Meet Erin King | Educator, Blogger, Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin King and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, how do you think about risk?
I try to take risks as often as I can, but it does not mean I am reckless. As an entrepreneur and educator, part of my strategy that has brought success is knowing when to take a risk and be comfortable with learning from it, whether there is success or failure. Taking an educated risk means you are aware of the risks if you take specific action, you have thought out the consequences or possibilities for success ahead of time, and you have already thought out the different scenarios to minimize the risks. In other words, you are not just trying something to see if it works or not. It is thought out—planned.

As I expanded my platform, Inspired Education, to support teachers with inspiration, I listened to my community and did the research ahead of time. This strategy allowed me to start up the Teacher’s Pep Rally, a podcast for educators with three friends and fellow professionals where we talk about life and learning. It also gave me the confidence to make a dream come to true for me. I have been wanting to create and hold a conference down in Orlando for teachers to build their confidence in taking educated risks with their students. I am excited to say that the Happy Teacher Conference will be held in Orlando, FL this November for 3 magical days.

If ever I fail in my recent endeavors or new ideas, I do it knowing I did my homework to prepare, so the worst-case scenario would have me coming out of the experience learning something new and then I follow up with some reflection and planned next steps. If anyone wants to see a protocol for taking action after a failed attempt of risking taking, check out my blog for a free template at www.inspirationeducation.info and look for Inspiration #44: Risk Taking.

There is a professional culture that does not always give educators liberty to take educated risks. I implore you, whether as an educator or entrepreneur, to try to take some small risks if you have excitement and ideas that could improve your brand, professional development and/or students’ growth. At the very least, you can find small opportunities for excitement by trying something new. Why not be passionate about it as opposed to feeling forced to try new things? The worst that can happen is you will fail…and then you will learn and grow from it.

What should our readers know about your business?
Getting started with my idea for Inspired Education was a bit of a struggle. Not because I didn’t feel passionate about the idea, but I think that I was trying to be perfect before I even got started. So, when I first hit that publish button for my very first blog, I felt both empowered and nervous. What I quickly realized was that I didn’t need to be perfect. I just needed to be my authentic self and stick to my vision which has always been to give teacher support with inspiration.

By the way, I strongly encourage any educator and/or entrepreneur to create a mission and vision. How can you build something if you don’t know what you want to provide? I started out with a blog, but I always had a vision and a map of ways to expand my educator’s platform and community. Now, I have a podcast, teacher swag, teacher conference, and coaching workshops.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Atlanta, but I have family in Seabrook, Texas. I love to visit them because it is all about food and fun. We have been fans of Tookie’s for a long time because the food is yummy and the ambience is funky. We don’t need fancy to have a good time, so I would probably go there first. My favorite food to eat is crawfish when it is in season. The best crawfish dish comes from my Uncle John’s recipe. While I can’t share the family secret recipe, I would recommend heading over to Waterfront Drive and get some fresh seafood to cook at home. No one will be disappointed.

Lastly, I am all about education. I would take us on some guided tours:

Space Center Houston
Children’s Museum of Houston
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Holocaust Museum Houston
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

And we could end the long weekend with some fresh air and shopping over in Galveston.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Behind every driven and successful entrepreneur and educator is a trusted tribe. I have always believed in having a small group of people that I can rely on as thought-partners, cheerleaders, and mentors. My friends that I work with on the podcast, Teachers Pep Rally, are not just business partners. They support me as an entrepreneur with support and laughs. I also have a momentum group that meets every Monday. Dave and Albert hold me accountable when I create small or large goals. We encourage each other to be and do our best. I am so thankful to meet with them every week to keep me going and grow my business. Of course, it helps that my family understands my commitment to educators. They have been so supportive!

Website: www.inspirededucation.info

Instagram: @erinkinginspired

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/erin-king-inspired

Twitter: @erinkinginspired

Facebook: @inspirededucation.info

Image Credits
Donata Perilli from Shoott