The Modern Consultant #23. $1M Course Launches: The Traps and Freedoms of 7-Figure Business w/ Luisa Zhou
Aug 21, 2023
49:03
This week on the Modern Consultant, I have the honor of hosting Luisa Zhou, former space station engineer turned multi 7-figure course coach for professionals who want to escape the 9-to-5, and grow a freedom business on their terms.
In a social media world where influencers flip between "vulnerability overshares" and meticulously filtering public personas to grow their follower counts, Luisa has taken a noticeably "quieter" approach. As a self-described business minimalist and very private person, you may hear about her German Sheperd Falco, but that's about it.
I don't know about you, but personally, I find that refreshing, because she focuses on creating what I call "high-utility" content. Content that's focused on helping people, as opposed to content that's too focused on being "likeable". Sure, likeability matters - but once trust is established, there's going to be a lot more time spent on problem solving to get to someone's goals, as opposed to knowing the latest that happened on their last dog walk.
If you vibe with that approach, then sweet, it's probably why you're still on my email list, and probably why you'll like...
Topics We Cover:
- When to launch and when to evergreen: Going from a higher conversion live launch model to an evergreen model
- Google SEO, YouTube organic content, and paid Facebook ads - what each channel is good at and what it's not
- CEO decision-making: The "front page of New York Times" test.
- Family and health: Why she does what she does.
Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Luisa Zhou: Went from space station engineer to being advertising agency executive before online courses and programs.
[00:02:24] Sharing expertise through courses, solving problems for others.
[00:05:42] Live launches drove rapid growth for 4-5 years but it was high risk and stressful so she found a way to make it sustainable.
[00:08:00] Sustainable business allows her to care for parents.
[00:15:12] YouTube is the best platform for long-form content and connecting with viewers. Text articles lack personality, while YouTube allows for social engagement and storytelling. Instagram is not a priority due to limited time. YouTube videos and a daily newsletter are the main commitments.
[00:20:16] Facebook ads became repetitive and time-consuming. High costs and decreasing returns led to exploring other options.
[00:22:37] Running ads sporadically, focusing on SEO. Currently not running paid traffic consistently, as Facebook ad restrictions are tiring. Investing in SEO and scaling content with increased articles.
[00:28:39] Clear, specific courses tailored to individual needs. She offers flagship programs on different topics and other courses on specific skills. The goal is to make it clear and to the point for the customer.
[00:32:15] Trial and error is the best way to learn what you need. Personal preference determines if you prefer group programs or one-on-one coaching. Trust your intuition as customers are intuitive.
[00:34:52] Revenue from courses, limited coaching spots available. Intuitive application process. Genuine selection based on fit.
[00:39:25] Align goals, increase prices, create leverage. Group or self-study course options. If doubling revenue is the immediate goal, increasing prices and delivery might be best. Starting with a group offering can provide feedback and sales, then evolve into a self-study course. This approach allows for both time to create a quality product and generate revenue.
[00:42:02] Decision heuristic: Would you be proud if it was on the front cover of the New York Times? Use this as a guide to make better decisions.
About The Guest:
Luisa Zhou is a leading entrepreneur, business coach, and investor, who helps people start and scale their own profitable online business. She’s helped thousands of students build their own businesses to 6- and 7-figures. Her advice has been featured in numerous online and print publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and more.
Find out more about her at: https://www.luisazhou.com/
About The Host:
Marc helps experts scale their impact in the form of high-ticket courses, programs, VIP days, and masterminds (without losing the deep impact of their 1-on-1 work).
After helping over 1,000 entrepreneurs, he created his Product Flywheel Framework to help the next 1,000 do it faster. Learn more at: https://8020solutions.co.
In a social media world where influencers flip between "vulnerability overshares" and meticulously filtering public personas to grow their follower counts, Luisa has taken a noticeably "quieter" approach. As a self-described business minimalist and very private person, you may hear about her German Sheperd Falco, but that's about it.
I don't know about you, but personally, I find that refreshing, because she focuses on creating what I call "high-utility" content. Content that's focused on helping people, as opposed to content that's too focused on being "likeable". Sure, likeability matters - but once trust is established, there's going to be a lot more time spent on problem solving to get to someone's goals, as opposed to knowing the latest that happened on their last dog walk.
If you vibe with that approach, then sweet, it's probably why you're still on my email list, and probably why you'll like...
Topics We Cover:
- When to launch and when to evergreen: Going from a higher conversion live launch model to an evergreen model
- Google SEO, YouTube organic content, and paid Facebook ads - what each channel is good at and what it's not
- CEO decision-making: The "front page of New York Times" test.
- Family and health: Why she does what she does.
Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Luisa Zhou: Went from space station engineer to being advertising agency executive before online courses and programs.
[00:02:24] Sharing expertise through courses, solving problems for others.
[00:05:42] Live launches drove rapid growth for 4-5 years but it was high risk and stressful so she found a way to make it sustainable.
[00:08:00] Sustainable business allows her to care for parents.
[00:15:12] YouTube is the best platform for long-form content and connecting with viewers. Text articles lack personality, while YouTube allows for social engagement and storytelling. Instagram is not a priority due to limited time. YouTube videos and a daily newsletter are the main commitments.
[00:20:16] Facebook ads became repetitive and time-consuming. High costs and decreasing returns led to exploring other options.
[00:22:37] Running ads sporadically, focusing on SEO. Currently not running paid traffic consistently, as Facebook ad restrictions are tiring. Investing in SEO and scaling content with increased articles.
[00:28:39] Clear, specific courses tailored to individual needs. She offers flagship programs on different topics and other courses on specific skills. The goal is to make it clear and to the point for the customer.
[00:32:15] Trial and error is the best way to learn what you need. Personal preference determines if you prefer group programs or one-on-one coaching. Trust your intuition as customers are intuitive.
[00:34:52] Revenue from courses, limited coaching spots available. Intuitive application process. Genuine selection based on fit.
[00:39:25] Align goals, increase prices, create leverage. Group or self-study course options. If doubling revenue is the immediate goal, increasing prices and delivery might be best. Starting with a group offering can provide feedback and sales, then evolve into a self-study course. This approach allows for both time to create a quality product and generate revenue.
[00:42:02] Decision heuristic: Would you be proud if it was on the front cover of the New York Times? Use this as a guide to make better decisions.
About The Guest:
Luisa Zhou is a leading entrepreneur, business coach, and investor, who helps people start and scale their own profitable online business. She’s helped thousands of students build their own businesses to 6- and 7-figures. Her advice has been featured in numerous online and print publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and more.
Find out more about her at: https://www.luisazhou.com/
About The Host:
Marc helps experts scale their impact in the form of high-ticket courses, programs, VIP days, and masterminds (without losing the deep impact of their 1-on-1 work).
After helping over 1,000 entrepreneurs, he created his Product Flywheel Framework to help the next 1,000 do it faster. Learn more at: https://8020solutions.co.