Teaching, Transition, and Thriving: Laylee Emadi’s Story of Independence

In this episode of the Etsy Seller Success podcast, Dylan sits down with Laylee Emadi, educator-turned-entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of the Creative Educator Conference. Laylee shares how she transitioned from teaching in the classroom to building a thriving education business—replacing her teaching salary in less than six months.This episode is for anyone wondering how to step into a new chapter, show up as an expert, and communicate their message with clarity—whether you’re speaking on stage, teaching online, or growing a personal brand alongside your product-based business.Laylee gets real about building authority, embracing your natural speaking style, hiring the right support, and creating programs that actually serve your audience. If you're ready to lead, teach, or speak with confidence in your niche, this conversation will show you how to get started.In this episode, we cover: [01:16] Building a Business Through Photography and Mentoring [03:08] Making the Leap from 9–5 to Self-Employment [04:47] Replacing Her Salary in Under 6 Months [06:00] Her First Business Model: Clients, Workshops & Mentorship [07:01] What Makes You Qualified to Teach (And How to Know) [08:32] Organically Creating Her Conference & Coaching Programs [10:05] Realizing She’d Never Return to Traditional Teaching [11:27] Hiring a Team: What Works, What Doesn’t [13:12] Why Scaling Requires Support [14:22] Creating the Sought After Speaker System [16:14] Why Speaking Matters for Product-Based Businesses [17:24] What Makes a Speaker Memorable [19:03] Speaker Style: Embrace Who You Are, Don’t Copy Others [21:03] How to Get Started with Speaking (Even if You’re Nervous) [22:32] Getting Comfortable on Camera & Building Your Skills [24:18] The Real ROI of Speaking Engagements Connect with Laylee Emadi: 🌐 Website: layleeemadi.com 📸 Instagram: @laylee_emadi 🎤 Course: Sought After Speaker SystemAbout Laylee Emadi: Laylee is a former high school teacher turned multi-passionate entrepreneur. She’s the founder of the Creative Educator Conference, the host of the So, Here’s the Thing Podcast, and the creator of the Sought After Speaker System. She helps creatives and experts become confident, compelling educators—whether through speaking, coaching, or course creation.With over a decade of experience in both education and entrepreneurship, Laylee brings a heart-centered and no-fluff approach to helping business owners teach with impact.Feeling stuck with your Etsy shop? Inside our Ultimate Etsy course and coaching program, we believe there’s no one size fits all strategy. Every shop is different. That’s why the first step is to book a call with our team so we can understand your goals, identify what’s holding your shop back, and help you create a clear path to growth. A practical 16 step checklist designed to help Etsy sellers optimize their shop, attract more customers, and increase sales. This guide walks you through the essential actions to improve your listings, branding, SEO, and overall shop performance so you can grow your Etsy business with confidence. 📞 Ready for personalized Etsy guidance? Book a FREE 45 MIN CALL with us to discuss your Etsy Shop, what’s preventing your shop’s growth & how we can help you through our private, personalized coaching program, The Ultimate Etsy Course + Coaching! https://calendly.com/dylanjahraus/the-ultimate-etsy-course-qualification-call-podcast 📖 Download my FREE 16-step checklist: https://dylanjahraus.info/16-step-checklist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=16-step&utm_campaign=checklist🏆 Student Results dylanjahrausreviews.com📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dylanjahraus/👋 WHO AM I?I am Dylan, a multi-six figure Etsy & Shopify seller. My shop ranks in the 0.1% of Etsy shops worldwide and we reached $1M+ in sales in just 5 years. I am here to provide value to YOU through tips and tactical advice to start your new Etsy shop or grow your current Etsy shop to the multi-six-figure level and beyond. There's no fluff here - only tactics that add to your profit! While the success stories and testimonials we share are based on real experiences, they're not guarantees of similar results for everyone.