Learn in Color: curiosity, flexibility, and entrepreneurship (with Samantha Shank)

You are going to love this conversation with Samantha Shank, homeschool graduate and creative entrepreneur. She started her blog when she was only 14! She shares her perspective on her own homeschool experience, talks about the surprising childhood obsession that turned into a full-time career, and gives tips for graduating from college early…and Debt Free! You do not want to miss this lovely conversation with Sam!

Be sure to check out all the other interviews in our Homeschool Conversations series!

Watch the video. Listen to the podcast. Read the show notes. Share with your friends!

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Samantha Shank homeschool conversations podcast interview

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Who is Samantha Shank?

At the age of 14, Samantha Shank began what is now Learn in Color LLC. Seven years later, Learn in Color has had over five million blog views and its products have been used in over 7,000 classrooms in all fifty states and several countries. When not working, Samantha enjoys freelance graphic design, reading children’s literature, and spoiling her dog.

Samantha Shank homeschool conversations podcast interview

Watch my interview with Samantha Shank

Show Notes {with video time stamps}

Sam’s experience as a homeschooled student

Sam was homeschooled from grades 4-12. Both her parents worked full time, but Sam asked if they could try homeschooling. She really liked being able to set her own pace and the flexibility it offered.

“That’s one of the beauties of homeschooling: the flexibility of it,” she said.

She ended up graduating 2 years early, taking a gap year, and then was able to finish college early while she was simultaneously growing her business.

Challenges of homeschooling {4:50}

Her parents didn’t homeschool her in the traditional ways since they were both working full-time. Sam worked on her own during the day, and her parents would help her at night if she was struggling with a concept.

But, ultimately, she thinks that helped her in business and in college. She knew how to learn on her own! And that’s incredibly valuable with the rapidly changing nature of online business, in particular.

Samantha Shank homeschool interview

Learn in Color, the surprising origin story {8:00}

In Sam’s first year of homeschooling, 4th grade, she began discovering WW2 and the Holocaust and it really piqued her interest. (She had never studied history in public school.)

As she began reading more books, none of the stories were in her textbooks! She was constantly reading and talking about WW2 with her family.

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Wanting to write about what she was learning led to her starting Learn in Color when she was just 14!

The Math Cheat Sheet, something Sam had created for herself to help with math homework, exploded online!

By the time she was 15 or 16, she knew she wanted to be a full-time blogger and entrepreneur.

And it all started from a love of history!

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Entrepreneurship: the good and the hard {12:00}

My favorite part is definitely the flexibility of it all, not only with my schedule but just in my general creativity.” Sam’s blog is a collection of random topics that have sparked her interest!

“The biggest challenge I’ve had is definitely growth.” It’s hard to acknowledge that things have grown so big that you can’t do the whole business alone! She’s learned how to outsource through trial and error.

How to encourage an entrepreneurial attitude in children {14:30}

  • Letting your children learn (even if it doesn’t seem to lead to a practical business idea)
  • Frequent trips to the library
  • Find what interests your child (you might be surprised how much learning can be found even in Minecraft!)

Sam shared some really great tips you won’t want to miss in the full interview!

Outside-the-Box College Education {18:25}

Sam rejects the assumption that everyone has to come out of college with thousands of dollars in debt. Saving money and starting a plan early is key, she said! But even if you didn’t plan early, you still have options.

CLEP tests are another great option for getting cheap college credit.

You won’t want to miss Sam’s suggestions. Be sure to listen to or watch the full interview!

Questions for each Homeschool Conversations Guest {23:00}

What are you reading lately?

What is one thing you would say to a new homeschool parent?

“Be ok with learning with your child.”

It’s the love of learning that will stick with your child!

Find Samantha Shank Online

Check out all the other interviews in my Homeschool Conversations series!

Homeschool Conversations Video Interviews Podcast HumilityandDoxology.com Amy Sloan

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