Joel launched Business Casual Copywriting in 2013, focusing on content marketing assets and website copy. He’s worked with clients like HubSpot, WP Engine, Safelite, and Ion Interactive. Two years later, he started helping clients understand their customers better and improve their conversion rates with conversion copywriting. 

Tune in to hear Joel’s copywriting journey, how he created Case Study Buddy, his copywriting advice, and how you can write effective case studies. Enjoy! 

Episode Quotes

"The best way to grow your client base is to network and make connections."

"My strategy has always been to solve problems in public, be useful first, worry about selling later."

"It's not about genius, it's about discipline and repetition."

"Confidence is a byproduct of a solid process - when you know what you are doing and why you are doing it."

"I don’t want to work to make a living. I want to work to build a life."

Listen to Learn

00:21 - Rapid 5 Questions

04:45 - How Joel got into copywriting

09:41 - Going freelance growing a client base

13:14 - The shift to course creation  

18:17 - Marketing as a service-based business

24:23 - How Joel started Case Study Buddy

32:51 - Copywriting best practices & pitfalls

40:36 - Leveraging audience feedback 

45:39 - Tips on copywriting for course creators   

47:52 - Exciting things coming up from Joel

Connect with Joel

BusinessCasualCopywriting.com

CaseStudyBuddy.com

Follow Joel on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 130

It actually took me six months to launch my YouTube channel. It wasn’t that it’s especially difficult, but I procrastinated. I found that I was stuck because of my own negative thoughts surrounding doing things that I’m not comfortable with. I mean, I’m really comfortable doing podcasts, but definitely not YouTube. 

There are things we procrastinate on because of this resistance within ourselves. I realized that the key to getting unstuck is taking time to reflect, acknowledging the negative loops, and acting anyway. 

Tune in to hear my YouTube experience, my advice for starting on YouTube from scratch, beginner tips, and DOs and DON’Ts. 

Learn how to create a solid YouTube strategy by visiting JanelleAllen.com/YouTubeGuide.

Episode Quotes

"It's not about the procrastination, it's about why are you procrastinating."

"Procrastination is a symptom of something that we are resisting."

"Video is a great way to connect with your audience and grow your business."

"YouTube is great for discovery, authority, and list building."

"YouTube is all about optimizing and improving over time."

Listen to Learn

01:56 - Recap on guest posting

02:45 - Procrastination and patterns 

08:21 - My A-ha! moment

11:19 - Pros and cons of video content

12:42 - Why video on YouTube

16:34 - My YouTube experience and beginner tips

23:27 - YouTube DOs and DON’Ts

Connect with Me

JanelleAllen.com

Follow Me on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 129

Ready to rock YouTube for your business?

Learn how to create a solid YouTube strategy!

JanelleAllen.com/YouTubeGuide

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there is no magic genie that's going to help you start your thing. There is no moment when everything will feel easier. You just have to start. You are the magic.

I believe this is so important for people who, for the longest time, have been wanting to start an online business or focus on something they love. I want to encourage you this week to start your thing. You and the actions you take are the magic. Stop waiting. 

In this week’s episode, I’m also sharing another growth strategy: GUEST POSTING. If you’re already running an online business, or you want to start building your audience online, this is an incredibly effective way to gain forward momentum. Tune in to hear me break down the key points of guest posting, the pros and cons, and DOs and DON’Ts you need to keep in mind. 

By the way, make sure you’re staying up to date with future episodes and getting growth strategies directly in your inbox. Sign up to be part of the family here.

Episode Quotes

"Everyone's roadmap is different... What works for someone else may not work for you."

"The magic is not only you, but it's the action that you take."

"You create your path, but you can only create it through action." 

"Guest posting is a flexible and effective strategy if you don’t have time to do podcast appearances."

Listen to Learn

02:21 - Do the thing. You are the MAGIC!

08:41 - What is guest posting?

11:41 - Pros and cons of guest posting

16:23 - Guest posting DOs and DONTs

27:59 - Updates and announcements

Connect with Me

JanelleAllen.com

Follow Me on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 128

In this episode, I’ll chat about the COVID-19 situation, recap the big takeaways from recent interviews, discuss podcasting for your business, and dig into some lead generation tips. Make sure you stay tuned, because I also have a very exciting announcement that you don’t want to miss. 

Enjoy!

Episode Quotes

"If you're an online business owner, you were positioned to adapt better than if you have a brick and mortar business."

"Podcasts are good for traffic, nurturing, and discoverability, but it's not great for lead generation." 

"Students do better when they have a community where they can connect and ask questions."

Listen to Learn

01:07 - COVID-19’s impact on online course creators 

04:15 - Recap of previous episodes 

08:46 - Podcasting for your business

12:36 - Effective lead generation channels

16:01 - New and exciting things happening!

Connect with Me

JanelleAllen.com

Follow Me on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 127

Ready to start a podcast for your business?

Learn how to start a podcast in three simple steps. No excuses! 

https://janelleallen.com/startyourshow

Instead of thinking of podcasts as purely a marketing asset, think of it as part of your business model.

One thing that works for Tara is podcasting. She has interviewed over 180 small business owners about systems for marketing, management, operations, product and personal development, sales, and productivity. I’m so excited to welcome Tara for her second appearance on the show. Tune in and hear how she’s making What Works work and her tips for course creators looking to add podcasting to their business model.

Episode Quotes

"Peer-to-peer learning was really, really important to me."

"During the pivot we did our very best to communicate the change, walk clients through it, and allow them to feel really supported."

"The very first step is demystifying the process because podcasting is not difficult at all, it is just opaque."

"It is a mistake to create content for your podcast and just insert your pitch as an ad."

"I believe in the power of small business owners to reshape our economy and our culture in positive ways."

Listen to Learn

02:00 - Rapid 5 Questions

05:09 - Pivoting to a community-oriented business

13:23 - How Tara started podcasting

15:29 - Podcasting tips for beginners

20:50 - The 3 different types of podcasts

23:51 - Benefits of podcasting for businesses

28:26 - Developing a content strategy  

33:40 - DOs and DON’Ts of pitching in podcasts

37:48 - Importance of value propositions for podcasts

41:25 - Exciting things coming up from Tara

Connect with Tara

Join the What Works Network

Listen to the What Works podcast

TaraGentile.com

Follow Tara on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 126

If you are doing courses because you have expertise and enjoy sharing it with other people, let that show.

Reuven teaches developers and corporate engineers around the world to become fluent in Python. In his corporate training, he serves top tier tech companies like Apple, Cisco, IBM, and Intel, but he also offers Weekly Python Exercises, a set of 15-week courses to help learners become better Python developers. His online video courses consist of hands-on labs that empower his students to understand Python at a deeper level.  

Tune in to hear Reuven’s Python journey, plus how he creates engaging online trainings, creates his evergreen newsletters, and drives traffic to his website. Let’s dig in!

Episode Quotes

"There's a bunch of different ways to drive website traffic, so it's important not to put all of your eggs in one basket."

"Narrowing down the service offerings on my website has been more effective."

"If you are doing courses because you have expertise and enjoy sharing it with other people, let that show."

"Informality is no longer seen as a bad thing, so be yourself and keep experimenting."

Listen to Learn

01:28 - Rapid 5 Questions, Reuven's business journey  

10:45 - Converting in-person to online training  

14:40 - Tips for creating engaging online training

18:24 - How to build an evergreen newsletter  

22:26 - Ways to increase website traffic

26:37 - Sales funnel and lead nurturing  

29:25 - Importance of a customer-centric website

34:47 - The power of online courses during COVID-19 crisis

41:10 - Advice for online course creators

42:22 - Exciting things coming up from Reuven

Connect with Reuven

Check out Reuven’s Weekly Python Exercise

Read Reuven’s book, Python Workout

Check out Reuven’s newsletter about the business, pedagogy, and logistics of training.

Check out Reuven’s free courses, Ace Python Interviews and Python for Non-Programmers.

Lerner.co.il

Follow Reuven on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 125

This is a tough time for most of us. Some online entrepreneurs are seeing a decline in revenue while several industries have been shut down completely. What do we do when we're facing uncertainty, struggling to figure out our next move, and are trying to avoid thoughts of giving up completely?

We pivot. We lean into our communities. We get resourceful.

Alex is the founder of Indy Hall, a coworking community in Philadelphia, and the co-founder of Stacking the Bricks along with Amy Hoy. He joined me to dig into practical pivot strategies, tips for building online communities, and effective sales strategies for a down economy.  

Our live audience brought some great questions, so stick around after the interview for some more great advice about marketing during a pandemic, free vs. paid communities, and creating free content when your business is struggling.  

Episode Quotes

"If we wait, there may be nothing... so let's be resourceful."

"The difference between a group of people and a community is the direction that the support flows."

"The value of the community gets bigger if the more people are in it and contributing."

"The value of a community is the resiliency of your customers in their businesses."

"Short term thinking is the thing that will kill a lot of businesses."

Listen to Learn

04:45 - Getting to know Alex Hillman, Rapid 5 Questions

11:52 - Challenges small business owners are facing due to COVID-19

18:06 - Marketing and pivot strategies

26:40 - Product sales strategy in a down economy

31:30 - Community building and management essentials

40:07 - Community building during COVID-19 crisis

43:59 - Q&A on finding the right marketing tone

47:28 - Q&A on free content

53:02 - Q&A on free vs. paid communities

1:00:05 - Tools for online community building

1:06:02 - Practical advice for business owners

Connect with Alex

DangerouslyAwesome.com

IndyHall.org

StackingtheBricks.com

Follow Alex on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 124

Productivity is the vehicle by which you can have a great life.

As someone who is passionate about productivity and automation, Paul understands that setting up efficient systems is the key to success in any business. His course, How to Become A Virtual Consultant, enables clients to learn the processes and tools he uses to be more organized and achieve more in both business and life. Paul has helped more than 400 clients create more effective businesses using the best tools to get them results.  

Tune in to hear Paul’s transition process from one-on-one work to an online course, plus his productivity and marketing hacks and how to build an online community.  

Episode Quotes

"Surveying your audience is always a good idea."

"Community is the X factor when building your business online." - Janelle

"You're going to have a load of failure, so patience is really important."

"You will always be rewarded for being consistent."

"The success of a business comes down to how clearly you can communicate an idea."

Listen to Learn

01:43 - Rapid 5 Questions

07:28 - Paul's career and business journey

11:24 - Initial steps and transition to course creation

16:28 - Ways to build an online audience

18:41 - Course launching and audience survey

25:42 - Creating the course structure

27:51 - Marketing channels, why YouTube is worth it  

32:21 - How to build and personalize marketing funnels  

39:10 - LinkedIn, Google AdWords, and other marketing tips

41:31 - How to price online courses

45:50 - Paul's advice for online creators  

48:29 - Exciting things coming up from Paul

Connect with Paul

Check out How to Become a Virtual Consultant

PaulMinors.com

Follow Paul on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 123

For your business to grow, you have to grow – dream bigger, be bolder, and be a game changer.

Being a property investor, Stephanie believes in creating value for everyone she works with: tenants, landlords, investors, and partners. Her online course, Rent 2 Rent Success Kickstarter, helps people create and grow a profitable rent-to-rent business -- fast and stress free. With her system, you can kickstart your property business in no time, and with minimal experience. 

Tune in to hear Stephanie’s story, her marketing tips, and how to have the right mindset for success. 

Episode Quotes

"You can presell your course. All you just need to do is be transparent about it."

"In creating a course, just do it."

"For your business to grow, you have to grow."

"All you have to do to start is connect with people."

"Our vision going forward is dream bigger, be bolder, and be a game changer."

Listen to Learn

00:40 - Rapid 5 Questions, Stephanie's entrepreneurial journey 

09:43 - What is rent-to-rent?

12:51 - How Stephanie created Rent 2 Rent Kickstarter 

18:20 - Preselling and course goal

24:32 - Lessons learned and stuck zones

30:46 - Marketing funnels and channels, plus YouTube and Facebook tips

35:58 - DIY vs. hiring a coach

38:38 - Why mindset is vital for success 

43:33 - Online course essentials to get you started 

48:14 - Exciting things coming up from Stephanie

Connect with Stephanie:

Rent 2 Rent Success

Get the Rent 2 Rent Guide

See Stephanie over on YouTube

Join the Rent 2 Rent Success Community

HMO Heaven

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 122

In this solo episode, I’m going to report on what I did over these past three months, including finally launching my YouTube channel. I’m happy to say that it’s been up for almost a month now. In line with that, I’ll share my thoughts on YouTube for course creators. Is it really worth the effort?

Then, on a serious note, let’s talk about COVID-19. I’ll get into how it’s affecting online course creators and business owners, and what to do in terms of launching and marketing your course in these unprecedented times.  

Finally, we’ll wrap up with what you can expect going forward on the podcast. I was so encouraged during the hiatus by your kind notes, emails, and tweets, and I’m excited to share what’s coming up.

Episode Quotes

"Part of being a business owner is being able to adapt and be agile because there's always going to be uptimes and downtimes."

"In this COVID-19 crisis, it's the time to double down on building awareness and serving your audience."

"Be sensitive with your audience and be empathic. This is not the time to be using scarcity tactics on your marketing."

Listen to Learn

02:20 - What I did during my 3-month hiatus

06:58 - Is YouTube worth it for course creators?  

13:22 - COVID-19: Business impact and what to do as course creator  

24:51 - What's coming up on the podcast

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 121 

Episode Quotes

"Marketing isn’t a bad word. Marketing is just communicating your value to your audience."

"Transformation is not about information; it comes through action"

"Doing everything on your own is not the way to grow."

"Growth requires investment (money, time, relationships)."

"Focus on what you love to do, focus on what you're good at, and collaborate more."

Listen to Learn

02:09 - My wins for 2019

12:28 - What didn't go well in 2019

20:51 - Things I learned this year

32:21 - Shoutouts to these amazing people 

36:34 - My focus areas for 2020

41:00 - One more thing...

Subscribe to My YouTube Channel!

I’m launching my very first YouTube channel in a few weeks and I’d love to see you there. 

→ Click here to subscribe so you don’t miss any videos! ← 

My mission is to help people find the right productivity software for their life and work.

Francesco’s passion for tech and productivity tools paved the way for Keep Productive, a blog and YouTube channel that currently has 105K subscribers and more than 10 million views. His course, Notion Made Simple, is an 8-module program that teaches learners at beginner, intermediate, and advanced experience levels how to master Notion. The course is built to help people learn to use Notion effectively, from navigating the vast number of features to managing projects and databases.  

Tune in to hear Francesco’s tips about tech and productivity, and how he created Notion Made Simple.

Episode Quotes

"Just be patient. Good stuff comes a couple of years after, not next week."  

"There is so much more creative freedom when you are doing these individual courses."

Listen to Learn

00:54 - Getting to know Francesco D'Alessio, Rapid 5 Questions

04:01 - How Keep Productive started, Keep Productive business model

09:53 - What is Notion?

12:01 - Notion Made Simple - Course goal and who it's for

15:58 - Pros of using Notion

18:12 - Notion Made Simple - Launching and lessons learned

22:42 - Importance of timing with courses based on tools

27:34 - Exciting things coming up from Francesco

Connect with Francesco

Keep Productive

Keep Productive YouTube Channel

Notion Made Simple

Follow Francesco on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 119

Grab the bonus segment!

Francesco dives deeper into Notion and how he keeps his courses up-to-date.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

The core of everything is that we all need each other and we work together from our diverse ecosystems.

