Life After Teaching: Creating Stability Again

TutorFest 2026 Debrief: What Worked, What Changed and What’s Next

A few days after TutorFest 2026, Richard and Vicki sit down—still exhausted and slightly overwhelmed—to reflect on what really happened in Blackpool. This is not simply a rundown of speakers and sessions. It is a conversation about the moments that made TutorFest feel so special: the attendee who discovered the event through AI and travelled from Nottingham the following morning, the podcast listener who shared how Richard’s content had reached him during a particularly difficult time, and the emotional messages written by attendees to their future selves. Richard and Vicki also discuss the things that did not go entirely to plan, including a last-minute speaker cancellation and an air-conditioning failure, as well as the decisions that helped them turn those challenges into positive parts of the experience. They revisit contributions from Dan Meredith, Lisa Johnson, Sophie Kim Hughes, Charlotte Bailey, the TutorFest panel and Lee Parkinson, while exploring what they want to retain, improve and develop for the next event. You’ll hear about: • Why the smaller, shared experience is central to TutorFest • The conversations and connections that happen around the main event • What attendee feedback has taught Richard and Vicki • The possibility of more interaction and movement during future events • Why TutorFest is introducing a virtual ticket • What is planned for TutorFest 2027 in London TutorFest returns on 19 February 2027, with both in-person and virtual ticket options available. Listen for an honest look behind the scenes of creating an event—and a reminder that the impact of your work is often happening long before anybody tells you about it. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Best Marketing Doesn’t Always Need the Biggest Budget

What can tutoring business owners learn from Heinz, Gillette and Levi’s? Quite a lot, actually. In this episode, I’m talking about branding, marketing and what happens when big businesses are told they can’t show up in the way they expected. During the World Cup, several well-known brands were restricted from displaying their names because they were not official tournament sponsors. But instead of disappearing quietly, they got creative. Levi’s changed its social media branding to match its covered-up stadium sign. Gillette leaned into the shaving foam idea. Heinz used the familiarity of its bottle shape and branding to make the point that people already knew who they were. And there’s a lesson here for all of us. Running a tutoring business is not always straightforward. Sometimes things feel unfair. Sometimes the rules change. Sometimes you don’t have the budget, platform or opportunity that someone else has. But that does not mean you have no options. This episode is a reminder that creativity often comes from constraint. The businesses that stand out are not always the ones with the biggest budget. Sometimes they are the ones willing to think differently, respond quickly and make the most of the cards they have been dealt. If your tutoring business is going through an ebb and flow moment, this one is for you. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Life After Teaching: Creating Stability Again

Leaving teaching can feel like leaving stability behind. A monthly salary, a school timetable, pension contributions, colleagues, policies, procedures and someone else making the big decisions can all create a sense of security. But stability does not only come from a salary. In this final episode of the mini-series on moving from teacher to tutor, I explore what stability can look like outside the classroom. Not the fantasy version. Not the “quit teaching and everything is instantly easy” version. The real version. We look at how tutors and tuition business owners can begin to create stability through income, routines, systems, boundaries, community and support. I also talk about the emotional side of leaving the structure of school behind, why self-employment can feel lonely, and why it is so important to know whether you need business support, emotional support, or both. This episode is for teachers considering tutoring, tutors still trying to find their rhythm, and anyone building a business after leaving the classroom. The big message is this: you are not leaving stability behind forever. You are learning how to build a new version of it. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Money Fear Behind Leaving Teaching

Leaving teaching is not just an emotional decision. For many teachers, one of the biggest questions is much more practical: can I actually afford to leave teaching and build a tutoring business? In episode 3 of this mini-series, I’m looking at the money fear behind leaving the classroom. We talk about why a teaching salary can feel hard to walk away from, why financial worry is not weakness, and why understanding your real numbers is so important before making big decisions. This episode is not about encouraging teachers to quit. It is for those who already have one foot out of the classroom, or those who have already started tutoring and are trying to make the financial side feel more secure. We explore survival numbers, comfortable numbers, ideal numbers, and why replacing your salary is not always the same as replacing your required income. I also share examples of different tutoring business models, including one-to-one tuition, small groups, workshops and mock exams. The big message is this: you do not need to leap blindly. You need to build a bridge. If you are wondering whether tutoring could realistically pay the bills, this episode will help you stop letting money fear swirl around and start looking at the numbers, evidence and next sensible steps. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How to Create Content Without Sounding Stuffy

In this Make It Happen Monday episode, Richard answers Jessica Sapida’s question about how tutors can create media content without sounding stuffy, and how building a following can impact their business. This episode explores the difference between being professional and being overly polished, why authenticity matters, and how tutors can show up online in a way that feels natural, useful and trustworthy. Richard also looks at why content does not have to mean dancing reels, viral trends or becoming a performer; sometimes, the most effective content simply comes from answering the real questions parents and clients are already asking. You’ll hear practical ideas for creating content from frequently asked questions, building familiarity over time, understanding your audience, and using content to create warmer enquiries, better-fit clients and a calmer business. If you have ever worried that your content sounds too formal, too generic or too far away from the real you, this episode will help you rethink what good content can look like. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.