How Nat Eliason Made $200,000 in a Week Teaching AI - Ep. 48
Feb 12, 2025
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Nat Eliason, an author, entrepreneur, and course creator known for his work in AI tools, dives into his whirlwind career. He shares how he made $200,000 in a week with his AI app-building course and discusses the evolution of programming through AI. Nat elaborates on coding advancements with tools like Cursor and how storytelling is transformed by technology. He navigates the balance between custom writing tools and existing solutions, showcasing how AI enhances productivity and creativity for writers.
AI tools are revolutionizing coding by generating complete web applications from simple prompts, drastically reducing manual coding efforts.
The rapid success of online courses focused on AI, exemplified by a $200,000 launch within a week, showcases a lucrative market for tech education.
Freelance creators can now leverage AI tools to streamline workflows and manage projects autonomously, reducing reliance on traditional team structures.
Deep dives
The Power of AI in Programming
AI tools can now generate complete web applications from simple prompts, significantly streamlining the coding process. For example, a user can request a basic Pomodoro timer using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and within seconds, the AI generates all the necessary files automatically. This drastically reduces the time and effort previously required to manually type out each character for every file. As a result, the programming experience has been transformed, signaling a shift from traditional coding practices to an era where AI handles the bulk of the code generation.
The Success of Online Courses
There is a growing trend of creating online courses focused on teaching users how to leverage AI tools for a variety of applications, including programming. One course launched remarkably generated $200,000 in sales within the first week, highlighting both the demand for knowledge in this area and the ability of entrepreneurial creators to capitalize on emerging technologies. Past courses have seen similar success by harnessing early interest in new platforms and tools, suggesting a promising market for future educational content. This trend underscores the potential profitability of quickly adapting educational offerings to meet rising public interest amid technological advancements.
Navigating the Freelance Creator Landscape
The discussion emphasizes the shift in career dynamics for freelance creators looking to manage multiple projects while utilizing AI. Creators can now operate more autonomously, using AI as a support tool that assists in various tasks without the need for extensive teams. This new model contrasts with traditional structures, where creators often relied heavily on managing employees. By embracing AI tools, solo creators can streamline their workflows, focus on content creation, and enhance productivity without the overhead costs associated with a larger business infrastructure.
Building Tools for Editing and Writing
New AI developments have made significant strides in improving editing processes, which have traditionally posed substantial bottlenecks for writers. Tools that offer real-time feedback and editing suggestions can expedite the revision phase, enabling authors to engage in more productive writing sessions. Additionally, creators can integrate character development features that facilitate more dynamic storytelling, allowing them to flesh out ideas based on predefined traits. This engagement with AI in the editing sphere not only refines final works but also encourages authors to explore new creative avenues.
The Future of Writing with AI Assistance
Looking ahead, the integration of AI will redefine the landscape of writing, enabling authors to harness their creativity while efficiently managing the technical aspects of storytelling. Future writing tools may resemble engineering platforms where ideas are distilled into coherent narratives with the aid of AI-guided prompts and editing capabilities. In this new landscape, a writer's individual style will remain paramount, as AI will primarily serve as a facilitator enhancing productivity and creativity rather than replacing the author's voice. As this technology continues to evolve, writers will increasingly find themselves able to create content at unprecedented speeds while maintaining the essence of their unique perspectives.
Nat Eliason’s career arc is borderline absurd—but it works.
In the last five years, he ran an SEO agency, got into crypto, made $600,000 from a course on the note-taking toolRoam Research, flipped real estate in Austin for a 6x return, and published abook with Random House. He’s now writing a book of science fiction and running a viralcourse about building apps with AI.
I’ve known Nat for a long time, and I think he knows where the puck is headed better than anyone. He’ll see a new tool or trend, master it, build a business around it, and move on. Nat’s pulled it off with crypto, Roam, real estate—and now AI. His app-building course has over 800 students and racked up $200,000 in pre-sales in one week.
Nat was one of the first guests I had on the podcast and I was delighted to have him on again. We spent an hour talking about how coding with AI is creating new behaviors in programming, Nat’s best practices for using the coding tool Cursor, and his take on the future of writing with AI.
This episode is a must-watch for writers, creators, and anyone interested in the future of product building.
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