For over 20 years, Pamela has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs to support them in launching and growing their businesses. Even with the evolution of online courses, many business owners are still stuck with the same problems Pam has been helping them solve for years. In 2016, she started the K’é Main Street Learning Lab in Mesa, Arizona, which is a community-based leadership development lab that supports and strengthens local small businesses. Since launching the Learning Lab, Pam has hosted over 200 events led by 38 community leaders for her more than 4,000 community members.  

Listen as Pamela shares her insights about building a community, being physically present with your members, and small business solutions.  

Episode Quotes

"Never trust short term success and never assume that short term failure lasts forever."

"There is huge power in physically being present."

"Our problems as business owners are large and varied and they require a lot of solutions."

"The core of everything is we realize that we all need each other and we work together from all different sectors of our communities. "

Listen to Learn

00:56 - Getting to know Pamela Slim, Rapid 5 Questions

05:31 - Pamela's entrepreneurial journey

12:23 - Impetus of creating The Main Street Learning Lab

17:27 - Physical space vs. online courses

28:49 - The power of interdependent ecosystems over empire culture

35:36 - Practical tips for course creators  

46:34 - Awesome things coming up from Pamela

Connect with Pam

PamelaSlim.com

The Main Street Learning Lab

Learn more about Pam’s books

Follow Pam on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 118

Mastermind groups help you to have another set of eyes on the problems about your business.

The idea for MastermindJam came after Ken joined the the 2015 MicroConf. After some some customer feedback and a few tweaks in pricing, Ken created MastermindJam in 2019. MastermindJam is a platform that helps people find a peer-driven mastermind group or create a new group from scratch without having to waste time cobbling together a bunch of different software. With MastermindJam, entrepreneurs can now easily join a business mastermind that can help them supercharge their business growth and move their business forward.  

Tune in to hear Ken’s take on value-based pricing, the benefit of peer-led versus guru-led communities, and the story behind MastermindJam.

Episode Quotes

"Always price based on the value of what it is you are bringing."

"Mastermind can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, so you have to get clear on what you need."

"As a course creator, it is important to get a feel for your customer - who they are and what they're struggling with."

Listen to Learn

01:24 - Getting to know Ken Wallace, Rapid 5 Questions

03:36 - Value-based pricing  

08:57 - Building the mastermind group business

21:53 - What is a mastermind group and why it is beneficial?

25:05 - Guru-Driven Masterminds and Peer-Led Mastermind  

31:01 - Importance of visibility and matching in mastermind groups

42:03 - Exciting things coming up from Ken

Connect with Ken

Check out MastermindJam

Follow Ken on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 117

Grab the bonus segment!

Learn how to find the right community to supercharge your growth and get some practical tips for creating a mastermind of your own.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

All great ideas don't matter. What matters is our execution, our ability to pull them into light, ship them in the marketplace, and make the difference that they are going to make.

Before becoming an executive coach, Charlie worked in the Army as a Joint Force Military Logistics Coordinator, where he mastered the skills of planning and strategizing. In his book, Start Finishing, he shares his expertise and the 9-step method to re-align your life with the things that matters most. Charlie believes that we’re all meant to do our best work, and a core piece of that is finishing what we start. The strategies in his book help creatives work through three major emotions that hold them back (overwhelm, exasperation, and regret) so they can live the life they want, do the work they love, and start finishing.  

Episode Quotes

“The main thing that we have to focus on as creatives is not tasks, but projects.”

"For me, planning is a creative process; strategy making is a creative process."

"In the entrepreneurial world, poorly using your creativity costs you money."

"There's this very close tie between your creativity, your productivity, your focus and your revenue."

Listen to Learn

01:31 - Getting to know Charlie Gilkey, Rapid 5 Questions

04:05 - Charlie's entrepreneurial journey

08:06 - Why 'Getting Things Done' doesn't work for creatives

12:23 - Logistics expert turned executive coach

15:47 - Start Finishing - What it's about and who it is for?

18:12 - Start Finishing - Genesis of the book  

20:13 - Coaching vs. Teaching

24:56 - Awesome things coming up from Charlie

Connect with Charlie

Grab your copy of Start Finishing

ProductiveFlourishing.com

Follow Charlie on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 116

Grab the bonus segment!

Watch the complete workshop where Charlie lays out some actionable strategies from Start Finishing and shares exactly how to plan your next project.

Grab it here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/charlie-gilkey-janelle-allen/register  

When we automate processes we can focus on doing the stuff that we love and work less.

Having been a financial analyst in a billion-dollar public company, Gareth knows the burden of spending countless hours doing reports manually on spreadsheets. This slow and inefficient process prevented him from doing the work he should have been focusing on. Then, Airtable came to his rescue.  

With Airtable, Gareth was able to automate his workflow, organize data, and eliminate long hours of manual work. Now with GAP Consulting, he’s helped hundreds of business owners do the same. His course, Airtable Automation Machine, helps entrepreneurs optimize their Airtable setup, integrate business process, and train their team on Airtable on their own schedule.  

Join us to hear how he turned his high-touch consulting process into a detailed course, and how he’s helping business owners focus on the work they love.

Episode Quotes

"Airtable is like a box of Legos. It is very modular application that allows you to craft your own database."

"It is important to boil things down into as few touch points as possible."  

"If you provide value then there is invariably a large number of people that's going to hire you."

"This idea that I need to sit at a desk for 8 hours in order to provide value is fundamentally wrong."

Listen to Learn

00:51 - Getting to know Gareth Pronovost, Rapid 5 Questions

07:08 - How Gareth got into entrepreneurship  

12:05 - The Airtable business idea

19:15 - Validation process and getting the first customers

25:40 - Why value driven courses?

28:13 - Airtable Automation Machine - What is it and who it's for?

34:24 - Airtable Automation Machine - Course structure

38:50 - Exciting things coming up from Gareth

Connect with Gareth

Airtable Automation Machine

GAP Consulting

Follow Gareth on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 115

Grab the bonus segment!

Get to know Airtable best practices, and why this database software is so much better than spreadsheets.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

Stop trying to look good in your business, and start being good.

Six years ago, Lydia had hustled her way up the corporate ladder and landed a comfortable six-figure job. Despite her success, she knew she wasn’t happy. After a realization that this wasn’t the life she wanted -- and a bit of a breakdown, some therapy, and coaching -- she quit and started her own business.

Screw the Cubicle is all about helping people transition from corporate shackles to satisfying work, and the freedom to do it on their terms. Lydia’s course, 90 Day Launch, guides her learners to map out their processes, craft the framework of their offer, and launch their next big thing that matters.

Episode Quotes

"Remember not to burn bridges when transitioning from employee to entrepreneur."

"Sometimes staying small strategically, and making enough to afford the life you want, is enough."

"The future of work is in small business, is in everybody in their communities creating an impacting change through what they do best."

"The world is much bigger than our zip code... when you travel and are able to listen and learn from other cultures, you are a much better human."

Listen to Learn

00:53 - Getting to know Lydia Lee, Rapid 5 Questions

06:14 - Lydia's entrepreneurial journey

11:31 - How to safely transition from employee to entrepreneur  

17:43 - How Screw the Cubicle started, and customer discovery

26:05 - 90 Day Launch - What it is and who it's for

30:27 - 90 Day Launch - How it started and transition process

42:08 - Scaling strategically  

44:00 - Awesome things coming up from Lydia

Connect with Lydia

90 Day Launch

Sign Up for her Upcoming Webinar

Check out her Coaching Experience

Weekly #ScrewTheCubicleTV Episodes

ScrewTheCubicle.com

Follow Lydia on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 114

Grab the bonus segment!

Find out what it means to create a body of work, and how you can create a work vision that fulfills you.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

Having a website is important because it is your digital home.

Being a digital nomad herself, Louise knows how important it is to have a digital home that represents who you are and what you do. In Website that Wows, Louise teaches entrepreneurs how to take ownership of their online presence through step-by-step tutorials, templates, and high-touch tech support.  

Tune in to hear Louise and I talk about the digital nomad life, how she empowers business owners to build the website of their dreams, and some sales tips that drives results. Let’s do it! 

Episode Quotes

"Having a professional website, and being clear about what you could offer, is an advantage."

"As an entrepreneur, I realized that mindset comes first."

"Sales is an exchange, and it's about delivering value."

Listen to Learn

00:54 - Getting to know Louise Henry, Rapid 5 Questions

05:28 - Life as a digital nomad, how Solopreneur Sidekick started

11:04 - Ways to find clients for your business

12:57 - Importance of having a website, Creating Solopreneur Sidekick

15:20 - Solopreneur Sidekick - Structure, modules, and learners’ outcomes

21:21 - Sales tips to drive effective results

28:40 - Exciting things coming up from Louise

Connect with Louise

Website that Wows

SolopreneurSidekick.com

Follow Louise on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 113

Grab the bonus segment!

Hear practical tips from Louise about claiming your corner of online space and building your own website that wows.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

Know what it is you want to do - passion, skills, and interest - then build your brand on that.

After all the pivots she made, Alisha finally said yes to her calling to write. For over 6 years, she has worked with women entrepreneurs teaching them how to gain clarity in their business. Her group program, Brand with Purpose, guides creatives to build their brand, create better content, and define their signature product.    

Listen as Alisha talks about how she handled those big life decisions, how she committed to her mission to write, and how she helps creative women build their life and business on purpose. Let’s get into it!  

Episode Quotes

"Some days are really bad, but you have to keep going because the next day could be the day that changes your entire life."

"People want accountability and structure and group programs are perfect for that."  

"We are in a season now where people crave community over information."

"If what you are giving away for free doesn't make you want to slap a price on it, it is not good enough."  

"Don't be afraid to change... dwelling too much on making decisions makes you stuck."

Listen to Learn

00:50 - Getting to know Alisha Robertson, Rapid 5 Questions

03:04 - Alisha's entrepreneurial journey

07:53 - One-on-one coaching to group programs

10:50 - The calling to write

19:26 - Brand with Purpose - How it started and who it's for

23:47 - Brand with Purpose - Program structure and learner's experience

30:47 - Brand with Purpose - Creating the program content

36:00 - Insights to achieve transformation  

37:07 - Awesome things coming up from Alisha

Connect with Alisha

Brand with Purpose

LivingOverExisting.com

TheAlishaNicole.com

Join the Living Over Existing Community!

Follow Alisha on Twitter!  

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 112

Grab the bonus segment!

Alisha shares how she consistently pushes through fear and into greatness, and stays true to her commitment to write.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

I love watching my students blossom in their musical journey

As a musician, David has always been passionate about rhythms and melodies. In 2004, he discovered a unique-looking percussion instrument called the handpan. After traveling to host handpan masterclasses, David created Master the Handpan to bring the joys of the handpan right into students’ homes. He’s now taught more than 3,000 people with his online program. With easy-to-watch, easy-to-follow video lessons, students can now learn how to play the handpan in a simple and fun way. Tune in to hear how David created Master the Handpan, what he’s learned since its launch, and courses to check out to begin our own musical journey. 

Episode Quotes

"The problem for learners is frustration."

"Having course levels give learners something to aspire to. It motivates them to keep going."

"Put yourself in your student's shoes."

"Students get stuck if you are not good... We are more than just teachers, we are also coaches."

"Time is something we cannot buy so we need to maximize the time we have.”

Listen to Learn

00:54 - Getting to know David, Rapid 5 Questions

02:59 - What is a handpan? How did Master the Handpan start?

13:32 - Pros of having course levels

17:19 - First steps in course creation 

21:07 - Structuring the course content and David's teaching process 

29:58 - What to include as YouTube video vs. course video

37:44 - Awesome things coming up from David

Connect with David

Master the Handpan

HandpanDavid.com

Follow David on Twitter! 

Looking for the Transcript?

Episode 111

Grab the bonus segment!

We dig even further into Master the Handpan, and David graces us with with an incredible song on his handpan.

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Expanding the number of things you can pay attention to and you can manage expands your capacity for life

Prior to creating online courses, Tiago has worked in microfinance, served in the Peace Corps, and consulted for large companies on product development. He has spent more than 10 years researching, developing, and teaching the practices of Idea Management to professionals. His online course, Building a Second Brain, is helping people around the world save their best ideas and organize their learning by providing the necessary system and approach to reliably produce creative outputs.

Stay tuned as Tiago shares his business journey, his course, and tips on how to productively manage information. Let’s get started!

Episode Quotes

"Information is the building blocks of reality for the modern world."

"It was the actual beliefs in myself and what I was doing that led me to create Building a Second Brain."

"Your brain is your bottleneck."

"Our work can’t be just a means of putting food on the table; it can be a journey of personal transformation."

Listen to Learn

0:56 - Getting to know Tiago Forte, Rapid 5 Questions

5:08 - Tiago's entrepreneurial journey

9:17 - Importance of capturing information and how to productively manage it

16:20 - What is a 'project'?

21:34 - Building a Second Brain - Who it’s for and learner’s outcome

24:30 - Building a Second Brain - Course structure

27:12 - How Tiago created and launched Building a Second Brain

33:49 - How to be resilient from failures

41:54 - Transformation stories of students taking the course

44:15 - Exciting things coming up from Tiago

Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about information management, and the systems you need to skyrocket your productivity.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Focus, take action that is intentional and effective, and keep doing it

If you tuned in to Episode 100, you know I had three focus areas for Q3: to double down on my group program, Finish Your Damn Course; to increase the top-of-funnel traffic on my site; and to finish setting up my email marketing systems.  

Did I do everything I set out to last quarter? What pivots did I make in my strategy? What am I doing to wrap up 2019? Tune in to hear the highlights and big lessons of the last few months, and then join me to dig into my Big Three for Q4. Let’s do it!  

Episode Quotes

"It is not about creating a course... it is about building a business."

"Focus on actions that are going to generate long term returns."

"Momentum matters."

"You got to have the systems in place to be able to scale."

"One of the key things that helped me grow is forming relationships."

Listen to Learn

0:55 Episode Intro, Recap on my three focus areas last Q3

3:00 #1 - Double down to my group program (Finish Your Damn Course)

7:29  #2 - Increase the top-of-funnel traffic

10:43  #3 - Dig deep on my email marketing systems

14:05  Wins and lessons learned in Q3

29:31  Exciting things coming up for Q4

You don’t get good at something by not doing it.

Five years after the death of her husband, Kim went all in on online business. Despite wanting to be an information marketer, she started out as The Wordpress Chick, building websites for clients. In 2018, she decided it was time to get back to what she loved and pivoted her focus to content marketing. She’s since launched her course, Content Marketing Secrets, which teaches online business owners how to develop and implement a customized content strategy.

Check out what Kim has to say about her course, the fundamentals of content strategy, and how to create content that drives traffic.

Episode Quotes

"Being able to let go of what it is supposed to look like is such FREEDOM."

"Nobody cares what you don't do."

"Go for it! Your dreams are worth pursuing. Know that you are going to get there."

"There is another way to live your life on your terms."

“Content strategy has to be being who you are and showing up genuinely and not needing everything you do to be attached to a conversion goal.”  

Listen to Learn

1:03 Getting to know Kim Doyal, Rapid Five Questions

5:40 Kim's entrepreneurial journey

12:44 Overcoming the fear of pivoting  

16:48 What is content strategy? Why is it important?

19:05 How to write content that drives traffic/leads

26:37 Content Marketing Secrets - course goal and who it’s for

36:10 How Content Marketing Secrets started

44:20 Memberships vs. Courses

51:19 Exciting things coming up from Kim, website link    

Get the Bonus Episode!

Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about content strategy and some tips on how to consistently create great content. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra   

My goal is to make SEO easier, fun, and profitable for small businesses

Joe got into the world of SEO in 2004. After seeing business owners struggle to make sense of the hype surrounding optimization, and seeing that most agencies weren’t doing anything about it, he launched Tribe SEO. What started as an in-person training in and around London is now an online community with global reach. Joe’s online course, Learn SEO Fast, takes a common sense approach to ranking so that anyone can learn how to do it -- quickly!  

Tune in to hear Joe’s straight forward perspective on SEO, why it’s important for every business, and how you can use it to make your business more profitable. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes

"Burn-out is simply from over committing and not knowing your capacity."

"Moments of uncertainty are normal in a business. It just means you need to grow."

"Business is about solving problems... so you need to know there are always problems to solve."

"My WHY really is that it frustrates me how most agencies don’t look after their client in SEO."

"When you train people in-person, you get to learn what has worked for them and what hasn't worked for them."

Listen to Learn

00:57 Getting to know Joe Williams, Rapid 5 Questions  

07:34 Joe's entrepreneurial journey - "Joe the SEO"

10:36 What is SEO? Why it is important for business owners?

12:32 The impetus of creating Learn SEO Fast  

15:33 From burnout to breakthrough  

18:25 Teaching in person vs. teaching online

23:44 Learn SEO Fast - Who is it for?

24:24 Learn SEO Fast - Learning outcomes and stuck zone

29:31 Launching the beta course

32:41 Awesome things coming up from Joe, social media links

Get the Bonus Episode!

Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about ranking websites and some tips from Joe to progress your SEO strategy.

Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra   

Don’t postpone joy. Do the thing you are called to do. Do it!

Tanya came to coaching after years in an outwardly successful but ultimately unsatisfying career in advertising. Her fascination about the Impostor Complex, and as someone who personally struggled with it, Tanya created Starring Role Playbook to help people claim the success that is rightfully theirs. Her course is a journey that allows her students to recognize their own potential, empower them to achieve it, and live life to the fullest.

Listen as Tanya shares her magnificent story, how she created Starring Role Playbook, and how her course is transforming the lives of her students. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes
"It was important for me to see in real time what was coming up for folks."
"Completion is not a requirement for transformation."
"Be supportive as possible without needing to have an outcome look at a very specific way."
“Life’s a grand production. Step into your starring role.”

Listen to Learn
00:55 Getting to know Tanya Geisler, Rapid 5 Questions
04:47 Tanya's entrepreneurial journey
07:29 What is Impostor Complex? - "Fake it 'till you make it"
14:47 Tanya's course (Starring Role Playbook) - who is it for?
19:26 Starring Role Playbook - creation and launching
20:36 Benefits of teaching the course live
22:51 Starring Role Playbook - course goal and student's journey
31:12 Where students get stuck and how Tanya supports them
33:01 Challenges and learning moments as a course creator
34:53 Exciting things coming up from Tanya, website link

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! Tanya and I dig deep into the Impostor Complex and how you can combat it. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

You have to very quickly start opening yourself up to the feedback of your viewers.

Philip came from the corporate world where he worked as the Head of Design for massive companies like PepsiCo. After building a business with a partner, he eventually dropped everything to pursue his passion for branding and design on his own terms. He has over 20 years’ experience in strategic branding, graphic design, and creative leadership for some of the world’s most successful businesses. He’s also an expert as using YouTube to build relationships and create valuable content for his audience.

Join us to hear how Philip transitioned into the entrepreneurial arena, how to use YouTube to grow your business, and some tips for course creators wanting to start a YouTube channel. Let’s get started!

Episode Quotes
"Fear is the enemy."
"The interesting thing about branding and design is it's only a matter of scale."
"A great career is more like a web than a ladder." - Paul Pressler
"Design is a visual medium you need to show it."
"You have to very quickly start opening yourself up to the feedback of your viewers."
“Design is a visual medium… if you can’t show it, it’s meaningless.”

Listen to Learn
00:59 Getting to know Philip VanDusen, Rapid 5 Questions
06:05 Philip's entrepreneurial journey
12:01 What did it feel like waking up and saying, "I don't want to do this anymore"?
15:01 How Philip translated his corporate experience to an entrepreneurial experience
18:09 Benefits of being in the corporate world before becoming an entrepreneur
19:23 Insights that Philip received from Paul Pressler
20:57 How Philip got into YouTube
27:57 How to overcome the challenges of starting a YouTube channel
30:48 The importance of listening to and building relationships with your audience
33:40 Pros of using YouTube in relationship building
35:00 How YouTube channel affected Philip's business
37:24 The power of consistency in your business
41:53 Pros of having different content formats for your channel
46:50 Philip's advice for course creators on how to use YouTube
50:03 Exciting things coming up from Philip, website link

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about how to start a YouTube channel and some tips on how to use it for your business. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

I am allergic to formulas that make you look like everyone else. You are more interesting than that.

Kerri started as a drama teacher, then moved into community art which fueled her love of helping people, building programs, and solving problems. She was a career transition coach for three years before starting her own business.

Listen as Kerri shares her interesting experience in this unique coaching field, how she built Career Stories and incorporated the teaching component, and how she generated 400 sign-ups for her course. We also dig into her Career Mapping Masterclass and how she manages to run her workshops monthly. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes
"Career coaching is like a big drama class."
"The consistency of giving a lot of resources and interacting with people on LinkedIn made my brand grow."
"Usually information is not the answer... it is just a very small part of learning."
"If everyone in the world is doing work that they love and use their own talents, I don't think we'll have any problems."

Listen to Learn
00:59 Getting to know Kerri Twigg, Rapid Five Questions
04:11 Kerri's career and business journey
15:41 How Kerri incorporated the teaching component to the course
17:59 Kerri's different class offers
19:09 The genesis of the Career Mapping Masterclass
21:55 How Kerri grew her business and made 400 sign ups
23:52 Building Career Mapping Masterclass and challenges Kerri faced
26:46 When and why did the monthly offer came about?
27:47 Course structure of Career Mapping Masterclass
30:06 The "Resume" program
35:11 Kerri's advice for course creators
36:48 Exciting things coming up from Kerri
37:26 Find out more about Kerri (website & social media links)

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about how Kerri leveraged LinkedIn as a marketing channel to grow her business, plus some practical tips to try it for yourself.
Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

No matter how high I raised the price, the way I was running the program wasn't working

Seeing big opportunities in the world of Facebook ads, Claire transitioned from being a life coach to an ad strategist and eventually a course creator. Pricing her Ad Consultant Incubator has been a challenge, but with some tweaks, she was able to use the program to scale her business.

Join us in this episode to hear what Claire’s learned about effective pricing, how courses can help grow your business, and practical tips about Facebook ads. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes
"There are great benefits in setting a more accessible pricing and impacting more lives and still making a lot of money."

"You don't need to put people's finances in dire straights to help them get that transformation."

"If you have a program that really helped and changed people's lives then people will find the money to do it."

"I really like talking about the complexity of Facebook Ads and help people understood it a lot better."

Listen to Learn
00:55 Getting to know Claire Pelletreau, Rapid Five Questions
13:14 Pricing challenges, lessons learned and pricing changes made
21:42 The exclusivity of pricing, benefits of setting a more accessible/flexible pricing model
29:51 The filtering aspect of pricing: Does pricing really attracts your ideal client?
35:49 Why you need to define your core values to attract the right clients
38:41 Lessons learned and changes made to the course content and structure
46:48 Claire's support system for the course graduates
51:24 Claire's tips for online course creators
52:02 Awesome things coming up from Claire
53:00 Find out more about Claire (website link), End Notes

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about how to run Facebook Ads that actually convert. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

It takes courage to build a business you believe in ... and not just do what everyone else is doing.

Lisa believes in being true to yourself and building a profitable business that fulfills you. Her Position Your Mastery workshop helps business owners who are struggling to make consistent income, figuring out their ideal clients, and building a noticeable brand.

Tune in to hear Lisa and I discuss how to build a brand that matters, how to grow without feeling isolated, and the benefits of creating an active community. We also dig into how Position Your Mastery helps learners develop the business they want, and why workshops are a great precursor to courses. Enjoy!

Episode Quotes
"True purpose and joy is when you begin to do something that you love and also enjoy the journey and lessons."
"Just keep going. Don't focus on the end, just enjoy your day to day."
"Focus on the things that bring you joy."
"Creating a community is a strong way to create organic momentum."
"The key is figuring out the balance between presenting and implementation."
"My belief is that businesses are successful in the details and nuances."

Listen to Learn
01:01 Getting to know Lisa Princic, Rapid 5 Questions
06:11 Why you need to recognize your own pace - "Love the process instead of the end result"
10:58 Lisa's entrepreneurial journey
15:48 How Lisa transitioned from a life coach to a business strategist
23:09 Overview about Lisa's workshop (Position Your Mastery) - who is it for?
26:04 The impetus for creating Position Your Mastery, Benefits of having an active community
31:13 Position Your Mastery - workshop structure
36:12 Importance of finding a structure that works for you and your clients
38:06 Why do workshops first if you haven’t figured out your course yet
39:36 Exciting things coming up from Lisa, website link

Get the Bonus Episode!
Enjoy this episode? Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about positioning, branding tips, and how to market and brand on Facebook. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

In this episode, Victoria shares her experience in the program, how she overcame resistance, and what it was like to finish--and teach--her damn course. Let’s dig in!

Creating the online course allowed me to be more accessible and help more people at once.

After experiencing the struggle of online course creation, Victoria was motivated to join Finish Your Damn Course to overcome her fears, identify her needs, and move forward from the stuck zone. In this episode, Victoria discusses her experience joining the program and the results it brought her. You’ll hear how FYDC helped her start her LIVE course that helps parents learn the techniques of healthy communication with children suffering from substance abuse disorders. Let’s dig in!

Episode Quotes
“Finish Your Damn Course helped me be less anxious and not be stuck in creating my online course.”
"Doing the LIVE course taught me that online projects can work."
"The program helped me be less anxious, have more playful attitude, and not be shy with my audience."
"It is important to identify what you need for yourself to keep you moving instead of staying stuck."
"Invest in what your needs are and fulfill those needs."

Listen to Learn
01:02 Getting to know Victoria Stith, Rapid Five Questions
05:17 Victoria's motivation in creating her online course
06:10 The challenges that motivated Victoria to join Finish Your Damn Course
10:21 Results after joining Finish Your Damn Course
13:04 Hardest part of the program and how Victoria pushed through it
15:43 Overview about Victoria's course - course goal and who it’s for
19:12 Importance of pre-validation with your audience
21:01 Victoria's experience in teaching the course LIVE
23:39 Benefits and insights from going through Finish Your Damn Course
26:35 Victoria's advice for those people stuck in creating online courses
27:41 Exciting things coming up from Victoria, website link and Facebook group

Ready to finish your damn course?
There are 8 spots left for my group program, Finish Your Damn Course. Early enrollment ends TOMORROW for those on the waitlist. Regular enrollment starts on August 21. Click here to learn more: https://get.zencourses.co/fydc-waitlist/

Business is just about solving problems.

During my summer hiatus, I realized that I’m in a personal growth period. In this episode, I share the key things I’ve done to embrace this transition and my thoughts on why delegation is a vital part of the growth process. I also dig into how the course stratosphere is changing, too, and give you a sneak peek into next week’s episode. New things are coming up for Zen Courses, so get pumped!

Join the Zen Courses family here: https://www.zencourses.co/newsletter

Episode Quotes
"One of the key things that I did was automating a lot of repetitive tasks that I was doing, and it saved me so much time."
"Learning how to delegate is a big part of growth."
"There is an alternative to burning out and it is called delegation."
"Before you automate or delegate anything you need to be able to map out the process."
“I’m back, and I’ve learned a lot! Get ready for the exciting things coming up.”

Listen to Learn
00:56 I'm back! It was a great summer break!
02:18 Embracing the growth period - "I hired a business coach and had therapy"
06:42 Why and when to delegate? Importance of delegation/automation in the growth process
10:40 Exciting things coming up for Zen Courses
18:01 What is the state of online courses?
25:52 A peek about the next episode coming up next week
27:27 Happy 100th episode! My thank you message for you

Having a visual component helps people to see in action the things written in my book

Episode Quotes
"I knew that I could learn a lot of valuable skills if I started learning how business actually works."
"All I had to do was ask and they just gave me money for this job."
"Creating the online course was a way to augment the book, but also to teach people who kind of think like me."
"I definitely did design the book so that it's not necessarily meant to be completed."
"I do this because I like helping people and it’s the best way to make a good living without having to go to a day job."

Listen to Learn
01:17 Getting to know Josh Doody, Rapid 5 Questions
05:45 Josh's career and business journey
10:04 Overview of Josh's book (Fearless Salary Negotiation)
14:55 Augmenting the book with online courses
17:14 How Josh started the coaching component
21:33 A peek inside the course bundles
25:08 Creating actionable worksheets and templates
30:05 Gathering learners’ feedback and how to make use of it
35:33 Awesome things coming up from Josh, website links

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! Josh and I discuss how he packages his courses, why he decided to offer coaching and how to resolve small pains in your business. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

I want to use these instructional design principles to help people reach their goals.

Episode Quotes
"I want to use these instructional design principles and wrap it in with our knowledge to help people reach their goals."
"Monetization isn't the point. The point is to get people where they want and need to be, and the rest follows."
"The nature of being helpful is profitable in my experience."
"I think there is a craving for community, connection, and a sense of belonging."
"Maximize the amount of free time you have available to you versus the amount of money that you have available to you."

Listen to Learn
00:54 Getting to know Joel Hooks, Rapid 5 Questions
03:57 Overview of egghead.io - how it started and who it’s for
06:56 Joel's teaching journey
08:17 Instructional design principles - improving the quality of learning
11:43 Overcoming the stuck zone, Amy Hoy's concept of "backwards planning"
13:00 Instructional design and the affective domain
16:08 egghead.io approach to teaching
20:35 Exciting things coming up from Joel Hooks, website links

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! If you’re a designer, developer, or coder, this bonus is for you. We chat about building authority in your career and share some book recommendations to help you implement instructional design in your course. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Jacques decided to teach his piano playing method online. He joins me today to share his course, how he struggled with sales, and the system that eventually helped him generate $40k per month. Enjoy!

One of the biggest reasons that people don't succeed as an online course creator is they give up too easily.

Episode Quotes
“Learning piano doesn’t have to take years. It can be faster, more fun, and easier than you thought.”
"It wasn't until I created an online course based on something that I love that I found success with my own online business."
"With online courses, I’m having a direct impact on other people’s lives, and that’s been the biggest ‘why’ with what I’m doing today."
"Not only do I need to be good in responding to people's struggle, I need to find a better way to help them."
"We just have one life, why not make the most of it?"

Listen to Learn
01:44 Getting to know Jacque Hopkins, Rapid 5 Questions
05:10 Jacques business/online coaching journey
08:47 The impetus in creating "Piano in 21 Days"
10:24 Overview about Piano in 21 Days - who is it for?
12:15 Early stages of the course, challenges encountered
16:40 Course structure and goal - 80/20 principle
18:15 How to overcome the hurdles and stuck zones?
22:08 Pricing tier, course materials/resources included
27:19 Jacques insights for online course creators
30:13 Awesome things coming up from Jacques Hopkins, website links

Grab Your Bonus!
If you enjoyed the interview, join us in the bonus segment! You’ll learn Jacques’ approach to pricing and packaging. We also dig into his approach to evergreen sales funnels.

