Level Up Your Course Podcast With Janelle Allen: Create Online Courses That Change Lives

Welcome everybody! Joining us today is Anton Kraly, the founder and CEO of Drop Ship Lifestyle. Anton helps people learn how to start a successful drop shipping business. Today, he’s here to share his eCommerce journey, the challenges he has faced starting out and how he has helped over 10,000 students to implement drop shipping profitably. The first thing I thought about if someone wants to learn from me is what do they want to get out of this? Episode Quotes "Always trust your intuition or gut instinct" "We redesign everything once a year just to keep it up to date, but right now it's all focused on simplicity" "People were looking for guidance... what I do now when people sign up is they get put into an email automation sequence" "This isn't a paid by the hour job. You got to put in the work to reap the benefits long term" Listen to Learn 00:13 Getting to know Anton Kraly 0:55 Rapid 5 Questions 02:21 What is drop shipping? Benefit of drop shipping 03:58 Anton's e-com

Hey everyone! Today, I’m chatting with Travis Northcutt. Travis is a membership site consultant, co-founder of MemberUp and Member Score. Community is very important in a membership site. In this episode, Travis shares practical steps on how to effectively build the community, how to reduce churn and increase membership engagement. Come for the content, stay for the community. Episode Quotes "You just keep on keeping on. It doesn't come overnight." "One of the strengths of a membership site is the ability to have that community component" "Come for the content, stay for the community" "That initial on-boarding experience is really important" "I caution people not to plan too much, not to try to have everything perfectly nailed down" Listen to Learn 00:48 Getting to know Travis Northcutt, Rapid 5 Questions 03:05 How Travis' become a membership site consultant 04:07 Challenges that Travis' faced starting out 05:53 The story behind creating "Member Up"

Welcome to Level Up Your Course! Today’s guest is Aaron Hultquist. Aaron and his wife Ivy are the founders of Massage Exam Academy. Aaron works on the technical side while Ivy focuses on the course curriculum. In today’s episode, Aaron shares how he and Ivy found a business model by accident and used just-in-time learning to build Massage Exam Academy. We also discuss the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. Enjoy! Our site is a tool; it's not a magic wand...If you buy it and don’t use it, it's not going to help you. Episode Quotes "It is natural to have ups and downs of entrepreneurship" "It is more about getting a baseline of what your strengths and weaknesses are and then focusing on those weaknesses" "Use customer feedback to drive everything that you build" "Put it out there before it is ready" "Take some time to know your business and think about whether or not this approach is going to work for you" Listen to Learn 00:42 Rapid 5 Questions 04:50

Hello everybody! I am with Michael Zipursky on the show today. Michael is the CEO of Consulting Success, where he helps consultants attract more clients, increase their fees, win more proposals and grow their business. In this episode, he shares insightful advice and tips about the consulting business as well as how he turned his coaching into a successful group program. Enjoy! One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they don't take action, they don't put up stuff out there. Episode Quotes "Rather than just sitting on ideas, and planning and thinking, take what you believe and put it out into the marketplace." "Client achievement is worth more to me than just seeing the bank account grow." "What consultants are missing is a good marketing plan and a strategy to generate consistent lead flow" "We treat all our members like family and when they need support we're there for them" "Don't just build everything first. Have an outline, a rough skeleton of wha

This is it! The Zen Courses Show is now Level Up Your Course. For the very first episode of Level Up Your Course, I’m honored to have Amy Hoy as our guest. Amy is a software developer, writer, co-founder of Stacking the Bricks along with Alex Hillman, and a course creator. She is here today to share her story and everything about her online course ‘Sales Safari’. Most importantly, we’re going to talk about the V word: validating your idea and why you should pre-sell. Don’t spend a year making something. Do a tiny product first. Episode Quotes "A good business doesn't mean it is a good business for you" "Just because people pay money for your thing doesn't necessarily mean it solves their problem" "You need to have a really clear vision of what the product is going to be" "It is better to sell a smaller product for less money than to sell nothing" "People buy when they are confronted with a reason to take time to read the details and make a decision" “The big t

Hello everybody! If you’re a long-time listener of The Zen Courses Show you may have noticed that I took a hiatus for a bit. Almost a year to be exact. In this episode, you’ll find out why I took a break, what I learned during my time away, and what’s coming up next. Lessons I learned out of the break It’s ok to stop. I know that’s not the message you hear. Everyone else tells you to hustle till you drop. During my break, I learned that it’s not about working non-stop but instead working strategically. The big reveal! There’s a big change coming to the show--starting with the next episode. I am re-branding the podcast, with a new name, new artwork, and a stronger focus. Listen to find out more! Episode Quotes "I don't believe that you have to work non-stop. I do believe in working hard and smart." "While technology is super important and valuable it can be a distraction." "You have to go all in if you are thinking about doing something." "Business problems are usually connec

Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show. I’m so excited to have Ben and Marie Borowski on the show today, they complement each other so well when talking about skill sets! Ben, being a software developer, is more on the technical side while Marie is into course design and marketing. I know you will love this episode! It came out of the success of Marie's program Before collaborating with each other, Ben and Marie were doing their own things: Marie was working on her online course ‘Digital School Strategy’ and Ben was into software development. When Ben noticed Marie’s success, that’s when he started to focus on online courses. The story of a collaborative work began. We always tell people “start with the problem, start with the audience” Start with the problem. In other words, it’s about understanding the audience and knowing what they need. Marie emphasizes: content creators do not need to figure out everything before they start. It is just starting small and putting out the “rough a

Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of the Zen Courses Show! Today, we are joined by the talented Jen Hewett. Jen is a self-taught printmaker, illustrator, and a teacher. In this episode, Jen and I talk about her online course “Design, Carve, Print”, her experience being an online course teacher and some tips for artists who want to follow her footsteps. I guide people from the very beginning to printing to the fabric Jen’s journey is an interesting one. After “running her stationary business into the ground” in her twenties, she returned to corporate life--and thought she would stay there until retirement. But life had other plans. After the economy tanked, Jen took a screenprinting class that changed her life. Jen pursued her passion for art and eventually created “Design, Carve, Print,” which focuses around block printing on fabric and caters to not only artists but hobbyists as well. Design, Carve, Print is a 6-week online class with a combination of videos and blog posts, starting from introduction t

Welcome to another episode of The Zen Courses Show! I am thrilled to have Alyson Stanfield joining us today. Alyson has been working with artists for many years. Today, she’s here to share a behind the scenes look at Art Biz Coach and her Art Career Success System (ACSS), which has helped many of her clients grow their careers. Alyson has a lot to share about building an art career, the challenges she faced in her business journey, and some tips as a coach working with artists. A quick note from Alyson: Since this interview, Art Biz Coach has become Art Biz Success. I believe that artists are so valuable to the world; I will do everything I can to help them After teaching artists for a while, Alyson developed a framework called Art Career Success System. ACSS is composed of 4 programs. One is the Creative Content Camp, which helps artists create their contents. Another component is the Fan Boosting Formula, which teaches artists about cultivating relationships in your art career. Thirdly, Art Biz Accelerator,

Hey, hey! I am excited to have Matt Ragland on the show today. Matt is the creator of the Sketchnote Starter Course. He’s also a member of ConvertKit’s team. In this interview, Matt and I talk about his work, how he created his sketchnote course, and what it’s like being part of ConvertKit. I know you’ll love this episode! A quick note: Matt references the course platform Coach, which is now Podia Listen to the end to get access to the video walkthrough of Matt’s course! Ideas not art… It’s really about connecting with people and solving problems To start off with, Matt discusses how he got started with sketchnotes and the three books that helped him create his first sketchnotes. He also shares his vision of connecting people over big ideas, and solving problems. I want students to feel comfortable putting their ideas down on paper Matt and I talk about his launch of ‘Sketchnote Starter Course’ which helps people who think they can’t draw at all realize their potential. The course starts with simple lesson

Hi everyone! I am excited to have Dominique Broadway on the show today. Dominique is an award winning Personal Finance Coach, Speaker, Finance Expert and the Founder of Finances Demystified & The Social Money Tour. In this episode, we discuss her course, Finances Demystified Bootcamp. I absolutely love this episode and cannot wait for you to hear it! Quitting was not a financial worry, I was just over it. I needed a change. Before quitting her job and jumping into entrepreneurship, Dominique was into banking and finance. After quitting her job, she was able to start fresh, focus on personal finance and educate people about their finances. The Finances Demystified Bootcamp Dominique’s online course is a 5-week program which helps entrepreneurs learn more about personal finance. It’s ideal for learners who are looking for an affordableself study program. Topics covered in the course include: budgeting, saving, investing, shifting one’s money mindset, stocks, bonds, and more. Want to learn more about Domini

Welcome to episode 059 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest today is Lisa Congdon, fine artist, author, illustrator, and online instructor. In this interview, Lisa shares her journey as a teacher turned artist turned artist who teaches. Enjoy! In This Episode You'll Learn: What motivated Lisa to switch careers later in life Why you're never too old to begin something new (and how it works in your favor) How she overcame her resistance to teaching online The pros and cons of partnering with platforms like Skillshare and CreativeBug Self-paced courses versus blended-learning: from an instructor's perspective Why you should delegate and outsource Sites & Tools Mentioned Lisa's website - http://lisacongdon.com/ Lisa is @lisacongdon on Instagram   Lastly, I want to give a big THANK YOU to Lisa for sharing her story with us!

