The Art of Selling Online Courses 211 How I Built My Course Business at 18 (And You Can Too)
Dec 2, 2025
Stefano Chiara Monte, an Italian language teacher and course creator, shares his journey of building a thriving business at just 18. He highlights that authenticity and passion were crucial to his success. Unlike many, he prioritizes YouTube and long-form content over short platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which he believes underperform for course sales. Stefano discusses effective lead magnet strategies that doubled his leads and emphasizes dedicating 60% of his efforts to free content to engage and convert potential students.
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Started Teaching At 18 And Scaled Up
- Stefano began teaching on italki as soon as he turned 18 with no formal credentials.
- He turned that side hustle into a course business after gaining teaching experience.
Passion Trumps Early Technical Skill
- Authentic passion for teaching was the primary engine of audience growth.
- Stefano learned marketing and technical skills after confirming his core passion.
Prioritize Intent-Driven Platforms
- Avoid prioritizing Instagram and TikTok for course sales when audience intent is low.
- Focus on platforms where people seek longer, intentional learning sessions.