Click here to listen --> https://get.zencourses.co/extra

First: the state of online marketing. What’s going on, and how will it affect online courses? I’ll also share a bit about building community and making sales. You’ll hear some of the lessons I’ve learned and the tools I recommend for improving and growing your business. Lastly, you’ll get the scoop about what’s coming up for Zen Courses and the Level Up Your Course Podcast; I’ve got some fun and exciting things planned for this summer!

Make sure you are part of my email list to keep you updated. Sign up at https://www.zencourses.co/newsletter.

Episode Quotes
"Solopreneurs are realizing the importance of learning & engagement and sales & marketing."
"Improving learning and focusing on sales & marketing must go together. It is not an either/or game."
"A social component needs to be present in online courses."
"Having a self-paced course on its own is not enough; there needs to be a community."
"When it comes to education, people should be able to have that deep work or engagement that they need to get something done."
"It's not enough to just focus on instructional design, marketing is part of it."

Listen to Learn
01:09 What can you expect in this episode?
02:45 State of the online market - then and now
05:43 The resurgence of high ticket coaching programs
07:31 Overview of Bloom's 3 Domains of Learning and the importance of having a community
08:58 Why more people are out of Facebook? Where are they going?
13:19 Personalization and using videos in your content
15:21 What's happening with Zen Courses
17:14 Lessons I have learned from Q1 - things to change and improve
23:38 What's coming up for summer 2019 - updates, future interviews

Join my email list and get the latest updates about Zen courses. Sign up here: https://get.zencourses.co/newsletter

Pinterest virtual assistance turned into this new opportunity which I never thought -- in a million years -- would be a thing.

Episode Quotes
"Pinterest was my favorite thing, I love looking at Pins."
"I want to be able to give my clients something instead of saying, 'No, I can't help you.'"
"The main challenge was conveying my message in the easiest way possible."
"It's important to always update and let your audience know. The more you communicate the better."
"It just feels so good knowing that I am helping other people through the stories I shared."

Listen to Learn
01:05 Getting to know Kristin Larsen, Rapid 5 Questions
05:15 Kristin's entrepreneurial story
08:15 Overview of Pinterest Presence - who is it for?
11:50 Kristin's customer platform - one-on-one vs buying the course
13:50 Challenges faced creating the course
18:05 Course structure of Pinterest Presence
19:16 How Kristin supports her learners in the stuck zone
20:06 Lessons learned doing the course
21:47 A peek inside the course materials and students' results taking the course
23:30 Tips for online course creators and how the course impacted Kristin's business
25:44 Exciting things coming up from Kristin and website links

Check Out Kristin's Course!
If you’re on my list, you know that I’m testing out new marketing methods over the next 90 days. Well Pinterest is the first one up! I just signed up for Kristin’s course. If you want to give Pinterest a try, I highly recommend joining her course too. (Full disclosure: I also signed up to be an affiliate for Kristin’s course.)

Click here to join Pinterest Presence

Want more? Grab the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about why you should be marketing on Pinterest, and some tips to use it for leveling up your business. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Remote work is totally the future, and you need to get onto that train.

Episode Quotes
"Perfection is the enemy."
"The program is for career changers, people who want to do something different and they're more passionate about."
"It is good to validate what you are offering first."
"If you are average at everything, you are great at nothing."
“I want to help open the window to people that there’s an alternative work and it can be enjoyable.”

Listen to Learn
01:10 Getting to know Gina, Rapid 5 Questions
04:12 Gina's career journey
09:07 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success - who is it for?
11:32 When did the program start? What problem does it solve?
14:07 Overview of the program structure and modules
18:34 The "stuck zone" and overwhelming parts for students
20:07 Helpful resources inside the program, students' experiences
23:41 Gina's lessons and insights in teaching/creating online courses
28:18 Awesome things to look forward to from Gina
30:06 Gina's thoughts about being a Generalist vs. being a Specialist
32:40 Website and social media links****

Building a successful business requires hard work, but it doesn't have to be difficult work.

Episode Quotes
"Stand on your ground when you take a stand on your business, and do not give in when other people push."
"As I got older, I began thinking less about myself and more about the impact that I was having in the world."
"Everything that I've done in my business has always been what is sustainable and enjoyable for me."
"Success is not the same for every person."
"You can never over-communicate. The more you communicate the better."

Listen to Learn
01:00 Getting to know Jennifer Bourn, Rapid 5 Questions
04:30 Jennifer's career and business journey
06:34 How marketing automation impacted Jennifer's life and business
09:09 Jennifer's teaching journey and the transition to doing online courses
12:28 Scaling your business - "Success is not the same for every person"
15:13 Profitable Project Plan - course structure & who it’s for
17:05 How to manage the "stuck zone" and help students stay on track
23:07 What is Profitable Project Plan? Why client management is important?
26:51 Profitable Project Plan - selecting the course materials
31:31 The main purpose of tiered pricing
33:00 Jennifer's insights about creating online courses
35:34 Exciting things coming up from Jennifer, website and social media links

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about Jennifer’s course and her pregnancy story. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

As a course creator, the biggest thing is listening to your students.

Episode Quotes
"My whole entrepreneurship journey came out of a need to fulfill something for me and the people asking me."
“Blog Legally is completely different from what you get from a lawyer down the street.”
"Blogging is one of the top freemium-type content medium these days."
"Having a lawyer is great but there is great benefit and power into the CEO to understand why certain recommendations are made."
"Be very specific of what you are going to deliver."

Listen to Learn
00:16 Getting to know Rachel Brenke, Rapid 5 Questions
03:02 Rachel's journey into entrepreneurship
06:50 Blog Legally - motivation and who it’s for
11:02 Overview of the course structure
15:58 What did Rachel learn as a course creator?
20:02 Blog Legally - modules and lessons
26:51 Legal challenges in creating Blog Legally
28:19 Tip: Beware of over-information
33:08 Awesome things coming up from Rachel, website link

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about Rachel’s course, Blog Legally, and how it helps the legal needs of bloggers and business owners. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Your business shouldn’t just become another job; it needs to fulfill something in you

Episode Quotes
“I help my clients have their dream business that allows them to feel valued and fulfilled.”
"No matter how long you're in this game, you got to evolve and not rely on what's worked in the past."
"It was not acceptable for me to just find a job that was going to pay the bills and be a paycheck."
"I realized that I was not going to be happy unless I worked for myself."
"Pricing is a great way to make sure you attract committed people into your program."

Listen to Learn
01:10 Getting to know Michelle Ward, Rapid Five Questions
04:25 Michelle's business journey
10:35 90 Day Business Launch and overview of Discover Your Dream Business
16:19 Discover Your Dream Business - program structure
19:20 Discover Your Dream Business - who is it for?
19:56 Pricing and why it is important
22:43 Michelle's testimony about her client
25:11 Where are the suck and stuck zones in your program?
29:57 Your business shouldn't become just another job
33:25 Exciting things coming up from Michelle, website/social media links

Check out the show notes and more!
Find out what Michelle is up to over at http://zencourses.co/091

**You can’t stay in planning-mode forever. It is the action that you take that’s going to make this real. **

Episode Quotes
"I realize that I am my own boss, and I need to figure out the business plan."
"You are not just a coach; you are a business owner."
"It is best to start with live content since it is the quickest, and it shows in real-time what people struggle with."
"Most of us are focused on the big outcomes instead of the journey."
"The home study model is not something to just go into lightly if you want to do it right."

Listen to Learn
00:20 Getting to know Jennifer Lee, Rapid 5 Questions
04:49 Jennifer’s business journey
09:15 The mindset - "You're not just a coach, you're a business owner"
12:26 Overview of the book "The Right-Brain Business Plan"
14:29 The Right-Brain Plan® Home Study - how did it start?
18:38 Why start first with a live content?
19:42 The Right-Brain Plan® Home Study program - home study model & licensing facilitators
22:55 The Right-Brain Plan® Home Study program - course goal
25:09 Overcoming the "stuck zone" in business planning
28:19 Challenges in transitioning to a home study program
34:10 Why Jennifer adopted the licensing model - tips and advice
38:30 Awesome things to look forward from Jen, website link

Get the Bonus Episode!
Listen to the bonus segment to learn how to create a plan for your business and why you need to define your business’s ecosystem. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

We need to return to a human experience where people feel seen and heard; the best way to do that is email.

Episode Quotes
"As a business owner, how you treat people is vital."
"The best thing you can do as a business owner is being willing to learn from areas outside of your typical bubble."
“Listening is one of the most important things in any customer’s experience.”
"The scarcity mindset stops people from participating fully."
"Momentum is the biggest motivator."

Listen to Learn
01:19 Getting to know Val Geisler, Rapid 5 Questions
05:03 Val's business journey - copywriting and onboarding
10:05 The process of specialization in email - "Scary but validating"
17:05 How "Email Masters Incubator" started
27:31 The impact of listening to your audience, creating the paid workshop
25:05 What is the goal of the program?
29:43 Overview of the program structure and modules
28:30 Challenges in creating the program
33:00 Where people get stuck and how Val supports them
38:30 Exciting things coming up from Val, website and social media links

Get the Bonus Episode!
Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about email marketing and Val’s course Email Masters Incubator. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Everything in life is sales. If it doesn't cost them money, it costs them time.

Episode Quotes
"You have to earn the right to play the long game."
"Understand where your audience is at in the Buyer's Journey and deliver the right message."
"Deliver value to the people who already know you, and give an entrance point to your potential audience."
"The power in vulnerability is sharing things that will also help other people in their journey and adding value."

Listen to Learn
00:25 Getting to know Sean McCabe, Rapid Five Questions
04:22 Sean's business journey
09:30 The evolution from hand lettering to online course creation
16:07 Supercharge Your Writing - who is it for and what problem does it solve?
17:15 Is it okay to talk more about yourself?
22:08 Understanding the "open loop" strategy
24:12 Why is it important to learn/write to sell?
28:38 Sean's tips in creating effective messaging
36:51 Supercharge Your Writing - course structure and modules
38:05 Where students get stuck and how Sean supports them
40:10 Choosing your business model: access vs ownership
50:01 Exciting things coming up from Sean McCabe, website and social media links

Enjoy this episode? Subscribe for more!
Text PODCAST to the number 44222 to stay up to date on new episodes, articles, and more.

We find success by saying yes to the things that we really want before we are ready.

Episode Quotes

"Not waiting for things to be perfect is how progress gets made and how success is created."

"Once you know what you don't know, the only way through that is to keep moving forward."

"An attitude of gratitude is the way to fulfillment."

"It is more about the energy that we are showing up with than it is about the external things."

"It's not about your course idea, it's about who you are serving and what problem you're solving."

Listen to Learn

00:20 Getting to know Tiffany Han, Rapid 5 Questions
04:08 Tiffany's business journey
06:47 Connection of psychology and art & expression - "My art is my writing"
12:20 How Tiffany got the name "Raise Your Hand Say Yes"
14:53 The "Raise Your Hand Say Yes" life
17:56 Raise Your Hand Say Yes - who is it for? what problem does it solve?
19:55 Course goal - what students need to accomplish
22:05 Tiffany's motivation in creating "Raise Your Hand Say Yes"
24:23 Course structure and online community
28:45 The "stuck zone" and how Tiffany keeps his students motivated
38:00 Tiffany's advice for course creators
39:41 Exciting things to look forward to from Tiffany, website and social media links

Get the Bonus Episode!

Join us in the bonus segment! It’s a great conversation about having that Raise Your Hand Say Yes life. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

**If you keep the WHY in mind, all your decisions that you make on a daily basis will get you there.
**

Episode Quotes

"There is tomorrow. If you fail today, pick yourself up, learn from it."

"There is no secret sauce here. It's just a lot of discipline, dedication, hustle and persistence."

"Inject a little personality in your business. You have to be the face of your business."

"Find what your medium is. You have to be where your customers are going to be."

"Instead of saying I don't have time, say it's not a priority."

Listen to Learn

00:17 Getting to know Jason Resnick, Rapid Five Questions
04:00 Jason's career and business journey - web development, business coaching
07:31 Learning from failures
11:53 Feast - who is it for, what problem does it solve?
13:28 Jason's motivation in creating Feast; The early days of Feast
19:52 What is the program goal?
20:23 Feast - program structure and modules included
28:21 Where do people get stuck and how do you support them?
33:09 Jason's advice and insights for freelancers
35:37 Time management tips from Jason
39:32 Awesome things coming up from Jason

Check Out Jason’s Program
https://rezzz.com/feast/

Get the Bonus Episode!

In the bonus segment, Jason and I discussed common challenges freelancers face and whether you should be the face of your business. Grab the bonus episode here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

If you try to market to everyone, you're going to end up marketing to no one.

Episode Quotes

"Marketing is one way of thinking about growth but there are other channels that can help with growth."

"People don't believe advertising anymore, they are overwhelmed by content marketing."

"Being visible is important, but the proof is going to be in the quality of your product."

"At the end of the day the content (free or paid) needs to be valuable, and that goes back to knowing your audience."

"The idea of customer development is after launching your thing you want to make it better with the insights from your customers."

"The biggest problem for a lot of people is figuring out who to talk to."

Listen to Learn

00:13 Getting to know Katelyn Bourgoin, Rapid 5 Questions

06:38 What is a growth strategist? Katelyn's business journey

10:04 The future of growth in business - "People don't believe advertising anymore"

14:11 Overview of Katelyn's course (Customer Discovery), "Jobs to Be Done" framework

18:23 Example of JTBD - Infopreneurs vs Tech Startups

21:45 Difference between customer discovery and customer development

28:07 Various ways of getting customer feedbacks, product market fit

31:47 Customer Discovery Training Course - who is it for?

33:45 Katelyn's upcoming course for product marketers (Trigger Technique)

35:15 Customer Discovery Training Course - course goal, structure and modules

40:29 Where do people get stuck in the course? How do you support them through?

43:40 Targeting your ideal customers, why marketing to everyone won't work

47:26 Exciting things to look forward from Katelyn, website links

You don’t have to blog. What’s necessary is a consistent way that you’re committed in sharing your ideas.

Content creation has always been the very big challenge for course creators. Dorie shares three key points where people get stuck: time management, what topic to write and what format to use.

Episode Quotes

"It is important to be really clear and precise about your personal brand."

"A lot of times listening to your audience is the key in coming up with ideas."

"One of the easiest ways to get started if you want to create something is to run it live."

"If you have expertise in a field, lean on that, use it to come up with ideas."

"Content creation should not be something that you view as separate, it should support the other work that you do."

Listen to Learn

01:41 Getting to know Dorie Clark, Rapid 5 Questions

05:58 Dorie's business journey - entrepreneur, marketing strategist

08:45 What it's like running your own organization/business?

12:14 Importance of consistent effort

15:25 The secret to consistency

19:53 Is blogging necessary to build your brand?

22:12 Time management in creating content

26:12 Rapid Content Creation Masterclass - who is it for?

27:47 Dorie's motivation in creating the course

29:14 The course goal - end results for students after completing the course

31:26 Course structure and content

35:47 Three key points where students get stuck in content creation

41:56 Dorie's tips about creating content

42:40 Awesome things coming up from Dorie, website links

Get the Bonus Episode!

Dorie and I recorded a bonus conversation about specific strategies for content creation. You can grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Social media allows entrepreneurs to connect with people on an individual level.

Episode Quotes

"As entrepreneurs we have to just learn to trust ourselves and trust our gut and go with that decision."

"You don't have to use all the tools all at once, use the tool that works for you in the moment."

"Use your personal life as a leverage point to share personalized stories."

"You have to be intentional about investing time into that platform in order to see a return."

"Social media is social, you are there to build connections with people."

