Create a Better Course

• Why pre-launching is important

• The basics of pre-launch runways

• Each phase of pre-launch and what you should do

• Amanda's tips for pre-launching with less stress

• Segmenting your pre-launch email marketing

• How to identify your launch VIPs (and how to treat them)

• Launching to a small audience

• Live launching tips

• Amanda's upcoming book (and how she's managing writing an ENTIRE book!)

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/10

• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast

• Visit Amanda's Website: https://amandawarfield.com/

• Listen to the Chasing Simple Podcast: https://amandawarfield.com/chasing-simple/

• Grab Amanda's Launch Waitlist Email Guide: https://amandawarfield.kartra.com/page/V3u225

• Order Amanda's Book: https://amandawarfield.com/book

• Take my free course creation quiz: https://marakucirek.com/quiz

After designing and launching online courses for entrepreneurs for over five years, I've seen it all and used SO many different softwares as new companies pop up and different ones shift to the forefront of the market. Over the past year and a half, I've had a lot of clients switch up their courses to ThriveCart Learn. So, is it right for you, too? Let's unpack all the details on ThriveCart to find out!

Episode Highlights:

• What is ThriveCart?

• What can you sell on ThriveCart?

• The basics of ThriveCart Learn

• Everything that makes ThriveCart Learn a great online course platform

• Potential downsides to ThriveCart Learn

• How to decide if ThriveCart is right for you

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/9
• Take my free Thrivecart Learn Quiz: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecartquiz
• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast
• Receive the best price on Thrivecart and snag their Lifetime Deal: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart
• What is Thrivecart and How it Works: https://marakucirek.com/what-is-thrive-cart/
• A deep-dive review of Thrivecart Learn's features: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart-learn-review/
• Thrivecart vs. Kajabi: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart-vs-kajabi/
• Thrivecart vs. Samcart: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart-vs-samcart/

• Blog: A deep-dive review of ThriveCart Learn's features

Ready to take more time off this year? I'm here to help! I'm sharing practical tips for business owners to plan yearly holidays, vacations, and breaks! Plus some insight on how to make sure you don't accidentally spend your entire vacation working (which I've been guilty of way too many times) Episode Highlights:

• Four tricks I use to take more time off
• My time off schedule
• How I communicate time off with my clients
• How I hold myself accountable for taking time off
• Three ways to make sure you don't end up working on vacation

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/8
• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast
• Check out my Collaboration Guidelines (and add these to your website ASAP): https://marakucirek.com/collaboration-guidelines
• The planner that I use to plan out each quarter and year: https://marakucirek.com/fullfocus

In this episode, Elizabeth McCravy chats with us about the beta launch and marketing secrets behind her six-figure course, Booked Out Designer! This is a real and raw peek at what it takes to create, launch and manage a successful and profitable online course.

In this episode, we talked about:

-How long the course creation process takes and EXACTLY how to finally take action on getting your course done!

-Running a successful beta launch and SELLING OUT in 1 hour!

-Live launching vs evergreen launch strategies

-How to provide an incredible experience for the students inside of your course

-And so much more. Seriously, I LOVED recording this episode! Whether you have an established course or you're just getting started Elizabeth has some great tips to help you start taking action on your goals!

Links mentioned in this episode:

-Get the full episode show notes at: https://marakucirek.com/7

-Learn more about Elizabeth's course Booked Out Designer: https://marakucirek.com/bod

-Shop Elizabeth's Showit Templates (use code Mara10 to save 10%): https://marakucirek.com/emshop

-Listen to Elizabeth's podcast The Breakthrough Brand Podcast: https://elizabethmccravy.com/podcast/

-Elizabeth's podcast episode breaking down her beta launch: https://elizabethmccravy.com/behind-the-scenes-of-beta-course-launch/

-Hear Elizabeth's tips for combatting course creation overwhelm: https://elizabethmccravy.com/combat-online-course-creation-overwhelm/

-Should You Beta Test Your Course? Elizabeth weighs in! https://elizabethmccravy.com/successful-beta-launch/

-Read the full details of Elizabeth's course creation process: https://elizabethmccravy.com/the-making-of-my-online-course/

Today, we're talking about the nitty-gritty details of productivity and time management. As my business has grown, time has become one of my most valuable resources, and one of the things that has helped me grow my business to where I am today is learning how to manage my time efficiently. I've definitely had my fair share of battling procrastination and distraction (we're all human, right?!) But I've also managed to make some really good habits along the way that help me work smarter and push through those days when I need to get things done (even if I don't feel like working). In this episode of Create a Better Course, I'm sharing eight productivity tips and secrets that helped me become a more efficient business owner.

Episode Highlights:

• My favorite productivity tools that keep me focused, on-task and help make my work more enjoyable
• The "free space" hack for eliminating procrastination and getting your day started
• Creative ways to block out distractions
• Tips for managing your email inbox
• What I do to save time on meal prep, cooking and grocery shopping
• How to find your daily priorities and focus on actually getting those things done
• Why I take very few meetings and how you can cut down on meetings too!

Links Mentioned:

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/6
• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast
• Timer Cube: https://marakucirek.com/timer
• My Robot Vacuum: https://marakucirek.com/vacuum
• Hello Fresh: https://marakucirek.com/hellofresh
• Sanebox: https://marakucirek.com/sanebox
• Instacart: https://marakucirek.com/instacart
• Slack: https://marakucirek.com/slack
• Full Focus Planner: https://marakucirek.com/fullfocus
• Download the Block Site Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blocksite-block-websites/eiimnmioipafcokbfikbljfdeojpcgbh
• Six Things That Helped Me Get to Six Figures in Online Business: https://marakucirek.com/how-to-make-six-figures/

Today, we're talking all about business bundles with Dolly Delong. Dolly is a Nashville-based branding and family milestone photographer and an incredible systems and workflow educator. Dolly also recently hosted a FIVE-FIGURE launch with her bundle, The Systems Workflow and Magic Bundle. Today Dolly is spilling all the details about how to use bundles to grow your business and create powerful collaborations. Episode Highlights:

-What is an online business bundle and why you might want to run or participate in one

-How to use bundles to grow your income and make long-term friendships

-The difference between free and paid bundles (plus the pros and cons of each!)

