Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maureen McCorry, Founder of Teach History Now, located in San Joaquin Valley, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My target audience is K-12 educators. I facilitate professional learning opportunities for K-12 teachers.

Tell us about yourself

At the risk of sounding cliché, I wanted to "be the change I wished to see in the world:" As a student attending K-12 schools in the rural San Joaquin Valley, one-dimensional textbooks drove the curriculum along with a historical narrative that was superficial, boring, and at that time, irrelevant. I entered the teaching profession wanting students to learn what I hadn't. As a veteran teacher, I was disillusioned with our worship of all things Advanced Placement (AP) and time wasted in mandatory "Staff Development Days" – the latter routinely treated my colleagues and me as passive learners and/or empty vessels. What motivates me are the folks who continue to teach, despite ever-expanding expectations, while enduring three of the most challenging years in K-12 education. Most of us came to this profession with a healthy dose of intellectual curiosity, wanting to "see" and/or change the world. To that end, Teach History Now seeks to cultivate these qualities by creating space for teacher agency as we investigate gaps in our understanding of culture and history across grade levels and disciplines.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Expanding my network, sponsoring and/or assisting in workshops that are at the heart of our political discourse but haven't found their way into most K-12 classrooms, including Afghanistan, El Salvador, Cambodia, Laos, and despite rhetoric to the contrary, a comprehensive approach to teaching about race and racism. My work is very much "in progress;" it's dependent on the "we." I partner with K-12 educators, university scholars, community activists, artists, and extraordinary folks who can shed light on the issues of our times. There is no greater satisfaction than having a teacher state: "… I had a wonderful day of learning today, and I wanted to thank you for all the great resources you shared with me. You have inspired me to learn and read, to watch and listen. TO GROW. Enjoy your weekend, and know you have impacted me."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Hardship #1: I'm not in love with the business side (fees and marketing do not come naturally). My target audience is teachers, but they don't write the checks. The existential hardship: K-12 educators are frightened, and rightfully so. Fear is driving decision-making at all levels, and I continue to search for ways to call folks "in" – "not out," as Loretta Ross espouses. It's challenging to recruit a site or district-based administrator or instructional coach who believes it's worth ruffling feathers to prioritize high-quality history instruction -- in all of its complexity. Nonetheless, it's paramount that we teach the next generation how to have an open and respectful dialogue that embraces all perspectives...to light a path so that the next generation can break out of our respective silos in these hyper-polarized times.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Tip #1: Fall in love with the problem, not the solution -- this is sage advice from my former student and social entrepreneur, Kalani Leifer. Tips #2 - #4 loosely interpret his wisdom:

Tip #2: Avoid an outcome-driven model -- you may have a vision for who you believe your partners and collaborators will be…prepare to be surprised and forge on with the unexpected. Doors you thought were open, close, and doors you never envisioned manifest out of the blue.

Tip #3: Don't let money drive your mission. Sweat equity is a given. Embrace it. Adding Tip #4: In the event your business isn't sustainable, there is satisfaction in doing some good along the way.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.teachhistorynow.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teach-history-now/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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