Why right now is the best time ever to start a private tutoring business in 2024

A renaissance in learning and education is underway that is making private tutoring and coaching critical to the success of some students. 

Some students need extra help.

Some have high aspirations and need support to hit their goal.

Some students need support with foundations to be able to thrive.

For educators of all kinds, there are now new and unique opportunities to grow a business that positively impacts the lives of students and families. Many teachers are finding careers in education frustrating.

With poor funding, lack of resources, behavioral challenges, and limited freedom to teach the basics well, more and more families are looking outside schools for tutors that will help build skills and so build confidence that makes for student success. 

Education is where people with big hearts and strong minds go to make an impact they can feel and see. It’s not about big money. It’s big love that enables love of learning and that enables competence which makes our civilized world possible.

Education is about being the best for others so others can be their best. But the systems of education do not function at their best. Teachers feel it and see it first. 

The last 5 years changed many things, some good, some not.

Thankfully with technology advancements and the increasing familiarity with online learning, tutors can connect with people across time zones and down the street and solve problems for parents that don’t have the needed skills and time to support their children’s learning needs. 

Each tutor is different and this is a strength for the students because each tutor can adopt a model that works for them and the students they want to serve.

And there is not a one-size-fits-all system. There are common pathways and principles that everyone can learn from and adapt as needed. That’s what this newsletter will be about.

There was a time when tutoring only happened in person. This worked, but not for everyone. Today, tutors don’t need to be in person 100% of the time. While some students and some scenarios require in-person support many do not. 

New hybrid business models allow for tutoring business growth while fully serving students with their goals.

Here are the top ten reasons why now is the best time in history to start and grow a tutoring business: 

1: Technology allows for online learning 

New online conferencing tools and broadband access allow for learning to happen remotely and for some subjects, self-paced learning. Also, technology is allowing for test practice and e-learning for key skills. 

2: Remote learning is accepted

Through the school closures of 2020-2022, remote learning became part of the tool kit for educators and students. This opens up many opportunities for tutors to reach students in places previously impossible to serve.

3: Divergent ways of learning

More and more, we are seeing children who learn differently filling classrooms and needing support that a classroom teacher struggles to manage and resolve. The increasing awareness of these issues opens the door to specialist educators with relevant expertise and focus.

4: Online communities allow for tutors and students to find each other fast

There are now endless ways to find students, the challenge is choosing the right ones for the right stage of a tutoring business. The right tool for someone starting off will likely be a complete waste of time for a tutor who is ready to scale.

5: Working remotely allows for lifestyle flexibility

Now more than ever before, professionals don’t want to be tied to an office space or a specific location. The ability to create a business that you can operate from anywhere is very attractive and possible. Many financial and online technologies make this possible. 

6: Growth of homeschooling 

More parents are choosing homeschooling and need targeted support for their kids. As challenges and opportunities arise for children, specialists will be increasingly in demand. 

7: College prep is a growing field 

Getting into top universities will remain a key focus of parents and students. Being an expert at helping students prepare and excel at taking tests will be a great business opportunity as long as universities are important for parents and students. 

8: Skills-based teaching

Adults and students both are looking for targeted help learning specific schools outside of traditional classwork. Data, coding, marketing, presentations, communications, writing, leadership…there are an endless series of skills where specialist educators transform people with skills and frameworks. As the world continues to change to new technologies, the role of the specialist educator will only increase. We need competent guides that can connect the dots for us and save us time on learning and mastery. 

9: Lifelong learners 

Some people like to learn. Maybe it’s music or math or photography…there are so many areas where a coach or educator can support adults at any stage in life who want to learn. This is also the same for the humanities. History, literature, writing…there is an increasing demand for learning that enriches people’s lives.

10: Marketing competition is low relative to other owner/operator businesses 

Having helped thousands of businesses over 17 years, I’ve seen few fields as large and diverse as the tutoring and education space. This is particularly true for people committed to helping children learn foundational skills for life. The barriers to entry are low, which increases competition, but the barriers to marketing and growth are primarily in your head. While a few areas in tutoring are competitive, the vast majority of specialized subjects are under-marketed in the extreme. This won’t be the case in ten years. For most tutors, there is an open field of opportunity to become a leader in your specialty and the default option for parents in your area.

Most tutors don’t pursue growing their business because it requires a different perspective from what is taught in education schools. Because it requires getting uncomfortable and presenting and selling. This can be hard for someone who has largely focused on the craft of teaching. And educators as a class just want to teach and help. Independent teaching professionals can’t afford to let people come to them.

If you love teaching because it feeds your soul, becoming a professional educator is a great choice. Never before has there been an easier time to teach in the best way for you, to find and connect with potential students and never before has there been a greater demand. Your love of teaching and learning is the best possible foundation for establishing and growing a business. 

This newsletter is for you if you love teaching and want to grow your self-employed business as a tutor, coach, or educator. You can control your own destiny while empowering students.

Now a question for you: what kind of tutoring business do you want to grow? Wherever you are in your journey, what is your number 1 goal for the next 12 months?