Becky Powell, a 41-year-old kindergarten teacher from Beaverton, Oregon, generates $125,500 annually by creating educational worksheets—a side hustle that requires no startup costs and just 10 hours of weekly effort. Her success story features in CNBC Make It’s Six-Figure Side Hustle series profiling supplemental income ventures.
From Car Payments to Six Figures
Powell’s Sight Word Activities store on Teachers Pay Teachers marketplace now offers 427 literacy-focused products, ranging from free materials to $30 bundles. What began as a venture earning enough to cover her $60 monthly car insurance now surpasses her teaching salary. Within three months of launching, the income covered both her and her husband’s student loan payments.
“My classroom became my research lab,” Powell told CNBC Make It. Her specialized approach to teaching sight-reading filled an underserved niche on the platform. She intensifies her worksheet production during summers to maintain work-life balance during the school year.
The Business Model Behind the Success
The platform offers two seller tiers: a free basic option taking 45% of sales, and a $59.95/year premium tier keeping 80% of revenue. Powell and her husband Jerome—a computer engineer who earned $51,800 last year through his complementary Teachers Pay Teachers store—both use the premium model.
Jerome contributed crucial business expertise, Powell noted, helping with search engine optimization and marketing strategies that propelled her store’s growth.
Keys to Replicating the Success
When asked if others could achieve similar results, Powell emphasized market knowledge: “You need passion and understanding of the education market to identify gaps and build intuition.” She recommends interviewing potential customers to deeply understand their needs.
The teacher-turned-entrepreneur credits her success to extreme specialization: “My husband always said, ‘The riches are found in niches.’ I drilled down from sight words to specific hands-on activities until I hit gold.”
Confidence Through Entrepreneurship
Despite no formal business training, Powell has mentored eight colleagues in launching their own stores. “I get a thrill when those I mentor succeed,” she said, describing how the venture boosted her professional confidence beyond the classroom.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity. CNBC Make It’s Six-Figure Side Hustle series continues profiling exceptional supplemental income stories, including a 21-year-old earning $500,000 annually and a 55-year-old generating $20,000 monthly from backyard ventures.
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