"The Impostor Syndrome Was So Real" - How Kayla Built Her Craft Club Despite Her Fears

Posted on Apr 10, 2025

CCC Member Kayla thought she had to give up teaching to find balance in her life. But instead, she found a new way to do what she loves—without the burnout.

Watch our interview with Kayla to see how she overcame her fears and turned her passion for teaching into a flexible, creative business.

Kayla always wanted to be a teacher. But just a few years into her career, the stress of lesson planning, admin, and long hours started to take a toll.

“It was definitely just the amount of work that I would put into it outside of teaching hours,” she explains. “With lesson planning and communicating with families and preparing my lessons... it was hard for me to see how I could maintain all of that while also starting a family.”

She left the classroom and took an office job. It was less demanding, but something didn’t feel right.

“I really missed teaching. I really missed working with kids,” she says. “And I just really needed a creative outlet.”

Afraid to Start

Even though Kayla was passionate about working with children, starting her own kids craft club felt intimidating.

“The impostor syndrome was so real,” she says. “I didn’t know anything about the business side of things, or how to go about any of that. I was just afraid to put myself out there.”

She had been quietly following Creative Crafting Club online, but hadn’t taken the leap—until she joined one of our free workshops.

"That happened right before I went on maternity leave with my daughter. I was like, 'Well, I've got to do this now... I guess I'm in!'”

Starting Small

Kayla started small, running classes in her home.

“I started with just friends and family and people that I knew,” she says. “My daughter is home with me, and she always helps me with making those little example projects.”

Kayla used our done-for-you lesson plans from the Creative Crafting Club curriculum to plan her classes.

“I always start there first with my lesson plans—it saves a lot of time,” she explains. “The lessons are fun, age-appropriate, and easy to adapt.”

When Her Confidence Grew, So Did Her Club

It didn’t take long for Kayla to realize she needed more space.

“The issue with doing it at my house is I have limited space and can only have classes that are so big,” she says. “But when I have classes at other places, I can definitely have larger classes and more students join.”

She reached out to a local kids’ gym, thinking she might run classes there in the future. To her surprise, they said yes immediately.

“They wanted me on board right away,” she says. “I’ve been running weekly classes there ever since.”

A New Kind of Teaching

Kayla also partnered with a friend—another former teacher who runs music and movement classes. Together, they now run special events for families.

“She’ll do a little mini music and movement class first, and then I’ll have some art, science, and sensory play stations set up,” Kayla explains.

For Kayla, these experiences have brought her back to the heart of what she always loved—teaching.

“It has definitely given me back a sense of self,” she says. “Growing up, I’d always wanted to be a teacher, and when I left the classroom, I struggled. I had always identified as being a teacher.”

Now, she gets to do it her way.

“Running my own craft club lets me teach in a way that fits my strengths and passions,” she says. “It’s given me my confidence back—and I love doing it.”

She’s even thinking long-term.

“When I’m ready to step away from my office job, I know I’ll be able to use my club as a full-time option to support my family.”

Her Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting

We all know how scary it can feel to try something new—especially if you don’t have a business background. But Kayla's message is simple:

“Just start.”

“It’s okay to start messy,” she says. “No one really knows exactly what they’re doing in the beginning. But if you just start, you’ll build momentum and confidence.”

She also warns against trying to do too much all at once.

“When I finally decided to go for it, I wanted to do kits and online classes and in-person classes… all the things,” she laughs. “But when you start small, the only thing you can do is grow from there. And that’s the best way to do it.”