-A behind-the-scenes look at Dolly's five-figure launch (without running ANY paid ads)

-How to contribute to other people's bundles and be a quality contributor

-Creating buzz and excitement about your bundle before it goes live so people purchase as soon as it's live!

-Exactly how long it takes to plan and prepare a bundle (including details on how Dolly planned hers)

-The difference between bundles and summits

-Upcoming details about Dolly's first summit on email marketing!

Links Mentioned:

-Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/5

-Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast

-Visit Dolly's website: https://dollydelongphotography.com/

-Follow Dolly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongeducation/

-Listen to Dolly's Podcast The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast: https://dollydelongphotography.com/podcast

-Sign up for the waitlist for the Bundle Intensive with Dolly and Magan Ward: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/bundle-intensive-waitlist

-Get on the waitlist for the Systems and Workflow Magic Summit: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/?affiliate=marakucirek

-Grab Dolly's Freebie to automate and streamline the backend puzzle pieces of your opt-ins and offers: https://dollydelongphotography.com/how-to-automate-your-opt-ins

-Thrivecart (the software Dolly used to host her bundle): https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart

The number one question I get in my business every single day is, "Which online course creation platform should I use for my course?" In this episode, I'm spilling the details on what you should look for in an online course platform, how to decide the right one for you and three of my favorite options!

Episode Highlights:

In this episode, I talked about:

• How to choose the right online course platform for you and your business (spoiler alert: the answer isn't the same for everyone)
• Why you actually might want to delay making a decision about which online course software to use
• How to get in the right mindset and recognize there is no one "perfect" software
• 5 big things to consider when choosing an online course creation platform
• How to stick to a budget and not go overboard on paying expensive subscription fees
• My top recommendations for online course platforms and why I like each one

Links mentioned:

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/4
• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast
• Take my Online Course Creation Platform Quiz marakucirek.com/quiz
• ThriveCart https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart
• Kajabi https://kajabi.com/
• Kartra https://marakucirek.com/kartra
• My honorable mentions: Teachable https://teachable.com/, Podia https://podia.com/, and Thinkific https://www.thinkific.com/
• Top 8 Affordable Platforms for Online Course Creation https://marakucirek.com/platform-for-online-course/
• How to Film Online Course Videos https://marakucirek.com/online-course-videos/
• Flodesk https://marakucirek.com/resources
• ConvertKit https://convertkit.com/

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes? After four years of working as an online course creator and strategist (and over a decade of working in one way or another with curriculum and education), I've definitely learned a thing or two about the little things that can make your course successful…and what can hold you back from making more sales. This week on the podcast, we're talking about the five biggest course creation mistakes I see in online business and how to avoid them in your own course.

Episode Highlights:

• How Imposter Syndrome might be holding you back

• Why most people sabotage themselves with decision paralysis around online course software

• Overdelivering and overwhelming your students by making your course too long

• Overcomplicating your first launch (and why it sets you up to fail)

• The final course creation tasks you might forget that is essential for a great online course!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/3

• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast

• Find Your Perfect Course Creation Platform Quiz: https://marakucirek.com/quiz

• Kartra vs. Kajabi: https://marakucirek.com/kartra-vs-kajabi/

• Thrivecart vs. Kajabi: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart-vs-kajabi/

• Thrivecart Learn Review: https://marakucirek.com/thrivecart-learn-review/

• Top 8 Affordable Online Course Platforms: https://marakucirek.com/platform-for-online-course/

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Online Course Software for Your Business: https://marakucirek.com/how-to-choose-the-right-online-course-software/

Wanna talk about money? I always love it when other entrepreneurs share the details of how they make money in their business so in this episode I'm getting specific about how much money I made last year, all the ways my business makes money, and my best tips for growing your business income.

Episode Highlights:

• How Much Money I Made Last Year

• Alllll of my income streams and exactly how much each stream makes up of my total income

• My future plans for passive income and growth

• How my income streams have changed and grown over the years

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/2

• Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast

• My Favorite Business Tools: https://marakucirek.com/favorite-business-tools/

• Thrivecart Templates: https://marakucirek.com/templates

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marakucirek/

• Cube Timer: https://marakucirek.com/cubetimer

• How to Make Six Figures: https://marakucirek.com/how-to-make-six-figures/

• My Year in Review 2022: https://marakucirek.com/my-year-in-review-2022/

It's podcast launch day and in this first episode of Create a Better Course I'm sharing my online business story - from stuffy, exhausting corporate jobs to leaving my day job and starting a business in my 20's. I'm sharing all the details and the winding journey of how my business grew over the years. Episode Highlights:

-Being an entrepreneur at heart but feeling like the journey to grow a business that actually created income took a LONG TIME

-All of my side hustles over the years

-Trying to force myself to fit into the corporate world because I felt like that's what I should want

-Transitioning to becoming a teacher

-Starting my online business and what the first few months looked like

-Taking the leap and leaving my day job

-How I've grown my business since

Links mentioned in this episode:

-Get the full show notes: https://marakucirek.com/1

-Subscribe to receive emails when new podcast episodes are released: https://marakucirek.com/podcast

-5 Things I Did to Finally Go Full-time in My Business: https://marakucirek.com/5-things-i-did-to-finally-go-full-time-in-my-business/