Level Up Your Course Podcast with Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses that Change Lives

What’s up everyone! We’re back this week with Joel Klettke, the founder of Business Casual Copywriting and Case Study Buddy. Joel has created very successful workshops and courses and he’s here to talk copywriting, course creation, and growing a client base. 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 Learn00:21 - Rapid 5 Questions04:45 - How Joel got into copywriting09:41 - Going freelance growing a client base13:14 - The shift to course creation  18:17 - Marketing as a service-based business24:23 - How Joel started Case Study Buddy32:51 - Copywriting best practices & pitfalls40:36 - Leveraging audience feedback 45:39 - Tips on copywriting for course creators   47:52 - Exciting things coming up from Joel Connect with JoelBusinessCasualCopywriting.comCaseStudyBuddy.comFollow Joel on Twitter!  Looking for the Transcript?Episode 130

Hey family! I hope you are doing well. This week, we’re talking about another growth strategy: YOUTUBE.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 Learn01:56 - Recap on guest posting02:45 - Procrastination and patterns 08:21 - My A-ha! moment11:19 - Pros and cons of video content12:42 - Why video on YouTube16:34 - My YouTube experience and beginner tips23:27 - YouTube DOs and DON’TsConnect with MeJanelleAllen.comFollow Me on Twitter! Looking for the Transcript?Episode 129Ready to rock YouTube for your business?Learn how to create a solid YouTube strategy!JanelleAllen.com/YouTubeGuide

I shared something on Twitter recently: 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 Learn02:21 - Do the thing. You are the MAGIC!08:41 - What is guest posting?11:41 - Pros and cons of guest posting16:23 - Guest posting DOs and DONTs27:59 - Updates and announcements Connect with MeJanelleAllen.comFollow Me on Twitter!  Looking for the Transcript?Episode 128

Hey family! How is everything going with you? Today’s episode is a solo show. I’m trying to do more of these so I can check in, especially as we all navigate how the pandemic is changing the landscape of our lives and businesses. It’s nice to be able to touch base with all of you. 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 Learn01:07 - COVID-19’s impact on online course creators 04:15 - Recap of previous episodes 08:46 - Podcasting for your business12:36 - Effective lead generation channels16:01 - New and exciting things happening! Connect with MeJanelleAllen.comFollow 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

Hey, family! This week I’m joined by Tara McMullin, the founder and CEO of What Works, a top business podcast and community centered on the number one question business owners want answered. Tara is here to talk about her pivot from 1:1 consulting to facilitating honest conversations about what’s working in small businesses and discovering the real key: what works for you.  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 Learn02:00 - Rapid 5 Questions05:09 - Pivoting to a community-oriented business13:23 - How Tara started podcasting15:29 - Podcasting tips for beginners20:50 - The 3 different types of podcasts23:51 - Benefits of podcasting for businesses28:26 - Developing a content strategy  33:40 - DOs and DON’Ts of pitching in podcasts37:48 - Importance of value propositions for podcasts41:25 - Exciting things coming up from Tara Connect with TaraJoin the What Works NetworkListen to the What Works podcastTaraGentile.comFollow Tara on Twitter!   Looking for the Transcript?Episode 126

What’s up everyone! This week’s guest is Reuven Lerner, full-time Python trainer, computer scientist, and author of Python Workout.  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 Learn01:28 - Rapid 5 Questions, Reuven's business journey  10:45 - Converting in-person to online training  14:40 - Tips for creating engaging online training18:24 - How to build an evergreen newsletter  22:26 - Ways to increase website traffic26:37 - Sales funnel and lead nurturing  29:25 - Importance of a customer-centric website34:47 - The power of online courses during COVID-19 crisis41:10 - Advice for online course creators42:22 - Exciting things coming up from Reuven Connect with ReuvenCheck out Reuven’s Weekly Python ExerciseRead Reuven’s book, Python WorkoutCheck 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.ilFollow Reuven on Twitter!   Looking for the Transcript?Episode 125

