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Level Up Your Course Podcast with Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses that Change Lives
Level Up Your Course Podcast with Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses that Change Lives episodes
- ZCS030: Susan Stripling on Why You Need to Prove Your Product's ValueWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! Today’s guest is Susan Stripling, award-winning wedding photographer and co-founder of The Wedding School, an online business school for wedding photographers.This episode is especially valuable for anyone who is curious about workshops, CreativeLive and how to build an online school—not just a course. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• Susan's story: how she became a photographer on a whim• How Susan transitioned from live workshops to online courses (PLUS, what she was super afraid of)• Why Susan chose CreativeLive to get her start with online courses (and why she eventually went out on her own)• Just-in-Time Learning: what it is and why it works for The Wedding School• How knowing your learner’s journey affects your course content• How Susan marketed and launched The Wedding School, from soft launch to live event• Why you should launch to your loyal fans first• Why you shouldn’t ask your customers how much they’ll pay for your online course• Strategies to help you overcome the mental blocks of pricing your online course**References that Susan Mentions:**• [The Wedding School](https://theweddingschool.net/)• [Susan’s personal website](http://www.susanstripling.com/)• Like The Wedding School on Facebook**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Susan for sharing her story with us here on The Zen Courses Show!54 min
- ZCS029: How LifterLMS Plans to Democratize Online Courses with Co-Founder Joshua MillageWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! Today’s guest is Joshua Millage, co-founder of LifterLMS.This episode is especially valuable for anyone who wants to learn more about Wordpress LMS plugins. It's also great if you're having a hard time choosing between an LMS plugin or an LMS platform like Teachable. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• How Joshua got his start in online education• What an LMS plugin is (and the top 2 reasons to use one)• The pros and cons of using an LMS plugin for your online course• The differences between Wordpress LMS plugins, LMS themes, and LMS platforms• Membership plugins vs online course plugins• How LifterLMS simplifies your LMS plugin options• The mission behind LifterLMS’s decision to go open source• Why pen and paper is the best technology**References and Tools that Joshua Mentions:**• [LifterLMS](https://lifterlms.com/)• [Codeable](https://codeable.io/)• [WPCurve](http://wpcurve.com/)• Twitter handle: @lifterlms**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Joshua for sharing his expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!1 hr 2 min
- ZCS028: Treat Your Course Like a Course Not a Product with Caitlin PyleWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! My guest today is Caitlin Pyle of ProofreadAnywhere.com.Caitlin is a professional transcript proofreader and blogger who teaches people how to escape the 9 to 5 and start a career proofreading anywhere.In this episode, Caitlin shares her tumultuous journey from being a bad employee to working as a personal trainer to FINALLY becoming an entrepreneur and launching her successful online course, Transcript Proofreading._This episode is especially valuable for anyone who has struggled with limiting beliefs._ Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• How Caitlin got her start as a transcript proofreader• How getting fired helped her gain the courage to be an entrepreneur• How her ebook helped her decide to create an online course• How she created Transcript Proofreading• Why she has five pricing tiers (and the reason someone would buy each tier)• Her strategy for testing students to make sure they’re actually learning• Why she believes a course should be treated like a course—not a product• Why she doesn’t offer refunds• How she motivates her students by hiring them—and why you should too**Where You Can Find Caitlin:**• Proofread Anywhere• Twitter handle: @caitlinpyle**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please leave an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes!Ratings and reviews boost the show's rankings and new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Caitlin for sharing her success with us on The Zen Courses Show!47 min
- ZCS027: Why a Psychotherapist Decided to Launch an Online Course with Ali CrosthwaitWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! Today’s guest is Alison Crosthwait. Ali is a psychotherapist and the founder of The Good Therapists, a therapy blog.Later this month (April), Ali's launching her first online course, The Therapy School, a course to help people in therapy deepen their practice & understand how therapy works.This episode is a special one because Ali is also a former client. She hired me to help her create her first online course. In this episode, she shares what she thought she knew and what she learned along the way. Enjoy!_"I was so naive. I didn’t think [creating a course] was going to be that hard. I knew it would be a lot of work […] but I can handle that. But I really had no idea of everything involved in creating an online course." --Ali_**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• Why she left a corporate career in finance to become a therapist• Why she decided to create a new model for how we understand therapy• How she designed her course to deal with boundaries, privacy and other sensitive topics• How Ali is marketing her first online course• Why revenue isn't her biggest focus (and what is instead)• Her process for creating a course that’s focused more on emotional transformation than practical skills• Why she engaged her audience before she built her course (and how it changed her plans)• The advantage of starting with a beta or pilot course• Her experience using Thinkific and her thoughts on the future of LMS platforms**References and Tools that Ali Mentions:**• [The Good Therapists](http://www.thegoodtherapists.com/) (Ali's blog)• [Therapy School ](http://www.therapyschool.co/)• [Thinkific](https://www.thinkific.com/?sa=2ee5027fbb)**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. [Click here to leave a review](http://bit.ly/zencoursesshow).And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Alison for sharing her story and experience with us on The Zen Courses Show!47 min
