It started with a baby.

In 2022, I was contently working as an English teacher in Tampa when it was time for maternity leave. Thinking I would be back after summer break, I didn’t even clean out my classroom. But a few months away quickly turned into a year, and then a year soon became two. Being home with my little guy was the joy of a lifetime I never knew I needed; however, I missed contributing to a school environment. It became time to try something new.

My family suggested that I tutor, and initially I hesitated because I had never worked for myself before. But after a while, it was clear that tutoring was the way to do the work I enjoy while providing a useful service to my community, which is important to me. I had the freedom to create what had eluded me earlier in a school-based role — flexible schedule opportunities to directly impact student success in a positive environment with teaching methods that are proven to work. More importantly, I was captivated by how much impact even one tutoring session could have on a student’s skill set and confidence. I made it my mission to help as many students as often as possible through personalized direct instruction. Business picked up, and slowly, my part-time gig is becoming something bigger.

As StudySesh grows, I think a lot about the dreams my parents expressed. My dad encouraged me to study business, which I did. Although I chose a career in education over Wall Street, with Studysesh, I am proud to use my business coursework in a career that brings me joy while helping students achieve their goals.

- Stacy, StudySesh founder and English teacher

• B.S., Business Administration, Binghamton University, NY

• M.A., Teaching English to Non-Native Speakers, Hunter College, NY

• M. Ed., Educational Leadership, University of Tampa