Grow Your Tutoring Business Podcast

Richard Cowell
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A podcast for tutors to share their story on transitioning from being a classroom teacher into a self-employed tutor. We share business tips and ideas to help increase income. The aim is to support teachers to create a life they want around a business that provides high-level value. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 5D AGO

    Leadership = Growth: How to Build a Tuition Business That Lasts

    In this episode, I unpack what real leadership looks like when you’re running and growing a tuition business — the kind that builds a strong culture, keeps standards high, and helps people around you improve. Drawing on experiences from education and social services (and a recent conversation with the CEO of a large MAT), I share the power of “open leadership”: being visible, approachable, and genuinely interested in the people you work with. It’s the open-door policy in action — letting others learn by listening, observing, and being part of the work, not just being told what to do. You’ll also hear how to balance care and development with boundaries and accountability — including the exact type of script you can use when performance or expectations aren’t being met. For tuition business owners, this translates into clearer team management (even if you’re working with self-employed tutors), better recruitment decisions, and a more professional, scalable operation. If you want a business that grows without losing its standards, this episode will help you reflect on the traits you bring as a leader, the traits you need to build, and where you’re actively leading your tutoring business next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min

  2. FEB 4

    The Human Touch: When to Step In Beyond Your Systems

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, Richard explores the balance between automation and the “human touch” in a tuition business. He shares a real story of getting stuck in life-admin limbo for eight months caught in an automated loop, repeatedly asked for proof of address he couldn’t provide, with no real way to speak to a person—until one phone call finally came through and the whole problem was solved in eight minutes. It’s a powerful reminder that systems can save time, but they can’t always understand context. For tutors and tuition business owners building workflows for onboarding, invoicing, scheduling, nurture sequences, and tutor recruitment, this episode lays out when human intervention matters most. Richard breaks down the “human moments” that need you confusion, nuance, emotional decisions, and anything messy and why every business needs a clear “human escape hatch” so parents, schools, and tutors can get real support when automation becomes a barrier. If you want to scale with systems without dehumanising your service, protect trust, and improve the experience for families, this one’s for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min

  3. FEB 2

    Relationships & Boundaries: The Secret to Tutoring Longevity

    Longevity in tutoring isn’t just about being great at teaching — it’s about being great at relationships. In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, Richard explores how strong rapport and open communication reduce friction in your business, making it easier to handle the everyday flashpoints that can trip tutors up: late payments, mixed messages, cancellations, and awkward conversations. He also zooms out to the bigger picture — relationships with schools, local authorities, charities, and like-minded education businesses — and why trust, consistency, and showing up authentically can lead to more referrals, smoother collaboration, and better outcomes for the children and young people you support. Richard then brings it back to the power of boundaries: not as walls to keep people out, but as clear “rules of engagement” that protect your time, energy, professionalism, and standards. You’ll hear practical examples of where tutors often slip up (out-of-hours messaging, unclear cancellation expectations, blurred roles with schools) and a simple framework to handle tricky moments: stay warm, firm, and clear. If you want to build a tutoring business that lasts — and create calm, predictable working relationships that support learning — this is the episode to share with a fellow tutor. Tutors Who Thrive Live Events https://www.tickettailor.com/events/tutorswhothrive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  4. JAN 30

    Negotiation Isn’t Discounting: Pricing Like a Real Business

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, Richard tackles a topic that can feel a little controversial in the tuition world: negotiation. If you’ve ever seen tutors compare their rates to plumbers, hairdressers, or other trades as a reason to “never budge”, this conversation is for you. Richard explains why that comparison is often a dead end — not because boundaries are wrong, but because tradespeople don’t actually price every job the same. They adjust based on urgency, complexity, timing, and what’s included… and tutors can learn a lot from that approach. You’ll hear why negotiation doesn’t have to mean discounting, how to reframe it as adjusting the level of service instead, and when it’s smart to stay firm on price. Richard also explores why daytime work with schools or agencies can be a sensible place to make allowances due to the reliability and stability it can bring — as long as you protect yourself with clear non-negotiables like minimum blocks, payment terms, and scope of work. If pricing conversations make you feel awkward or defensive, this episode will help you feel calmer, clearer, and more strategic. https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/20-workshop-pricing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

