Thanks a lot for this, Andrew. I have just completed the word form on defining your niche. I believe that this should come before the "offer table," but would be grateful for any feedback on what I've written (should you have the time-no rush). Please find attached...I've taken into account what you said here, but following the steps you gave me via the questioning, it seems to be evolving a bit more, considering some of the methodologies/niches considered for delivery of the offer.

@Andrew Woodbury many thanks for this. 😀 Will get back to you with my reply as soon as I’ve read the feedback!

For so long, I have waited for the perfect moment to start to go my own way. I was a teacher in a successful school with a more is more ethos. They used jargon like “to throw the kitchen sink” at the students, to “hit the ground running” and focus on “deliberate practice,” “intentionality” and “quick wins”. I became obsessed with 80:20 principle, miracle mornings and waling up at 5am everyday, focussing on my self-improvement, and doing it all for the kids and making a difference. But who was suffering? Myself. I burnt out. At the end of the day, this proactive lifestyle was itself a form of procrastination. I was sacrificing my work-life balance for a greater cause. I was under the illusion that my self-improvement was part of the process, but I didn’t have a goal. I was surviving not thriving. I’ve read all the self-help books, all the self-development books, listened to the podcasts, including yours. But…I’m still flirting with “exposure”. I’m happy to put myself out there, but, when it comes to being consistent with that, I retreat. For fear of being judged, inadequacy, being over-the-top, or too zealous with my comments or language. Saying the wrong thing. Self-doubt creeps in. There is a dichotomy, whereby I either really go for it, unafraid of the consequences and fearless, before retreating into my shell once more, where the comfort zone lies. So yes, I am trapped in the consumption wheel, but it’s not for want of trying to get out of it. I keep getting back up, and love what I do, but the din in the head says “what I’m saying is so cliche” or “everybody knows this, why is he saying that,” “he doesn’t have anything interesting to say”. Positive self-talk and a tendency to get over perfectionism and imposter-syndrome are what I want to develop. Most of all, finding the right balance is key for me.

@Adrian Navarro Thanks for your comment and support, Adrian. I think much of this could be related to the flow state. When we find ourselves in our flow, everything is magical. Our performance is perfect. When we come out of that flow state, we almost feel hungover. We need to get back in there, but how!? We almost can't remember how it felt to be performing at that level, because our brain was subconsciously performing the task, our implicit/tacit knowledge was being exercised...and then...it stops. Again, accepting our imperfections, getting the job done, and actively looking for opportunities to find that flow state are worthwhile, but at the same time, it could be an addiction. Being pre-emptive, and knowing how to react in cases in which we are perhaps on a comedown from that, I believe, could be more useful. As my grandad used to say, "the sun can't shine every day!" Some days we may feel inspired, other days not so much, but knowing that it will soon come with perseverance and patience is pivotal.

Hi all, I’m Adam Fletcher and I’ve been teaching since 2010. I initially started out as a tefl teacher in Salvador, Brazil, where I stayed for 3 years, and thoroughly enjoyed my formative years as a teacher. I then qualified as a French/Italian teacher in a London secondary school, where I taught for 9 years, eventually became a head of department. The assessment-driven nature of language teaching in the UK, eventually led to burnout, and I gradually became disillusioned with the working climate and focus on accountability and prescriptive pedagogy. Since September 2022, I went back to teaching English as a foreign language. This time with a more business-oriented focus/soft skills. I’m working freelance in Bologna, Italy. I divide my time between delivering a course for the University of Bologna, following the Pearson Business Partner course book, but have plenty of autonomy in deciding what and how to teach. I also teach a range of courses for an online business coaching company, delivering workshops mainly to Italian companies and banks, while coaching Executive courses 1:1. Finally, I’ve grown my own personal side-hustle, attracting a good number of clients, but being selective about the caliber of student I want to teach. I joined this community in order to further niche down, to build a brand, and to network and learn from all in the community. I’d like to increase my private online private offering, and refine the materials, potentially teaching online groups of 4-6, rather than 1-1. I also wish to focus my energies on the Italian/French market, where my knowledge of the L1 culture would help me to tailor my experience to their needs, unlocking the language to build the learners’ confidence to use their existing knowledge more fluently, and unlocking any misconceptions that are blocking them from communicating the message due to fossilisation and L1 interference. Looking forward to sharing experiences!