I'm a Harvard Grad Earning Mid-6-Figures With a Flexible Remote Job. You Don't Need an Ivy League Degree to Do It Too. Lucas Habte earned a degree in history and science with a minor in film, but he didn't have a specific career path in mind.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Habte started tutoring when he was in high school, and his first student got into Yale.
- After graduating from Harvard, Habte built a successful tutoring business in New York City.
This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with tutor and filmmaker Lucas Habte. Habte is an independent business owner who partners with tutoring agencies like Forum. Learn exactly how Habte doubled his revenue several times over — and what makes him so successful with parents and students alike.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Forum. Lucas Habte.
 I consider myself a lifelong learner. I've always been a curious person. My love of learning is central to who I am and is what animates me, from my filmmaking practice to tutoring. I believe that learning has the potential to be a transformative experience, and I want to share that potential with students.
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In high school, I aced all my standardized tests. I was a star student; I was valedictorian — my identity was being really good at being a student. My mom suggested that I start tutoring other students because I had it figured out, and that led to my first tutoring business. I only had two students, but the first one I tutored got into Yale, and I was like, Oh, I guess I'm good at this.
I went on to Harvard and earned a degree in history and science with a minor in film. I didn't have a specific career path in mind, but I knew that education was important to me, so I thought maybe I'd be a professor. Then, I moved to New York, where I balanced tutoring with my work as a documentary filmmaker and gigs as a production assistant, editor, etc.
I never stopped tutoring. Today, most of my business is self-generated from the referrals I've built over my decade-plus of being a tutor. When I was just starting out as a tutor, I worked either as an independent contractor or as a W-2 employee for various tutoring companies.
I had maybe 10 different avenues of generating tutoring income and typically charged $40-$60 an hour. The companies I worked for often charged clients $200 or more for my service. I was young and naive. It was clear I offered a valuable service. I just had no control over it. I wasn't setting the terms.
Then, in 2016, a friend told me about Forum. He worked with it as a tutor, and I asked him to introduce me because I was attracted to its business model. Forum contracts talented tutors to represent them like an agency would, helping them grow their careers and keep the vast majority of their earnings. It takes about 15% as opposed to the 50% that many other companies take.
I interviewed with Forum, and the team offered to represent me, which was a turning point in my tutoring career. I realized I was running and building a business, and with the right approach, there was a real opportunity for growth and sustainability. I also learned so much about the business side of tutoring: sales, referrals, setting rates and building relationships. I was able to own my work and grow my revenue.
In terms of income, every month is different. Fall tends to be very busy; that's when I have the highest-earning months. At my best, I can earn mid-six-figures in a year. When I started tutoring, I earned about $10,000 a year, so that's doubled several times over. It can be difficult to maximize your revenue as a tutor because it comes down to the number of hours you show up. It's not a scalable business where I'm hiring people.
Being in control of my remote business gives me a lot of flexibility: I can travel and enjoy a wonderful work-life balance. I also work with so many students across a broad range of subjects, so every day is challenging and different. Additionally, since I've been tutoring for such a long time, I've developed a deep understanding of various schools, especially those in New York City, which helps me jump in and know exactly what a student needs to succeed.
Tutors who command the highest rates are ones who not only know the subjects, material, schools, context and learning differences, but they also understand that tutoring can help students recognize their own potential, have a personal experience, make learning feel alive and foster an environment where real growth and transformation can happen. They don't approach tutoring as just a transactional means to an end.
When I'm teaching, I aspire not just to impart knowledge and information but to pass on my own enthusiasm, curiosity and love of learning. I want students to have a positive learning experience that activates something within them that maybe they didn't even know was there. For instance, if a student is like, "I don't get math," through the process of engagement, empathy and patience, I can lead them to the place where they demonstrate to themselves that they are capable of complex things.
That's when students learn something about themselves and their own potential. It's also what parents value the most and why I'm able to be successful in this work.
