Sometimes when an opportunity arises, you just gotta roll with it.
They decided to raise money by baking biscuits to sell at a pop-up market within the learning center.
But then every weekend, we were selling out, and people were lining up.
They had a biscuit-baking business.
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We decided to flip our model, Thompson says.
Instead of selling biscuits out of the learning center, they housed the learning center inside a bakery.
The couple found a location in Tampa, Florida, that could handle both the baking and the learning.
They retained a bit of their original idea for the establishments name:Hey Giant!
We did that fairly quickly.
This year, Thompson quit his job so they could open a second location.
Thats a 14.6% increase since 2008.
But that doesnt mean the baking business was everything Thompson and Valenti dreamed of.
No, theres none of that were constantly making food.
Because if this works out, we can keep going forward.
Weve relied on and applied our teaching methods and our classroom management, Thompson says.
You have to deal with different types of learners, and that flexibility on the management side has helped.
There are certain routines and certain ways of life that youre just used to.
Teaching is creative, but for us, we needed another outlet of something we ran, Valenti says.
It really feeds something that both of us are always looking for.
None of that was realistic, he says with a laugh.
Being part of the learning community and sparking creativity is kind of our ultimate goal, Thompson says.
We love making biscuits, but if we could [operate the center] full time, we would.
You have those conversations of, Wouldnt it be great if one day, Thompson says.
Thompsons advice to others fantasizing about a new career?
Youll never know if you dont try.
You have to take that plunge, Thompson says.
Just be open to where it takes you.
Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a staff writer with The Penny Hoarder.
Data journalist Alex Mahadevan contributed to this article.
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