Adventures After Teaching

Match and Dispatch: your complete celebrant career toolkit, building a solid foundation for a sustainable, successful celebrant business. We looked at what already existed and decided to raise the bar, to create training that’s honest, upfront, and realistic about what it actually takes to build a self-employed career that lasts.

At the age of 40, Paul retrained as a teacher, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Since 2022, through Compass Fostering, Paul and his wife have cared for a sibling group of four, their first and only placement. With patience, structure, and love, Paul and Sarah have helped the children flourish into confident young individuals who know they are safe and valued.

The Reading Doctor, a leading teaching franchise, has won Tuition Franchise of the Year 2025. Discover how teachers can join this award-winning tutoring network.

At Those Who Can, we believe freedom isn’t just about escaping something; it’s about moving towards a life that fits who you are and what matters to you. That was the heartbeat of our recent webinar, “The Freedom Factor – How Franchising Can Give You Your Time Back” a packed and inspiring conversation with educators, […]

“I’d leave teaching… but I’ve no idea what else I’m qualified to do.”
It’s one of the most common fears we hear from the brilliant educators who follow Those Who Can. And we get it, it was one of the reasons we created our website in the first place. 

Teaching isn’t just a job, it’s an identity. It’s all-consuming. For years, you’ve lived the rhythm of the school calendar, led classes like clockwork, and poured energy into everyone else. The thought of stepping outside that world feels scary, especially when you’re not sure where you’d even begin.

We all know that teaching is more than a profession; it’s a calling to shape minds and inspire futures. Yet, many educators find themselves yearning for avenues to extend their influence beyond traditional classroom walls. Educational franchising emerges as a compelling pathway, allowing teachers to leverage their skills to foster community growth and student development. […]

Teaching online opened my eyes to a new way of working—one without the traditional workforce constraints. No commute, no rigid hours, and no geographic limits. Suddenly, I realised that this kind of work wasn’t a stopgap or a fallback; it was a gateway to a new lifestyle. 

Running a successful music school isn’t just about teaching—it’s about smart marketing, effective communication with parents, structured lesson plans, and scalable growth strategies. We provide all of this, refined and tested at our founding location, so you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

The new mentoring programme includes a year of dedicated support, guidance and coaching for new members in a variety of skills to enable them to build a successful business. Experienced franchisees will offer one-to-one sessions, meetings and events to help broaden their knowledge with the reassurance of having a mentor on hand to discuss ideas and ask questions. 

When You Know You’re Meant for More (But You’re Not Sure What’s Next)By Sarah from Aster Academy I remember the moment I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. It wasn’t dramatic. No big confrontation. Just me, in my classroom, looking around at all the things I loved – the students, the buzz, the spark when […]

There are many options for how and where residential surveyors can work, including for large corporate surveying firms (often offering commission, bonuses and company cars), small-to-medium-sized firms (offering a supportive, balanced working environment) or even, with experience, working independently. Opportunities are currently available with firms across the UK.

My route into teaching started with teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) which I did for several years in Colombia and Spain with a few bouts of travelling squeezed in – these were my nomadic years! When I felt I was ready to settle back in the UK, I decided I would train as a primary school teacher. my final year in teaching was spent teaching in a SEN school.

An academy is a good route into the advice profession for someone not coming from a financial background, according to Ben Hughes, an adviser at Doxford Financial. Hughes, who recently graduated from the St James’s Place Academy, told FT Adviser that before becoming an adviser he worked as a school teacher for several years.

I was a college principal for 13 years before I took up social work. I cultivated a deep respect for the social workers I interacted with while I was in education. I’ve always worked in London and had a soft spot for young people in the capital facing adversity. Read more of Paul’s journey here:

We are the only UK STEM franchise run exclusively by teachers and for teachers. As a premium education-focused brand, we consider the skills that teachers bring to be absolutely crucial in educating children. Learn more about Laura’s journey from teaching to setting up her own business.

There are so many important skills that I developed during my years of teaching which have gone on to support me with building my franchise business. I find myself meeting people, visiting new settings and communicating with a variety of age groups. It’s such a wonderful part of the job and I believe the communication skills developed from teaching have really supported me with this.

The role of career guidance for young people is essential in today’s complex job market, providing them with the tools and confidence to navigate their future careers successfully. Teachers, with their unique skills and experience, are well-positioned to transition into this rewarding field.

How do you grow a client base when all you have ever known is teaching?

Building and growing a client base is crucial for the success of any franchise. Franchisors play a crucial role in supporting you and this is pivotal to their success and, by extension, the overall brand.

The Data School’s webinar was a treasure trove of knowledge for beginners, by focusing on the fundamentals, choosing the right tools, adhering to best practices, and learning from real-world examples, anyone can enhance their data visualisation skills.

If you’re looking to get out of teaching, Emma’s story could be just the inspiration you need to embark on a new chapter. Emma transitioned from the classroom to being her own boss, read about how much her life has changed for the better since making the switch.

Making the jump from a guaranteed wage in teaching to working for yourself is scary and you do need to have a bit of a financial safety net to help you through the first months of building your business up but teaching has prepared you with so many skills. 

If you are seriously thinking about running your own business or starting a franchise after teaching you need to do your research. Find out about the realities of these options, and talk to people who have swapped teaching to run their own business or franchise.

I’ve always wanted to own my own business and being part of a franchise, literally buying a business in a box provided me with the support from head office to succeed. I’ve only been in the franchise for 12 months and already I can see the potential growth my business financially and be able to work around my family working half my teaching hours!

Lisa made a decision to leave teaching and start her own business. Read about her journey from the classroom here. Lisa kindly offers tips and advice for any teacher wanting to follow the path to become a Virtual Assistant.