Hey family! This week brings you a special episode. Alex Hillman and I teamed up for a live podcast interview and Q&A as COVID-19 was starting to take a toll on business owners.  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 Learn04:45 - Getting to know Alex Hillman, Rapid 5 Questions11:52 - Challenges small business owners are facing due to COVID-1918:06 - Marketing and pivot strategies26:40 - Product sales strategy in a down economy31:30 - Community building and management essentials40:07 - Community building during COVID-19 crisis43:59 - Q&A on finding the right marketing tone47:28 - Q&A on free content53:02 - Q&A on free vs. paid communities1:00:05 - Tools for online community building1:06:02 - Practical advice for business owners Connect with AlexDangerouslyAwesome.comIndyHall.orgStackingtheBricks.comFollow Alex on Twitter!   Looking for the Transcript?Episode 124

Hey everyone! This week I’m joined by Paul Minors, productivity expert, virtual consultant, and founder of PaulMinors.com. He is here to talk about his course, How to Become a Virtual Consultant, and how he helps businesses set up and use tools like Asana, MailChimp, Pipedrive and Zapier.  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 Learn01:43 - Rapid 5 Questions07:28 - Paul's career and business journey11:24 - Initial steps and transition to course creation16:28 - Ways to build an online audience18:41 - Course launching and audience survey25:42 - Creating the course structure27:51 - Marketing channels, why YouTube is worth it  32:21 - How to build and personalize marketing funnels  39:10 - LinkedIn, Google AdWords, and other marketing tips41:31 - How to price online courses45:50 - Paul's advice for online creators  48:29 - Exciting things coming up from Paul Connect with PaulCheck out How to Become a Virtual ConsultantPaulMinors.comFollow Paul on Twitter!   Looking for the Transcript?Episode 123

Hey everybody! This week, I’m joined by Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of Rent 2 Rent Success and HMO Heaven and creator of Rent 2 Rent Success Kickstarter. 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 Learn00:40 - 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 goal24:32 - Lessons learned and stuck zones30:46 - Marketing funnels and channels, plus YouTube and Facebook tips35:58 - DIY vs. hiring a coach38:38 - 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 SuccessGet the Rent 2 Rent GuideSee Stephanie over on YouTubeJoin the Rent 2 Rent Success CommunityHMO Heaven Looking for the Transcript?Episode 122

Hey family! I'm so excited to be back with you. It's been three months since the last episode because I took a bit of a hiatus. Thank you for hanging out and giving me the leeway to take that break and come back.  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 Learn02:20 - What I did during my 3-month hiatus06:58 - 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 

Hey family! This episode is going to be different because I’m doing it solo. It’s time for the annual review for 2019. I love doing this part because I’m such a nerd in reflection and planning, and this is the time of the year where things slow down and I can get really intentional about what I want to do and also express gratitude. So listen up as I share with you what went well, what didn’t go well, lessons learned, and what I’m focused on for 2020. Enjoy! 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 Learn02:09 - My wins for 201912:28 - What didn't go well in 201920:51 - Things I learned this year32:21 - Shoutouts to these amazing people 36:34 - My focus areas for 202041:00 - 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! ← 

What’s up everyone! This week I’m joined by Francesco D'Alessio, productivity expert, YouTuber, and founder of Keep Productive. He’s here to talk about his course, Notion Made Simple, and how he’s helping people find the best productivity tools for their work and life.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 Learn00:54 - Getting to know Francesco D'Alessio, Rapid 5 Questions04:01 - How Keep Productive started, Keep Productive business model09:53 - What is Notion?12:01 - Notion Made Simple - Course goal and who it's for15:58 - Pros of using Notion18:12 - Notion Made Simple - Launching and lessons learned22:42 - Importance of timing with courses based on tools27:34 - Exciting things coming up from Francesco Connect with FrancescoKeep ProductiveKeep Productive YouTube ChannelNotion Made SimpleFollow 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  

What’s up everyone! In this episode, I am joined by Pamela Slim, speaker, business coach and award-winning author of Escape from Cubicle Nation and Body of Work. Pamela joins me to share her story and how her brick and mortar learning lab empowers diverse entrepreneurs.  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 Learn00:56 - Getting to know Pamela Slim, Rapid 5 Questions05:31 - Pamela's entrepreneurial journey12:23 - Impetus of creating The Main Street Learning Lab17:27 - Physical space vs. online courses28:49 - The power of interdependent ecosystems over empire culture35:36 - Practical tips for course creators  46:34 - Awesome things coming up from Pamela Connect with PamPamelaSlim.comThe Main Street Learning LabLearn more about Pam’s booksFollow Pam on Twitter!   Looking for the Transcript?Episode 118

