FAQs About Hiring for Your TpT Store

Grow with Angie and April: A Podcast for Teacherpreneurs

In this episode, Angie and April are answering frequently asked questions about hiring for your TpT store. They cover everything from VAs to full-time employees. You can join in on the conversation in our mastermind group at www.growwithusmastermind.com. A couple of years ago we did an episode on how to hire help to grow your TpT store, but a lot has changed in our businesses over time. So, we’re excited to have Caitlin Mitchell from EB Academics join us on the podcast to talk about all things hiring. Disclaimer: We are not accountants. We are sharing our personal experiences. We encourage you to talk to your accountant or a tax professional before hiring employees or contractors for your TpT business. The rules and restrictions vary from state to state. Please make sure you cover your bases. With that disclaimer out of the way, we get a lot of questions in our group about hiring help. Caitlin, Angie, and I all have employees working in our businesses but it looks a little different for each of us. Caitlin has two full-time employees, 8 part-time employees, as well as an overseas virtual assistant and editor through Upwork. Angie currently has eight people working with her. She hires as she sees a need in her business or something she doesn’t want to do on her own anymore. I currently have 3 full-time employees along with part-time employees. Q: Should I hire employees or freelance contractors We’re not going to get into the legal/tax side of the difference between contractors vs employees. However, we do want to touch on the experience of working with contractors vs employees. All three of us have worked with both options. Contractors can be nice to work with when you have a project that you need to be completed. This is often an easier way to begin having people help you complete different tasks within your company. The difference that we notice with employees is you’re able to grow and direct them for your company where you’re not really able to do the same with contractors. When you hire someone as an employee, we’ve found that you get more buy-in from them. They are part of your team and share your mission and goals with you. When you work with a contractor, you may be one of many of their clients. This may be OK with you for certain tasks, but as we’ve handed over more and more tasks, we’ve all enjoyed the experience of hiring employees. Yes, it is expensive, but we’ve found once you get to the point of needing to hire, the resources are there. Q: Where to find people to hire? There are several different places that we’ve found work for hiring employees for our TpT businesses. Here are a few to consider: Upwork: If this works with your tax situation and rules, it can be easier because the platform issues the 1099s for you. Network of teachers: This is a great way to find help in the summer. You may also find teachers who are looking to earn some extra money for vacations, paying off student loans, or putting their kids in extra curriculars. People you know: Angie’s sister-in-law works for her and I have a close friend working for me. This won’t always be a great fit, but if you have people you trust that fit with your business it’s a possibility. Recommendations: You may be able to get a good recommendation from another TpTer. However, keep in mind that just because someone works well with an individual doesn’t mean it will automatically be a great fit for you. Email list or followers: Don&#