In this episode, Elaine and I talk about the hard stuff! Things like imposter syndrome, struggling with competition and more.
Elaine gives an honest interview about the real struggles of transitioning from teaching to tutoring to business owners, and I know many listeners will be able to relate.
Elaine taught in the classroom for over 20 years, and originally qualified as an MFL teacher, but now tutors GCSE Maths. She runs a thriving tuition business, and also support others tutors into confidently tutoring GCSE Maths.
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This is one of the most honest interviews that I've had on this podcast, and I speak to Elaine Ney, who is often known as Maths with Mrs Mack. She is a maths tutor and she also helps educators who want to upskill to teaching GCSE Maths. She talks about the real mindset challenges that she hasn't just had to overcome, but ones that she still goes through and that she doesn't really have a solution for yet. She talks about how it feels and what she does to make herself feel better.
Sumantha:
We talk about mindset challenges like imposter syndrome, like who am I to do this. She talks about how the fear of judgement can be really crippling. What will people think. And she even talks about how much she struggles with competition when someone doing something similar pops up. This is stuff that people do not normally say aloud and I was so grateful to her for being really open.
Sumantha:
So I hope you enjoy the conversation and do connect with her. I will pop her links in the show notes. And without further ado, enjoy. So lovely to have you here. We have been meaning to do this for a while. And actually funny story, you said to me do not invite me, I want to practise pitching to you.
Sumantha:
So you actually properly pitched to appear on the podcast, which I loved. Thank you for accepting me. I said the answer was going to be yes anyway but you wanted to practise. Elaine, please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do.
Sumantha:
Elaine shares that she is a GCSE maths tutor who left the classroom nearly four years ago. In the past year she has also started supporting other tutors and educators who want to upskill into GCSE maths tuition. We reflect on how quickly those four years have passed and how our paths crossed when she was first building her tutoring groups.
Sumantha:
Elaine describes how much of her career has involved stepping outside her comfort zone. She originally trained as a modern languages teacher but later had to upskill into maths to stay employed. That decision eventually led her to fall in love with teaching maths and pursue it as a core part of her career.
Sumantha:
She explains how she later moved schools to continue teaching maths and eventually decided to leave the classroom after more than two decades in education. Going self employed after 23 years of earning a salary brought its own fears and uncertainty.
Sumantha:
Elaine talks about the early doubts she had when starting her tutoring business. She questioned whether parents would pay her for GCSE maths tutoring given that maths was not her original degree subject. However she found that parents valued her honesty and her ability to empathise with students who struggle with maths.
Sumantha:
From there she began building her tutoring groups and establishing her business. More recently she has stepped outside her comfort zone again by training and supporting other tutors. Presenting to her peers turned out to be far more intimidating than teaching large groups of students.
Sumantha:
We talk about how stepping outside your comfort zone gradually expands it. I share that I had a similar experience when moving from teaching into tutoring and eventually mentoring other tutors. Presenting to peers can feel very different from teaching students.
Sumantha:
We explore the shift in mindset that happens when you begin helping other professionals in your field. It can feel like suddenly you are saying you know more than your peers. That pressure can trigger a lot of self doubt.
Sumantha:
Elaine speaks honestly about the fear of judgement. She shares the questions that often run through her mind. Will I be good enough. Will I make a good job of this. Will people say good things about me. Will I get good reviews.
Sumantha:
She reflects on how the culture of schools and constant evaluation can contribute to that fear of judgement. Even though she has grown used to putting herself out there, those feelings still appear from time to time.
Sumantha:
We talk about imposter syndrome and the feeling of wondering who you are to teach or lead others. Elaine explains that despite her extensive experience she still occasionally questions herself.
Sumantha:
Competition can also trigger those feelings. Elaine describes how seeing someone offering something similar can feel crushing in the moment. Talking with trusted colleagues and friends helps her process those feelings and regain perspective.
Sumantha:
Elaine explains that she anchors herself in facts when those moments occur. She reminds herself that there are plenty of tutors out there and that everyone works differently. Evidence of her success helps counteract the negative thoughts.
Sumantha:
We discuss how using facts can act as an antidote to emotional reactions. It helps bring perspective and challenge the narrative that self doubt can create.
Sumantha:
The conversation then shifts to business growth and investing in support. Elaine shares that when she left the classroom she joined coaching programmes to learn the business side of tutoring.
Sumantha:
She talks about investing in several programmes over time. Some delivered exactly what she needed while others did not quite meet expectations. Even so, she always found something valuable to learn.
Sumantha:
We discuss decision making and how tutors often worry about making the wrong choice. Elaine explains that she treats decisions as experiments and reminds herself that she can always change direction.
Sumantha:
Elaine also shares how one investment helped her shift her mindset around selling. Instead of seeing sales as something negative, she now views it as offering help to people who need it.
Sumantha:
Towards the end of the conversation we discuss handling negative feedback. Elaine explains that she has received difficult feedback before and learned to separate personal feelings from business improvements.
Sumantha:
We reflect on how mindset challenges never completely disappear. The goal is not to eliminate them but to develop strategies to navigate them and keep moving forward.
Sumantha:
Elaine, thank you so much for being so open and honest in this conversation. I know this will resonate with many tutors and education business owners who are navigating similar challenges.
