Have you heard of these side hustle ideas for pediatric therapists? Which of these side hustles is right for you?
If there’s one thing we know about pediatric therapists, it’s that they’re some of the most creative people in the world! And on top of that, they like to stay busy – for some, this might mean spending time on favorite hobbies and pastimes, but for a growing number of therapists, our “free time” is spent on a side hustle.
Pediatric therapists are growing their own businesses (and putting extra money into their pockets) in so many creative and interesting ways that we thought it would be cool to highlight some of them here!
Below, you’ll find some awesome side hustle ideas for therapists along with pros and cons of each, as described by some of the best hustlers in the business!
Side Hustle Ideas for Pediatric Therapists
Creating Activities, Printables, and Ebooks
Create your own printable activities and resources to sell on Teachers Pay Teachers! Therapists are always looking for high-quality, creative activities and Teachers Pay Teachers is a one-stop-shop for many professionals.
“Starting a TPT store is a great way to make some “passive” income, but it doesn’t become passive on it’s own,” says Laura Petix, owner of The OT Butterfly. “As my business coach (Alissa McDonald) says, it’s like a wind up car. You put up a ton of work up front (winding up the car) then you let it go (with a bunch of automations) and watch your business take off!”
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Direct sales on Teachers Pay Teachers
PROS:
-It reignites your passion for the field
-Make your own hours
-Passive income
-Creative outlet
CHALLENGES:
-Managing your finances and keeping track of sales tax which can be a headache
-Once you get really into it, it can be hard to turn off- you might get sucked in!
-It can take awhile before you see a return on your time and investment, many give up because you spend hours creating something and sell it for $2
-So much time on the computer
-If you want a successful store, you can’t just put it up on TPT and expect it to sell: you need to spend time on Pinterest, instagram, taking photos, making graphics… it turns into a whole business quickly!
-Laura Petix, The OT Butterfly
Creating Courses and Webinars
Once you’ve been practicing for awhile, you begin to develop areas of personal interest and expertise. Some therapists use their experience and knowledge to teach others!
“Although I am a full-time school-based OT, and mother of 4, I also felt the need to create my own business on the side to increase my income! For the past 11 years, I have been traveling around the country and teaching webinars on OT-related topics. Recently, I even co-authored a book!” says Kim Wiggins, owner of OTKimWiggins LLC, a thriving business that specializes in webinars, in-person trainings, consultations, and more!
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Direct sales of courses on your website, other sites selling your courses
PROS:
-Using hands-on experiences from an OT position to create course material – the jobs support each other!
-Sharing knowledge with people who are so thankful for the information and resources, feeling appreciated
-Extra income
-Meeting new people, networking, learning
CHALLENGES:
-Traveling can be lonely and stressful (canceled and delayed flights, missing luggage, presenting in front of large groups).
-Time spent traveling and preparing course materials means time away from family
Hear more from Kim about what running your own business is like and learn how she got her start with teaching and presenting!
-Kim Wiggins, www.otkimwiggins.com
Podcasting
Do you like to hear new ideas and perspectives while getting to know other professionals in the field? If you’re curious and outgoing, podcasting is another awesome side hustle.
“As a school-based occupational therapist in 2017, I spent nearly 4 hours a day in my car driving and listening to podcasts,” says Jayson Davies, creator of The OT School House. “Unfortunately, at that time there were no podcasts dedicated to school-based OT and only one other pediatric OT podcast. So, I decided to create one to better myself and to help other OTs who spend a large part of their day driving and listening to podcasts.”
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Sponsors, advertisers, affiliate sales
PROS:
-Knowing that you are supporting a community that is using the knowledge you provide to help their clients every day.
-Your audience really gets to know you as they listen for hours, not just minutes.
-Potential of earning income from advertisements on your podcast or creating an online course or community.
CHALLENGES:
-Learning the technical aspects of recording, editing, and publishing.
-Talking to a microphone without knowing if anyone will listen is tough. I recommend getting started by interviewing guests in your specialty area.
-There are new podcasts being created every day. You have to figure out how to stand out.
-Jason Davies, The OT School House
Vitalxchange
We’re so excited about this brand new avenue for therapists to start building their own side hustle! Vitalxchange is perfect for therapists who are ready to start their own businesses, but don’t have their own platform or audience to market to. CLICK HERE to check it out!
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
-Create communities where you can cultivate relationships with potential clients (share your expertise/tips/information, host community events, and more!)
-Engage in introductory “chats” with users to answer questions, understand the customer’s need and point them to other services that you offer.
-Sell webinars, workshops, courses, and other products/services to the users you’ve engaged with in your communities.
-Check out all of the options for creating your side hustle on Vitalxchange!
PROS:
Vitalxchange connects you to their community of parents and caregivers to help you find your ideal audience with a targeted algorithm. No need to wait years to build your own pool of potential customers.
CHALLENGES:
Vitalxchange is a brand new, up and coming solution for parents and professionals. Rather than a challenge, we see this as a huge benefit to visionary professionals who want to be part of a groundbreaking platform as they develop their side business.
YouTube
If you love being in front of the camera and you have a wealth of knowledge and/or creative ideas to share – YouTube might be for you!
“I started creating YouTube videos specifically for my students and their families in March last year when my school district transitioned to distance learning,” says Dana Cary, creator of The OT Guide YouTube Channel. “Then my channel grew and I broadened my audience to everyone – not just my students and their parents, but all students, caregivers, teachers, and therapists who wanted free tips and resources.”
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Sponsors, advertisements in videos, affiliate sales, selling your own products
PROS:
-Since YouTube is so popular, your message can reach a huge audience and have a large impact. You really feel like you’re making a difference!
