The Online Course Show

I’m going to go out on a limb here: I bet most of us can’t really imagine what it would be like creating online learning resources back when webcams hadn’t even been invented yet! But that’s exactly what my guest today did, and Jori Chisholm has been teaching bagpipes online ever since "Find your unique voice. Find what it is that makes you different and appealing to a potential student." - Jori Chisholm The fact that Jori has been doing this for so long means he has a wealth of stories and experience to draw from, as well as a really good perspective on what has (and hasn’t) about the online learning sphere and what students in his niche are looking for. We had a great chat, so hang on to your hats and let’s do some time-traveling! In This Episode, We Talked About: (3:32) What prompted Jori to register his website domain all the way back in 1999, and how the way he's used it has evolved over time (5:28) Why he was willing to give this formerly untraditional path a chance, and the technological advancement that opened up new horizons for remote learning (7:17) The developmental timeline of Jori's online business (personally I think he was pretty ahead of the curve in a lot of ways!) (10:24) How he's used his years of seeing what students want to set up his sales and pricing structure (13:49) The way he's collaborated with others to create unique content for his subscribers (17:02) How Jori's call-to-action and works on his website to help build rapport with potential students and grow his email list (19:49) His favorite online services and SaaS products for his business (22:25) How he’s using FB ads to grow his conversion rate, and how he’s targeting specific demographics (25:09) Where most of Jori’s traffic comes these days (25:38) The biggest challenge he’s currently facing, and how that’s shaped his goals for this year (27:44) How his weekly work schedule looks (31:31) His take on internet freebies and how his perspective has changed on the competition (32:06) Jori’s excellent advice for aspiring course creators That about does it for today! I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Jori and gained some knowledge along the way. I’ll be back soon with one of the most successful course creators I’ve ever spoken to – don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss it! Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Jori’s Website Website Klayvio AdEspresso The Million Dollar One-Person Business Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

Happy Monday! My guest today doesn’t only have an online course – she’s built an entire online academy with a wide range of courses by her and other collaborators, all about writing and illustrating children’s books. Speaking with Dr. Mira Reisberg and hearing her journey into this world of teaching online was a pleasure. "If you’re starting out, learn from others. Take courses yourself, see how they do it." - Dr. Mira Reisberg This episode provided a great look at how and why Dr. Mira has grown her passion and skill set into a successful business. I found her story and her emphasis on community-building very inspiring, and I hope you do too! In This Episode, We Talked About: (3:41) The story behind how Dr. Mira’s online courses came to be (5:12) What leaving behind academia to start her online academy looked like, and the team that she’s grown over the years to help her community and business thrive (7:25) The cool mindset she uses to overcome the challenges of learning new tech, and some transitions she is currently making on the backend of her courses (11:04) What blogging looks like for the community she’s created around her business (11:33) How Dr. Mira delegates some of her workload to her team (13:08) Why she’s created such a large number of resources in her niche, and what she’s currently working on in terms of new content (15:51) Her goals for creating more balance between her business efforts and creative time for working on new books of her own (16:45) The sales structure she is currently using, and why it works for the type of oversight and interaction she has with each new course enrollee (18:04) Her awesome sales traffic, and some thoughts on what the high volume of interest in her academy stems from (22:40) How Dr. Mira reaches out to prospective students, and the personal touches she gives to her teaching that really sets her courses apart (25:03) Why she’s found online teaching to be the best fit for her teaching style and personality (28:25) The great advice Dr. Mira gives for people who are just starting out with their own online course We discuss all that and much more, so don’t forget to drop me a line and let me know what you enjoyed about today’s episode! I’ll be back in a couple days with even more great content about online course development – see you then! Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Dr. Mira Reisberg’s Website Weebly Teachable Infusionsoft Canva Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

