January has gotten off to a very busy start, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I decided that this is the year I finally get my side hustle off the ground. The writing itself has been slow going, but I haven’t given up. I’m learning to accept that forward motion doesn’t always look like speed. Sometimes it looks like showing up anyway, even when progress feels uneven.
That’s actually why I’m here today. I still want to keep adding blog posts to my website, and I realized this space might be the perfect place to turn first drafts into something more intentional. So consider this one of those drafts: shaped just enough to share.
Right now, I have a lot going on. Let’s start there.
My Website as the Anchor
I’m still working on driving traffic to my website, and I want it to function as the main hub that everything else connects back to. I’m committed to consistently adding to my blog, and recently I decided to open a Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) store as well.
As an educator, I’ve used TpT dozens of times in a pinch when I needed something to supplement district-provided curriculum. There have also been plenty of moments where I almost found what I needed, but not quite. In those cases, I created my own resources.
Over the last five years, I’ve built a solid catalog of materials and become pretty efficient at creating new ones, not just for myself, but for my team. When I opened my store, I started right where I already had momentum: my Google Drive.
Now that I’m a Learning Strategist, resource creation is already part of my job. Selling those same tools online allows the work to serve double duty. The resources I create generate income, and I make them available to ELA teachers in my building for free. As a bonus, their feedback helps me refine what I’m building in real time.
Building Tools That Reflect Who We Are
The first product I want to create specifically for my website is deeply tied to my brand identity.
My work centers on creating educational tools that affirm the lived experiences, identities, and leadership of Black educators. This is the space where I feel most grounded, knowledgeable, and passionate. I know firsthand how rare it is to find leadership tools that feel culturally relevant and affirming.
Because of that, the first original product I want to build is a leadership planner for Black education leaders, which is something that feels for us, by us, and is grounded in the realities we navigate daily.
Building a Social Media Presence (Slowly)
I’m also intentionally building a social media presence—primarily on LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram. These are the platforms I’m most comfortable using right now. I’ve considered adding TikTok, but I’m giving myself permission to move slowly here. Sustainability matters more to me than being everywhere at once.
Making It Official
This year, I also plan to trademark my brand name, The Reflective Teacher Leader, and establish an LLC.
This step matters to me not just professionally, but personally. I’m tired of living paycheck to paycheck, and I’m committed to building additional income streams that support my savings, retirement, and long-term stability. This year is about laying groundwork—not rushing, but being intentional.
Career Growth and Knowing Myself
Alongside all of this, I’m making moves in my career. I’ll be creating professional learning for the district. I recently completed my second master’s degree in Educational Administration and have applied to teach dual-credit courses at my school site.
Keeping busy is my happy place.
When I finished my degree, I felt the absence of structure almost immediately. Too much unfilled time can lead me toward depression, and I’ve made peace with the truth that, for me, busy often equals balanced. I don’t overanalyze why anymore. I’ve learned to honor what works.
This post captures everything that is currently unfolding in my professional life. I’m also working toward balance in my personal life, but that’s a reflection for another day.
For now, this is me - in the middle of building it all.
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