Get richer teacher with Ola Kowalska

In this podcast episode I talk to Michał, a language teacher who shares his inspiring story of building his own language education business. Michał shares: – his background as a Polish American and his experience of moving to Poland – his struggles with teaching kids – how pandemic led him to discover the potential of online education and sparked his transformation as an English language coach – h...

As a teacher business coach, I specialise in helping my clients develop businesses that are not only profitable and sustainable but also bring them genuine joy. In episode 117 of the Get richer, teacher podcast I'm sharing insights into four business models, examining their pros and cons in relation to these three crucial components of a successful teaching business. Here's my take on these elemen...

Being a teacher means you're always learning, teaching or thinking about one of the two. However, there are also beliefs and habits worth unlearning to build more successful, profitable and enjoyable teaching business. In the newest episode of Get richer, teacher podcast I talk about some false beliefs that keep many language teachers stuck. Hit the play button above to learn more about how: tradi...

What makes a successful group program? I believe it’s about balancing the academic and business side. But how can you achieve that? In episode 115 of Get richer, teacher podcast I’ll walk you through 4 elements that are crucial for building an extraordinary group language course to make sure it’ll be effective for your students and profitable for you: the importance of having a specific target aud...

When you're teaching one-to-one, there's a limit to how much you can earn. Even if you do and raise your prices, there's only so many hours in a day. I know it is counterintuitive but in order to scale your business you need to not add more (time, offers, clients) but to start doing less. You can transition from one-on-one to group classes (I talked about this process in episode 113 of my podcast)...

Sooner or later many language teachers start to think about moving from offering only 1:1 lessons to group programs. But it’s not as simple as grouping together your 1:1 clients based on their CEFR level and telling them „see you on Tuesday at 6 PM”. First of all, I’m not a fan of creating offers and marketing them based on language proficiency levels. I believe learning languages is not about jum...

Managing a profitable language school goes beyond the simple formula of "more clients, more money”. Whether you have a brick and mortar school or an online one, there are costs involved. The biggest expense is teachers’ salaries, and rightfully so. They are responsible for your students’s success and satisfaction and I believe you shouldn’t cut corners when it comes to their salaries. If you can’t...

Probably nobody open their language school to become a marketer. You were first a teacher, then decided to become a business owner and help more students. Maybe you didn’t expect that running a language school will involve so much marketing. It can be exhausting, especially if you’re not sure what sets your business apart from other language schools. In this episode of Get richer, teacher podcast...

What makes a good language school? As a former owner and manager of language schools I’ve seen a lot! And I believe there are 3 things that your language school needs to call itself a good place. Leader – that not only puts out fires, create timetables and pay the bills. The visionary and makes space for creativity and growth People – unfortunately the teachers that actually help the students achi...

Knowing who your ideal client is makes it easier to create offers and be consistent with your marketing. But how do you find this ideal client? It’s not only about personality alignment (but yes, you want to work with people who you like). Think about the common struggles and goals that people in your target audience have. Who you enjoy working with and what characteristics they have? Consider the...

Just like planning a road trip, building a successful business requires a few key elements. First, you need to ensure that your business is functioning well, just like checking your car before hitting the road. This means having a clear map or goal to work towards, as well as knowing that you have support along the way. Trust me, having someone to keep you company and provide support makes the jou...

Marketing may seem overwhelming because of the amount of advice out there and especially if you're a teacher (and let's be honest - business has never been part of the curriculum while studying to become a teacher, right?!) But it's actually quite simple. It's not posting more or having a massive audience that cuts it. To get started, I recommend conducting an audit of your past marketing efforts....

Searching for the best social media platform for your teaching business? Let's flip the script and approach it from a different angle. Instead of asking what's the best platform overall, let's focus on what's best for YOU. Where can you be consistent and truly enjoy showing up? It's all about finding the path of least resistance. It's not about following the crowd or chasing trends. It's abou...

In this episode we talk about: Podcasting as a powerful tool for building connections with the audience and establishing trust Ola talks about how The Get Richer Teacher podcast challenges the current state of the language education market Laura Wilkes shares her journey with podcasting and provides tips on getting started Tips include finding a suitable recording environment, using accessible equ...

In this episode, we talk about: Julia, an English teacher specializing in Cambridge exam preparation, who's passionate about providing a positive and enjoyable learning experience for her students Julia emphasizes the importance of authenticity and listening to her audience and talks about experimenting with different teaching and marketing approaches to find what works best for her business Julia...

In this podcast episode we talk about: Catherine Angus, an English language teacher, shares her journey of creating a podcast and pronunciation course for teachers The podcast, Hear You Go , focuses on the messy and unpredictable aspects of spoken English Catherine noticed a gap in the market for authentic and engaging listening materials and decided to fill that gap with her podcast The podcast h...

In this episode I talk about: The dangers of charging too little for language lessons Pricing based on value and commitment, not just time spent teaching Risks of charging too little: resentment, lack of progress, high maintenance clients, financial struggles Encouragement to raise prices and attract committed students

In this episode I talk about: The current state of the language education market Exploration of the question of one-to-one teaching versus group teaching Benefits and considerations of one-to-one teaching Benefits and considerations of group teaching Financial advantages of group teaching Importance of finding a balance between one-to-one and group teaching Thinking strategically about incorporati...

In this episode I talk about: Acknowledgment of challenges in the language education market Encouragement for teachers to build their own businesses and make a positive impact Celebration of episode 100 and gratitude for the podcast community Discussion on the topic of promising results in language teaching Shift from promises to possible outcomes and empowering students to take responsibility

In this episode I talk about: - The appeal of conversation classes and book clubs for language teachers - Potential benefits: authentic learning experiences, improved language skills - Caution against the practicality and sustainability of such offerings - Emphasis on strategic thinking and building a solid business foundation first - Focus on establishing a steady flow of one-on-one clients and h...

In this episode I talk about: Importance of creating targeted group courses in the language education market Need to understand the target audience and their specific needs Designing a curriculum that addresses those needs and provides tangible outcomes Emphasizing the benefits of group classes and networking opportunities Effective marketing and clear communication of the value of the course Read...

In this episode we talk about: Language education market challenges: low pay for teachers, native speakerism, and outdated teaching formats Ola's mission to empower language teachers to build profitable and enjoyable businesses Introduction of guest Gina, an ELT marketing consultant, sharing her journey and expertise Discussion on the misconceptions around native speaker teachers and the importanc...

In this episode I talk about: establishing strong foundations, including target audience, messaging, and one-to-one offers the important yet frustrating stage of getting those foundations right Introduction to the Rocket Takeoff program to support struggling freelancers in their business journey The program I talk about, The Rocket Take off , is designed explicitly for freelance teachers at the ea...

In this episode I talk about: my journey from working in a language school to starting my own online language school Adapting to online teaching during the pandemic and helping others transition Feeling the need for change and embracing a new identity as a language school owner Importance of messy action, trust, and building a strong community Invitation for language school owners to seek support...

In this podcast episode, I address seven common mistakes made by freelance language teachers. These mistakes include undercharging for services, neglecting marketing efforts, failing to diversify income, struggling with time management, lacking boundaries, and disregarding self-care. I emphasises the importance of recognising the value of one's services, being proactive in marketing, exploring dif...