- ZCS026: Tara McMullin on How to Grow Your Audience with Savvy, Strategic ListeningWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! Today’s guest is Tara McMullin. Tara is the founder of Quiet Power Strategy and What Works.This episode is especially valuable for anyone who struggles with building and audience and knowing what their audience wants to learn. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• How getting turned down for a promotion fueled her start as an entrepreneur• Why she shut down her niche site to create a personal brand• Why she pivoted from 1-on-1 consulting to create her first course• The changes and trends in online courses since 2010, when Tara started teaching online• How offering services can set your online course up for success• Her experience teaching online courses via Creative Live• Strategies Tara uses to understand her audience at a deep level, so she can create better solutions for them• Why you should stop making ideal client profiles (and what to do instead)• How to use social media to research your audience’s problems**References and Tools that Tara Mentions:**• Quiet Power Strategy• Tara’s personal site: explorewhatworks.com• CreativeLive• Twitter handle: @taragentile**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show.I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Tara for sharing her story and insights with us on The Zen Courses Show!54 min
- ZCS025: Does Your Online Course Work? with Brent Weaver from uGurus.comWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! My guest today is Brent Weaver from uGurus.com.Brent is the co-founder of uGurus, an online business school for web professionals. They create online courses, mentor programs and other online learning products to help web professionals lead better lives.In this episode, Brent shares the story behind uGurus and how they created their flagship online learning program, $10k Bootcamp.This episode is especially valuable for anyone with expertise in an area who wants to transition from services to products. It’s also perfect for small business owners with a team who want to add online courses to their business model. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• Chickens, side-hustles and why you shouldn't play Monopoly with Brent• How uGurus went from a side project to a full-time business• Why self-paced courses are limiting• The one metric that matters (hint: it’s not just sales)• Why you should do customer development before you teach• How he created $10k Bootcamp• Why you should vet customers for high-cost, high-value programs• The key differences between creating a hybrid, instructor-led program versus a self-paced course• Why you should invest in the strategy behind your course before you create it• The waterfall approach versus the spiral approach to learning• The #1 marketing tactic to use before you launch your course**References and Tools that Brent Mentions:**• [uGurus](http://www.ugurus.com/)• [$10k Bootcamp](http://www.ugurus.com/10kbootcamp/get-started)• [Zoom](https://zoom.us/) (for video conferencing)• YouTube Live Streaming• [Understanding By Design](http://amzn.to/1R05Dtl) (Classic book on course design (aff link))• Twitter handle: @u\_gurus / @brentweaver**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show.I read every review and I'd love to read yours. [Click here to leave a review](http://bit.ly/zencoursesshow).And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.1 hr 1 min
- ZCS024: Launching Your Course: Strategy, Videos and Pivoting with Emmy WuWelcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! My guest today is Emmy Wu from emmywu.com. Emmy is a videographer and editor who helps online entrepreneurs create amazing, heart-centered launch videos that get results.In this interview, you’ll learn how she successfully launched her course, Craft to Camera—even with a small list, the wrong price and stage fright. Plus, she shares some tips for making stellar launch videos. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• What kept her going after she quit her job to become an entrepreneur• Why it’s so important to tell your story• Why video should be part of your launch strategy• How her course, Craft to Camera, helps you tell your story on camera• Why you don’t need a huge list to launch your online course• The pros and cons of using Google Hangouts in your course• How pivoting and re-pricing helped her overcome an unsuccessful launch• What positioning is and how it helps your course launch• Tips for improving your launch videos**Links and Resources Mentioned:**• [Emmy’s website](http://www.emmywu.com/)• [Craft to Camera](https://www.crafttocamera.com/)• [OptimizePress](https://www.optimizepress.com/)• [Emmy's favorite video gear](http://www.emmywu.com/my-faves/)• Twitter handle: @emmywumedia**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. [Click here to leave a review](http://bit.ly/zencoursesshow).And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Emmy for sharing her experience and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!48 min
