Business Tao with George Kao

Years ago, I championed the idea that all knowledge should be freely available online, aiming to accelerate humanity's progress. When I actually tried it, I learned two valuable lessons -- (1) free courses resulted in lower engagement and commitment from participants, and (2) my motivation waned without the reciprocal energy of paid exchanges. This experience, coupled with the disappointing experiment in using Patreon, gradually shifted my perspective. I now seek a middle way. I hope to integrate generosity and sustainability. I now advocate for (fair) pricing of courses. It's important for boundaries, self-worth, and the support of small creators. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

My gentle launches are simple: Early bird for 1 week, then regular price for 1 week before the course begins :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Watch/listen to this episode first… Follow-up question I received: "So let's say we have an offer like with your example, 3 're-works' over 6 weeks... once you've got the most response from whichever one... when would you actually then launch what you'd been talking about? Would that be your next offering? Or would it be a few months out? What do you typically do? " My response: I would go ahead and launch (as the very next thing) the offer test that did the best. Basically, sell it while it's hot 😄 because it could be something in the culture or timing that's making your audience more interested in that one right now compared to the others, so... don't wait, assuming it'll be hot later (or that you'll be interested later!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

This principle has been essential to my success. How do I make great content? By making more content, and observing what spreads. How do I improve my skills? By working with more clients, and noticing who grows the most. True learning comes from action — we build muscles by doing things, not just reading about them. It takes *quantity* of action to develop quality of results. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

how to feel ready to put your work out there? begin, explore, publish, repeat. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Even if you haven't been actively posting on social media or creating content, don't let it stop you from gently launching new offers and services to your audience. I appreciate hearing from people I've hired, even if it's just a few times a year to let me know about their new programs or specials. In this video I also discuss how often to post content vs. how often to sell something on your social media. I assure you that even a small announcement -- after a long time of not posting -- is usually appreciated. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

In this video, I discuss a different perspective on pricing -- charging based on "enoughness" and compassion -- rather than the common advice to charge what you're worth or what the market will bear. It's important to consider our own lifestyle needs and determining what is "enough" for us. By minimizing our lifestyle costs, we can charge less, serve more people, and do so with less financial pressure. I also discuss the idea of charging with compassion for our clients and customers, while still ensuring that we have a bit more than enough to invest in our future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Get all the info here:https://www.georgekao.com/instagram If you have any questions about the course, ask it here.Wishing you a good day and weekend! 🌞 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Of all the things that I do in my business, the most important thing—and I hope to inspire you to consider this for yourself as well—is to stay in a consistent rhythm of creating, both free content like this video, and paid offers as well. Just as our bodies rely on consistent rhythms to stay alive and thrive, our businesses need a steady flow of creativity to flourish. I've made nearly 2,000 videos on YouTube, published over 300 blog posts, and launched more than 30 courses. I wish I had developed a sense of urgency for generating free content earlier in my career... In this episode, I discuss common limiting beliefs that hinder content creation, the importance of gaining experience and clarity through the creative process, and the need to embrace imperfection and let algorithms and audience engagement guide your content improvement... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com