To close out what has turned out to be a pretty busy week, I’m back with my interview with Teresa Perleberg, a relative newcomer to the world of online courses. Over the past year, she’s managed to turn her hobby and online retail business into a really cool learning opportunity for people interested in her niche of needle-felting. "Just know that [your course] is going to grow, and plan ahead for that." - Teresa Perleberg I loved hearing Teresa’s story, and was impressed by her confidence and positivity. I think it’s safe to say her success to-date is just the beginning of more to come. Enjoy! In This Episode, We Talked About: (3:58) Teresa’s transition from selling handmade products and supply kits to creating a course on how others could make their own needle-felted creations (6:44) The reason she felt confident about expanding into online courses (hint: supply and demand!) (6:57) What her course creation process looked like (7:30) How she’s structured her course and set up her ever-expanding content offerings (10:19) The pricing options in Teresa’s membership model, and the surprising results she’s achieved after past adjustments (13:33) How Teresa’s multiple income streams are set up, and where she is currently creating the most revenue (14:25) The struggles she’s currently facing as her business grows (15:06) What she’d change if she were starting her online course over today (16:02) The mastermind group she finds most helpful as an entrepreneur (16:29) The surprising main traffic source to Teresa’s site, and the strategy she recommends based on what works for her (18:03) How she uses SEO strategies, and the benefit she’s seen as a result of long-term work in this area (19:10) What Teresa recommends for people who are interested in starting their own online course based on their hobbies and passions That’s all for now, folks! See you next week for another episode of The Online Course Guy. Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Teresa’s Website Learn Dash for WordPress Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

Welcome back! Today I’ve brought on Susan Poizner to talk about the story behind her course on growing fruit trees. I have had some fruit tree disasters over the years, so I know firsthand why the information she’s offering has value. "You have to start by teaching others." -Susan Poizner One thing I love about doing these interviews is hearing how people from all walks of life are turning their passions and hobbies into real businesses – no two stories are alike! It was great to hear how Susan developed her an online course, and how she’s achieved success even without a previous background in online marketing or teaching horticulture. I hope you enjoy listening in! In This Episode, We Talked About: (6:05) What led Susan from a background in filmmaking and journalism into teaching people how to grow and care for fruit trees (7:40) How she went from teaching in-person, to writing a book, to creating online courses (and why she feels the online format lends itself very well to teaching in her niche) (8:52) What Susan would do differently if she was just starting out today, and the learning management system she swears by after much trial and error (12:51) Where Susan recommends new course creators start their process (14:45) The types of expansion she envisions for her course offerings in the future (15:40) The role she feels her filmmaking background has played in developing her actual course content - and what she recommends for those of us who aren’t cinematographers (16:36) Why Susan feels her content stands out and is gaining traffic momentum, even without concentrated SEO strategies in place (20:37) The benefits she’s seeing from using paid Facebook ads (21:16) The biggest challenges Susan is currently facing as she seeks to expand her business (23:12) Her top tips for aspiring course creators That’s all for now, folks! Have a great weekend, and see you on Monday for the next episode of The Online Course Guy. Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Susan’s Website Sensei for WordPress Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

I’m back, and I’m glad you’re here to join me for another podcast episode. This time around I had the pleasure of speaking with Rod Howell about his tap dancing course, which he began all the way back in 2005! "You need to start posting on YouTube, because if you make really good content, people will find you." - Rod Howell There have been many lessons Rod’s learned and experience he’s gained over the years, so sit back and enjoy hearing what he shared during our conversation. In This Episode, We Talked About: (5:42) What sparked Rod’s initial interest in creating a course, and how his business has evolved over time (8:09) His current email marketing strategy and what he plans on tweaking for the future (12:14) Rod’s recommendations for new course creators on how to effectively get started on YouTube (15:00) The other strategies and platforms Rod uses for marketing and traffic-building (17:00) How the different pieces of his business fit together, and where he generates most of his revenue (18:15) Rod’s approach to maximizing revenue through product bundling strategies (19:40) His top advice for course creators who are just starting out and need to increase their sales (22:34) The biggest struggle Rod is working through these days with his course, and why he’s persevering despite the challenges (23:48) The number one thing Rod would do differently if he was starting out today (25:35) How his work-life balance has evolved over the years while working from home (27:33) Some closing advice for anyone who wants to make a course and isn’t sure where to start That’s all for today, but I’ll be back soon with more cool tips and great insights from another fellow course creator – don’t forget to subscribe! Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Rod’s Website Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