Listen to Learn

00:15 Getting to know Andrea Jones, Rapid 5 Questions

05:15 How Andrea became a social media strategist

08:53 Importance of family support in starting a business

10:36 How can social media add value to your business

13:01 Managing the "overwhelm" of sharing personal content

15:30 Best practices for time management in using social media

19:23 How can course creators leverage social media

21:54 Overview of Savvy Social School

24:31 A peek inside the membership program

28:00 Knowing which social media platform to focus on

32:59 Andrea's thoughts about using Facebook

35:39 Tips on being more strategic with social media

36:53 Exciting things coming up from Andrea, course and social media links

Finish Your Damn Course!

My group program for course creators, Finish Your Damn Course!, is open for enrollment! Click here to learn more.

Show Notes

Click here to visit the show notes to learn more about Andrea's work and her free course.

Coaching has been a big part of my life in allowing me to succeed

Episode Quotes

"I want to build it around from a place of integrity...what is going to give people the best results?"

"Representation is so important, when we can see and point to somebody, that's a huge catalyst."

"The business journey is hard, and helping people withstand that journey juices me up."

Listen to Learn

00:38 Getting to know Michael Knouse, Rapid 5 Questions

07:13 Michael's journey becoming a business coach

11:20 "My Big Wake Up Call" - rough experiences in the business

14:40 Recovering from burnout, moving forward and thriving

16:54 Overview about Growth Catalyst - who is it for?

25:22 Structure of Growth Catalyst program - what do participants get?

28:34 Strategy of grouping people by levels

31:08 How to get participants out from the "stuck zone"?

35:07 How do you solve for mindsets and habits? Importance of assessment/evaluation

40:45 Growth Catalyst and other service offerings

46:34 Awesome things to look forward from Michael, social media links

Want More?
Check out the bonus segment Michael and I recorded. It’s a great conversation around growth and scaling your business. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Education is the best way to get attention, to grow an audience, to make an impact.

Episode Quotes

"Online courses is what propels me into my own learning and it has totally transformed my life."

"Doing services helps you define your process and get clear on who your course will be for."

"I started thinking about my clients as my students."

"Defining who the course is for opens up opportunities for you to create other products."

"My big win was serving my audience… it is an honor to be part of what they are creating."

Listen to Learn

01:00 Getting to know Ryan Clover-Owens

05:05 Ryan's web design business

08:53 Challenges and motivations to join "Finish Your Damn Course"

12:20 Overview of Ryan's web design course

22:15 Who is the course for?

28:00 Identifying your audience - interviews, sales page

34:18 Ryan's big wins from Janelle's program

38:40 A peak inside: course structure and modules

58:16 Insights and learnings creating the course

42:20 Exciting things coming from Ryan, links

50:50 How to Join Finish Your Damn Course!

Want to Join Finish Your Damn Course?

I’m opening the doors for 5 more students to join. Will you be one of them? Click here to learn more about the program and decide if it’s a good fit: https://www.zencourses.co/mentorship

Video takes away that barrier of being far. It is a great connector.

Episode Quotes

"Failing is super essential and nothing can be done without you failing"

"You need to focus on your message - your goal for video and your message"

"Content is always at the forefront of my mind"

"Remember that your goal is to serve people through your content"

Listen to Learn

00:13 Getting to know Xayli Barclay, Rapid 5 Questions
04:40 The business journey - Xayli the video maven
07:38 Why video is so powerful? What is it that makes it magical?
11:34 What to focus on in making videos? Challenges etc.
14:38 The Ultimate Video Strategy, Planning and Execution System
22:23 Xayli's motivation in creating Start, Shoot, Grow Video Academy
24:27 More about Start, Shoot, Grow Video Academy
27:30 How to know how much content to create for your course?
29:55 The learners journey - how to help students not to get stuck
32:52 Milestones of students in their video journey
34:40 Exciting things coming up from Xayli

Want More?

Check out the bonus segment Xayli and I recorded. It’s a great conversation about the nitty gritty of video making and how to plan your videos. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

I want to make a difference on this planet. I'm on a mission to educate the world.

Episode Quotes

"Education, like healthcare, should be a universal right and not a privilege."

"I believe that learning the tools and the techniques of design making is universal."

"Hardwire yourself not to look at what makes you less than, but focus on what makes you more than."

Listen to Learn

00:02 What is the ultimate goal of The Futur?

04:13 Challenges in Developing countries, thoughts on to solve them

12:23 Course creation process, how to make content more actionable

17:37 How do you figure out the learner's journey?

19:41 How teaching design differ from other courses?

25:13 Importance of community in education

27:26 Things to look forward to from Chris, links and announcements

Want More?

Chris and I couldn’t stop talking...so we recorded a bonus segment. In it, we talk learning business skills as a designer, how to get out of your comfort zone, the digital divide and more. It’s a great conversation! Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra/

When it comes to vulnerability I think it's about taking very small steps.

Episode Quotes

"We think vulnerability in sharing our personal challenges is a weakness."

"The biggest surprise was that people loved me more and really appreciated that openness."

"You can give people all the information but if they don't take action then it's worthless."

Listen to Learn

00:23 Getting to know Conni, Rapid 5 Questions

04:28 Conni's business journey - travel blogging, course creator, helping people

08:38 Biggest surprise when Conni started being vulnerable in sharing

11:18 Overview of the online course “The Art of Vulnerability”

15:00 Validation process before starting the course

18:11 Who the course is for?

21:30 Designing the course curriculum and launching it

27:43 The course structure - modules and lessons

32:20 Where do students get stuck and how do you support them?

40:48 Exciting things coming up from Conni, links and announcements

Want to Hear More?

Check out the bonus segment Conni and I recorded about how you can use vulnerability to empower yourself as an entrepreneur. Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

Episode Quotes

"If you are going through challenges, I just want you to be encouraged that it's real life."

"Self paced courses are great but I realized I was missing that learner connection."

"Whenever I have challenges I always [try to] figure out what the lesson is."

"Mastery is all about progress. It's about committing for the long haul and mastering your craft."

Listen to Learn

00:05 Episode Intro

01:18 My 2018: Highlights, Challenges and Wins

11:40 Lessons learned from 2018

21:00 Exciting things coming up for 2019

26:15 My tips and recommendations for you

Want More?
You can read my full 2018 Annual Review here: https://www.zencourses.co/articles/2018

What’s up everyone! Joining me today on the show is Daniel Lewis. He is an educator, podcast advocate and award-winning podcaster. He’s also the creator of The Audacity to Podcast course. In this episode, Daniel shares how podcasting benefits course creators and how to implement SEO in podcasts.

I believe podcasting is the best way to share your message.

Episode Quotes

"I felt like there was a void in the space. There was a perspective that wasn't being shared."

"When you use a podcast to share your message, people will start to know, like and trust you."

"It's really about making amazing content because that's what makes the difference."

Listen to Learn

00:29 Getting to know Daniel

02:14 Rapid 5 Questions

03:40 Daniel's journey becoming The Audacity to Podcast guy

08:26 How podcasts can benefit course creators?

12:33 Overview of SEO for Podcasters

15:16 Why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important?

17:26 How to implement SEO in your podcast?

19:04 Helpful tools in finding SEO keywords

20:09 The course development process and goal

22:56 Activities inside SEO for Podcasters

26:52 Exciting things coming up from Daniel, links and announcements

Want More?

Check out the podcast archive at http://zencourses.co/show

There’s always going to be a gap, your job is to identify that gap and close it one step at a time

Episode Quotes

"Relationship building and community building is all about trust."

"There is a range of what teaching really means but at the heart of it I think it's really understanding how to help people."

"We are so used to being self-focused and wanting to be seen as that creative inspired genius."

Listen to Learn

00:20 Getting to know Alex, Rapid 5 Questions

03:21 Alex's business journey: web development to co-working

09:47 The essence of TRUST in community and relationship building

15:32 Alex's teaching journey: HOW and WHY?

18:37 Overview of Alex and Amy’s flagship course, 30x500

22:53 Why people have the tendency to put the course before the audience?

25:15 Overhauling the bad habits, challenges faced, breaking down how to do things

32:09 A practical example: Sales Safari

35:12 Figuring out the "Stuck Zone"

39:15 Addressing the bad habits and changes that happened after

47:22 Alex's tips for course creators

51:50 Exciting things coming up from Alex, links and announcements

Want More?

Alex and I recorded a bonus segment on how to build community online, which tools work best, and more. You can grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

I realized the most successful marketing channel was email.

Episode Quotes

"You go through problems so you can figure out how to solve them and grow" - Janelle

"Email would drive 16x engagements than Twitter would."

"If you teach and share that's the difference between people who are reading the blog from people writing them."

"You're not trying to get the highest number of people, but the most engaged people"

"My mission is to both educate and provide all the tools for other creators to be able to do the same thing"

Listen to Learn

00:33 Getting to know Nathan Barry, Rapid 5 Questions

06:16 Nathan's email courses journey (ConvertKit)

08:55 Pushing content through email - what makes it so powerful?

12:40 Nathan's core value - "Teach Everything"

15:46 Tips for starters and how to overcome resistance

19:12 Transitioning to email courses

26:05 Why email courses are more effective than a PDF download?

28:35 Tactics to make your emails more actionable and engaged

34:00 How to use email courses to pitch a product?

39:13 Industries where email courses isn't a good fit

40:46 Exciting things coming up from Nathan Barry, links and announcements

Want More?
Nathan and I recorded a bonus segment just for you. It’s full of practical tips on how to get subscribers and stay consistent with email.
Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra

What online courses often lack is someone pushing them in real time with real consequences.

Episode Quotes

"Your journey is your journey. You can't copy what everyone else is doing or done before."

"Every day you got to wake up and figure out how you're going to make it work for you and your customer."

"Don't try to buy somebody else's audience. Build your own audience."

"You're only going to accomplish something meaningful through a lot of discomfort."

"Nowadays, if you are not helping people make progress in their lives, it's not enough."

Listen to Learn

00:38 Getting to know Justin, Rapid 5 Questions

05:15 Justin's journey becoming an online entrepreneur

10:00 How to know when to build an email list and build an audience?

13:37 WHY? From book into an online course

17:49 Structure overview of Marketing for Developers

22:03 Challenges Justin experience as a course creator

25:44 Figuring out the learner journey, what online courses often lack

32:11 Tips in helping learners make progress

41:58 How do online courses fit in your business model?

45:15 How to keep people interested while creating the course?

48:56 Pricing tiers of Marketing for Developers

52:48 Awesome things to look forward to from Justin, links and announcements

Want More Podcast-goodness?
Listen to the bonus segment! Justin and I recorded a bonus conversation on vulnerability, mental health, and more rarely talked about topics in entrepreneurship. Sooooo good. Get access here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra/

When you are leading experts: get out of the way and empower your team to make decisions

Episode Quotes

"It's about creating a team and an environment that's safe enough where everyone can really contribute."

"My approach... I would start applying more individual human personal touches."

"That was sort of a big realization that if there's demand, there's probably money here."

"With courses for entrepreneurs or consultants you do have to figure out how to navigate around life so that people stay on track."

Listen to Learn

00:36 Getting to know Marcus Blankenship, Rapid 5 Questions

02:35 Marcus' business journey (Tech Leadership Guy)

08:42 Pivoting to the right audience

11:23 Leadership skills that tech leaders should have

15:46 Overview of Software Leader Seminar, course objectives

21:21 Methodology of creating Software Leader Seminar

29:51 How to manage the learner's journey?

33:56 Upcoming updates for the course

38:20 Tips in creating learning programs

43:48 Exciting things coming up from Marcus, links and announcements

Get the Bonus Segment!
Like bonuses? Marcus and I recorded a bonus segment where we went deeper into how to be an effective leader...and more.

You can grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra/

In this episode, we chat about how to leverage the Productized Service model. He also guides us through his course, Productize and Scale, and how he’s built a thriving community. Let’s go!

Use customer feedback as your direction

Episode Quotes

"I usually start with a very big outline to get the main chapters down just to have a roadmap."

"A lot of people get stuck on the idea like is this a good idea to productize?"

"The main thing that I try to encourage people to do is just get something out there"

"When you're doing that transition, start by doing the service first so you can hone in on your processes, strategies, and methodologies"

Listen to Learn

00:25 Getting to know Brian Casel

03:24 Brian's journey from music production to freelancing

07:04 Rapid Five Questions

13:03 Brian's journey from freelancing to productizing

17:50 What is Productizing? Overview about Audio Ops

20:13 About Brian's Productize and Scale course

26:56 How Brian created the course curriculum

29:20 What is the end goal of Productize and Scale?

31:30 The learner journey, where do people get stuck in the course

35:00 More about Productize and Scale - lessons, modules and community

38:01 Brian's tips about productizing or creating a course

42:00 Awesome things coming up from Brian, links and announcements

Bonus Segment
Like bonuses? Brian and I recorded a bonus segment where we went deeper into how to scale your business, price your services, and more.

You can grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra/

The first thing I thought about if someone wants to learn from me is what do they want to get out of this?

Episode Quotes

"Always trust your intuition or gut instinct"

"We redesign everything once a year just to keep it up to date, but right now it's all focused on simplicity"

"People were looking for guidance... what I do now when people sign up is they get put into an email automation sequence"

"This isn't a paid by the hour job. You got to put in the work to reap the benefits long term"

Listen to Learn

00:13 Getting to know Anton Kraly

0:55 Rapid 5 Questions

02:21 What is drop shipping? Benefit of drop shipping

03:58 Anton's e-commerce and drop shipping journey

07:47 Anton's motivation of creating Drop Ship Lifestyle

10:40 The 3 pricing packages of Drop Ship Lifestyle

12:42 Walkthrough about Drop Ship Lifestyle

15:41 Forums and creating engagement

19:20 How to design a drop shipping curriculum

21:04 Challenges in running a learning platform

22:35 Success stories of students doing the course

23:55 Overcoming the stage of being "stuck" in the business

27:31 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Anton, links and announcements

Check out the show notes for links, works and more info about Anton and his course, Drop Ship Lifestyle: https://www.zencourses.co/070

Community is very important in a membership site. In this episode, Travis shares practical steps on how to effectively build the community, how to reduce churn and increase membership engagement.

Come for the content, stay for the community.

Episode Quotes

"You just keep on keeping on. It doesn't come overnight."

"One of the strengths of a membership site is the ability to have that community component"

"Come for the content, stay for the community"

"That initial on-boarding experience is really important"

"I caution people not to plan too much, not to try to have everything perfectly nailed down"

Listen to Learn

00:48 Getting to know Travis Northcutt, Rapid 5 Questions

03:05 How Travis' become a membership site consultant

04:07 Challenges that Travis' faced starting out

05:53 The story behind creating "Member Up"

07:48 Membership Sites vs. Courses

11:42 Challenges of having a membership site

13:41 Best ways in building community in a membership site

17:18 More about Member Up and Member Score

20:33 What is churning? How to reduce it?

25:16 Exciting things coming up from Travis

Next Steps

Check out the show notes for links, works and more info about Travis and MemberScore: https://www.zencourses.co/069

Also, don’t forget to grab the bonus segment that Travis and I recorded. We talk about the best practices for site growth and member engagement, plus the different pitfalls of running a membership site.

You can grab that bonus content at http://get.zencourses.co/extra

Our site is a tool; it's not a magic wand...If you buy it and don’t use it, it's not going to help you.

Episode Quotes

"It is natural to have ups and downs of entrepreneurship"

"It is more about getting a baseline of what your strengths and weaknesses are and then focusing on those weaknesses"

"Use customer feedback to drive everything that you build"

"Put it out there before it is ready"

"Take some time to know your business and think about whether or not this approach is going to work for you"

Listen to Learn

00:42 Rapid 5 Questions

04:50 How to deal with the ups and downs of entrepreneurship?

