have a backup option? Can I handle it financially for 10 to 12 months? Try to give yourself a cushion just in case. I was part-time for six years before I transitioned to full-time, so when I made the leap, I was fairly confident I had enough support to make it happen. You have to suss out the environment to know if going full-time is really right for you. Also, think critically about what working independently means. Often, we glorify independent work as a sense of freedom. You don't have a boss. You don't have performance reviews. You don't have any externally imposed deadlines. The flip side of that is that everything is on you. If I'm going to generate a dollar of revenue, I have to go out and find it myself. If I make a mistake, there's no one to shift blame onto, and I need to take responsibility. The safety rails are taken away, and for a lot of people, that doesn't work. That's not a commentary on their work ethic; it's just not the style of work that they enjoy. For me, it is — I like that independence. Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Unitree Robotics starts IPO process
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese startup Unitree Robotics has begun the so-called "tutoring" process for a potential initial public offering, a filing with the securities regulator showed on Friday. CITIC Securities acts as the company's tutoring institution and is scheduled to assist Unitree in preparing the listing application documents in accordance with relevant regulations in the fourth quarter of this year. Sign in to access your portfolio
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
China's Unitree Robotics starts IPO process
BEIJING, July 18 (Reuters) - Chinese startup Unitree Robotics has begun the so-called "tutoring" process for a potential initial public offering, a filing with the securities regulator showed on Friday. CITIC Securities acts as the company's tutoring institution and is scheduled to assist Unitree in preparing the listing application documents in accordance with relevant regulations in the fourth quarter of this year.
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- News.com.au
Wife killer Colin Arthur Case sentenced to prison for sexually abusing a teen girl
A wife killer is back in prison for sexually abusing a teenage girl while tutoring her in mathematics. Colin Arthur Case, 85, was on parole for the murder of his first wife when he abused the girl during the tutoring sessions at his Port Lincoln home from June 2023 to October 2024. The octogenarian has now been sentenced to another nine years in prison. Judge Anne Barnett, in her sentencing remarks, said his offending involved 'a serious breach of trust', referencing an impact statement from the victim's mother. 'She spoke of how you would buy gifts and that you did so to manipulate the victim,' Judge Barnett said. 'She feels guilt for letting you into her daughter's life.' The victim was in her early teens during the period of offending. 'You say the offending did not begin sexually and that you became close and cared for her which eventually slipped into sexual abuse,' the judge said. Case shot and killed his first wife, Margaret, in 1992, and he was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 20 years. He was released in July 2016 and married his second wife nine months later. His second wife developed suspicions about Case's offending and used an iPad to catch him out. 'Your offending came to light due to suspicions held by your wife who observed gifts that you had bought for the victim and that you had spent lots of time together,' Judge Barnett said. 'She also noticed that you had started taking Viagra. 'As a result of these suspicions she recorded the audio of an interaction between you and the victim on her iPad where you discussed sexual acts and that there were sounds consistent with the occurrence of sexual acts. 'She provided the police with the iPad and the recording.' Case was born in Kenya to British parents, who were serving there in the British army, Judge Barnett said. He immigrated to Australia in 1971 and became a teacher. He murdered his first wife in public, shooting her with a firearm wrapped in a blanket at short range, as she left her solicitor's office in Adelaide on March 23, 1992. He was arrested two days later and he pleaded guilty to the murder. Judge Barnett declined to fix a non-parole period for Case's offending and referred his matter to the South Australian Supreme Court, which she said would be the 'most appropriate forum' for dealing with terms of life imprisonment for murder and the subsequent commission of serious offences while on parole. 'I also take into account in declining to fix a non-parole period, the observations of the Parole Board in their letter to me that more up-to-date material may be of assistance in understanding the motivation for your offending, in turn, informing the length of any non-parole period to be fixed,' she said.
