Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to start teaching?
As long as you have some experience teaching, yes! This can be formal experience as a teacher, or more informal as a practitioner. If your experience is informal, we can help set you up with some classes to learn more about how to teach further education classes. We also offer ongoing mentorship and opportunities for training and professional development.
I don’t have a venue – can I still start?
Yes! We can help you find a venue space from our network of teaching spaces, or help you get set up to teach in your studio, home or wherever else you have in mind.
How long does it take to get started?
If you are brand new to teaching, we can get you up and running in just a few weeks. The exact timing usually depends on your schedule, commitment and personal timeline. If you are already teaching, we require a onboarding call, after which you can be up-and-running in a few hours.
| On your own | Obby | |
|---|---|---|
| Website (mobile friendly, SEO-optimized) | Up to £3,000 | Included |
| Professional photoshoot | Up to £500 | Included |
| Business consulting and coaching | Up to £500 | Included |
| Marketing consultation based on real data | Up to £500 | Included |
| Business cards, flyers, etc. | Up to £3,00 | Included |
| Annual professional development trainings | Up to £500 | Included |
How much does it cost to start a program?
We charge nothing upfront, even through the whole process of setting up your program. Once you start earning income from your teaching business, we have two costs structures. For revenue generated via your own website & marketing efforts, we charge no commission, just an online payment processing fee. For revenue generated via Obby’s marketing efforts, we receive a modest 12.5% fee that comes out of the payments collected from enrolled students. Because we bundle together a ton of tools and services, we’re able to provide our support for much less than the cost of working with individual vendors... so you save money and time, win-win. We’re also constantly adding new tools and services to make your life easier!
How much can I make?
Teachers who work with Obby to start their own businesses can earn more than two or even three times as much as a full-time Further Education teacher (based on the average annual salary for FE teachers in the UK). This is because so much of the tuition for students going to FE colleges & programmes often goes to overhead costs and not to the salary of the teachers.
How does Obby help me grow?
Beyond helping you build a great teaching business that customers love, we also do lots of on- and off-line marketing to help get your classes in front of the right customers. This includes digital marketing via Facebook, Google, Instagram and other channels, as well as offline marketing via local events, and print marketing (e.g. flyers).
Building great teaching businesses
Obby has helped over 150 teachers and entrepreneurs start and grow their teaching business. Whether you are starting out or looking to grow, we can help.
How does Obby help me start a teaching business?
Get started in no time with our Launch programme. Featuring:
- Curriculum development
- Pricing & timetable recommendations
- Venue sourcing & support
- A beautiful, customisable website
- Launch & marketing support
- 1:1 face-to-face, video call, text and email support
How does Obby help me market and fill my classes?
- Valuable data-driven marketing guidance
- Access to the Obby Marketplace and newsletter reaching 100,000+ students per month
- Event presence & organisation (e.g. Affordable Art Fair)
- Social Media Marketing training & automated retargeting
- Launch & marketing support
- Marketing tools & integrations (e.g. Mailchimp)
How does Obby help me operate my business?
- Administrative tools to track bookings, private requests, reviews, income and more
- Help understanding earnings and strategies to earn more
- Real-time customer service support provided by Obby
- Insurance and accounting tools
- Venue space management support
- Connection to a community of peers online and at in-person events
How does Obby help me grow my business?
- Obby Growth Academy bootcamp worth £500
- Apply for Obby Grant Funding, worth up to £2,500 per month
- Council & government funding advisory
- Recruiting and hiring support
- Support expanding to a larger capacity, second location, or centre
I’m just getting started
Whether you are still thinking about getting started, or are ready-to-go, we can help. Launch your teaching business with Obby’s step-by-step guidance and support.
I already teach classes
Whether you are an individual, or run a established teaching business, we can help you fill empty slots, grow your customer base, and operate more successfully.