Today I brought on Curtis Stone, a.k.a. The Urban Farmer, and we had an interesting discussion about his online courses and much, much more. Curtis honed in on some topics he’s clearly passionate about, while providing a fascinating look at what has worked for his business over the years. "Write the content and hit “go”." - Curtis Stone I know I learned a lot from Curtis today, so I hope you enjoy listening in! In This Episode, We Talked About: (5:15) Curtis’s two current courses, and what he’s planning for later this year and beyond (6:58) What got Curtis into the world of online courses (7:27) How writing a book compares to creating a course, and the format that Curtis finds works best for his personality and vision (9:30) Curtis’s pricing strategy for the content he offers (10:32) How his books have value as a part of his sales funnel (12:18) The main social platform he uses to move people along his funnel (12:57) Curtis’s marketing motto (14:09) The evolution of his marketing style, and the way he tailors his approach to his niche and passions (17:08) Why he feels online courses can be a more effective means of sharing knowledge than traditional academics in some cases (18:15) Challenges Curtis has faced with piracy and dishonest business practices  over the years, and how he’s chosen to respond (21:26) The way he plans on structuring his course offerings in the future based on both evergreen and interactive content (22:16) How Curtis and his business partner divide up their roles and responsibilities (23:22) His take on how new course creators can benefit from partnerships - with some caveats (26:48) Advice for new YouTube creators looking to build an audience for their online course (29:45) The nine streams of income Curtis has developed around his content, and how he’s built his offerings from publishing and online content only into selling related products at several physical locations (34:50) What working from home looks like for Curtis, and how he manages his schedule and goals (36:36) The fascinating and detailed way he determined pricing for his course (41:30) Curtis’s top advice for aspiring course creators We covered a lot of ground today, so I hope you’ll drop me a line and let me know your favorite part of the conversation! I’ll be back next week with yet another interview and more great tips for you as a course creator. Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Curtis’s Website Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

Happy 4th of July! Today’s interview is a bit different than those I’ve done before, because my guest has actually never created an online course. But as the founder of Bonjoro, Matt Barnett fits right in here anyway, because he’s all about creating meaningful customer experiences and enhancing personal communications – without creating a whole lot of extra workload on the business side of things. "Automate processes, but not relationships." - Matt Barnett I use Bonjoro to personally thank every student who enrolls in my course, so I know firsthand what a great tool this is to connect with others. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of Matt’s product. We talked about why I love Bonjoro, but also much more than that. Along the way, Matt provided some really insightful thoughts on why and how connecting with customers on a personal level should be a top priority. In This Episode, We Talked About: (6:53) How witnessing firsthand the power of personal communication led Matt and others to develop Bonjoro (9:42) Matt’s thoughts on the value of connecting with individuals, even in a time where so many entrepreneurs are trying to scale their business on every front (12:03) His advice on when to integrate personalized communication along the different points of your marketing funnel (13:10) What he considers to be “the hardest part of the customer journey” (16:13) Where Matt draws the line between scale and personalization (21:08) The fun story behind Pat Flynn’s use of Bonjoro, and Matt’s perspective on how treating all customers equally can lead to unexpected benefits (24:00) Matt’s advice on where I (and other course creators) could improve communications on a personal level (28:18) The importance of delight, and how to incorporate delight into interactions with customers (30:07) What’s next for Bonjoro, and the direction Matt sees his business growing into in the future I know I’ll be thinking over Matt’s words of wisdom for a long time to come, and I hope you enjoyed listening in. That’s all for today, but I’ll be back later this week with more cool tips and online-course-related insights! Links Bonjoro Free Trial Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

