3rd-Grade Teacher Offers Health and Fitness Coaching on the Side

As a full-time third grade teacher with an active health and fitness coaching sideline, Ashley Becker helps people from all over the country select a program to reach their health and fitness goals, overcome struggles, and change their lifestyles. She coaches them daily and provides support as they work towards their goals. Ashley has a following on multiple social media platforms that allow her to connect with others and share the knowledge she has acquired on her own journey.

Your Side Gig?
I am a health and fitness coach with the company Beach Body. You can learn more here: www.fb.com/ashleybecker.fittonedteacher.

Tell us a little about your work.
I currently am a full-time 3rd-grade teacher in a rural public school. I commute 25 minutes to work each day. I teach 21 third grade students all subject areas. Our school day for me starts at 7:30, students at 8:00, and ends at 3:30 for students, 4:00 for me.

What led you to work outside the classroom?
First, I realized I needed to make some lifestyle changes because I had very little energy and was not in good health. So I started working on improving myself with great success, then when the coach who helped me told me I could help others and earn an income, that really got me interested. I realized the only way my income was going to increase was if I spent thousands of dollars going back to school for more education to further my degree. I didn't have the finances for that, nor the time with a new baby and full-time job, so I needed something I could do from home for an hour or two at night. I saw other teachers RETIRING from teaching with this same company and thought to myself, “Wouldn't it be nice to spend MORE time with my daughter, traveling without the constraints of a school calendar, and earning an income that matched my current salary without the hours and hours of work?” So I went for it and four years later it's adding so much value to my life, and although it isn't matching my teaching income yet, it's paying for a better lifestyle for my family I wouldn't have with teaching alone.

What advice do you have for other teachers who want to do what you do?
Just try it! It's very rewarding to help others get healthy, make new friendships, and continue to work on your own health and well being in the process. They can be a part of a team like mine and have a sense of community as they grow their own business with very little investment. You can use this as a hobby or as a career, or anywhere in between. You make it look however you want with the time you have.

What's the biggest mistake you've made and what did you learn?
To doubt the possibility. I had a point very recently where I questioned whether I could achieve success given my full-time job, and started to let that doubt sabotage my business. I learned you have to push through those feelings and keep going because consistency is what makes something amazing grow, not some big moment.

If you could go back and give your 20-year old self some advice, what would it be?
Not everyone has to follow the same path. Don't feel like you have to follow a certain path because it is the norm. The nine to five day doesn't have to be your future! You have to be willing to try new things, explore, take risks, and don't be afraid to fail forward. There will always be another job just like yours if what you try and fail at doesn't work out, so don't be afraid to lose what you have. Instead be afraid of never experiencing something because you said no.

If your FUTURE self in 20 years could look back at where you are today, what advice might the Future You offer the Current You?
Keep going. It may seem like you are not getting closer to your dreams, or success is too far ahead of you, but keep going. It's closer than you know and it will all be worth it.

Which resources do you rely on the most?
I rely a lot on social media, like Instagram, to meet new people and network for business expansion. I read and listen to a lot of personal development books, especially from John C. Maxwell. I have read TONS of books and each author gives me something I really need at the time I am reading it to help me grow.

When are you the happiest?
When I am working from home, with my family.

Do you have a favorite quote or expression?
“It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to has power over you.” Leon Brown

What 2-3 Books Do You Consider Must Reads?
The Compound Effect and Eat That Frog.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do, be, or try?
I would have a degree in Nutrition and Sports Science, possibly personal training or providing in-person coaching for health and fitness, and continuing to be a Beach Body Coach. This would give me choice to design my own hours, work from home, and be present for my family.

What are the 2-3 most important work-related purchases you've made in the last year?
My ticket and hotel room to Summit, our annual event, and a membership to Teamzy online for my business

 

 

You're being shot at dawn; what's your last dinner request?
A HUGE Beach Luau with all my family and friends, especially my beach body family, with lots of fresh foods, and topped off with a giant Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting (just like my husband got for me for doing a Physique competition).

Are there specific resources you use that you'd recommend to others?
Photo editing tools like Canva and Photofy have helped me with advertising. I use a lot of paper-pencil tools for daily business work. Teamzy helps me manage my business and clients online. Our company offers an excellent website for our business. Also, I would be lost without the service I use and I share with others, Beach Body On Demand, our giant video library for workout programs and nutritional resources.

What's your next goal?
Go from teaching full time to part time and match my teaching salary with my business.

Anything else you'd like to share with other teachers who want to follow in your footsteps?
There is NO background knowledge required, you don't need to be an expert — we have the experts creating everything for us, and don't be scared to do something because it's not the norm. If you are unhappy where you are in life, be brave and change it! People need the BEST from you, not what's left of you!

What's one additional question we should ask and how would you respond?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? A top coach, owning a beach home where we spend many vacations year-round, retired from teaching, and participating in more school events FOR my children. I will be a 6-figure earner while taking care of my parents financially because they sacrificed so much for me.

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This teacher profile is part of SimpleK12's Extra Teacher Income series, where we interview educators about the things they're doing outside of the classroom, for both enjoyment and also a little bit of cash. To read more in this series go here, or to suggest your own story and a possible profile, go here.

If you have any questions for Ashley or anything else related to this topic (and there will be more extra teacher income profiles and stories coming soon), please leave them below in the Comments.

For a different extra teacher income story, check on what Heather Brandon  (blogging and educational consulting) is up to.

Or, follow along with full-time college prof, Dustin York, and his many side gigs.