What’s up everyone! I am joined today by Ken Wallace, online course creator and the brain behind MastermindJam. He’s here to share how he created MastermindJam and discuss the value of peer-led mastermind groups.  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 Learn01:24 - Getting to know Ken Wallace, Rapid 5 Questions03:36 - Value-based pricing  08:57 - Building the mastermind group business21:53 - 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 groups42:03 - Exciting things coming up from Ken Connect with KenCheck out MastermindJamFollow 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

Hey family! This week’s episode is the live interview from my workshop with Charlie GIlkey, logistics expert turned executive coach, author, and founder of Productive Flourishing. He’s here to talk about his new book, Start Finishing, and how you can finally finish all of those projects you’ve been wanting to dig into.  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 Learn01:31 - Getting to know Charlie Gilkey, Rapid 5 Questions04:05 - Charlie's entrepreneurial journey08:06 - Why 'Getting Things Done' doesn't work for creatives12:23 - Logistics expert turned executive coach15:47 - Start Finishing - What it's about and who it is for?18:12 - Start Finishing - Genesis of the book  20:13 - Coaching vs. Teaching24:56 - Awesome things coming up from Charlie Connect with CharlieGrab your copy of Start FinishingProductiveFlourishing.comFollow 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  

What’s up everybody! This week I’m joined by Gareth Pronovost, Airtable consultant, founder of GAP Consulting, and creator of Airtable Automation Machine. He’s here to share his course creation story and how Airtable Automation Machine helps businesses build databases and automate their workflows.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 Learn00:51 - Getting to know Gareth Pronovost, Rapid 5 Questions07:08 - How Gareth got into entrepreneurship  12:05 - The Airtable business idea19:15 - Validation process and getting the first customers25:40 - Why value driven courses?28:13 - Airtable Automation Machine - What is it and who it's for?34:24 - Airtable Automation Machine - Course structure38:50 - Exciting things coming up from Gareth Connect with GarethAirtable Automation MachineGAP ConsultingFollow 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  

What’s up, everybody? This week, I’m joined by Lydia Lee, founder of Screw the Cubicle and creator of 90 Day Launch. She’s here to share how she transitioned from the corporate world to living a life of purpose and doing work that matters, and how she’s helping her students do the same.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 Learn00:53 - Getting to know Lydia Lee, Rapid 5 Questions06:14 - Lydia's entrepreneurial journey11:31 - How to safely transition from employee to entrepreneur  17:43 - How Screw the Cubicle started, and customer discovery26:05 - 90 Day Launch - What it is and who it's for30:27 - 90 Day Launch - How it started and transition process42:08 - Scaling strategically  44:00 - Awesome things coming up from Lydia Connect with Lydia90 Day LaunchSign Up for her Upcoming WebinarCheck out her Coaching ExperienceWeekly #ScrewTheCubicleTV EpisodesScrewTheCubicle.comFollow 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  

What’s up, family! In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Louise Henry, web designer and founder of Solopreneur Sidekick. She’s also the Squarespace specialist behind Website that Wows, a course that helps “non-techie” entrepreneurs build their own website in as little as one week.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 Learn00:54 - Getting to know Louise Henry, Rapid 5 Questions05:28 - Life as a digital nomad, how Solopreneur Sidekick started11:04 - Ways to find clients for your business12:57 - Importance of having a website, Creating Solopreneur Sidekick15:20 - Solopreneur Sidekick - Structure, modules, and learners’ outcomes21:21 - Sales tips to drive effective results28:40 - Exciting things coming up from Louise Connect with LouiseWebsite that WowsSolopreneurSidekick.comFollow 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  

What’s up everyone! Today I am joined by Alisha Robertson, founder of Living Over Existing and author of a book by the same title. She’s also the creator of Brand with Purpose, a ten-week mentorship program for women entrepreneurs.  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 Learn00:50 - Getting to know Alisha Robertson, Rapid 5 Questions03:04 - Alisha's entrepreneurial journey07:53 - One-on-one coaching to group programs10:50 - The calling to write19:26 - Brand with Purpose - How it started and who it's for23:47 - Brand with Purpose - Program structure and learner's experience30:47 - Brand with Purpose - Creating the program content36:00 - Insights to achieve transformation  37:07 - Awesome things coming up from Alisha Connect with AlishaBrand with PurposeLivingOverExisting.comTheAlishaNicole.comJoin 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  

