How One Traveling Teacher Built a Thriving Business (and Found Her People) — Featuring Brittany Verlinich
Today’s episode-turned-blog is extra special because I sat down with someone I adore, someone who inspires me, and someone whose story will resonate deeply with any teacher, traveler, or entrepreneur out there.
Meet Brittany Verlinich — teacher, travel addict, entrepreneur, group expert, blogger, community-builder, and soon-to-be-retired-from-the-classroom full-time business owner.
We recorded this back in February 2021, and even now her insight is GOLD. Let’s dive in. ✨
Listen in to the episode of the podcast here:
🌍 From Seasonal Jobs to the Classroom
Before Brittany ever stepped foot into a classroom, she was already a traveler.
Her undergraduate degree is in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and she spent years hopping from one seasonal job to another — summer camps, hospitality work, outdoor ed programs — all in amazing places. Think Hawaii. Think mountains. Think adventure.
She lived her version of freedom long before she ever built a business.
But when she was preparing to get married, she realized:
“Okay… this lifestyle is amazing, but it may not be sustainable right this second.”
So she looked for stability and found teaching — something that fit her passion for kids, coaching, and creating opportunities for others.
And she was right: teaching was a perfect fit.
Teaching on a Reservation — and Feeling Completely Isolated
Brittany teaches on a reservation in Arizona, and while she loves the community and culture, she quickly realized something:
She was lonely.
Not because people were unkind. Not because she didn’t love what she was doing. But because she didn’t have anyone around her who understood her love for travel, adventure, or exploration.
When Brittany mentioned visiting Hawaii or working seasonal travel jobs, her colleagues didn’t respond with excitement. Many simply didn’t understand.
Instead of connections, she felt more isolated.
But she knew this truth in her bones:
“My people are out there. I’ve met them while traveling. So I know they exist.”
And that’s where her idea was born.
Creating a Space for Traveling Teachers
In late 2018, during Thanksgiving break, Brittany started a small Facebook group for teachers who loved to travel — and named it Traveling Teachers.
She built it with intention:
- Clear rules
- A clear description of exactly who the group was for
- A clear description of who it was not for
- Questions that self-filtered new members
- A safe, energetic space for people who truly get each other
She didn’t expect much.
But the group grew… quickly.
As of now?
Well over 3,000 members — active, engaged, excited, curious teachers who now have a place to dream, share, ask, and connect.
A community that didn’t exist… until Brittany created it.
SEO + Group Strategy: How She Grew So Fast
People always ask Brittany: “How did you grow your Facebook group so big?”
She says it comes down to a few key things:
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
She named the group what teachers would actually search for.
She filled the description with keywords.
She made joining questions clear and specific.
2. Clear identity
People know exactly who the group is for.
And they know exactly who it’s not for.
3. Engagement-based growth
Instead of spamming links inside unrelated groups, she shows up where it makes sense:
- She answers questions
- She adds value
- She positions herself as someone who knows her stuff
People naturally follow the breadcrumbs back to her group.
4. Profiles that lead back to her community
She uses her:
- Facebook cover
- Featured images
- Bio
- Instagram links
…to point people to her group.
This way, traffic is always flowing, even when she’s not actively promoting.
Blogging: Why She Built a Site + How It All Fits Together
Around the same time she started her group, Brittany also launched her blog.
Not because she wanted to be a full-time blogger.
Not because she wanted to write for hours every day.
But because she realized:
“Teachers are Googling this stuff. They’re searching for programs, opportunities, travel deals — and they should be able to find it.”
Her blog became a resource library.
Her Facebook group became the community.
Her Instagram and TikTok became discovery platforms.
All roads point back to the group — her “lead magnet,” as she calls it.
She uses a hosted WordPress site and treats blogging as a long-term game. It took a year and a half before she ranked for anything. That’s normal.
The focus was always:
- Helping teachers
- Sharing travel opportunities
- Providing resources people couldn’t find anywhere else
Now?