- ZCS023: Why You Should Build Email Courses with Rob Walling from DripMy guest on this episode is Rob Walling. Rob is the founder of Drip, an Email Service Provider that specializes in marketing automation. He's also a pioneer in the online course world, having built his first course, The Micropreneur Academy, in 2009.In this episode, you'll learn Rob’s story and how Drip can help you create email courses, grow your list and improve your marketing.**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• Why he waited to launch his first course, The Micropreneur Academy• If working as a consultant prepared him to create products• The approach Rob took to launch his course during a time when online courses weren’t popular• The top 3 things Rob learned about creating online courses• Why you may not need to build your whole course all at once• Why building an email list is critical to your sales and success• How his frustration with Mailchimp led to creating Drip• How Drip is different from Mailchimp and ConvertKit• Why Drip thinks email courses are so valuable (and helps you set one up)• How Drip helps you build your audience• How conversion rates help you optimize your marketing efforts**References and Tools that Rob Mentioned:**• [Drip](http://getdrip.com/)• [Rob’s Blog](http://www.softwarebyrob.com/)• Rob’s Podcast: [Startups for the Rest of Us](http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/)• [The Micropreneur Academy](http://www.micropreneur.com/)• Twitter handle: @robwalling**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours.And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Rob for sharing his experience and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!34 min
- ZCS022: Jim Breese from LearnAirBnB on WP Courseware, Udemy & Running a Successful CourseHave you ever done something so well that people start asking you to teach them? My guest today has.Jim Breese started off as an AirBnB host and did so well that he began teaching others. At LearnAirBnB.com, he and his team teach AirBnB hosts how to be successful in an ever-competitive market.In this episode, Jim shares his entrepreneurial beginnings and how LearnAirbnb came to be, plus all the things he’s learned along the way that can help you with your course. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• How Jim transitioned from being an Airbnb host to teaching other hosts online• Why not to wait until you feel like you’re an expert to teach• How the team validated the need for their course before they made it• The strategies they used to grow their audience• The pros and cons of using Udemy for your course• How to discover the real reason customers want to take your course, so you know how to market it• The essential tools to learn when you’re bootstrapping development of your course• Why they use WP Courseware to run their online course• The pros and cons of using WP Courseware• Jim’s top 5 tips for creating an online course**References and Tools that Jim Mentioned:**• [LearnAirbnb.com](http://learnairbnb.com/) Homepage• [The LearnAirbnb Course](http://course.learnairbnb.com/)• [WPCourseware](https://flyplugins.com/wp-courseware/)• [PaidMembershipsPro](http://www.paidmembershipspro.com/)• [S3 Media Maestro](https://flyplugins.com/s3-media-maestro/)• [LearnAirbnb on Facebook](https://facebook.com/learnairbnb)• Twitter handle: @learnairbnb**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. Click here to leave a review.And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jim for sharing his story and expertise with us on The Zen Courses Show!44 min
- ZCS021: Steph Crowder on How to Manage and Motivate Your Membership CommunityThinking about launching a membership site?It can be a lot of work. And Steph Crowder knows all about it. Steph manages the membership community of Fizzle, a training site for online entrepreneurs.In this episode, we discuss strategies for managing members, motivation and growth in your membership site. Enjoy!**In This Episode, You'll Learn:**• The pros and cons of having a membership site.• Why Steph left her great job at Groupon to become an entrepreneur• How she managed the fear and challenges of running a side-hustle while working full-time• The one shift in perspective that will help you succeed in your side-hustle• How much work it takes to run a membership site.• What Steph's average day of member support looks like• How to approach hiring moderators for your community• Strategies to help motivate members• The key to getting past fear• The tools the Fizzle team uses to manage their community• How to emphasize action in your membership community**Links to References and Tools that Steph Mentioned:**• [Fizzle.co](http://fizzle.co?aid=232)\*• [The Fizzle Show](https://fizzle.co/show)• [Intercom](https://www.intercom.io/) (for customer management & support email)• [Slack](https://slack.com/r/02a6a3gn-0lps79an)\* (for team communication)• [Trello](https://trello.com/) (for project & goal tracking)• [Asana](https://asana.com/) (for task management)• [GoToMeeting](http://www.gotomeeting.com/) (for group coaching & webinars)• Twitter & Instagram handle: @stephcrowder\_(Full disclosure: Starred items are affiliate links. If you click and purchase, you'll be supporting the The Zen Courses Show. Thanks!)**Thanks for Listening!**If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving **an honest review** for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews boost ratings & help new listeners find the show. I read every review and I'd love to read yours. [Click here to leave a review](http://bit.ly/zencoursesshow).And, finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe on Stitcher.Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Steph for sharing her insight with us on The Zen Courses Show!49 min
About Level Up Your Course Podcast with Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses that Change Lives
From the publisher's feed
Janelle Allen from the Zen Courses blog interviews successful online course creators, sharing their stories, successes, and struggles. On the podcast, she also reveals her strategies for creating and…
growing an online learning business, based on her 9 years as an Instructional Design consultant. Discover how you can build a profitable online course that improves learning, increases revenue, and boosts your authority. Learn how to take your existing learning platform to the next level so you can better serve your audience. Hear stories from agencies, consultants, CEOs and founders who felt called to transform lives through education. Although a lot of podcasts focus on online courses as a means to passive income, you won’t find that here. Instead, you’ll hear from people driven to democratize education and deliver results. Instructional Design, video and audio, engagement, on-boarding, workshops, group programs, marketing your course, launching your course, automation, building authority and trust, social media, getting things done, outsourcing and everything that works (and doesn't work) to help you create a profitable online course that changes lives--including your own!