Balancing Teaching and PC Business: Insights from a First-Year Teacher

[nickywsn]

I will begin my first year of teaching this coming August. I have been selling PC since January and have been doing pretty good with it. I earned my certificate through the Alternate Route program.

I was just wondering how hard is it going to be to keep up my PC business once I start teaching. I know I'm going to be overwhelmed with the huge career change (I've been an accounting clerk for the past 9 years) but I really don't want to give up my business. I've had a good bit of success with it so far, even hitting 15K in sales at then end of my 3rd SS month. I really need the extra money too. In fact, that's the main reason I became a consultant. I knew I'd need to supplement my income to prepare for the pay cut I will take once I start teaching. I know it sounds crazy but I really want a more rewarding career and my kids are growing up before my eyes so I want to be able to spend more time off with them.

Thanks for any advice offered. And please don't sugar coat it. I want to know the good, bad and ugly...lol

Thanks,
Nicky

 

[jrstephens]

Sounds to me like you are moving to a slower pace job and may have more time to work PC than you did before. My husband is a teacher and football coach, so, I can see some sides of teaching.

You will have your school to get orders from too. And will have a good connection to maybe land some fundraisers.

I seriously think you may see that you have more time once you get into the swing of things. And you could focus shows on off days and school vacation time too.

I personally do not think it will be any harder to work PC as a teacher than as any other profession. Good Luck!!!

 

[nickywsn]

That's true....I hadn't even thought about fundraisers! Thanks!

 

[janetupnorth]

Not a teacher FT, but I teach for the Red Cross sometimes...here is a small list of my activities...listed just to help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT! The nice thing about PC is you set your own pace...you can kick it up or let it slack...

Activities:
Work Full-Time as a Systems & Process Engineer
Have a 3 year old and 6 year old (as of 5/9)
Volunteer Firefighter
Volunteer EMT-B
Volunteer AWANA leader
Pick up after husband
Run kid to piano lessons
Do medical registration at camp
Run kids to school
Pick kids up
Pick up after husband
Laundry
Dishes
Yard work
Fix vehicles
Feed dogs
Feed cat
Feed fish
Pick up after husband
Sell PC
Call customers (PC)
Teach First Aid/CPR
Do Sound at church
Help with Sunday School
Play instruments

He-he...if you can find the humor in that (picking on hubby). Anyway, my full-time job takes the most time, but I do MANY things other than that list. It is all a matter of determination and also keeping PC as a "fun thing to do".

You'll do great!!!!

 

[pamperedalf]

Congrats on your new job first of all.

I started selling PC while I was in the credential program, and I have now been teaching for a year. It is a lot more rewarding to teach and I love it. I have found you just need to figure out what you want to work, if it's one day a week pick the day that is the least stressful for you. Know the days you want to work and be firm. I am now filling my summer months because I won't be teaching summer school and won't have a pay check coming in. But come fall I will probably drop back down, depending where I will teach (we have huge budget cuts in our district so who knows).

Yes there have been times that I am completely wiped and to go and try and do a show is hard. I just write in my calendar what the show is paying for and I coach myself through it. Yes there are fundraisers, that helps a ton.

 

[nickywsn]

thank you all so much! And Janet, I really like that scripture! It was just what I needed to hear today! God is so good!!!

 

[kmschroll2001]

Congrats on the new job. I think that teaching is a great profession to be in when selling PC. You have the flexibility of the holidays and summers off. You may find it a little difficult during the busy times of being a teacher (first and last week of school, around report card and progress report time) But that's the beauty of it, when you are busy in school you can just go light on the PC during that time.

 

[janetupnorth]

thank you all so much! And Janet, I really like that scripture! It was just what I needed to hear today! God is so good!!!

Good!!!! Here I am trying to be humorous (and serious) in my list of activities and all you needed was the verse...glad God is bigger than us and uses us despite ourselves!