It’s blossomed into a business.
Turning a Passion Project Into a Full-Fledged Business
Over time, people started asking Brittany:
“Can you plan a trip for us?”
“Do you lead group trips?”
“Can you teach us how to get travel deals?”
She listened — and built offers based on their needs.
Today her business includes:
✨ Group travel
✨ A growing membership community
✨ Courses
✨ Travel planning services
✨ Teachers Pay Teachers resources
✨ Affiliate income
✨ Blogging
✨ Social community management
She now has multiple streams of income — and several of them are now supporting not just her, but her growing team.
Which brings us to one of the most empowering parts of Brittany’s journey…
Hiring Help — Before You’re “Ready”
One of the things that moved Brittany’s business forward fastest?
Hiring help before she felt ready.
She hired:
- A virtual assistant
- A systems strategist
- A project manager
…before she was making consistent full-time income.
Why?
Because she recognized that:
“You cannot reach your next income level working only 10 hours a week — especially if half of those hours are spent doing $10/hour tasks.”
She hired strategically — starting small, delegating work that drained her, and keeping tasks that energized her.
And it worked.
She now supports three women through her business, and her goal is to hire two of them full-time.
Talk about impact. 🔥
Time Management for Teachers Building Big Dreams
Here are Brittany’s biggest time-management and productivity tips:
1. Use the Pomodoro Method
Work 20–25 minutes.
Break 5 minutes.
Repeat.
Reassess often.
2. Guard your CEO time HARD
If it’s on the calendar, it’s non-negotiable.
3. Use a planner (yes, a paper one!)
She now plans months ahead — which helps her say “no” with confidence.
4. Not every day needs to be a “hustle” day
In the early seasons, she worked 30 minutes a day.
Now she works around 2 hours daily — but only on tasks she loves or is uniquely good at.
5. Outsource your lowest-level tasks
So you can spend time on the highest-dollar activities.
Investing in Coaching — and Why It Changed Everything
Brittany made two big investments:
💸 A $3,000 program
💸 A $5,000 1:1 coach
She admits she hovered over the payment button six times.
But once she invested?
The return was almost immediate.
Coaching:
- Shifted her mindset
- Gave her systems
- Helped her normalize higher income months
- Connected her with entrepreneurs earning 6+ figures
- Forced her to level up
Now? She can’t imagine growing without it.
Her Favorite Place in the World
When I asked Brittany her favorite travel destination, she didn’t hesitate for even one second:
NORWAY.
Her whole face lit up.
“It’s magical. Like fairytales. Like stepping into another world.”
She said every woman deserves to experience it.
(And now it’s on my list too.)
And Her Upcoming Teacher Trip? Croatia. On. A. Yacht.
Yes, you read that right.
Brittany leads teacher trips, and her next one is a yacht week through Croatia — crystal waters, stunning coastline, dreamy European cities.
She’s been vigilantly watching travel restrictions, embassy updates, and COVID guidelines — and it’s looking GOOD.
The teachers going with her?
Living their literal DREAM.
Final Thoughts
Brittany’s story is the perfect example of what happens when you:
- Create the community you needed
- Believe in your vision
- Show up even when you’re scared
- Ask for help
- Invest in your growth
- Follow what lights you up
- Build in alignment with your purpose
If you’ve ever felt lonely, stuck, isolated, or unsure how to blend teaching with entrepreneurship…
Her journey is proof:
Your people are out there.
Your idea matters.
Your dreams are valid.
Your business can work.
And your next chapter can be bigger than you ever imagined.
Connect with Brittany
You can find her here:
📸 Instagram: @brittanyVerlinich
🌍 Facebook Community: Traveling Teachers
💬 DM her — she loves helping teachers build freedom through travel and business.
If you loved this blog, share it with a friend, teammate, or fellow teacher who needs a reminder that her dreams are totally within reach. 💛