We’re back with another exciting interview from a successful online course creator! Guest Jono Petrohilos has an amazing story of bootstrapping his way from a tiny course investment to a thriving business in his fitness education niche. I loved hearing how Jono’s openness and drive made all the difference in his online course’s success, and we had a great chat on best practices for people at different stages in their own journey. “‘Build it and they will come’... is just about the worst marketin...
Sep 08, 2020•2 hr 9 min
Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz around new community-building platforms, and rightfully so. Community is so important to almost every aspect of life and that includes the online course world! As my business grows, my perspective on community has definitely evolved, and that’s why I found it so interesting to speak with guest Gina Bianchini on today’s episode. As founder of Mighty Networks, Gina is clearly passionate about this topic and had some great tips to share. "When I started with a...
Aug 25, 2020•1 hr 34 min
It’s time to get back into interviewing successful course creators and hearing what makes them tick. Today’s guest Stephanie Taylor is new to the show and relatively new to the online course world, but she already has a fantastic story and some important lessons to share. And as one of my former coaching students, it’s super-fun to get Stephanie’s perspective on things since we first started working to take her course to the next level. "You have everything you need within you to be successful. ...
Aug 18, 2020•2 hr 2 min
At long last I’m back with my co-host, Dr. David Krohse. On today’s episode we’re talking all things road trip plus discussing why I recently had to take a step back and reassess my goals for The Online Course Guy and this podcast. We also got into our top podcast and audiobook recommendations… and David’s favorite song to mop to. ;) " Trips like these are why I wanted to create this kind of online business." - Jacques Hopkins We enjoyed catching up and filling each other in on what’s been going...
Aug 04, 2020•36 min
We’re keeping things short and sweet on this last episode before I return to my typical show format with co-host Dr. David Krohse. Today, I want to give you an opportunity to have your most pressing question about online course businesses answered. Make sure you stay all the way through to the end! "Now is your chance. Now is your opportunity." - Jacques Hopkins In This Episode, We Talked About: (0:37) Welcoming new listeners and a heads up about the podcast schedule (1:19) The opportunity I’m p...
Jul 28, 2020•5 min
I’m back with another on-the-road episode of The Online Course Show, this time coming to you all the way from Sedona, Arizona! Like the last several weeks, I’m recording this episode on my phone and keep things pretty simple since I’m traveling with my family. Soon I’ll be back to my normal setup in my home office and my normal interview format along with co-host Dr. David Krohse. But right now I want to share with you some content from my “Simple Path to Online Course Success” webinar. I’m shar...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 25 min
What a week it has been! I literally recorded this episode standing in the middle of Yellowstone National Park while my kids were napping. My family is on week three of a summer roadtrip, and while that’s leading me to do some unconventional podcast episodes, it’s also reminding me just how much I enjoy being my own boss. ;) "This is not a magic pill… but every day that passes I get better and better at this stuff." - Jacques Hopkins I hope you enjoy catching a glimpse of the freedom that having...
Jul 14, 2020•15 min
One of the big reasons I always wanted to start my own online business was to allow my family more freedom to travel and see the world. Right now we’re on the road for a 5-week trip, but that doesn’t mean that things aren’t still humming along for my business! I’m still checking in with my team, sales are still coming in, and I still have a whole lot of thoughts that may be helpful no matter where you are on your online course journey. ;) "The allure of passive income is great… but it’s very rar...
Jul 07, 2020•27 min
I’m on the road with my family and chronicling how I run my online course business at the very same time! This and the next few episodes is going to be short and sweet, because as much as I love my Online Course Show audience, I love my family more. ;) But that doesn’t mean we can’t dive into how my business and my work process functions while I’m away from home. "Being able to do something like this and still be able to run my business and serve others is one of the main reasons I got into this...
Jun 30, 2020•15 min
When you’re starting an online course business, you probably have a lot of questions about what it will take to keep that course running smoothly every month. My business has evolved a lot over time, and that means my expenses have evolved too. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today! "You have to be your own CFO" - David Krohse No matter what stage your business is in, you probably have expenses! In this episode we’re taking a look at all the essential tools and services I pay for - and ...