What’s up, family? In this episode, we have David Charrier, multi-instrumentalist, handpan enthusiast, and founder of the online school, Master the Handpan. I love watching my students blossom in their musical journeyAs 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 Learn00:54 - Getting to know David, Rapid 5 Questions02:59 - What is a handpan? How did Master the Handpan start?13:32 - Pros of having course levels17:19 - 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 video37:44 - Awesome things coming up from David Connect with DavidMaster the HandpanHandpanDavid.comFollow 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.Grab it here: https://get.zencourses.co/extra  

Hey everybody! Welcome back to our usual programming. I’m joined today by Tiago Forte, writer, productivity expert, and founder of Forte Labs. He’s here to share how he got into optimizing productivity and learning, and how he created his course, Building a Second Brain.Expanding the number of things you can pay attention to and you can manage expands your capacity for lifePrior 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 Learn0:56 - Getting to know Tiago Forte, Rapid 5 Questions5:08 - Tiago's entrepreneurial journey9:17 - Importance of capturing information and how to productively manage it16:20 - What is a 'project'?21:34 - Building a Second Brain - Who it’s for and learner’s outcome24:30 - Building a Second Brain - Course structure27:12 - How Tiago created and launched Building a Second Brain33:49 - How to be resilient from failures41:54 - Transformation stories of students taking the course44:15 - 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

Hey everyone! It’s time to review Q3 and look ahead to the last quarter of the year. I’m excited to share what worked, what I plan on changing, and the awesome things you can expect before 2020.  Focus, take action that is intentional and effective, and keep doing itIf 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 Learn0:55 Episode Intro, Recap on my three focus areas last Q33:00 #1 - Double down to my group program (Finish Your Damn Course)7:29  #2 - Increase the top-of-funnel traffic10:43  #3 - Dig deep on my email marketing systems14:05  Wins and lessons learned in Q329:31  Exciting things coming up for Q4

Hey family! In this episode, I’m joined by Kim Doyal, content marketing strategist and creator of Content Marketing Secrets. She is here to talk about her course and how to develop a content strategy that drives growth.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 Learn1:03 Getting to know Kim Doyal, Rapid Five Questions5:40 Kim's entrepreneurial journey12:44 Overcoming the fear of pivoting  16:48 What is content strategy? Why is it important?19:05 How to write content that drives traffic/leads26:37 Content Marketing Secrets - course goal and who it’s for36:10 How Content Marketing Secrets started44:20 Memberships vs. Courses51:19 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   

I’m joined today by Joe Williams, SEO expert, founder of Tribe SEO, and creator of Learn SEO Fast. He’s here to share his course and how it demystifies SEO to help small businesses make huge impacts online.My goal is to make SEO easier, fun, and profitable for small businessesJoe 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 Learn00:57 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 online23:44 Learn SEO Fast - Who is it for?24:24 Learn SEO Fast - Learning outcomes and stuck zone29:31 Launching the beta course32:41 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   

What’s up everyone! In this episode, I am joined by Tanya Geisler, leadership coach, TEDx speaker, and the encouraging voice behind Starring Role Playbook. Tanya is here today to share her entrepreneurial journey and how she’s helping women bust out of their Impostor Complex with her course and coaching. 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

What’s up everyone! Today’s episode is a little different. I’m joined by Philip VanDusen, designer, founder of Verhaal Brand Design, and host of brand•muse Interviews. He’s here to share his story and some awesome insight into using YouTube as a marketing channel to grow your business.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 Learn00:59 Getting to know Philip VanDusen, Rapid 5 Questions06:05 Philip's entrepreneurial journey12:01 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 experience18:09 Benefits of being in the corporate world before becoming an entrepreneur19:23 Insights that Philip received from Paul Pressler20:57 How Philip got into YouTube27:57 How to overcome the challenges of starting a YouTube channel30:48 The importance of listening to and building relationships with your audience33:40 Pros of using YouTube in relationship building35:00 How YouTube channel affected Philip's business37:24 The power of consistency in your business41:53 Pros of having different content formats for your channel46:50 Philip's advice for course creators on how to use YouTube50:03 Exciting things coming up from Philip, website linkGet 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