Forbes
06-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 Business Ideas A Teen Entrepreneur Can Start Today With $0
teen entrepreneur celebrating launching a business Becoming a teen entrepreneur is gaining momentum. According to Junior Achievement, 66% of teens aged 13-17 express an interest in starting their businesses as adults. This shift represents more than a career trend—it signals a generation ready to create opportunities rather than wait for them. Many teenagers assume that starting a business requires a significant amount of capital. That assumption stops them before they begin. The reality? Most successful teen ventures start with existing skills, creativity, and minimal investment. Here are five accessible business models any motivated teen can launch today. 1. Academic Tutoring Services Parents actively seek affordable, reliable tutors who connect with their children, often preferring someone of a similar age who understands the current educational challenges their children face. At WIT (Whatever It Takes), the entrepreneurship program I founded in 2009, we've seen countless teens leverage their academic strengths into profitable tutoring services that require no upfront investment beyond time and expertise. Implementation strategy: Start with subjects where you consistently earn A's or higher. Create a concise one-page overview that highlights your qualifications, approach, and rates. Target families you know who have younger students who need support in your strongest subjects. Pricing approach: Charge $15-$30 per hour, depending on the subject complexity and local market rates. SAT/ACT prep and advanced subjects command higher fees. Virtual sessions eliminate transportation time, allowing you to serve more students efficiently. Growth potential: Secure 5-8 regular students at $20/hour for 2 hours weekly, and you'll generate $800-1,600 monthly. Word-of-mouth referrals drive sustainable growth in this field. 2. Social Media Management For Local Businesses Digital marketing skills that teens naturally develop can help solve real business problems. Many small business owners recognize the importance of social media, but they often lack the time or knowledge to manage it effectively. Service offerings: Content creation, post scheduling, basic graphic design, and community engagement. Focus on platforms where you already have experience, such as Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. Getting started: Approach local businesses with a concrete proposal: "I'll create and schedule 12 posts for your social media accounts this month for $300." Include before/after examples from practice accounts or volunteer work. Start with one client to perfect your approach and track measurable results. Take screenshots of engagement increases and follower growth numbers. These concrete examples help you land additional clients. Revenue expectations: Managing 3-4 accounts effectively can generate $900-1,200 monthly. 3. Print-On-Demand Product Creation Artistic teens can earn money without having to purchase inventory upfront. Sites like Redbubble, Teespring, and Printful print your designs on products only after customers place an order. You upload artwork, set prices, and earn a percentage of the sale price when items sell. This works well for teens who draw, take photos, or create digital art. Your designs can appear on t-shirts, phone cases, notebooks, and a wide range of other products. Most platforms pay creators 10-20% of each sale. Getting started: Pick one category and stick with it initially. Animal lovers might design cat-themed products. Fitness enthusiasts could create motivational workout quotes. Regular uploads matter more than perfect designs when you're just starting out. Marketing approach: Post your design process on Instagram or TikTok. Join Facebook groups related to your niche. Message micro-influencers about potential collaborations. Building an audience takes months, not weeks, so patience pays off. Revenue expectations: Success varies widely, but consistent creators often earn $200-500 monthly after six months of regular uploads. Popular designs can generate passive income for years. 4. Event Support Services Parties and celebrations always need extra hands. Parents hosting birthday parties, families planning graduations, and organizations running fundraisers often hire teens to help with tasks they can't handle alone. Scaling strategy: Begin with one client to develop systems and prove results. Document engagement improvements and follower growth to attract additional clients. Once you manage 3-4 accounts efficiently, your monthly revenue can reach $900-$ 1,200. 4. Event Support Services Parties and celebrations always need extra hands. Parents hosting birthday parties, families planning graduations, and organizations running fundraisers often hire teens to help with tasks they can't handle alone. Service categories: Pre-event preparation, day-of coordination, entertainment assistance, and post-event cleanup. You can focus on specific areas like party decorating or crowd management for children's events. Client acquisition: Network through family connections, community centers, and local event venues. Create a simple portfolio showing before/after photos of events you've helped organize, even informal family gatherings. Revenue model: Charge $15-25 per hour depending on responsibilities and event complexity. Weekend events often command premium rates. Build relationships with event planners and venues for consistent referral opportunities. 5. Technology Support Services The digital divide presents opportunities for tech-savvy teens to assist seniors and small business owners in navigating modern technology. Services include smartphone setup, social media training, basic computer troubleshooting, and software installation. This business model works particularly well because it builds on skills teens already possess while serving a genuine market need. Many seniors want to stay connected digitally but feel overwhelmed by rapidly changing technology. Service offerings: Device setup, app installation, social media training, video calling instruction, and basic cybersecurity education. Focus on practical skills that improve daily life for your clients. Trust building: Start with family, friends, and neighbors to establish credibility. Request testimonials and referrals from satisfied clients. This business relies heavily on trust and word-of-mouth marketing. Pricing structure: Charge $20-$ 40 per session, depending on complexity and duration. Ongoing support contracts provide steady income—some teens offer monthly check-ins to maintain client relationships. How A Teen Entrepreneur Can Leverage Business Experience For College Running a business gives you stories that make admissions officers stop reading and pay attention. They see thousands of applications from students who played soccer or volunteered at hospitals. Far fewer describe how they built something from scratch. Colleges want students who take initiative and solve problems. Your tutoring business shows you identified a need in your community and figured out how to meet it. Your social media management service proves you can learn new skills and deliver results for clients. When you write about your business experience, skip the revenue numbers. Instead, tell the story of your biggest failure and what you learned from it. Describe the moment you realized your first approach wasn't working and how you pivoted. Explain how you convinced your first customer to trust a teenager with their business. As A Teen Entrepreneur Start Small The most crucial step is beginning. Choose one business model that matches your existing skills and interests. Start small, focus on delivering excellent service to initial clients, and reinvest profits to grow systematically. Your age can be an advantage rather than a limitation. Many customers appreciate working with young entrepreneurs who bring fresh energy and digital fluency to traditional service needs. The key is demonstrating professionalism and reliability regardless of your age. The entrepreneurial skills you develop today—customer service, financial management, marketing, and problem-solving—will serve you throughout your career, whether you continue building businesses or apply these capabilities in other fields.