Jun 23, 2020•49 min
Stacks and secrets and sales - oh my! We’re talking all about webinar content today, because I firmly believe that your webinar can be a huge driver of sales if you set it up right. If they check certain boxes for the audience and are structured in a certain way, they can really help your audience break their false beliefs about your niche. "You’ve got to help people break through objections." - Jacques Hopkins David and I had a lot of fun discussing the ins and outs of my webinar and what I’ve ...
Jun 16, 2020•52 min
When I first started my online course business, I didn’t even really know what a “funnel” was. Sales funnels can be confusing, even for people who are a bit savvier than I was back then! And that’s why David and I are doing a deep-dive into the why and what of funnels – plus how I’ve set mine up to drive sales for my online piano course. "The importance of a funnel is really building a rapport and a relationship with your prospective customer." - Jacques Hopkins Wherever you’re at on your online...
Jun 09, 2020•47 min
If you’re like me, the legal side of an online course business can be intimidating. Privacy policies, trademarks, pirating… so many legal concerns to consider! Fortunately, lawyer and course creator Autumn Witt is here on today’s episode to break down some of the most important considerations in this topic for online course businesses. "I put a lot [of my audience's feedback] into packaging up what needed to be in my course." - Autumn Witt Autumn shared a wealth of insight on how new and old cou...
Jun 02, 2020•58 min
One of my favorite types of interviews are the ones where we catch up with past guests and see where their online course journey has been taking them over time. Today we’ve got Gina Horkey back with us! Gina always has a lot of great insights and updates on her online course business, so it was great to have her back on The Online Course Show. "Invest in student success." - Gina Horkey It was great to get Gina’s perspective on the past year of her business and what she’s working on! I hope you e...
May 26, 2020•1 hr 9 min
We’re back, and catching up with a course creator who I interviewed all the way back in episode 80! Paul Lipsky is a successful drop-shipping business owner and course creator who teaches others how to run their own Ebay drop-shipping business. It was great to speak with Paul again and hear all his latest and greatest online course news. "Now that I’m focusing on less, we’re seeing better results… Focus down on what’s really working." - Paul Lipsky It was very cool to hear how Paul’s been doing ...
May 19, 2020•57 min
If you are new to the online course world, you’ve probably been wondering if a platform like Udemy could be a good place to start. There’s probably no one-size-fits-all answer on, but my guest today had some great insights that are definitely worth considering. Tracy Goodwin is a successful course creator who specialized in helping people get their message across more effectively. It was great to hear her perspective on all things online course-related and to learn what has worked best for her. ...
May 12, 2020•53 min
If there’s one thing that’s true for nearly all online course creators, it’s that your course content includes at least some video components. On today’s episode I had the chance to speak with Demelza Marie, who is all about helping course creators make the best possible impression with video. "People tend to focus a lot more on the camera and equipment, and not how to use it." - Demelza Marie Demelza provided some valuable food for thought about how to improve video production no matter whether...
May 05, 2020•53 min
Here on The Online Course Show, we’re all about learning from successful course creators and keeping an open mind. That’s why I’m super excited to share this episode with you! My guest Alison Beere has a pretty unorthodox approach to teaching in her niche online, and our conversation was definitely thought-provoking. "Find one person who wants you to teach them, and find out what their questions are." - Alison Beere David and I had a lot of fun hearing what’s been working for Alison and discussi...
Apr 28, 2020•48 min
Spoiler alert: this episode involves money, wine, and some big ups and downs to go along with that! Bobby Hoyt was our guest and he is not called the Millennial Money Man for nothing. We had a super-fun conversation and I think there is a lot to be learned here no matter how much online course experience you do or don’t have. "It was the right product for the right audience at the right time." - Bobby Hoyt I had a great time chatting with Bobby and hearing his insights into what it takes to run ...
Apr 21, 2020•57 min
We’re back, and we’re still talking about mindset! It was great to debunk common mindset myths for online course creators last week, and I really felt we needed to continue our conversation "If you’re afraid to ask for reviews, you need to reevaluate your course and the quality you are providing." - Jacques Hopkins It’s always a good time to refocus, challenge limiting beliefs, and adjust your mindset. I really enjoyed my conversation with David, and I think you will too! In This Episode, We Tal...
