Investing in your creative side is something that can often feel like a gamble. Many people feel like they need to choose between pursuing creative passions and working in a job that provides security. But what if there was a way to use your creativity to make money in your spare time? Some creatives are invested in their passion projects full time, while others work a regular 9-5 by day, but do what they love at night or on the weekends. Skillshare has provided over 3K teachers with the opportunity to pursue their passions and share it with a wider community.
We’ve had teachers quit their jobs, go to college for the first time, and use Skillshare to focus full-time on creative freelancing. Many of our teachers are also working professionals that incorporate teaching on Skillshare into their day to day lives. We caught up with three successful professionals who seamlessly fit teaching on Skillshare into their workflow and make money sharing their creativity.
Name: Raja Nurhazirah from Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Occupation: Small Business Owner
How does teaching fit into your work life? Skillshare is such a great way for me to earn money on the side because it fits seamlessly into my work life. Because Skillshare classes support and encourage bite size learning, I do not feel the pressure of having to record my class and work on it for for a long time. It also works out great as I am a mom of a toddler and you know how busy life can get! I only work on my class when my daughter is napping and it usually takes me anywhere between 5 days to a week in order for me to finish a class. I love how flexible it is and you can create classes at your own pace. It’s one of the things that I love about teaching on Skillshare.
How have your Skillshare earnings impacted your life? It leaves such a big impact in my life because having a side income that helps to supplement my business and my family means so much. I don’t have to hustle quite as much and the income that I get is pretty much a passive income and it’s awesome. I love the concept of only having to put in the upfront but have the ability to make money with it month in and month out.
Although I have only been with Skillshare since August this year, it’s safe to say that this platform is such a great place for anyone looking to make money on the side especially if you have a talent (which I believe we all do!). It’s such an amazing way to leverage your talent and skills and share it with the world. I am inspired by a lot of teachers here and that’s why I took the plunge to teach. It can be scary at first but once you teach I don’t think you want to ever go back.
Hazirah’s Average Earnings Per Class: $300
Name: Sophia Maria from London, England
Occupation: Illustrator and Designer
How does teaching fit into your work life? Skillshare has been a great journey for me, I initially made my first tutorial to help me with exposure as an illustrator starting out. It’s so handy to put a day aside to come up with a concept and decide your structure for the class. I’m not great with filming, I have a fairly new iphone and a handy tripod and that’s all you need! It’s so enjoyable and the money is a great bonus but by no means the most satisfying part. The upload process for videos is easy and not overly complicated.
How have your Skillshare earnings impacted your life? Honestly, when I started I didn’t even realise we were paid for this then all of a sudden I got a cheque, looked at my tutorial page and saw I had over 600 students on my first video in 2 days. Not only that but a little community of skill hungry illustrators had built up, I am able to share my knowledge with others across the world. I gave up my day job to go full time with my illustration and Skillshare has been an incredibly enjoyable and flexible way for me to earn extra money.
Sophia’s Average Earnings Per Class: $800
Name: Olga Bonitas from Ufa, Russia
Occupation: Self-Employed Illustrator
How does teaching fit into your work life? The idea to create a class on Skillshare emerged organically out of my creativity. From time to time I organized watercolor workshops in my city. I shared the information about it on social networks and always there were people who said, “We also want to visit your workshop, but we are far away from you!” And one day I thought that it would be cool to create an online class, then everyone will be able to watch it. Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity to talk about Skillshare to friends and followers, especially considering that very few people in Russia know about this site.
Now I have 2 classes of watercolor painting and I’m really glad I decided to create them. It’s an incredible feeling when you can share your experiences with a lot of people from different corners of the globe. I enjoy getting feedback from students, see their projects, communicate with them. So many creative people in one place it’s wonderful!
How have your Skillshare earnings impacted your life? Since I recently became a teacher, I’m awaiting my first payment. But according to the description, it seems pretty exciting. I look forward to taking my family on a vacation for Christmas with my earnings!
Olga’s Average Earnings Per Class: $500
No matter your current workflow, teaching on Skillshare allows you the flexibility to create bite-sized videos in your spare time and on your own terms. Get started in our Teach Challenge to begin your journey on Skillshare today!
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