Hello Reader, Monday wasn’t a great day for me. Not because I was sick, or because anything terrible had happened. It was just one of those days. The kind where getting out of bed feels like an unreasonable request. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Probably what people call the Monday blues. For someone else, you could indulge that feeling and spend the day lying around. Unfortunately for me, I had classes scheduled. And I remember thinking, oh no, not today. Showing up anyway However, I...
15 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This past week I read a story about a Chinese man who made US$39,000 over two years teaching people how to ride bicycles. He is a third-year master’s student studying sports education. After deciding that teaching bike riding was something he could do, he used his spare time to create instructional videos. He posted them on social media, and within two months he received his first order. I bring up this story for two reasons. First, you can let social media work for you. As I...
30 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, When I finally decided to get serious about my Shona coaching business, coming up with an approach was one of the most challenging aspects. First, I looked through a number of Shona school textbooks. Then I looked all over the internet trying to find something I could use as inspiration. But we all know the challenge of finding meaningful Shona resources online. I couldn’t find anything useful. I started looking at language teaching materials in other languages, especially...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, When I first started trying to make money from Shona coaching, the very first thing I did was create a simple flier and share it in a few WhatsApp groups. And that was just about it. But something interesting happened. That single flier is how I landed my first ever paying customer. Then, through word of mouth, after sharing with a few friends that I was teaching Shona, I managed to land a few more learners. In a short space of time, I already had about five paying customers....
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Earlier today, a friend messaged me asking for ideas for a side hustle. It reminded me why I started this email series last year: to help people explore ways to make money online by sharing my own journey. She told me I was lucky because I already had a thing. And yes, I’ve been lucky in some ways, but it has taken a lot to get to where I am now. This thing wasn’t always there. I had to explore it, experiment with it, and honestly, at one point, I didn’t think it was worth...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This is my final letter for the year.As I write, I’m also planning for the year ahead. Thinking about it, this is actually the first time I’ve done this for myself rather than for an organisation that employs me. While we may never follow our plans exactly, taking the time to reflect and think ahead is always a good place to start. I want to share a few reflections, not just as a recap of my year, but as ideas I hope you’ll consider as we step into the new year. When I started...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Earlier today, I had a conversation with my sister. She had dropped by her office to pick up some files so she could work from home. But you know how it goes. Home being home, the kids back from school, Christmas just two days away, she never got around to working on those files. Life simply got in the way. When I spoke to her later, she was feeling terrible that she hadn’t managed to get any work done. Be intentional That reminded me of what happened to me last week. I wasn’t...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, November marked the end of my 'term,' in a way. My learners are taking a break in line with the school calendar, and for a moment I almost got tempted to sit back too. But thanks to following a bunch of other creators, I noticed everyone is talking about planning for the new year. Whether they are genuinely planning or simply creating content, it worked. It got me thinking about my own plans for 2026. Looking back at 2025 2025 has been a huge lesson for me. One thing I learned...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, It’s been Black Friday season for a while now, and my inbox has been flooded with promos. One lady I follow? She doesn’t hold back at all. Open your inbox today, read everything from her, check again tomorrow, and there she is again – five new emails from her. You’re left wondering, when did she even send all these? Of course, it’s probably automated, but the point is clear: she doesn’t apologise, and honestly, that’s part of the strategy. She’s consistent, unapologetic, and...
3 months ago • 2 min read