What’s up everyone! In this episode, I talk with Kerri Twigg, career coach and job search strategist. Kerri is the founder of Career Stories, which helps people use their stories to land ideal work and grow their careers. She’s here today to share her own journey and how she’s impacting lives with her coaching and courses. 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

What’s up, everyone! Today I’m speaking with Claire Pelletreau, Facebook ads strategist and course creator. Claire is a returning guest on the show and she’s here to share what’s happened in her business since we last spoke and her new program, Ad Consultant Incubator. 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

What’s up everyone! In this episode, I’m joined by Lisa Princic, a coach and business strategist who is here to share her business journey and her workshop, Position Your Mastery. 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

What’s up everyone! I am here today with Victoria Stith, a therapist, new course creator, and a recent graduate of my group program, Finish Your Damn Course! After many starts and stops on her own, Victoria joined Finish Your Damn Course to overcome her fears, get unstuck, and create her online course. 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/

What’s up, everybody! It is great to be back! For those just tuning in, I’m back from a two-month summer break and I’m excited to be doing the show again. Before we start this episode, I want to thank my listeners. We’re on the 100th episode of Level Up Your Course! Thank you so much for being here and being part of the Zen Courses family. 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

What’s up, everybody! In this episode, I’m joined by Josh Doody, author and founder of Fearless Salary Negotiation. After successfully negotiating his own salary, Josh wrote a #1 bestselling book to help others learn his process. Soon after, he added video courses to help his students better implement the strategies. In this episode, Josh shares how he turned his book into an online course, why he still coaches clients, and what he's learned along the way. 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

What’s up, everybody? In this episode, I’m joined by Joel Hooks, co-founder of egghead.io. egghead is an education platform built for developers by developers. They specialize in no-fluff, just-in-time online lessons and courses for web developers. Joel and I chat about the importance of instructional design, why it’s often overlooked, and how egghead is using learning design to improve their product--in other words, we geek out. Enjoy! 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

Hey, everyone! Today, I am joined by Jacques Hopkins, founder of Piano in 21 Days. After years of piano lessons, Jacques realized that he could only play two songs no matter how much he practiced. Luckily, he soon learned a new approach that allowed him to play hit songs--in minutes. 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

What’s up, everybody! We’re changing things up this week with a solo episode. I’m excited to share this with you because I dig into some key things you need to be thinking about. 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

Hey, everyone! In this episode, I’m joined by Kristin Larsen: Pinterest expert, course creator, and founder of Believe In a Budget. Blogging wasn’t an easy journey for Kristin until she discovered the power of Pinterest as a search engine to drive traffic to her websites. Check out this episode to hear Kristin’s journey from blogger to VA to course creator, and how you can use her strategies to skyrocket your own traffic. 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

What’s up, everybody! In this episode, I’m joined by Gina Horkey: writer, marketing consultant, and founder of Horkey Handbook. After experiencing a cycle of ups-and-downs in her career, Gina transitioned to doing remote work and creating online courses. Her program, 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success, is for people ready to change their career, pursue their passion, and do something different. Gina believes that remote work is the future and her program gives students a complete roadmap to take advantage of this alternative, flexible industry. She’s here today to talk about her journey and the creation of 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success. 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****

What’s up, everyone? In this episode, I am joined by Jennifer Bourn, designer and owner of Bourn Creative Agency. Starting a business while pregnant was a challenge for Jennifer. Marketing automation was the key to the freedom and flexibility she wanted for her family, and it eventually paved the way for the client management system behind her business. While project management is important, Jennifer stresses that it can’t come at the expense of client management. Her course, Profitable Project Plan, is designed for developers and business owners to support the client-focused side of their business. It’s a 14-week program that explains Jennifer’s system in an easy-to-understand and interactive way. Listen as Jennifer and I talk about Profitable Project Plan, its development, and how it empowers business owners to create consistency and take control of their business. 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

Hey, everyone! I’m joined in this episode by Rachel Brenke: lawyer, MBA, and entrepreneur. Rachel knows the legal challenges that startups face and she’s dedicated to helping small businesses implement strategic legal plans. Her course, Blog Legally, equips bloggers and entrepreneurs with legal information in a budget-friendly medium. It doesn’t just save them time and money; it saves new business owners from being overwhelmed by big law firms or CPAs. Stay tuned as Rachel shares valuable information about protecting your rights, filing your taxes, and writing your disclaimers and disclosures. 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

