Everyone outside of academia seems to be catching the Creator Economy wave. And it's no wonder: it's easier than ever to start a solo business and sell knowledge in the form of courses, ebooks, and other digital products.
And they're making good money with relatively little effort.
So why are academics, who are in the actual business of selling knowledge, not...selling knowledge?
It comes down to this: professors don't know their worth in the public marketplace. They figure they're already getting a paycheck for teaching and doing research (though this paycheck isn't enough for many of them).
And they're failing to thrive financially.
What if you thought of your knowledge as an asset that can make you money?
Your university doesn't own your teaching and intellectual materials. You do. And there are people, scattered around the globe, who are ready to pay you for your knowledge.
Don't leave your assets to stagnate in the halls of your university. It's structured to never pay you what you're really worth.
Ginger Lockhart, PhD is a former tenured professor and creator of QuantFish, a statistics education platform, and QuantFish R&D, a research and consultancy service. She does this alongside her husband and three young kids from a little farm in the West Virginia countryside.
Follow along here for guidance on starting your life as an independent academic. Continue the conversation on LinkedIn.