09:17 Aaron's business journey (Massage Exam Academy)

17:11 Challenges that came up in building the course

19:25 Technical side of the course - tools and software used

25:57 How the course helps students taking the massage exam

31:35 Getting traffic for the course, SEO

33:38 Massage Exam Academy's pricing model and subscription rates

37:47 Resources that helped Aaron in his entrepreneurship journey

41:16 Aaron's tips for entrepreneurs

44:39 Awesome things to look forward to from Aaron and Ivy, links and announcements

For more info on Aaron and Ivy’s business, check out the show notes at https://www.zencourses.co/068

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they don't take action, they don't put up stuff out there.

Episode Quotes

"Rather than just sitting on ideas, and planning and thinking, take what you believe and put it out into the marketplace."

"Client achievement is worth more to me than just seeing the bank account grow."

"What consultants are missing is a good marketing plan and a strategy to generate consistent lead flow"

"We treat all our members like family and when they need support we're there for them"

"Don't just build everything first. Have an outline, a rough skeleton of what you believe is important and then sell it"

Listen to Learn

00:53 Getting to know Michael Zipursky

06:40 Rapid Five Questions

08:36 Michael's consulting/business journey

18:41 What were the challenges you experience first time?

19:49 The reason in creating Consulting Success System 2.0

21:16 Lessons and strategies that Michael learned in creating a self paced course

26:06 Details about Michael's coaching program for consultants

36:20 How did you get to that point to where the coaching program is now?

39:00 Improvements, updates and results of the coaching program

43:26 Michael's advice for people who want to transition into consulting

51:45 Tips for consultants struggling in generating leads

55:35 Exciting things coming up for Michael, links and announcements

Check out the show notes for links to Michael’s work and info on his new book: http://zencourses.co/067

Don’t spend a year making something. Do a tiny product first.

Episode Quotes

"A good business doesn't mean it is a good business for you"

"Just because people pay money for your thing doesn't necessarily mean it solves their problem"

"You need to have a really clear vision of what the product is going to be"

"It is better to sell a smaller product for less money than to sell nothing"

"People buy when they are confronted with a reason to take time to read the details and make a decision"

“The big thing I want people to avoid is to spend a year making something and then [get] no sales...do a tiny product first.”

Listen to Learn

00:29 Getting to know Amy Hoy

03:26 Rapid 5 Questions

07:13 Amy's journey as an entrepreneur

11:44 Do's and don’ts whenever you have an idea in mind

14:37 All about validation, Why validation is backwards?

20:27 Pre-selling: Is it good or not?

24:22 Amy's pre-selling process

32:25 Is there an X-factor in this online business?

34:08 Steps to do your first pre-sell

40:28 About Sales Safari and how to find out what people want

43:49 Concepts about events, marketing and launches

47:21 Amy's tips for online entrepreneurs about pre-selling

51:34 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Amy, links and announcements

54:50 What's your why? Why do you do this work?

Check out the show notes for links to Amy’s work and to subscribe to the newsletter: http://zencourses.co/066

Lessons I learned out of the break

It’s ok to stop. I know that’s not the message you hear. Everyone else tells you to hustle till you drop. During my break, I learned that it’s not about working non-stop but instead working strategically.

The big reveal!

There’s a big change coming to the show--starting with the next episode. I am re-branding the podcast, with a new name, new artwork, and a stronger focus. Listen to find out more!

Episode Quotes

"I don't believe that you have to work non-stop. I do believe in working hard and smart."

"While technology is super important and valuable it can be a distraction."

"You have to go all in if you are thinking about doing something."

"Business problems are usually connected to personal resistance in a particular area."

Listen to Learn

00:45 Why I took a break with the Zen Courses Show?

02:31 Re-evaluation and what I learned

06:49 Upcoming changes and new stuffs with the podcast

11:24 Re-launch Date

15:22 The biggest lessons I learned out of the break

19:41 Announcements and Links

It came out of the success of Marie's program

Before collaborating with each other, Ben and Marie were doing their own things: Marie was working on her online course ‘Digital School Strategy’ and Ben was into software development. When Ben noticed Marie’s success, that’s when he started to focus on online courses. The story of a collaborative work began.

We always tell people “start with the problem, start with the audience”

Start with the problem. In other words, it’s about understanding the audience and knowing what they need. Marie emphasizes: content creators do not need to figure out everything before they start. It is just starting small and putting out the “rough and ready” version of your course. To grow with a blog or a YouTube channel toward a successful course, you need to spend time knowing yourself, your business and your goals. It is a collaborative work between you and your audience.

Want more info on Ben and Marie’s course and business? Head over to zencourses.co/064 to read the full show notes and check out what Ben and Marie are up to now.

Episode Quotes

"Failure is inevitable... the only way to learn is to fail"

"Start small and start with the rough and ready version of your course"

"Getting to know your audience is what helps you become a better course creator"

"Spending time to get to know yourself and your business, and your goals is so important"

Listen to Learn

00:36 Getting to know Ben and Marie

02:53 Rapid 5 Questions

04:29 How Ben and Marie started working collaboratively?

06:35 Why did you focus your energy in creating online courses?

07:47 Challenges and lessons learned when starting the online course

14:20 Debunking the biggest myths about being an online course creator

18:14 Course development process

21:02 Strategies in growing your audience

25:48 Knowing whether or not a course make sense for your business

27:00 Tips in marketing online courses

32:19 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Ben and Marie, links and announcements

I guide people from the very beginning to printing to the fabric

Jen’s journey is an interesting one. After “running her stationary business into the ground” in her twenties, she returned to corporate life--and thought she would stay there until retirement. But life had other plans. After the economy tanked, Jen took a screenprinting class that changed her life. Jen pursued her passion for art and eventually created “Design, Carve, Print,” which focuses around block printing on fabric and caters to not only artists but hobbyists as well.

Design, Carve, Print is a 6-week online class with a combination of videos and blog posts, starting from introduction to block printing, materials and tools used, to the practical things like how to draw the design, carving it and printing it on fabric.

Episode Quotes

"I realized that I wasn't going to be everything to everyone."

"I guide people from the very beginning of even just coming up with ideas."

"The nice thing about an online class is it's evergreen. Once you've done it you can repurpose it forever if you want."

"It's flexible enough that I do change things as I go."

"It comes from letting go of ego when you teach…"

"Make sure people want to learn what you want to teach."

Listen to Learn

00:43 Getting to know Jen Hewett

03:30 Rapid 5 Questions

05:36 Jen's journey in becoming a printmaker, textile artist and online class creator

11:25 Design, Carve, Print - Who is it for? What problem does it solve?

13:05 Teaching in Person vs. Teaching Online

19:45 Course Overview: Launching, Structure and Activities

25:00 Is there anything you would have changed when you started teaching it online?

27:50 Why do you think that skill level doesn't matter in the course?

31:00 Jen's tips for artists who want to start teaching online

33:00 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Jen, links and announcements

A quick note from Alyson: Since this interview, Art Biz Coach has become Art Biz Success.

I believe that artists are so valuable to the world; I will do everything I can to help them

After teaching artists for a while, Alyson developed a framework called Art Career Success System.
ACSS is composed of 4 programs. One is the Creative Content Camp, which helps artists create their contents. Another component is the Fan Boosting Formula, which teaches artists about cultivating relationships in your art career. Thirdly, Art Biz Accelerator, which is about the places where you show and sell your art. Lastly, we have the Magnetic You which is all about presentation, speaking and branding as an artist.

Episode Quotes

"In order to succeed as a solo entrepreneur you got to have some kind of framework."

"I never publish the same thing twice, it always changes."

"The big lesson I learned is that I don’t want to record... I like to do it live."

"We learn better from mistakes than we do from the good stuff."

"I believe that artists are so valuable to the world... they have a really special place."

Listen to Learn

00:03 Episode Intro, Getting to know the speaker (Alyson Stanfield)

01:08 Rapid 5

04:32 Alyson's journey into Art Biz Coach

08:40 The Art Career Success System (ACSS), How Alyson's online courses started?

11:56 Who is this for and what problem does it solve?

13:06 The structure of ACSS and its four programs

15:33 Challenges that came in making ACSS

19:28 The activities included in each program

22:13 Is there anything you would have done differently?

26:33 Working through some of the mental blocks of clients towards success?

30:53 What's next for Alyson - updates and events, end notes

Full Show Notes
Visit the full show notes to find links to Alyson's site and course: http://zencourses.co/062

A quick note:

• Matt references the course platform Coach, which is now Podia
• Listen to the end to get access to the video walkthrough of Matt’s course!

Ideas not art… It’s really about connecting with people and solving problems

To start off with, Matt discusses how he got started with sketchnotes and the three books that helped him create his first sketchnotes. He also shares his vision of connecting people over big ideas, and solving problems.

I want students to feel comfortable putting their ideas down on paper

Matt and I talk about his launch of ‘Sketchnote Starter Course’ which helps people who think they can’t draw at all realize their potential. The course starts with simple lessons on basic concepts about shapes, then explores deeper topics like how to put your creation into production, social media, and visual libraries, etc.

When asked “What is the goal of your course?”, Matt simply said, “I want the students to feel comfortable putting their ideas on paper.” He believes that his students are on a journey in doing sketchnotes. It’s about what makes the most sense to students, putting their creations down without shame or hindrance, remembering more ideas and, as a result, solving more problems.

Want learn more about Matt’s course? Head over to zencourses.co/061 to read the full show notes and check out the video of this interview.

Episode Quotes

"Sketchnotes has been a great connector for me with different types of work."

"Just give yourself some grace and stop comparing yourself"

"The only person that you need to sketchnote for is yourself"

Listen to Learn

00:19 Getting to know Matt

02:23 Rapid 5 Questions

05:13 How did Matt get into teaching Sketchnotes?

08:00 Balancing work, sketchnotes and family

12:14 Overview about the Sketchnote Starter Course

16:34 What were some things that happened that you didn't plan on?

22:00 Where did the idea for the course come from?

28:20 What is the goal for your learners after completing the course?

29:58 A peek inside the Sketchnote Starter Course

35:36 What are the things that you would do differently or adjust and tweak?

39:09 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Matt, plus final announcements

Quitting was not a financial worry, I was just over it. I needed a
change.

Before quitting her job and jumping into entrepreneurship, Dominique was into banking and finance. After quitting her job, she was able to start fresh, focus on personal finance and educate people about their finances.

The Finances Demystified Bootcamp

Dominique’s online course is a 5-week program which helps entrepreneurs learn more about personal finance. It’s ideal for learners who are looking for an affordableself study program. Topics covered in the course include: budgeting, saving, investing, shifting one’s money mindset, stocks, bonds, and more.

Want to learn more about Dominique’s story and her course? Head over to http://zencourses.co/060 to read the full show notes.

Episode Quotes

"Being an entrepreneur is not cute, it's not sexy. It is a lot of hard work."

"Make sure you have a self realization moment. Are you willing to lose everything to get something bigger?"

"If there is something that you want to do, do it. Don't wait because there's never going to be a perfect time."

“Money isn’t everything but at the end of the day it’s something that we all need.”

Listen to Learn

00:38 Getting to know Dominique Broadway

01:07 Rapid 5 Questions

04:08 Dominique's "Money Therapist" journey

10:13 Money tips for people who want to jump into entrepreneurship

14:12 Overview about the Finances Demystified Bootcamp course

16:55 What was your motivation in creating the course?

17:32 What are the challenges that you faced creating the course?

19:48 Going deeper into the activities included in the course

25:51 Tips about creating courses and managing money

26:55 Coming up: Exciting things to look forward to from Dominique, links, and final announcements

In this interview, Lisa shares her journey as a teacher turned artist turned artist who teaches. Enjoy!

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• What motivated Lisa to switch careers later in life
• Why you're never too old to begin something new (and how it works in your favor)
• How she overcame her resistance to teaching online
• The pros and cons of partnering with platforms like Skillshare and CreativeBug
• Self-paced courses versus blended-learning: from an instructor's perspective
• Why you should delegate and outsource

Sites & Tools Mentioned

• Lisa's website - http://lisacongdon.com/
• Lisa is @lisacongdon on Instagram

Lastly, I want to give a big THANK YOU to Lisa for sharing her story with us!

This is part two of my interview with Jane Hamill, former fashion designer, business consultant, and online course creator. (Check out episode 57 for part 1.)

In this part, Jane shares how she structures her courses and motivates her students. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How to get your content done
• Why your students need more structure than you think
• How to support your students when life happens
• The secret for staying in your zone and not comparing yourself to others
• How to balance between imagining and doing the work

References Mentioned:

Jane's website

Zen Courses on Patreon

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jane for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview, Jane shares how she transitioned from running her clothing line to teaching online. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why you shouldn’t ask your students what they want
• Why you should start with one course, even if your vision is bigger
• How to start your course with a limited budget
• How she tackles talking about money
• The framework Jane uses to design her courses
• Ways to build structure into your course so students do the work

References and Tools Mentioned:

Jane's website - http://fashionbrainacademy.com/ 

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jane for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview, Jarrod shares how he launched his first course and what he's learned from ten years of designing and entrepreneur-ing. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What he learned from his first failed business
• Why he launched his course on a weekend—when everyone says not to!
• The incentives that motivated Jarrod’s audience to buy his course
• How he balances consulting with creating products
• How consulting and design have made him a better course creator
• The three teaching components he uses in his course
• Why you don’t need to focus on web design when you’re starting out

References and Tools Mentioned:

Show notes - http://zencourses.co/056

Zen Courses on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/zencourses 

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jarrod for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview Meighan shares how she left Corporate America to grow her own business and the story behind her course, Anatomy of a Newsletter. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why social media is not where you will make sales
• How to overcome your resistance to starting a newsletter
• Why you should validate your course before you create it
• Why you should offer services if you’re a course creator
• Strategies for planning and publishing your newsletter
• Why unsubscribes are a good thing
• Why she chose Coach for her course platform

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Meighan’s website
• Anatomy of a Newsletter
• Coach (aff link)

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

In this interview Rachel shares her story and why she decided to create an online course when she already had a couple products. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why Rachel decided to create digital products when she already had a successful design career
• Why Rachel believes YOU are your brand
• How to use your values to help you build your brand and products
• Why it’s okay to evolve your products and processes
• How she decides what course content to keep and what to leave out
• Why you should always overdeliver

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Coach (partner link) - the course platform Rachel uses
• Rachel's website - rachilli.com
• Rachel's products - rachilli.com/shop
• Rachel on Twitter - twitter.com/missrachilli
• Rachel on Instagram - instagram.com/rachilli

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Rachel for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How growing up in on two different Chicago neighborhoods opened Tiffany’s eyes to disparities in education
• Why creating inclusive and accessible spaces of learning is important to Tiffany
• How Aerial Spaces is working to close the digital divide in education
• Why it’s important to think about obstacles your learners may have
• How immersive learning increases engagement in your online course or workshop
• Why you should think about results before you begin teaching
• How Aerial Spaces provides global access in countries where other tools don’t

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Aerial Spaces
• Experience Institute
• Dev Bootcamp
• TransHack

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Tiffany for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview Halley shares how she transitioned from consulting to creating her flagship course. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why you shouldn’t start with courses if you’re a new business owner
• How to use momentum and deal with emotions to structure your course
• How Halley adjusted her services to a course format
• The power of using worksheets
• Why no-one wants to know your background information
• Why your students need to trust the method to do the work
• The three emotional obstacles that keep your students from taking action
• Why Halley teaches the hard information first

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Be Booked Out
• Thinkific (partner link)
• Click Funnels

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Halley for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Groove recently created their first online course and sold out in 5 days! In this interview Len shares why a help desk company decided to create an online course and what it took to make it happen. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why content marketing is important…and how Groove rebooted their content marketing strategy
• Why you should focus on helping your customers grow
• Why it makes sense for SaaS companies to create online courses
• How to get past your fear of marketing
• Tips for staying productive so you can get your course done even with a day job
• How to know how much content to include in the course
• The #1 marketing channel Groove used to sell their course
• Strategies to keep your email list engaged
• Why you should create obstacles for people to sign up for your course

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Groove’s case study for their course launch
• Coach - an online course platform (aff link)
• Price It Perfect - An online course to help you create the perfect pricing strategy for your courses

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Len and everyone at Groove for sharing their story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode we're going to take a trip down memory lane. You’ll hear the highlights from a year of interviewing online course creators, including my top takeaways and snippets from the most popular shows over the past year. I'll also share what I've been up to with Zen Courses. Ready?

