This teacher and mum has been investigated by the Ministry of Education (twice) for being too good. She used the experience to build a million dollar business.

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

Lisa Collum, CEO of Top Score Writing, sat down with Jessica Abo to discuss her business, advice for entrepreneurs, and next steps for her business.

A lot of people know you as the woman who started a seven-figure business, but take us back to where your teaching journey begins.

My teaching journey began when I was five years old. My mom says she used to come into my room, and I had all my stuffed animals lined up on my bed, and taught them. So I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a teacher. When I was growing up, everyone knew I wanted to be a teacher. As soon as I graduated from high school, I went to college and got my degree in education. And as soon as I graduated, I took my first teaching job. I ended up in one of the worst performing, Title 1, F schools in my district. I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I was excited to start my journey.

During your second year of teaching, you were investigated. What happened?

During my second year of teaching, I was responsible for all fourth-grade writing. I had four classes come to me and I taught them to write. Part of that job was to prepare them for the state writing test. Now, before I arrived, they were about 38% proficient, which means only 38% of students passed the state writing test. But after that year of working with them, I managed to get one hundred percent of those students to pass the state writing test. Now, that was kind of unheard of, and most people didn't think it was possible. These students were below grade level. Most of them were learning English as a second language, prompting an investigation by the state Department of Education. They looked at our grades and it was all sorted out, but in the third year I managed to get 100% of them to pass again and they started a second survey.

Both times it was allowed, but I think it was because people just didn't think it was possible, but I saw it differently. I saw that students could be successful, and the way I taught through structure, repetition, and practice worked.

How did this experience inspire you to start your own business?

I knew my way of teaching worked and I wanted to share it with others, but I never thought about starting a business. The word “entrepreneur” never even crossed my mind. I was one hundred percent an educator. So I continued to share my ways of teaching with different teachers and schools. I was able to help them succeed in writing. But it wasn't until I had my third baby and quit my job at the district to take up an online teaching job that everyone started calling and they were like, 'Where at? did you go?" We need your help. It was you who guided us in writing. We still need you.'

And I said, 'I'm gone. I took a different position. And they said, 'Can you write it all down and we'll buy it from you?' I remember laughing and thinking, "I don't have a business." I can't start a business. I don't know what to do but they were persistent and kept asking me and I went to Google and typed in, "How do you start a business in Florida?" I followed all the steps, found a name, and now I have Top Score Writing. And starting today, Top Score Writing is a national curriculum company providing lessons and daily activities for teachers in grades 2-12.

What other things did you have to learn to start your business?

I was really learning everything as I was building my business. I have no business experience, no business degree, no one in my family has ever run a business so when I tell you I was learning everything from step one to now I was learning in class of road. Everything from the first school that called and said, "Can you create an invoice for me?" And I had no idea how to create an invoice. I was googling invoice templates, completed invoice examples and creating it all, spending hours trying to figure out a simple thing like an invoice. And then answer the phone as company secretary, company accountant, company customer service. I was just a one-woman show.

What advice would you give to someone who knows nothing about running a business? Where do they start?

My best advice is to simply find a name, register your business, and get started. Trying to figure it all out, and...