-Making the videos is a fun way to learn a new skill and express your creativity (that being said, I still find filming the videos to be immensely awkward.)
-If your content is designed to be helpful and informative, people will reach out to you to express their gratitude. You will definitely be feeling all the love.
CHALLENGES:
-Learning “how to YouTube” is harder than it looks and can be overwhelming – from learning how to film videos, to video editing, to creating your YouTube thumbnail – there’s a ton to learn.
-Making significant money relies on your viewers clicking on and interacting with the ads on your videos. Since most people don’t click on ads, it’s going to take many thousands of views to even make $3 off a video – (Moral of the story: don’t do it for the money, do it to spread a message you are passionate about).
Becoming an influencer on Instagram is another cool side hustle for therapists who enjoy creating and editing photos, videos, and other visual content.
“Instagram has been a great tool to build a community of parents and professionals,” says Stacy Menz, owner of Starfish Therapies.
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Sponsors, advertisers, affiliate sales, selling your own products
PROS:
-Learning what my followers need in terms of products and services so I can work to fill the gaps.
-Instagram is a valuable tool for collaborating with other professionals.
CHALLENGES:
-Instagram can be time consuming and if you don’t have a clear goal for why you are using it you may feel like you are throwing time away.
-Instagram’s changing algorithm can make it difficult to get your content noticed.
-While it is great to have a goal of reaching 10,000 followers to get the swipe up feature, it would be really nice if it was just available to all!
Hear more from Stacy and learn about starting a private practice and using Instagram to support your business!
-Stacy Menz, Starfish Therapies
Developing and Selling a Physical Product
Many therapists have problem-solving, engineer-type brains. If that sounds like you, you could use your talents to create one-of-a-kind products that meet the needs of kids, families, or therapists.
“Starting up a physical product company has come with many positives and many challenges,” says Meghan Fox, >owner of WooTherapy.com & Creator of WooTape. “When you take each obstacle one step at a time, it becomes more manageable and moves along quicker than you would think. I held on to the idea of WooTape™ for several years before executing because I continually visualized the process as a whole which prevented me from starting.”
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Direct sales of the product on a website, and/or sales to retailers
PROS:
-I’m grateful for the passion and creativity it stirred in me from conception to manufacturing to marketing as well as the grit it required.
-WooTherapy LLC has also provided me with a fantastic network of therapists and entrepreneurs to encourage and collaborate with.
-The success stories from students, families, and teachers who’ve used my product (WooTape™) have brought much joy, as well as the unexpected opportunities the additional income has created for my family and our future.
CHALLENGES:
-Extensive research needed to locate and secure manufacturing
-Raising the necessary capital/finances to negotiate the best price per unit
-Figuring out how/where to store ALL the inventory ordered
-Covering all the legal bases (compliance, certificates, taxes, trademarks, permits, license, contracts, etc.)
-Finding time and figuring out a consistent, successful marketing strategy to actually get your amazing product into the hands of the customers who need it.
Blogging
If you like to write and create online content like activities, informational articles, downloads, and graphics, blogging may be a great fit for you.
“We created our blog in 2013 as a place where therapists, teachers, and parents could come to find activity ideas and information about all aspects of child development,” says Lauren Drobnjak, one of the creators of The Inspired Treehouse.
Claire Heffron, the other half of The Inspired Treehouse team adds, “It’s taken years and a lot of hard work, but now our blog and online business have become a full-time job!”
HOW YOU MAKE MONEY:
Advertisers, sponsors, affiliate sales, product sales
PROS:
-Blogging gets our creative juices flowing and lets us use our knowledge and expertise in a totally different way
-We can reach thousands of parents, therapists, and teachers all over the world
-The blogging world is constantly changing and evolving, so there is always something new to learn
CHALLENGES:
-It can take years to grow a blog/website to the point where it actually starts to generate revenue.
-The first years can be hard, when you feel like you’re creating tons of great content that isn’t getting seen because you don’t have an audience yet.
-Keeping that work/life balance can be really hard, because you feel like there is always more you can be doing to grow your online presence.
-Claire Heffron & Lauren Drobnjak, The Inspired Treehouse
Growing Your Own Side Hustle With Vitalxchange
Do the side hustle ideas above sound interesting…but a bit daunting and out of reach? We get it. It can take years to build a side hustle that’s reliable and lucrative.
If you want to grow your own business alongside your day job, but you don’t have the time, energy, or patience to build a huge audience of your own…
If you’ve always dreamed of creating your own course, product, or other service, but you’re not sure how to market and sell it on your own…
You’ll want to check out Vitalxchange – a brand new platform that connects families with professionals when they have questions and concerns about their child’s development. Now, more than ever, parents are looking for straightforward answers and strategies from professionals to gain insight on issues their child is experiencing.
Vitalxchange equips professionals with everything they need to run, grow, and monetize their business. This is not a venue for providing teletherapy. Instead, it’s a platform that allows professionals to engage with parents and caregivers by answering general child development questions and even marketing and selling ebooks, courses, support groups, and other services/products.
It can take years to get a new business off the ground – building an audience, establishing relationships with your client list, growing your social media presence. But Vitalxchange does the work for you by connecting their community of users directly to you, matching the user’s interests and needs with your services and products.
If you’re finally ready to have a virtual storefront where you can showcase your expertise and knowledge, share your passion with others, and reach a targeted audience through sophisticated search features – check out Vitalxchange.
Get in on the ground floor of this game-changing solution for parents and child development professionals – CLICK HERE to request a free demo!
What do you think? Which of these side hustle ideas is right for you? Leave us a comment below to let us know which one you’re thinking of trying!
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