  5. JAN 27

    Scaling Isn’t One Thing: 3 Ways Tutors Grow Beyond 1:1

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, we’re talking about scaling — and not just the obvious routes like hiring tutors or buying into a franchise. This one came from a Make It Happen Monday question sent in by Jigna, asking what other realistic options are out there if you want to grow beyond “doing more hours.” We start by reframing the whole conversation: instead of asking how to scale, a better question is what kind of business do you want to be running in the next 12–24 months — and how you want your business to feel day to day. From there, we unpack the real reasons tutors want to scale (money, time, impact, freedom, avoiding burnout) and the role risk tolerance plays in any big business shift. We then break down the main scaling routes available to tuition business owners: maximising your current model (1:1 and groups), building leverage through semi-passive or recurring income (recorded lessons, resources, memberships), and scaling through people (hiring tutors, alternative provision work, agency models). I also share a simple decision filter you can use to choose your next step: do you want to scale time, knowledge, or people — and what are you willing to trade right now: money, time, or control? If you’re feeling stuck at the ceiling of 1:1, or you’re ready to build something bigger without losing your life to the diary, this episode will plant some strong seeds and give you a clear way to think about what comes next. https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/grow-your-groups Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  6. JAN 25

    From Long-Term Goals to Weekly Focus: A Tutor’s Strategy Reset

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, I share how my approach to business strategy has evolved over the last six or seven years—and why a 5–10 year “North Star” plan can sometimes feel too vague to be useful for tutors and education business owners. I talk about why a one-year aim still matters, but how breaking it into 90-day strategy cycles creates clarity, momentum, and focus. If you run a tutoring business and want a simpler way to plan growth, prioritise properly, and avoid feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you build a strategy that actually works in real life. We also dig into the practical side of strategy: creating weekly non-negotiables, doing a “CEO hour”, using a not-to-do list, and setting boundaries to protect your time and energy. This is ideal for tutors who want to grow a sustainable tutoring business, reduce decision fatigue, stop overworking, and make consistent progress—whether you’re focused on marketing, enquiries, systems, group tuition, or scaling your tuition business in 2026 and beyond. Group Workshop https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/grow-your-groups Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min

  7. JAN 21

    How Tutors Add Recurring Income Without Selling Their Soul

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, Richard shifts the focus back to the “businessy” side of growth, without ditching the mindset foundations that make everything work. He unpacks why the phrase passive income can feel a bit icky (and why semi-passive or recurring revenue is usually a more honest way to think about it), especially for teachers and tutors who are wired for effort, fairness, and impact. You’ll hear a grounded take on what it really takes to build reusable digital assets, from recorded lessons to resources and memberships — and why scepticism is healthy when someone promises “money while you sleep.” Richard also explores how tutors can use one-to-many thinking to increase their reach without losing their purpose, sharing practical examples (like blending skill-based teaching with pre-recorded literature support for different texts and exam boards). He closes with a reality check on timelines, boundaries, and avoiding the trap of pouring 100+ hours into something nobody wants, plus two opportunities: Lisa Johnson’s upcoming “Race to Recurring Revenue” challenge (which Richard is an affiliate for) and his own step-by-step course on building pre-recorded lessons into your tuition business, planned for February.  https://rcowell--lisajohnsonstrategy.thrivecart.com/one-to-many-elite-2026/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  8. JAN 13

    Identity & Permission: Why Tutors Get Stuck (and How to Move Forward)

    In this episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, Richard revisits a topic that quietly shapes everything in your tuition business: identity. If you’ve ever felt stuck, uncomfortable, or guilty for wanting more, it might not be a confidence issue at all. It could be an identity conflict. We explore how many tutors carry the “teacher identity” into business: being the giver, the helper, the flexible one who wants to be liked and avoids rocking the boat. Richard shares a real-time story of launching Students Who Thrive and catching his own self-sabotage, revealing how growth can feel hard not because you’re incapable, but because you’re stepping into a new version of yourself. You’ll hear how identity shows up in everyday tutoring business decisions, pricing, boundaries, being taken seriously, and the hidden habit of waiting for permission (or waiting for “the right time”). Richard also weaves in a thoughtful lens on the extra layers many women carry through caregiving roles and the tendency to wait until everyone else is okay first. Expect practical reframes and reflective questions to help you step into a stronger business owner mindset, charge with confidence, set professional boundaries, and grow your tutoring business without shrinking yourself down. Make contact richard@tutorswhothrive.com Make it Happen Mondays https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/make-it-happen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
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About

A podcast for tutors to share their story on transitioning from being a classroom teacher into a self-employed tutor. We share business tips and ideas to help increase income. The aim is to support teachers to create a life they want around a business that provides high-level value. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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