If you’ve ever tried to validate a course idea and ended up feeling less confident than when you started—because you found someone already teaching something similar—this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

In this solo episode of The Art of Online Course Creation, Shannon Boyer breaks down what’s actually happening when you see competitors in your space… and why “it already exists” is often one of the clearest signs your course idea is worth pursuing.

You’ll learn how to do market analysis without spiraling, how to interpret “competition” as proof of concept (not a stop sign), and how to differentiate your course in a way that’s authentic, strategic, and built around the value you uniquely deliver.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• What it really means when you discover someone else already teaching your topic
• Why audiences don’t choose courses based on topics alone (and what they do choose based on)
• The mindset shift that turns “I’m too late” into a clearer positioning strategy
• A behind-the-scenes look at how Shannon differentiated herself from a major course-creation name with massive visibility
• The validation mistake that leads many creators to abandon great ideas too early
• Why quizzes that “confirm” your idea is profitable should raise immediate red flags
• The two big reasons outsourcing market research to AI can backfire—and how to use AI in a supportive role instead

Ready to validate your course idea the right way?

If you want step-by-step guidance to validate your course topic without guesswork, Shannon invites you to check out her mini-course:

Validate Your Best Course Idea — a $12 mini-course that includes a full year of access to her Skool community.

Inside, you’ll walk through a complete market analysis process (what to look for, where to look, how to interpret what you find) and learn how to use tools like ChatGPT to support your research—without replacing your expertise.

Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community.

To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU.

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This podcast is produced, mixed, and edited by Cardinal Studio. For more
information about how to start your own podcast, please visit www.cardinalstudio.co
or e-mail [email protected]