Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Stahl.
Hi Molly, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My entrepreneurial spirit emerged in college when I noticed a specific gap in the market for late-night snacks. It led me to become my apartment building’s in-house “Grilled Cheese Girl.” I made and sold $1 grilled cheese sandwiches from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday through Saturday. Little did I know that a few years later, I would melt my love for teaching with that same resourceful hustle and build a business of my own.
After graduating, my path into teaching wasn’t quite as straightforward as I had imagined. I was having a hard time finding a full-time teaching position, so I spent time substitute teaching. Somewhere in the midst of all that uncertainty, I stumbled into the world of teaching blogs. It inspired me to start making my own worksheets, lesson plans, and other digital educational resources. Eventually, I started sharing those resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, and The Sassy Apple was born.
What started as a creative side project grew little by little alongside my career in education. I kept creating, experimenting, learning what teachers needed, and teaching myself everything from marketing and social media to email lists and running an online business. At the same time, I continued growing as an educator, eventually earning my master’s degree in Reading and becoming a certified Reading Specialist.
Today, I work as a reading specialist in a public elementary school while continuing to run The Sassy Apple Teaching. What started as a creative side project has grown into a thriving business, with more than 200,000 resources sold to educators through Teachers Pay Teachers—something Grilled Cheese Girl’s $1 sandwiches definitely never saw coming.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with any business, I have had my share of growing pains. The first several years, I dabbled in resource creation while my ultimate goal was to have my own classroom. The same year I found my first full-time position, I also had my first child. Balancing motherhood, full-time teaching, and building a business was not an easy feat.
Finding the time to pour into my online store while also learning the ins and outs of business was a challenge. I loved making resources–but it involved much more than that. I had to navigate product photography, graphic design, email marketing, social media, SEO, and paid advertising. —none of which were exactly covered in my education courses! Just when you think you’ve figured out an algorithm or platform, it changes again.
There’s also the challenge of building a business while having a career and a family. I’ve continued working in education while growing The Sassy Apple, and I’m also a mom of two. There have been seasons when I’ve had tons of creative energy and time to devote to the business, and others when it simply had to take a back seat. Learning that growth doesn’t always have to happen at full speed has been a big lesson for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Sassy Apple Teaching creates practical, engaging resources for elementary teachers, with a focus on literacy, classroom management, and making teachers’ already-full plates a little lighter.
One thing that really sets my business apart is that I’m still actively working in public education. I’m not creating resources based on what I think teachers need. I’m in a school every day working with students, looking at data, collaborating with teachers, and experiencing many of the same challenges as the educators who use my resources. If something feels unnecessarily complicated or takes too much time to implement, I don’t want it either!
Literacy has become an especially important part of my work. As a certified Reading Specialist, I love taking things that can feel overwhelming and turning them into resources that feel practical and approachable for classroom teachers. At the same time, The Sassy Apple has never been about just one subject area. I create everything from academic resources to classroom routines, games, and tools that help teachers solve those everyday “there has to be an easier way to do this” problems.
I’m probably most proud that the brand has grown without losing its personality. “Sassy” has always been intentional. Teaching is incredibly important work, but that doesn’t mean everything surrounding it has to feel serious, polished, and perfect all the time. I want teachers who interact with my brand to feel like they’re hearing from another teacher who gets it—someone who loves the work but also understands the chaos, humor, and reality of doing it every day.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love connecting with other educators, or even parents, who are looking for fun and practical ways to support learning. You can find me on Instagram @thesassyappleteaching or read my blog at www.thesassyappleteaching.com. You can find my teaching resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, follow along on social media, or join my email list, where I share new resources, freebies, classroom ideas, and plenty of real-life teacher moments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thesassyappleteaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesassyappleteaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesassyappleteaching
- Other: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-sassy-apple
