From Chaos to Coconut Counselor: How One Educator Turned SEL into a TPT Powerhouse
From Chaos to Coconut Counselor: How One Educator Turned SEL into a TPT Powerhouse
Spoiler alert: This isn’t another “quit your day job” fantasy. It’s real advice from a real school counselor who survived two hurricanes, turned her coping tools into a booming Teachers Pay Teachers store, and has now become a beacon for teachers navigating SEO, social media—and yes, even imposter syndrome.
Feeling Overwhelmed by TPT? You’re Not Alone.
If you’ve ever stared at your half-finished resources and thought, “Who would even buy this?”—same. As a mindset coach working with educators, I’ve met so many brilliant teachers paralyzed by doubt, wondering if they’re good enough to post that worksheet, that game, that planner. But after hearing Jessamyn Souters’ story on my YouTube channel, I was reminded that great businesses often begin with humble, hurricane-powered beginnings (literally).
Let’s rewind.
Meet Jessamyn: Coconut Counselor by Hustle
Jessamyn is a school counselor in the U.S. Virgin Islands—yes, it's as dreamy as it sounds. But in 2017, life threw her a massive curveball: two back-to-back category five hurricanes. No internet. No power. No access to her usual Teachers Pay Teachers goodies.
So, she created her own. Armed with a generator, a laptop, and PowerPoint, Jessamyn began designing SEL resources out of sheer necessity. Fast forward eight years, and her store, Coconut Counselor, is not only thriving—it’s making life easier for thousands of teachers and counselors.
From Imposter Syndrome to Income Stream
Jessamyn didn’t set out to become an edupreneur. In fact, she almost didn’t post anything at all—until a teacher friend nudged her with the timeless advice we all need to hear:
“You’ve already created it. Just post it.”
And she did. Her first sale? Thirty cents.
Her reaction? Pure joy. Proof that validation doesn’t always come in dollars—it comes in courage.
Now, she’s the cheerleader for other educators who are just getting started. Her advice:
✔️ Start with 1–3 resources
✔️ Don’t overthink it
✔️ Someone out there needs what you’ve made
Niche Down, But Keep It Real
Jessamyn’s store focuses heavily on Social Emotional Learning (SEL)—a natural extension of her work as a counselor. Her resources help kids check in with their emotions, regulate their behavior, and build healthy relationships.
Her top seller? A daily Check-In/Check-Out form that’s both printable and digital. It helps students track feelings, gratitude, and goals—and helps teachers communicate with parents without writing 47 emails a week.
If that’s not a win-win, I don’t know what is.
But here’s what I loved most about her approach: She’s still refining her niche. She’s listening to what buyers need, noticing what sells, and adapting. Because, let’s be real—teaching (and selling) is never “done.”
Let’s Talk SEO (Without the Jargon Overload)
SEO can feel like alphabet soup. But Jessamyn breaks it down beautifully:
“Treat AI like a really smart kindergartner. Be specific.” Yep. That’s it.
She searches keywords directly in TPT’s search bar, sees what real teachers are typing, and uses those words in her product titles and descriptions. She even feeds her product listings into AI tools with highly detailed prompts like:
“Imagine you're a school counselor looking for a 5-minute activity for 3rd graders on respect…”
That’s how you get results. That’s how you get found. Oh—and she constantly tweaks and improves. Because SEO isn’t a one-time task; it’s a living, breathing part of your store.
The Cover Art Glow-Up That Boosted Sales by 50%
Let’s be honest: We judge products by their covers.
Jessamyn revamped her thumbnails and saw a 50% increase in sales within one quarter. Her secrets?
✅ Use a clean, bold border
✅ Stick to consistent fonts and colors
✅ Add a short, clear tagline with numbers (e.g., “24 matching cards”)
✅ Limit images to 1–3 per cover—don’t crowd it!
Pro tip: Start by updating the cover art on your bestsellers first. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight.
Social Media: The Love-Hate Relationship Is Real
Jessamyn’s honest about her struggles with social media. As a counselor, she’s cautious about screen time. As a TPT seller, she knows it’s essential. Her solution: Batch content + schedule it.
She uses Buffer to pre-load posts across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and leans on Canva to stay on-brand. She follows the rule of three:
Funny post
Teacher tip
Product spotlight
And she keeps her eye on accounts she admires, modeling their hooks and formatting without reinventing the wheel.
"You don’t need to go viral—you just need to be visible."
Final Advice for Teachers-Turned-TPTpreneurs
If you’re dreaming of turning your resources into a real income stream, Jessamyn says:
Focus on solving multiple problems with each product
Use analytics to see what’s working—and do more of that
Be consistent, but kind to yourself
And never underestimate the power of a good cover image
Jessamyn’s Wins of the Week
Let’s normalize celebrating every step of progress. When I asked Jessamyn for her wins, here’s what she shared:
1. A solo ski trip—no laptop, full recharge mode
2. 5 glowing new reviews in one week
3. Sales continuing to trend upward month after month
Whether it’s $0.30 or $3000, every cha-ching is proof that your work matters.
Ready to Jump In?
Start where you are. Post one resource. Tweak your titles. Update your cover art. Ask AI for help like it’s your cleverest kindergarten buddy.
And above all—remember that someone out there needs exactly what you’ve created.
👉 Follow Jessamyn on Instagram (@CoconutCounselor)
👉 Check out her TPT store: [Coconut Counselor]
👉 Watch the full interview on my YouTube channel(Teacher_Mindset)
Want More Support?
If this resonated with you and you’re craving more support, inspiration, and practical mindset shifts, join me:
🔹 Sign up for my Teacher Mindset Reset Guide
🔹 Follow along on YouTube
Join the Sage Circle today: www.marisaecoaching.com/mindsetguide
Here’s to boundaries that heal, not harm. 💛
Final Thoughts: Your Work Is Worth It
This world needs grounded, heart-forward educators more than ever. If you’re sitting on a goldmine of SEL activities, creative lesson plans, or classroom checklists—please, please don’t keep them to yourself.
You don’t have to do it all perfectly. You just have to begin.
Your future TPT cha-chings are waiting.
Want to listen in the car? Check out the podcast if you want!
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