Why TpT Alone Won’t Build a Sustainable Teacher Business (and What to Do Instead)
Teachers Pay Teachers has been a game-changer for educators who want to share resources, earn extra income, and support other teachers. It’s where many of us, myself included, got our start. But here’s the reality most teacherpreneurs eventually discover… TpT alone isn’t enough to build a sustainable business or financial cushion.
If you’ve ever wondered why your TpT sales feel unpredictable, or why you’re struggling to grow beyond your first hundred dollars, this post is for you. Let’s unpack why TpT is a great starting place, but not the whole picture, and what you can do about it.
1. You Don’t Own the Platform
On TpT, you don’t actually own your audience. You don’t control the algorithm, the search rankings, or when TpT decides to roll out a new rule. That means your store can rise or fall overnight based on decisions you had no say in. Or worse… it could vanish completely if TpT ever shut down. Not to be dramatic, but I panic a little just thinking about it.
You’re also limited in how you can connect with your followers on TpT. Sure, you can send newsletters through the platform, but TpT controls the frequency. And here’s the kicker: you don’t have access to your followers’ email addresses. Plus, you’re not allowed to include active links in your product descriptions or newsletters that take buyers off the TpT site. You can share your website URL or social media handles, but they won’t be clickable.
👉 Pro Tip: Build your own blog or site where you control the traffic. That way, you can send buyers to your other offers and back to your TpT store.
2. Competition Keeps Growing
Thousands of sellers join TpT every year, often in the exact same niches. Even if your resources are strong, standing out gets harder. Competing on price will never set you up for long-term success.
And then there are the scammer stores. They churn out tens of thousands of AI-generated, low-quality resources that clutter search results and push credible content further down. It makes ranking and visibility on TpT more challenging than ever.
👉 Pro Tip: Differentiate through your brand. Build recognition through your website, your unique voice, and a consistent presence beyond TpT.
3. TpT Controls the Customer Relationship
When someone buys from your TpT store, you don’t get their email address. That means you can’t follow up, recommend related resources, or invite them into your membership. TpT owns that relationship, not you.
This is why building your own platform is so important. Freebies can be a good start, but buyers are especially drawn to mini email courses right now. They feel valuable, personal, and build trust quickly.
👉 Pro Tip: Start an email list. It is the one audience you truly own.
👉 Extra Pro Tip: Add a link to your email opt-in (like a mini email course) in the Terms of Use page of every resource you sell. You can also include an inactive URL that points buyers to a landing page designed for sign-ups. The more touchpoints you create, the more chances teachers have to connect with you outside TpT.
💌 Want help getting started? Grab my free TpT Playbook. It’s the exact shortcut I wish I had when I began building beyond TpT.
4. Revenue is Seasonal and Unpredictable
TpT sales follow a predictable school calendar cycle. You’ll often see big spikes in August during back-to-school and another boost in January at the start of the second semester. But those highs are balanced by the inevitable dips in April, May, and December when teachers are distracted by testing, holidays, or end-of-year burnout.
If TpT is your only income stream, your revenue will always be tied to those ups and downs. That means one great month can quickly be followed by weeks of disappointing sales. Relying on that cycle makes it hard to budget, plan, or feel financially stable as a teacherpreneur.
This is why long-term TpT sellers expand into platforms they own. A blog with SEO-friendly posts, a membership site, or a YouTube channel can drive consistent traffic year-round. These platforms aren’t tied to the school calendar in the same way and give you a steady stream of visibility even during the slower TpT months.
👉 Pro Tip: Use your blog, membership, or YouTube channel to funnel traffic back to your TpT store. This keeps buyers coming in all year long, not just during back-to-school rushes.
5. TpT Alone Won’t Build Financial Security
TpT is an excellent starting point for earning supplemental income and entrepreneurial confidence as a teacher, but it isn’t designed to give you a stable financial cushion on its own. Your sales are tied to one platform you don’t control, and that’s risky if you’re hoping for reliable, long-term growth.
The teachers who feel secure financially are the ones who create multiple income streams. This doesn’t have to mean building a giant business or quitting your day job. Even a small blog, membership, or mini course can smooth out the ups and downs of TpT sales. Those extra income streams create breathing room in your budget, which is the difference between just scraping by and finally feeling confident in your finances.
👉 Pro Tip: Don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Growth rarely starts from a perfect plan. Start small with what you can manage now, and let it build over time.
What You Can Do Instead (Action Steps)
Build your website/blog as your home base.
Start an email list (even 25 subscribers is a start).
Offer more than products: memberships, bundles, coaching, or kits. Make it work for you.
Use social media strategically: reels, pins, and posts should drive traffic back to your home base.
The Bottom Line
TpT is an incredible marketplace, but it should be just one part of your overall business strategy. If you want true stability, visibility, and long-term growth, you need to create systems outside of TpT that you fully control.
The good news is you do not have to do everything at once. Start with one small step: set up a freebie on your site, build your first email list, or publish a simple blog post. Each step builds on the last, and before long your business will feel stronger, more resilient, and completely your own.
👉 Ready to start? Grab my free TpT Playbook. It is the shortcut through all the trial and error I went through, so you can grow faster and with more confidence.
