How to Make Money Teaching New Skills

From giving knitting lessons on YouTube to educating women on how to avoid remodeling disasters, these women have found creative ways to share their know-how with others. Read on to learn their secrets so you can start earning too!

“I make a full-time income teaching knitting on YouTube!”

“My grandmother was an experienced and talented knitter and when she passed away, I inherited her knitting books. My sister was pregnant at the time, so I thought it would be fun to knit blankets and clothes for the new baby, and I turned to YouTube to learn how.

“Ten years later, my sister was working for a company that helps YouTubers grow their audiences in exchange for a cut of their ad revenue. They were looking for a channel about knitting, and she asked me if I knew of a good one. There were some, but they weren’t very engaging, so I offered to create one myself. My sister asked me to pitch a few videos, and said it was okay if they weren’t professional looking. I created a cardboard contraption to get a good view of my hands, used my iPad to film and named my channel ‘Studio Knit.’ After two videos, the agency signed me, and although they didn’t pay me, I received free education, music, and collaborations with their other clients to help me grow my channel.

“Eventually, I decided to go out on my own. I started publishing one video per week on YouTube on topics like techniques, knitting projects, product reviews, and Q&As, making sure to go slowly so the videos are easy to understand. I monetize the videos with ads, which pay by minutes watched. I also have brand partnerships with companies that pay me to demonstrate and recommend their products. I market the videos through my blog, social media, especially Pinterest, and my email newsletter.

“I love creating videos, and when people email me their feedback and success stories, it warms my heart! I make a full-time income working part-time hours — money that pays the bills and for guilty pleasures like manicures and trips to Hawaii!”

“I earn $100 or more an hour sharing money-saving tips!”

“When I was a child, my dad always carried a calculator in his pocket and loved to talk to me about saving money — it sparked my passion. When I had kids and decided to stay home with them, I used strategies like couponing to save money for our family. My friends would always ask me to teach them how to save money, and I realized I had knowledge that could help others. So I decided to reserve a community recreation room and charge a per-person fee to teach my tips. The first event not only covered the fee for the space, but I also made a profit — and I learned that sharing my know-how could be a great way to make extra cash.

“Word of mouth led to speaking gigs at churches, community groups, and conferences for moms. I did a lunch-and-learn event for the Federal Reserve System, and Guess Jeans even asked me to teach their entire staff! I talk about the basics of saving money, how to cut your budget in half, create a financial plan for your family, and get your partner on the same page with budgeting. Most of my events are through referrals, but I also market my business on social media and via LinkedIn.

“I enjoy helping people learn how simple changes can have a huge effect on their lives. It’s so encouraging when I hear about the difference it made! I do seven to 10 speaking engagements a month, and I earn $100 or more per event. The money I make pays the bills, goes back into the business, and covers fun family outings like camping trips.”

“I make up to $15,000 a year empowering women!”

“Several years ago, I hired a contractor to remodel my home with an addition so I could take care of my mother. The job went sour and after a 3-year litigation, we settled. I launched a website, Contractors From Hell, as a place for my attorneys to keep track of all the information in the case, but then I added tips for consumers who were going through the same thing. And when readers started to ask me for advice, I realized so many people, women in particular, were being taken advantage of by their contractors. Some of the construction consultants and lawyers I was working with were teaching people how to avoid these nightmares, so I decided to develop my own online course, Home Remodeling Bootcamp For Women.

“To create it, I thought about the process a homeowner goes through and developed modules that teach them how to avoid remodeling disasters, properly vet and hire an ethical, competent contractor, and successfully navigate the contracting process. I also educate them about things like how much of a deposit you should pay, why you should get lien releases, what legal documents you need, and how to be on top of inspections. I even give my students assignments.

“I’ve taken some classes myself to learn how to promote the course, but social media has really helped me find new students.

“Empowering women with the knowledge to help them avoid getting burned is so rewarding. I charge $97 for the course and make between $12,000 and $15,000 a year — money that goes back into the business — or for extras like spa days!”