As a physical education teacher, it’s been a dream to combine my passion for physical education with my love of writing. When I first started working in physical education I had no mentor and no guidance. Once I finally found my footing, I knew I wanted to help other PE teachers find theirs. I became an advocate for PE teachers. I taught in-services, helped write a new curriculum from scratch, and I wrote a column in the state health and PE association newsletter called “Dear Charles” where I answered questions for newbies. I presented at the state conference for health and PE teachers as well. All the while, I published a lot of articles on PE websites, especially pecentral.com, the top site for health and PE teachers. I loved writing and helping others and I did not mind doing it for free.
In August of 2014, I was in a serious car accident. I sustained six broken ribs, a punctured lung, and an injured spleen. I suffered from shock trauma for twelve days and I was out of work for four months.
Towards the end of my recovery, and in need of some cash for a new car, I stumbled upon an article on Lifehacker about making money online. It was here that I learned about Fiverr.
The first Fiverr newsletter I received featured a story about a guy who was making $100,000 a year. It also mentioned another seller who did videos for sales. That sparked my interest. I contacted this seller about getting a video for a Gig I wanted to create. I explained that I saw an opportunity to monetize my writing through articles and poetry. He made some suggestions, and he offered to help me setup my first couple of Gigs. Meeting him was key in my success. He became, and still is, my Fiverr mentor. After getting my Gigs up, I honestly did not expect much. I thought it would be another failed attempt at the latest trend in online earning.
Three months went by, and I had gotten only a couple of sales. I kind of gave up on it at that point. Then, out of nowhere, orders started rolling in. It was very exciting, and it took some time for me to adjust. I made some mistakes along the way, but Kev, my mentor, was there to guide me through it all. After finding a few amazing repeat customers, I gained more confidence in my abilities. I learned the importance of managing my orders, communicating clearly with buyers, and creating a system that helped me stay organized. I added new Gigs, and before I knew it I was making $1,000 a month. In about nine months I had amassed $8,000.
Through working on Fiverr, I have learned so much. I acquired new skills such as creating 3D mockups and logo designs, SEO writing, keyword research, and creating passive income streams. I began to apply what I was learning for myself. I created a website and portfolio that has helped me land more work and other opportunities in my profession. My success on Fiverr and the subsequent success it spawned gave me the confidence to achieve new heights.
I love Fiverr. Having tried other platforms, Fiverr is by far the simplest to use. They offer the best tools in easy-to-use interfaces. They are like an outdoor farmer’s market where buyers come to you for goods and services. On other sites you have to not only bid for jobs but also buy the bids. You have to scroll through countless jobs and apply to each, but Fiverr makes it all simple.
As an educator, I value my time. Fiverr lets me work when I want, where I want, and how much I want. When summer comes around, I can go all out and advertise my services. I have a Facebook page with 500 likes, and a buyer and sellers group with over 1,000 members as well.
Fiverr allowed me to quit a part-time job and double what I was making there in my first real month of earning. It helped me adjust to having a car payment again and stay on top of my finances. It helped me save and have extra fun money. Fiverr helped me meet amazing people and make great connections from halfway around the world. It’s a part of who I am now and a great source of pride. It’s allowed me to take my skills and abilities to a whole new level and obtain opportunities I never before would have known about or had the courage to try.
I am grateful for this platform and all it offers. There is nothing else like it in the world.
If you’d like to share your story about how Fiverr has impacted your life, please send it to us by email at community@Fiverr.com.
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