Welcome to episode 058 of The Zen Courses Show! This is part two of my interview with Jane Hamill, former fashion designer, business consultant, and online course creator. (Check out episode 57 for part 1.) In this part, Jane shares how she structures her courses and motivates her students. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: How to get your content done Why your students need more structure than you think How to support your students when life happens The secret for staying in your zone and not comparing yourself to others How to balance between imagining and doing the work References Mentioned: Jane's website Zen Courses on Patreon 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. Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU to Jane for sharing her story with us on The Zen Courses Show!

Welcome to episode 057 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Jane Hamill, former fashion designer, business consultant, and online course creator. In this interview, Jane shares how she transitioned from running her clothing line to teaching online. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why you shouldn’t ask your students what they want Why you should start with one course, even if your vision is bigger How to start your course with a limited budget How she tackles talking about money The framework Jane uses to design her courses Ways to build structure into your course so students do the work References and Tools Mentioned: Jane's website - http://fashionbrainacademy.com/  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

Welcome to episode 056 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Jarrod Drysdale, visual designer and new course creator. In this interview, Jarrod shares how he launched his first course and what he's learned from ten years of designing and entrepreneur-ing. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: What he learned from his first failed business Why he launched his course on a weekend—when everyone says not to! The incentives that motivated Jarrod’s audience to buy his course How he balances consulting with creating products How consulting and design have made him a better course creator The three teaching components he uses in his course Why you don’t need to focus on web design when you’re starting out References and Tools Mentioned: Show notes - http://zencourses.co/056 Zen Courses on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/zencourses  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 &

Welcome to episode 055 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Meighan O'Toole, digital strategist and online course creator. In this interview Meighan shares how she left Corporate America to grow her own business and the story behind her course, Anatomy of a Newsletter. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why social media is not where you will make sales How to overcome your resistance to starting a newsletter Why you should validate your course before you create it Why you should offer services if you’re a course creator Strategies for planning and publishing your newsletter Why unsubscribes are a good thing Why she chose Coach for her course platform References and Tools Mentioned: Meighan’s website Anatomy of a Newsletter Coach (aff link) 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.

Welcome to episode 054 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Rachel Shillcock, an award-winning designer, author, and online course creator. In this interview Rachel shares her story and why she decided to create an online course when she already had a couple products. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why Rachel decided to create digital products when she already had a successful design career Why Rachel believes YOU are your brand How to use your values to help you build your brand and products Why it’s okay to evolve your products and processes How she decides what course content to keep and what to leave out Why you should always overdeliver References and Tools Mentioned: Coach (partner link) - the course platform Rachel uses Rachel's website - rachilli.com Rachel's products - rachilli.com/shop Rachel on Twitter - twitter.com/missrachilli Rachel on Instagram - instagram.com/rachilli Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The

Welcome to episode 053 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Tiffany Mikell, CEO of Aerial Spaces, an immersive learning platform. In this interview Tiffany shares how she transitioned from being a corporate software developer to dropping everything and creating an education platform. Enjoy! In This Episode, You'll Learn: How growing up in on two different Chicago neighborhoods opened Tiffany’s eyes to disparities in education Why creating inclusive and accessible spaces of learning is important to Tiffany How Aerial Spaces is working to close the digital divide in education Why it’s important to think about obstacles your learners may have How immersive learning increases engagement in your online course or workshop Why you should think about results before you begin teaching How Aerial Spaces provides global access in countries where other tools don’t References and Tools Mentioned: Aerial Spaces Experience Institute Dev Bootcamp TransHack Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episod

Hey, it's episode 052 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest today is Halley Gray, Founder of Evolve + Succeed. She’s also the creator of Be Booked Out, an online program for coaches, designer and VAs. In this interview Halley shares how she transitioned from consulting to creating her flagship course. Ready? In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why you shouldn’t start with courses if you’re a new business owner How to use momentum and deal with emotions to structure your course How Halley adjusted her services to a course format The power of using worksheets Why no-one wants to know your background information Why your students need to trust the method to do the work The three emotional obstacles that keep your students from taking action Why Halley teaches the hard information first References and Tools Mentioned: Be Booked Out Thinkific (partner link) Click Funnels Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving an honest review for The Zen Courses Show on iTunes! Ratings and reviews bo

Welcome to episode 051 of The Zen Courses Show! My guest for this episode is Len Markidan, Director of Marketing over at Groove, a help desk SaaS. Groove recently created their first online course and sold out in 5 days! In this interview Len shares why a help desk company decided to create an online course and what it took to make it happen. Ready? In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why content marketing is important…and how Groove rebooted their content marketing strategy Why you should focus on helping your customers grow Why it makes sense for SaaS companies to create online courses How to get past your fear of marketing Tips for staying productive so you can get your course done even with a day job How to know how much content to include in the course The #1 marketing channel Groove used to sell their course Strategies to keep your email list engaged Why you should create obstacles for people to sign up for your course References and Tools Mentioned: Groove’s case study for their course launch Coach - an