References and Episodes Mentioned:

• Jumpstart Your Course - A live program to help you get started with your online course
• ZCS 011 - Sarah Selecky of SarahSelecky.com
• ZCS 047 - Bob Reynolds of BobReynoldsMusic.com
• ZCS 044 - Caleb Pike of DSLRVideoShooter.com
• ZCS 043 - Courtney Sanders of ThinkAndGrowChick.com
• ZCS 003 - Darlene Hildebrandt of DigitalPhotoMentor.com
• ZCS 007 - Emma Holmes of SchoolofScratch.com
• ZCS 025 - Brent Weaver of uGurus.com

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone featured in this episode for sharing their story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview Krystal shares how she left her dream law career and overcame cancer to build a successful audiobook business. Oh yeah, we chat about her course too. Check it out!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Krystal used Udemy to validate her online course
• How her dream job as an attorney led her to audiobooks
• Why she thinks 'find your passion' is bad advice
• How she decides what to include and what to leave out of her course
• The tools Krystal uses to create community in her courses
• How Krystal uses workshops to make sure that the right students buy her course

Read the full show notes: http://zencourses.co/049

Enjoy This Episode?

If so, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews help the show's rankings. Plus, they help me improve the show so I can bring you more value. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Krystal for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview he shares his story and how he uses the power of sales funnels to sell online courses. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What a sales funnel is and why you need one
• Ways to validate your online course
• Why you should get validation from people who don’t know you well
• How community helps you improve your online course
• The 3 key elements of a sales funnel
• How to identify problems in your funnel
• Tools to setup your sales funnel

Click here to see the full show notes!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Yann for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

When he's not winning Grammys, Bob is also a songwriter and online teacher. He and I have been circling each other online for years and finally had a chance to chat. In this interview he shares his story and how he started teaching music online. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why a successful working musician started an online school
• Bob's biggest fears when he first started
• The turning point that made him commit to creating a full-blown school versus working on a single course
• How he teaches different learning levels in his school
• Why he focuses on process instead of outcomes
• Tips for teaching yourself how to play an instrument

References and Tools Mentioned:

• BobReynoldsMusic.com
• Bob's Virtual Studio

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Bob for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why it’s good to disconnect from the online world to create
• What an immersive course / program looks like
• Why Holly Wren uses a seasonal structure for her program
• How she balances teaching online with her need to create art
• How she transitioned her in-person teaching to an online business
• Why pricing is something you have to test
• How she teaches transformation through poetry in an online program

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Poetry Immersion Program
• Holly's upcoming course, A Body of Work

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Holly for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Paul was one of the first guests on the show. He’s back this week to share what he’s been working on and his Mailchimp course, Chimp Essentials.

If you want to take Mailchimp to the next level while saving money and learn about marketing automation, this episode is for you. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What Paul’s been up to as a course creator for the past year
• Why he created a course on Mailchimp when there are other email solutions out there
• How to make Mailchimp work like ConvertKit…and save money
• Why Paul chose an open and close cart structure for his course launch
• Why short videos work great for technical topics
• What marketing automation is and how it works in Mailchimp
• How Paul uses drip content in his course to increase activity
• The 3 ways Paul uses student feedback
• How to beta test your course: content, testimonials, support requests

References and Tools Mentioned:

• Chimp Essentials Learn how to make Mailchimp do everything ConvertKit does and more
• WP Complete - WordPress Plugin to track student progress in your course

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Paul for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

I’ve been following Caleb’s videos for a while and am excited to have him on the show to share his experience using YouTube to market to his audience, plus his take on camera gear for online course videos. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Caleb got his start in video after quitting college • How YouTube has changed his business • Why he stopped writing blog posts • How to skyrocket your email list subscribers using YouTube • Editing secrets to make your videos more engaging • How to streamline your video production process • How he decides what to create for free versus what should be a paid product • What camera, microphone and lens to buy if you’re starting out with video

References and Tools Mentioned:

• DSLR Video Shooter on YouTube
• DSLRVideoShooter.com
• VimeoPro
• Thinkific
• http://first500subs.com

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Caleb for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Courtney has a fantastic story. In this episode you’ll hear how she went from losing her scholarship in college and drowning in debt to turning her blog into a five figure business that allowed her to quit her job.

Of course, we’ll also talk about her workshop turned online course, The Escape Plan too. Ready?

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Courtney got her start as an entrepreneur in college…and lost her scholarship • The escape plan she used to turn Think and Grow Chick into a profitable brand • Why she uses live workshops to test drive new courses • Why you need be willing to invest in your business to grow • How she structures her course, The Escape Plan, for learning.

References and Tools Mentioned: • Think and Grow Chick • Courtney's course, The Escape Plan  • WooCommerce • Sensei • First 500 Subscribers

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Courtney for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this interview we talk about his course-building process, how he uses YouTube for marketing and why he uses Coach to deliver his online course.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Who Mackenzie is and why he started teaching design online
• The big mistake that delayed his course launch (and how he recovered from it)
• Why he does things before he's any good at them
• Why Mackenzie uses Coach for his online course; plus, what he likes & where there's room for improvement
• How to streamline your video production
• How to use YouTube to build your brand
• What equipment he recommends for quality videos

Sites Mentioned:

• Mackenzie's course, Design for Developers
• Mackenzie's YouTube channel

Video Equipment Mackenzie Uses:

• Shure KM32
• Focusrite USB interface
• Canon 80D DSLR camera
• Blue Yeti Microphone
• Final Cut Pro

*The links above are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase these items, you'll help Zen Courses continue to create awesome content like this podcast.

Thanks For Listening!

Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews help the show's rankings. Plus, they help me improve the show so I can bring you more value.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email at hello@zencourses.co. I read every email and I'd love to read yours.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Huge thanks to Mackenzie for sharing his story on the The Zen Courses Show!

Dave just had his first successful launch for his newest course, The Music Creator’s Toolkit—after many failed course launches. Today, he shares what he did differently to succeed.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Dave got started teaching music theory
• The secret mindset you need as an entrepreneur to keep going
• The one thing he changed that led to a successful course launch
• How to keep going even if you think you’re doing everything wrong
• Alternatives to having an email list

References and Tools Mentioned:

• The Music Creator’s Toolkit
• Fizzle - Online Training for Business Builders
• Teachable
• Thinkific
• Coach

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Dave for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • Who Spencer Fry is and why he created Coach • How Coach is different from other online course platforms • The features and benefits of Coach • Why you should sign up for Coach before December 5, 2016 • How to get help creating your online course

References and Tools Mentioned: • Coach - https://www.withcoach.com/ • Work with Me - http://zencourses.co/workwithme

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Spencer for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Shauna Lynn left a career in mathematics to become a home stager • How she tested the market before creating her online course • The steps and tools she used to run her webinars • Why she thinks webinars are a great marketing tool for selling your online course • How she stopped using “research” and “tools” to procrastinate • Her biggest lesson as an entrepreneur

References and Tools Mentioned: • Shauna Lynn's website - http://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/ • Styled, Listed, Sold - http://www.styledlistedsold.com/ • Thinkific’s article on Shauna Lynn’s webinar success - http://blog.thinkific.com/power-good-live-webinar-case-study/

• Zoom (webinar platform) • Crowdcast (another great webinar platform; aff link)

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Shauna Lynn for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Resources Mentioned: • Bloom's Taxonomy • Backwards Design

Creating your first course?

Check out Jumpstart, my latest course designed to guide you through picking a topic, making sure your customers want to buy your course, and planning your content.

Click here to check it out: jumpstartyourcourse.com

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to all new and long time listeners. Thanks for rockin' with The Zen Courses Show!

References and Tools Mentioned: • Handbrake - handbrake.fr • Wistia • Vimeo • Product Hunt

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to all new and long time listeners. Thanks for rockin' with The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Alan prepares for a course launch
• Why he chose to do a limited enrollment
• How he uses psychology to improve his launches
• The specific channels Alan used to drive his launch
• How to setup an email funnel for your course launch
• The tools Alan used to run his course launch
• The books and resources that helped Alan create his launch strategy
• Why video was such a key in the success of their launch

SPECIAL OFFER FOR ZEN COURSES LISTENERS: Click here to get 50% off Dianne's Yoga Training!

References and Tools Alan Mentions:

• Yoga For All Training
• Copyhackers
• Fizzle.co
• Launch by Jeff Walker

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Alan for sharing his launch experience with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How he started teaching calligraphy online • How he overcame many challenges and positioned his style of calligraphy to stand out • The marketing channels he used to launch his first workshop without an email list • What motivated him to go from teaching in-person to teaching online • How he overcame his fear of technology to create his first online course • How he determined what to put into his intro course versus his advanced course • How he priced his first online course

References and Tools Mentioned: • Esteban’s website • Esteban’s Introductory Shodo course • Esteban’s Advanced Shodo course • Teachery.co

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Esteban for sharing his story and experience with us on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who is curious about using LinkedIn to market and sell online course and other products. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Trevor got his start in sports and social media • How LinkedIn can help you build your brand, business and sell products • Tips for getting your students to complete long videos • How Trevor plans his online courses • How to get started with Joint Webinars • The tools Trevor uses to deliver, manage and sell his course • Why starting is the most important thing you can do for your success

References and Tools Mentioned: • Trevor’s Personal Website • LinkedInfluence • 30 Day Sales Machine

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Trevor for sharing his story and experience with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode, you'll discover the game-changer for effective marketing. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • What positioning is and how it can help you sell more courses and other products • The cold, hard truth about self-paced courses and completion rates • How the live bootcamp model is differs from self-paced online courses • Why learners need more structure than we think • The pros and cons of hybrid courses • Non-salesy marketing strategies for introverts • Why you should build a minimum viable course (MVC) instead of focusing on perfection • Unconventional non-LMS ways to run your online course

Resources that Philip Mentions: • PhilipMorganConsulting.com • The Positioning Crash Course • Prison Break Bootcamp

• Free workshops Philip and I are hosting on positioning and marketing your course

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Philip for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who is curious about using Facebook to market your online course. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Claire made the transition from employee to online entrepreneur while living abroad • What Facebook ads are and how they help you sell your course • Why you should create products at different price points • How to deal with low attendance and lack of participation in your course • Why access is the key to value and success for your learners • Why it’s important to set boundaries for your availability • How to run your online business while living abroad • Why Facebook ads are ridiculously powerful for your product launches

References Mentioned: • clairepells.com • The Get Paid Podcast • Claire's Free guide to list building • Absolute FB Ads self-study course

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Claire for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who is curious about Thinkific, marketing online courses, and pricing. Enjoy!

Free Workshop! Greg and I are Hosting a Free Workshop to Help You Create Your Course! Click here to register: http://get.thinkific.com/zencourses/

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • Greg's story: how law school helped him start teaching online courses • How Thinkific is different from every other online course platform out there • Why self-paced courses have low completion rates—and what to do about it • Direct integrations that will help you run your online business • How to get started with Thinkific if you’re considering it for your online course • Two features on Thinkific that you can’t find anywhere else • 3 ways to improve your odds of success with your online course • 3 marketing strategies to spread the word about your online course • The future of online courses and LMS platforms, according to Greg

References and Tools that Greg Mentions: • Thinkific • Quora (great way to research customer needs) • @thinkific on Twitter

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and would love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Greg for sharing his story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who is curious about workshops, CreativeLive and how to build an online school—not just a course. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • Susan's story: how she became a photographer on a whim • How Susan transitioned from live workshops to online courses (PLUS, what she was super afraid of) • Why Susan chose CreativeLive to get her start with online courses (and why she eventually went out on her own) • Just-in-Time Learning: what it is and why it works for The Wedding School • How knowing your learner’s journey affects your course content • How Susan marketed and launched The Wedding School, from soft launch to live event • Why you should launch to your loyal fans first • Why you shouldn’t ask your customers how much they’ll pay for your online course • Strategies to help you overcome the mental blocks of pricing your online course

References that Susan Mentions: • The Wedding School • Susan’s personal website • Like The Wedding School on Facebook

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Susan for sharing her story with us here on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who wants to learn more about Wordpress LMS plugins. It's also great if you're having a hard time choosing between an LMS plugin or an LMS platform like Teachable. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Joshua got his start in online education • What an LMS plugin is (and the top 2 reasons to use one) • The pros and cons of using an LMS plugin for your online course • The differences between Wordpress LMS plugins, LMS themes, and LMS platforms • Membership plugins vs online course plugins • How LifterLMS simplifies your LMS plugin options • The mission behind LifterLMS’s decision to go open source • Why pen and paper is the best technology

References and Tools that Joshua Mentions: • LifterLMS• Codeable• WPCurve• Twitter handle: @lifterlms

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Joshua for sharing his expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Caitlin is a professional transcript proofreader and blogger who teaches people how to escape the 9 to 5 and start a career proofreading anywhere.

In this episode, Caitlin shares her tumultuous journey from being a bad employee to working as a personal trainer to FINALLY becoming an entrepreneur and launching her successful online course, Transcript Proofreading.

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who has struggled with limiting beliefs. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn: • How Caitlin got her start as a transcript proofreader • How getting fired helped her gain the courage to be an entrepreneur • How her ebook helped her decide to create an online course • How she created Transcript Proofreading • Why she has five pricing tiers (and the reason someone would buy each tier) • Her strategy for testing students to make sure they’re actually learning • Why she believes a course should be treated like a course—not a product • Why she doesn’t offer refunds • How she motivates her students by hiring them—and why you should too

Where You Can Find Caitlin: • Proofread Anywhere • Twitter handle: @caitlinpyle

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes!

Ratings and reviews boost the show's rankings and new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Caitlin for sharing her success with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Later this month (April), Ali's launching her first online course, The Therapy School, a course to help people in therapy deepen their practice & understand how therapy works.

This episode is a special one because Ali is also a former client. She hired me to help her create her first online course. In this episode, she shares what she thought she knew and what she learned along the way. Enjoy!

"I was so naive. I didn’t think [creating a course] was going to be that hard. I knew it would be a lot of work […] but I can handle that. But I really had no idea of everything involved in creating an online course." --Ali

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Why she left a corporate career in finance to become a therapist• Why she decided to create a new model for how we understand therapy• How she designed her course to deal with boundaries, privacy and other sensitive topics• How Ali is marketing her first online course• Why revenue isn't her biggest focus (and what is instead)• Her process for creating a course that’s focused more on emotional transformation than practical skills• Why she engaged her audience before she built her course (and how it changed her plans)• The advantage of starting with a beta or pilot course• Her experience using Thinkific and her thoughts on the future of LMS platforms

References and Tools that Ali Mentions:• The Good Therapists (Ali's blog)• Therapy School • Thinkific

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Alison for sharing her story and experience with us on The Zen Courses Show!

