My TpT Journey: How It All Started and Tips to Launch Your Own Store

When I started my TpT (Teachers Pay Teachers) store, I never imagined how this project would evolve over the years or how it would integrate into my life in such meaningful ways. It all began during a challenging time, and today I want to share my story, along with some ideas to help you take your first steps if you’re a teacher interested in this platform.

An Unpredictable Beginning

A few years ago, my life took an unexpected turn when one of my children developed health issues. At that time, I was no longer teaching in a classroom because circumstances had led me to focus on tutoring from home. My child’s health meant he had to stop attending school and spend long periods at home and in the hospital. Facing this new dynamic was challenging, but it also became an opportunity to grow as a family and as an educator.

I had always been interested in the Reggio Emilia approach, project-based learning, and, thanks to my background, STEM education. I used this time to dive deeper into these areas and find ways to keep my child connected to learning. One of the activities that left a lasting impact on us was creating a store together, exploring how the working world and sales function. That activity led us to discover TpT—a platform that fit perfectly with our interests and made it easy to share the educational resources I was already creating for my child.

From Hobby to Professional Project

Over time, my child recovered and returned to school. My career was also reinvented, but the TpT store remained, with just a few resources, a handful of followers, and minimal activity. For years, I barely checked the platform, but the seed of the project had been planted.

In 2024, I decided to return to the store after a new professional shift. I uploaded resources I had developed during my years as a teacher and started creating new materials. I focused on improving the quality of the resources and learning more about graphic design, SEO, marketing, and sales. For me, creating resources is not only a way to contribute to the educational community but also an activity that relaxes me and allows me to keep learning.

This year, TpT sent out a summary of how my store performed over the year. I’m not sure if they do this annually since, as I mentioned, I had been quite disconnected from the store for a long time. Seeing what has happened in these past months has been incredibly rewarding—although I must say that I don’t make significant money from my store (that doesn’t mean others don’t).

Tips for Starting Your Own TpT Store

If you’re considering starting your own TpT store, here are a few key tips to help you get started:

1. Start with what you already have.
   If you’re a teacher, you likely already have materials you’ve created for your classes. You don’t need to start from scratch—adapt and improve the resources you’ve been using and upload them to your store.

2. Invest in learning.
   Learn about graphic design, editing programs like Canva or PowerPoint (I’ll share my favorite tools in another post), and SEO. This will make your resources visually appealing and easier for other teachers to find.

3. Find your niche.
   Identify what you’re particularly good at or passionate about. In my case, I initially focused on STEM education and the Reggio Emilia approach because they are topics I love and have experience in.

4. Be consistent.
   It’s easy to get discouraged at the beginning if you don’t see immediate results. But like any project, a TpT store takes time and dedication to grow.

5. Join the community.
   Participating in TpT forums and groups will not only help you learn from other sellers but also keep you motivated and make you feel part of something bigger.

6. Enjoy the process.
   Creating resources can be a creative and relaxing activity. If you enjoy the process, it will show in the quality of your work and your connection with buyers.

A Meaningful Project

Today, my TpT store is not just a small business; it’s an extension of my passion for education. I love knowing that the resources I create can help other teachers and students in their daily lives. If you’re curious about starting your own store, my advice is to take the leap. You might be surprised at how far you can go.