As a teacher, I often experienced the challenges of managing a large classroom. One of the significant advantages of tutoring is the ability to provide individualised attention to each student. You’re able to cater to each student's needs and pace and it’s a pleasure to witness remarkable progress and see the direct impact of your efforts. It’s been one of the many highlights of my job and I love nothing more than seeing students thriving in my classes.

I have regular tutees but I also have lots of time to work on other projects and do the day-to-day work that comes with running a busy tutoring business. I love setting my own schedule. I’m not beholden to someone else’s time or expectations. I set the timetable and it means I can be as flexible as I want.

Which means having afternoons to myself (usually it’s with the good intention of going for a run, but more often than not it’s to have coffee and cake with a friend!)

Since setting up Aster Tuition, I haven’t felt the need to take many weeks off a year. I’m nowhere near as tired or drained as I used to be so I don’t have the same desire to spend weeks decompressing from the long hours and demands of being a full time teacher. I schedule breaks and time off throughout a typical week and I always give myself time to read (my number one hobby) and lots of time to spend with my family (and given that my partner lives overseas, that’s a must for me!) As long as you’re organised, time off is easy to plan.

That being a teacher was fantastic preparation for my new role as I was already adept at juggling many jobs; prioritising tasks and working to multiple deadlines!

But I realised that I knew very little about how to run a business. I’ve had to learn how to market my business, build a brand, manage a website, set up an invoicing system, get to grips with HR and much more besides. Investing in quality support and reaching out to experts has been integral to the growth of my business.