I’ve been busy switching things up lately on The Online Course Guy, so welcome back to my new and improved podcast! It’s been fun putting together a brand-new intro, working with some new sponsors (links below), and most importantly having some great conversations with fellow course creators. I’m stoked about today’s debut with all the latest and greatest info that I’m going to share with you. "Niches make riches." -Ari Blum   On today’s episode I had the chance to talk with Ari Blum about how he created his online radiation tech resources, and what he’s learned through trial and error along the way. Ari shared a wealth of insight and some stories that I could really relate to as a course creator myself. It was great to get his perspective on what worked (and didn’t) for him, and I’m glad you’re here to listen in! In This Episode, We Talked About: (0:00) My favorite takeaway from Ari’s story (11:00) What initially got Ari interested in online courses while working towards his career goals (12:26) How he identified his audience and started building his email list - before he even started developing his course (15:42) The inspiration Ari drew from Tim Ferris’ business model, and the steps he took to get started (17:30) The reason he classifies his resources differently than some course providers, and the unique offerings his website makes available (18:50) What triggered Ari’s expansion into not only teaching but offering licensing for his niche, and how that affected the structure of his web presence and resource offerings (20:05) What Ari considers his biggest mistake, and what he would do differently if he was a new online course creator now (22:25) Why Ari needed start-up capital to begin his business, and what he used that initial investment to accomplish for his business (24:11) How he’s leveraging social media to build niche-specific traffic while also benefiting from word-of-mouth marketing (27:32) How Ari handles monthly expenditures - and the tools he’s using to help manage all the moving parts of his business (32:08) Ari’s approach to balancing family and work-life (34:44) The value Ari sees in using co-working spaces, and why he advises every new course creator to consider using one too (40:01)  His advice for course creators looking to start their own online course business, and the value of really drill down into a specific niche Whew – that about does it for today! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode. I hope you like what you heard! Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think about the new format, and what you enjoyed most about my interview with Ari. Until next time! Links Bonjoro Free Trial ClickFunnels Free Trial Ari Blum’s Website AirTable Asana ZenDesk Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

My guest for today’s podcast episode was Rob Stephenson – a full-time flea market flipper with over 20 years of experience. Over the past couple years, Rob and his wife Melissa have successfully turned their know-how into an online course teaching others how to become flippers. It was great to chat with Rob about their niche, online courses, and the advice they have for new course creators. Enjoy! "The best time to get started is right now." - Rob Stephenson   In This Episode, We Talked About: The personal setback that led to Rob becoming a full-time flea market flipper What motivated Rob and Melissa to turn their flipping experience into an online course How they divide their labor, and what works best for them as busy parents running their own business The social platform that works best for generating traffic to Rob and Melissa’s course What they’d do differently if they were starting over with course creation today Why and how Rob and Melissa decided to hire a coach to help them strategize further expansion for their business Rob’s advice for aspiring course creators That’s just a taste of what we covered in our conversation, so I hope you heard something insightful for your own course creation journey. Don’t forget to leave a comment and share what you liked about today’s episode! Links Rob and Melissa’s Website Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy

I’m back with another podcast episode, this time with Mike Moyer from mikeandlauren.com. Mike’s range of experience with a wide variety of courses makes him a great source of information, so it was great to hear how he and Lauren got started and what he recommends for new course creators. Enjoy! "As a beginner, you might be one of the best teachers possible." - Mike Moyer   In This Episode, We Talked About: How Mike and Lauren originally got started making YouTube videos, and how they eventually began to develop online courses The big online name who reached out to Mike and Lauren to collaborate on an online course The fascinating process Mike and Lauren used to create one of their latest courses - and how they made sure their content would meet the needs of their target audience Why Mike feels that being an expert isn’t necessary to teach Mike’s recommendations for online course platforms for new course creators His take on course scarcity, marketing strategies, AdSense, Facebook ads, and more! I had a great time talking with Mike on this episode, so I hope you enjoy listening. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment below on what you learned from today’s podcast! Links Mike and Lauren’s Main Website Mike’s Fusion360 Course Piano in 21 Days The Online Course Guy