What’s up, everybody! Joining me on the show today is Michelle Ward: former actress, entrepreneur, and certified coach. After making the tough choice to leave the world of theatre, and after choosing her health over a stressful job, she decided to stop playing by other people’s rules. Now as a career coach, she uses her program, Discover Your Dream Business, to help creative people find a business idea they can be passionate about. Listen to find out more about her online course, her journey and her advice for discovering your dream business. 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

Welcome, everybody! I am joined today by Jennifer Lee, bestselling author, coach, and founder of Artizen Coaching®. Jennifer spent ten years in corporate America as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies before going full-time into coaching in 2006. Her first book, The Right-Brain Business Plan, paved the way for her Right-Brain Business Plan® Home Study program, a self-paced course that offers a creative and intuitive way to finish your business plan. She joins me today to share her business journey and a walk-through of the program. We discuss the early stages of her course, the home-study approach, and her powerful tips for those who want to adopt a similar model. **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

Hey, everyone! I’m joined today by Val Geisler, an email marketing conversion copywriter. Val, who has been called an “email savant”, got started in marketing but found her real passion in email-related projects. Her exclusive online course, the Email Masters Incubator, is for copywriters who are looking to leverage email marketing for better customer experiences and retention. She teaches her students how to strategically utilize different platforms, allowing them to work more efficiently with their clients. Val and I discuss her course modules, the challenges she faced when creating the program, and her tips to overcome the “stuck zone”. 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

What’s up, everyone! I am joined today by Sean McCabe aka Sean Wes: author of Overlap: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Your Side Passion into a Successful Business and creator of Supercharge Your Writing, a copywriting masterclass that aims to help you double your sales by fixing your messaging. We talk about his course and business model, and his journey from hand-lettering artist to business educator. 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.

What’s up, everybody! I am joined today by Tiffany Han, founder of Say Yes Creative. Tiffany is a writer, teacher, and coach who believes that progress and success are made when we stop waiting for things to be perfect. Her course, Raise Your Hand Say Yes, is designed for smart, driven women who are tired of over-extending themselves in a life dictated by others. She’s here to chat about her journey, her program, and how she says yes to success. 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

Hello everybody! Joining me today is Jason Resnick – web developer, business coach and email marketing specialist. He is here with us to share his journey and his online course (Feast). Feast is a roadmap and a community for freelancers to niche down, specialize their business and build recurring revenue. **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

Hello everybody! Joining me today is Katelyn Bourgoin – growth strategist and consultant. She is here to share her journey and the story behind her Customer Discovery Training course. Customer discovery is figuring out if people want what you're building before building it. Her course helps content creators know their ideal customers and what to build to accelerate their growth. Enjoy! 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

What’s up everyone! Today, I am joined by Dorie Clark, marketing strategy consultant, author and course creator. Dorie and I chat about her business journey, her course (Rapid Content Creation Masterclass) and strategies for content creation. Enjoy! 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

Hello everybody! Joining us today is Andrea Jones. Andrea is a social media strategist and course creator. Being a social media enthusiast, she understood the power of social media in adding value to businesses. Her course Savvy Social School helps online course creators and entrepreneurs master different social media platforms, generate leads, build an audience and more. 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.

What’s up everyone! Today my guest is Michael Knouse, a business coach and strategist. Having personally experienced the impact of coaching, Michael transitioned from a corporate career into becoming a business coach for visionary business builders. His program Growth Catalyst helps service entrepreneurs grow their business through mentorship and various coaching strategies. Listen as Michael shares his journey as a business coach, and how he structured Growth Catalyst to give his clients the best results. 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

Hello everybody! Joining us today is Ryan Clover-Owens – librarian, web designer and course creator. Ryan is a student in my new group program, Finish Your Damn Course. This episode was super fun to create. Ryan and I chat about his online course vision, the mental roadblocks he encountered, and his results from the program. 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

What’s up everyone! Today, I am joined by Xayli Barclay, video content strategist and course creator. Xayli discovered the power of video through her work as clothing designer and beauty blogger. After getting many questions about creating videos, she pivoted to make video strategy her focus. In this episode you’ll learn about her journey, her course and her tips on creating awesome videos. If you’re thinking about getting started with video or want to know how to run a YouTube channel, this episode is for you. Enjoy! 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