Apr 14, 2020•57 min
It’s time for a deep dive into a topic that very relevant to all online course creators. In fact, it's one of the biggest keys to making your online course business the best (and most successful) it can be. That’s right: we’re talking mindset! "Making money isn’t inherently bad: it’s all about how you use it." - Jacques Hopkins I enjoyed our conversation and I think you will too! Mindset is so important and it’s definitely worth talking about. In This Episode, We Talked About: (2:15) Sideline Sa...
Apr 07, 2020•49 min
We’re doing something a bit different today: I’m the only voice you're going to hear on this episode. In this short and sweet edition of The Online Course Guy, I’m going to be sharing a big change I’ve recently made in my funnel: and why I’m so excited about it! "The more you put in between your customer and your message, the less customers you will have." - Dan Henry Some of what I’m sharing today might seem to go against the mainstream, or it might even seem too simple to make a difference. Bu...
Mar 31, 2020•16 min
What do cookies have to do with online course creation? That’s what we find out today with my guest Anton Kraly, founder of Drop Ship Lifestyle. Not only does he have a unique story, but he’s become a very successful creator teaching people how to set up their own successful businesses in a non-traditional way. "Give [your course students] a clear path to success." - Anton Kraly We delved into some important insights on this episode, so I think you’re going to find Anton’s interview very enlight...
Mar 24, 2020•45 min
Websites: if you don’t have one already, you probably are thinking about creating one. Having your own website is an important part of building your web presence, but not every course creator approaches this the same way. My website has evolved a lot over time, in part thanks to Greg Merrilees and his team at Studio1Design. That’s why I had Greg on the show today. We’re talking all things related to online course websites! "Look at your data to figure what’s working… and be prepared for it to ch...
Mar 17, 2020•51 min
We’re doubling up for today’s episode and interviewing not one, but two course creators! Ksenia Parkhatskaya and David Duffy have a successful online course story that is very inspiring. Most online courses start out as a one-man/woman show, but it was super-cool to hear how Ksenia and David’s different talents and strengths have made their partnership work so well. "Don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to start." - Ksenia Parkhatskaya It was awesome to hear all this duo’s insights fro...
Mar 10, 2020•53 min
This week we’re hearing from Matt Santry, who is all about helping musicians earn more consistent income. While he’s a relative newcomer to the online course world, I think there’s plenty to learn from his story so far! Also, David turned the tables on me during today’s episode by asking me some questions about my life as an online course creator that I haven’t really shared before. "I had an epiphany – the mini-training I was doing was essentially giving away my course." Matt Santry Matt provid...
Mar 03, 2020•51 min
If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you’ll be able to appreciate my guest today! Hadar Shemesh is a language coach, public speaker, and online course creator who’s on a mission to help ESL/EFL-learners with one of the more challenging aspects of being a non-native speaker: accents. You can always start small. Hadar Shemesh Hadar provided some great food for thought about why some online course creators might go the route of live launches instead of an evergreen model. I enjoyed our conver...
Feb 25, 2020•49 min
If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you’ll be able to appreciate my guest today! Hadar Shemesh is a language coach, public speaker, and online course creator who’s on a mission to help ESL/EFL-learners with one of the more challenging aspects of being a non-native speaker: accents. "You can always start small." -Hadar Shemesh Hadar provided some great food for thought about why some online course creators might go the route of live launches instead of an evergreen model. I enjoyed our con...
Feb 18, 2020•54 min
Time – it’s always running away from us. One of the perks of owning my own business is that I am in charge of my own schedule, but it’s still a challenge to make the most of every day. And that’s why I’ve been reading “Make Time” by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky along with my co-host, David Krohse! "It’s about slowing down and making time for what matters most." - Jacques Hopkins We had a great chat about our favorite tips from the book, what we’ve tried so far, and what we’re thinking about as w...
Feb 11, 2020•46 min
Today we’re chatting with Steve Nixon, a successful online piano course creator who played an interesting role in my own course creation journey. He’s got a wealth of experience in his niche and is on a mission to teach people what online businesses actually need to become successful. "It’s better to get feedback from people right away… real people with real problems that you can serve right away." - Steve Nixon It was awesome to hear Steve’s perspective on over a decade of successful online cou...
Feb 04, 2020•42 min