This episode is especially valuable for anyone who struggles with building and audience and knowing what their audience wants to learn. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How getting turned down for a promotion fueled her start as an entrepreneur• Why she shut down her niche site to create a personal brand• Why she pivoted from 1-on-1 consulting to create her first course• The changes and trends in online courses since 2010, when Tara started teaching online• How offering services can set your online course up for success• Her experience teaching online courses via Creative Live• Strategies Tara uses to understand her audience at a deep level, so she can create better solutions for them• Why you should stop making ideal client profiles (and what to do instead)• How to use social media to research your audience’s problems

References and Tools that Tara Mentions:• Quiet Power Strategy • Tara’s personal site: taragentile.com• CreativeLive• Twitter handle: @taragentile

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show.

I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Tara for sharing her story and insights with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Brent is the co-founder of uGurus, an online business school for web professionals. They create online courses, mentor programs and other online learning products to help web professionals lead better lives.

In this episode, Brent shares the story behind uGurus and how they created their flagship online learning program, $10k Bootcamp.

This episode is especially valuable for anyone with expertise in an area who wants to transition from services to products. It’s also perfect for small business owners with a team who want to add online courses to their business model. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Chickens, side-hustles and why you shouldn't play Monopoly with Brent• How uGurus went from a side project to a full-time business• Why self-paced courses are limiting• The one metric that matters (hint: it’s not just sales)• Why you should do customer development before you teach• How he created $10k Bootcamp• Why you should vet customers for high-cost, high-value programs• The key differences between creating a hybrid, instructor-led program versus a self-paced course• Why you should invest in the strategy behind your course before you create it• The waterfall approach versus the spiral approach to learning• The #1 marketing tactic to use before you launch your course

References and Tools that Brent Mentions:• uGurus • $10k Bootcamp • Zoom (for video conferencing)• YouTube Live Streaming• Understanding By Design (Classic book on course design (aff link))• Twitter handle: @u_gurus / @brentweaver

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show.

I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

In this interview, you’ll learn how she successfully launched her course, Craft to Camera—even with a small list, the wrong price and stage fright. Plus, she shares some tips for making stellar launch videos. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• What kept her going after she quit her job to become an entrepreneur• Why it’s so important to tell your story• Why video should be part of your launch strategy• How her course, Craft to Camera, helps you tell your story on camera• Why you don’t need a huge list to launch your online course• The pros and cons of using Google Hangouts in your course• How pivoting and re-pricing helped her overcome an unsuccessful launch• What positioning is and how it helps your course launch• Tips for improving your launch videos

Links and Resources Mentioned:• Emmy’s website• Craft to Camera• OptimizePress• Emmy's favorite video gear• Twitter handle: @emmywumedia

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Emmy for sharing her experience and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode, you'll learn Rob’s story and how Drip can help you create email courses, grow your list and improve your marketing.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Why he waited to launch his first course, The Micropreneur Academy• If working as a consultant prepared him to create products• The approach Rob took to launch his course during a time when online courses weren’t popular• The top 3 things Rob learned about creating online courses• Why you may not need to build your whole course all at once• Why building an email list is critical to your sales and success• How his frustration with Mailchimp led to creating Drip• How Drip is different from Mailchimp and ConvertKit• Why Drip thinks email courses are so valuable (and helps you set one up)• How Drip helps you build your audience• How conversion rates help you optimize your marketing efforts

References and Tools that Rob Mentioned:• Drip • Rob’s Blog • Rob’s Podcast: Startups for the Rest of Us• The Micropreneur Academy • Twitter handle: @robwalling

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Rob for sharing his experience and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Jim Breese started off as an AirBnB host and did so well that he began teaching others. At LearnAirBnB.com, he and his team teach AirBnB hosts how to be successful in an ever-competitive market.

In this episode, Jim shares his entrepreneurial beginnings and how LearnAirbnb came to be, plus all the things he’s learned along the way that can help you with your course. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How Jim transitioned from being an Airbnb host to teaching other hosts online• Why not to wait until you feel like you’re an expert to teach• How the team validated the need for their course before they made it• The strategies they used to grow their audience• The pros and cons of using Udemy for your course• How to discover the real reason customers want to take your course, so you know how to market it• The essential tools to learn when you’re bootstrapping development of your course• Why they use WP Courseware to run their online course• The pros and cons of using WP Courseware• Jim’s top 5 tips for creating an online course

References and Tools that Jim Mentioned:• LearnAirbnb.com Homepage

• The LearnAirbnb Course• WPCourseware• PaidMembershipsPro• S3 Media Maestro• LearnAirbnb on Facebook• Twitter handle: @learnairbnb

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jim for sharing his story and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!

It can be a lot of work. And Steph Crowder knows all about it. Steph manages the membership community of Fizzle, a training site for online entrepreneurs.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for managing members, motivation and growth in your membership site. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• The pros and cons of having a membership site.• Why Steph left her great job at Groupon to become an entrepreneur• How she managed the fear and challenges of running a side-hustle while working full-time• The one shift in perspective that will help you succeed in your side-hustle• How much work it takes to run a membership site.• What Steph's average day of member support looks like• How to approach hiring moderators for your community• Strategies to help motivate members• The key to getting past fear• The tools the Fizzle team uses to manage their community• How to emphasize action in your membership community

Links to References and Tools that Steph Mentioned:• Fizzle.co*• The Fizzle Show• Intercom (for customer management & support email)• Slack* (for team communication)• Trello (for project & goal tracking)• Asana (for task management)• GoToMeeting (for group coaching & webinars)• Twitter & Instagram handle: @stephcrowder_

(Full disclosure: Starred items are affiliate links. If you click and purchase, you'll be supporting the The Zen Courses Show. Thanks!)

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Steph for sharing her insight with us on The Zen Courses Show!

If you sell online courses, you have a business. In this episode, we discuss how important pricing is for your business, how to price based on your costs, and how to use value-based pricing to take it to the next level.

And we promise not to get too geeky. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Why she’s known as The Radical CPA• How pricing can help you have a more profitable AND less-stressful business.• The key numbers every business owner should know about their business…and how to calculate them• Four steps to figuring out your pricing, based on cost• What the heck a gross margin is! (Hint: it’s tied to your profits.)• Two ways to build profit into your course pricing.• How to figure out how many sales you need to make to recoup your costs• Why trading time for money is limiting you. (And what to do instead.)• Why flat-rate pricing means you could charge more.• What value-based pricing is and how to figure it out.• How the Fist-Bump Pricing experiment helps you determine if you’re pricing too low

References Mentioned in This Episode:• NewVision CPA Group• Jody's book for CPAs, The Radical CPA• Twitter handle: @JodyPadarCPA

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes!

Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jody for sharing her pricing expertise on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode, we chat about his journey from employee to entrepreneur. We also dig into his process for making videos for his two courses.

Plus, you know I had to ask Caleb to share some equipment tips. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Why Caleb decided to leave his personal finance career to become an online entrepreneur.• How to relax on camera• Essential questions to ask before shooting a video for your course• How to make more engaging talking head videos• Why you should make shorter videos for your course• Strategies for staying on topic in your videos• What he does before he creates any course content• How to make better screen recordings• Where to start if you’ve never recorded videos before• Microphone recommendations for great audio• Why he believes in feedback and course updates

References Mentioned in This Episode:• DIYVideoGuy website • Course #1: DIY Video Production Guide• Course #2: DIY Premier Pro Guide• Fizzle.co*• Twitter handle: @calebwojcik

BONUS: Links to Pro-Level Microphones

Here are four microphones that you can buy to get great audio. There are two USB mics listed and two XLR mics. If you go the XLR route, you'll also need a mixer and pre-amp.

• Audio Technica ATR-2100 USB Mic ($52)*

• Blue Yeti Microphone USB Mic ($100)* - The mic I'm using in the episode

• Audio Technica AT875R XLR Mic ($170)*

• Shure SM7B XLR Mic ($349)* - The mic Caleb is using

*Full disclosure: These are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase a mic using them, you'll be supporting The Zen Courses Show. Thanks!

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, I'd LOVE it if you'd leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes!

Your review will help boost the ratings, so new listeners find out about The Zen Courses Show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

Click here to leave a review on iTunes.

Last but not least, I want to say THANK YOU to Caleb for sharing his expertise on The Zen Courses Show!

His two signature courses are Double Your Freelancing Rate and Double You Freelancing Clients. Today, we’ll dive in to his story and why he created his online courses. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• His scariest moment of entrepreneurship• Star Wars vs Star Trek: where Brennan stands• How his childhood influenced his decision to become an entrepreneur• How listening to people’s questions influenced every product he’s ever made• Why courses are more transformative than ebooks• Why he converted his first digital product into a course (and what he added to make it actionable)• His struggle with doubt and how he overcame it• The worst thing you can do when you create your online course• Mistakes he made with his first launch of Double Your Freelancing Clients wasn’t successful—and how he fixed them• Why content and access are not enough• Strategies for validating whether your audience needs your course• The two big Whys for everything Brennan does

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• Double Your Freelancing• Planscope• Brennan’s courses, Double Your Freelancing Rate and Double Your Freelancing Clients• FreePricingCourse.com• Twitter handle: @brennandunn

Thanks for Listening!Enjoy this episode? I'd love it if you'd leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Brennan for hanging out and sharing his expertise on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How bankruptcy inspired her to change her approach to entrepreneurship• How she merged her spiritual and working self online• How a shift in perspective allowed her to follow her intuition and quit her job• How she merged her spiritual and working self online• Why it’s important to ask your fans what they want• How she’s working to eliminate anxiety around money• The two launch approaches she used with each course• Why she decided to use Teachery for her course instead of Wordpress LMS plugins• The first thing to think about before you create your course• How the Critical Impact Rating helps you organize your course content• The Five Moments in your online course and what they mean for your content• Two aspects of learning that most people never consider

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• Carmen's website• Carmen’s two online courses, The Numinous School and True Prosperity• Teachery • The Numinous Podcast

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. 

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Carmen for sharing her spirit and expertise on The Zen Courses Show!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• What it takes to make a remarkable online course• The next level of online courses, according to Breanne• Why technology is not the problem with your course• How to use adult learning strategies to make better online courses• Why it’s critical to define your course participant before you make your course• The problem with creating customer avatars• How to clearly define your perfect participant• Why your learner’s journey is so important to structuring your course• The one question you should ask yourself about your customer before you create a course• The three R’s for your business and why they’re the key to growth

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• Breanne’s Perfect Participant Guide• Tara Gentile's Quiet Power Strategy MasterClass with Breanne Dyck• mynameisbreanne.com

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

To leave a review on iTunes:

1. search for the The Zen Courses Show in the Podcast app,

2. select it,

3. tap "Reviews," then

4. tap "Write Review."

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Breanne for sharing her expertise on The Zen Courses Show!

To stay up to date with the new things coming in 2016, get on The Zen Courses mailing list. You'll also get free updates, plus my email series, 5 Types of Online Courses. Just head over to zencourses.co/newsletter to sign up!

And...if you need help planning your online course, listen until the end to find out how to let me know what you're struggling with.

In this episode, Brendan shares his entrepreneurial journey as a side-project specialist and why he decided to create online courses. Enjoy!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How Brendan formed a Jiu-Jitsu e-commerce company• Why he loves being an entrepreneur on the side• His inexcusable reason for drinking crappy coffee• Why he thinks work-life balance is BS• How he created a profitable course without having a blog• The pricing strategy he used to launch his course• Why he loves creating Minimal Viable Products (MVPs) and believes business is about experimentation• How he used surveys to pick his next course topic• The wins and challenges of running a live course versus a self-paced course (he’s done both)• Why he doesn’t like drip content in his courses• Why you should iterate and update your course over time

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• OK Kimonos• The Hustle&Heart Blog• The Entrepreneur Dad Manifesto• The Productivity Fundamentals Course• Teachery.co• Steal Like an Artist• Entrepreneurs and Coffee Podcast

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, I want to send a big thank you to Brendan for sharing his story and insights on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode, Maya shares how getting laid off and taking a sabbatical kickstarted her entrepreneurial life. Plus, we dig into her online course and learn her tips for course creators.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How Maya transitioned from corporate sales to online entrepreneurship• Why she left fancy cars, a high salary and her PhD program and leapt into entrepreneurship.• How living and teaching in Ghana changed her perspective on life and entrepreneurship• Why it’s never too early to start creating revenue• Why starting small actually gives you more power and freedom• How Maya started selling courses with only 50 people on her list• What key marketing strategies Maya used to get her first customers• How you can test your audience’s engagement with your ideas• Why launching is so challenging for us…and what to do about it• The learning elements that are essential for your online course

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• MayaGaddie.com• This is How to Tech• Paid Membership Pro • Camtasia• Thrive Themes • Vimeo Pro• Slack • HelpScout • ActiveCampaign • ConvertKit

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

Lastly, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Maya for sharing her story on The Zen Courses Show!

If you want to create a course focused on creativity, process and transformation this episode is for you.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What the heck sprezzatura means!
• Sarah’s first business (hint: Nancy Drew)
• The adjustments Sarah made to her in-person course to teach it online
• How she uses themes and colors to organize her course
• How she uses linear thinking and creative loops to encourage progress
• How she pushed through the frustration of not knowing anything about technology (or how to use her camera!) to create her first course.
• How to guide your students through their struggle and fear (and why struggle is good)
• How she got prize winning author Margaret Atwood to be a guest teacher in her course
• Her tips on writing for instruction and engagement
• The secret to balancing the need for creative space with the pull of entrepreneurship

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• SarahSelecky.com
• Story is a State of Mind
• Typeform
• Little Bird Writing Contest

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Lastly, a special THANK YOU to Sarah for sharing her story on The Zen Courses Show!

In this episode, Abe shares his background, philosophy about online courses and why Ruzuku is the best platform for you.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:• How Ruzuku started• How online course platforms (or an LMS) helps course creators• Who Ruzuku is for• What an online course is…according to Abe• What sets Ruzuku apart from other online course platforms• The tools that Ruzuku offers to help you create your course, engage with your learners and track progress• How Ruzuku’s direct integration boosts engagement• How Ruzuku protects your course content• The types of online courses you can create in Ruzuku• New, game-changing things coming up for Ruzuku courses

Links Mentioned in This Episode:• Ruzuku.com• Mailchimp• Infusionsoft• 1ShoppingCart• PollDaddy

Thanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Why? Because ratings and reviews boost rankings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.

To stay up to date, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

A big thank you to Abe for sharing Ruzuku with The Zen Courses Show!

Today’s guest is Emma Holmes aka DJ ShortE from studioscratches.com, where she helps new and experienced DJs learn how to scratch on vinyl records. In this episode, Emma shares her journey into entrepreneurship, including all the starts and stops. She also shares how she built her online school, School of Scratch and how going all-in changed her life.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Emma turned a lifelong dream into an online school
• The gradual steps she took to teach her online courses full time
• The tools and tactics she used to build her online courses
• The methods she uses to teach a hands-on subject like DJing
• The methods she uses to build community and engagement
• How she killed the negative thoughts that tried to stop her

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Memberful
• BB Press
• DIY Video Guy
• StudioScratches.com
• School of Scratch.com

Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews help the show's rankings. Plus, they help me improve the show so I can bring you more value.

And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.

Big thanks to Emma for hanging out with me on The Zen Courses Show!