← The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
911: AI Changed the Rules: The Secret to Launching an Online Course That Sells in 2025
00:57:35
With Amy Porterfield and Jenna Kutcher
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- [00:02]
A
Ever whispered maybe I could create an online course someday. And then you thought, nope, too overwhelming, too risky, and way too much tech. That's you. I get it. When I started, I had no clue where to begin, no extra hours, and no idea if anyone would buy. Then I met Amy Porterfield. She gave me a clear, doable path and that someday dream became a profitable, sustainable part of my business. Now I've built multiple online courses that earn while I live my life. That's why I'm so excited to tell you about Course Confident A live Bootcamp with Amy herself Four live trainings with one clear outcome. Nail your profitable course topic, choose your type and price with confidence and learn how to attract your future students without being glued to your screen. You'll be in a private, driven community that gets it. The doubts, the wins, the why is this so hard moments, the accountability, ideas and encouragement you need to move from thinking about it to doing it. Join through jennacutcher.com forward/bootcamp and when you join, you'll also get my beginner friendly mini course, the Pinterest Kickstart, which is your quick start guide to growing your audience and email list before you even launch. $27 of value. Yours free. If you want more freedom, more alignment and income you don't have to chase daily, this is your next right step. We start Sept.11th. Save your spot today at jennacutcher.com forward/bootcamp nothing makes me happier than doing work that energizes me, and I've always been committed to that. Not just for myself, but for my entire team. That's why I'm so excited about the Working Genius Model. It's a powerful tool that helps you discover your natural strengths and where you thrive in your work. When you tap into what you're naturally good at, work becomes more rewarding and you get so, so much more done. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when I took the Working Genius assessment, but it blew me away with how accurate and insightful it was. It affirmed that I am naturally gifted at using my intuition and instincts to evaluate and assess ideas or plans, and it also confirmed my love for self starters and the fact that I can get frustrated if I have to be the main source of motivation for other people to get results. The assessment only takes 10 minutes and it's great for solopreneurs and teams alike. Imagine with me how effortless your teamwork will be if you understand the working geniuses of those that you're working with. Working genius is different from everything else out there because it's 20% personality and 80% productivity. Simply put, if you want to transform your work life, this is it. Get 20% off the $25 Working Genius assessment, head to working genius.com and enter the promo code Gold Digger at checkout. That's working genius.com promo code gold digger. AI is everywhere. Writing emails, building sales pages, even outlining online courses. So does that mean your expertise isn't needed anymore? Absolutely not. In this conversation with Amy Porterfield, we're breaking down how AI is actually helping course creators succeed and how your human story, experience, and voice are still the most powerful tools in your business. I'm Jenna Kutcher, and I help you trade hustle for purpose and build a business that gives you the life you actually want to live. From a $300 Craigslist camera to a seven figure business I run from home, I've learned that success isn't just about what you do. It's about how you live. Here you'll get strategies that work, systems that give you your time back, and steps that turn your effort into results and impact. If you're ready for clarity, confidence, and a business that feels as good as it looks, you're in the right place. This is the Gold Digger podcast. So the other day, I was in my garden and I was listening to a podcast episode about AI, And I'm not gonna lie, it was kind of freaking me out. It was just talking about, like, almost this dystopian world, and I don't know that that's the world I want to be a part of. I love community. I love touching grass. I love real life. And so today, I want to talk about the elephant in the digital room. Because AI is everywhere, right? And it's only starting to change things. And I think the changes are going to be exponential. AI is writing emails, it's building sales pages, it's even outlining entire online courses in seconds. And maybe you're wondering, well, do digital courses still matter? I honestly think it's a fair question. And if you've been dreaming about creating one, maybe it's even made you pause. But don't let the tech noise talk you out of your calling, because today's conversation with my best friend and my mentor, Amy Porterfield, I think is going to reframe everything you think you know about course creation in 2025. Now, if you're new to Amy, she is the queen of helping everyday people turn their knowledge into profitable online courses. She is my first mentor, the person that I learned basically everything that I'M doing in my business today from and she is all about freedom, fulfillment, and showing you how to build a business that actually fits your life. And if you hear me sniffling, it is because at the end of this episode, I didn't expect to do this, but I literally just start crying thinking about how she changed my life, but also just how this topic today has really transformed the way that I get to show up in my life for my family, with my time and creating impact. Now, one thing that I need you to know is right now, Amy is hosting a private live experience. You can sign up. It's called Course Confident. She does this once a year. It's a bootcamp and it's designed to help you get crystal clear on what you could teach, who it's for. You can validate that idea, how to price it, and how to actually show up and sell it with confidence. Let me tell you, this is not about more information. It's implementation. It is support, it is community, it is strategy all wrapped into one. And you can save your seat right now at jennacutcher.com forward/bootcamp. Of course, it's also in the show notes, but that's jennacutcher.com Bootcamp in this episode, we are digging into what is really changing in the creator economy. How AI is actually helping, not hurting course creators, and why now more than ever, your voice, your leadership, and your lived experience are what make a course powerful. So if you've been wondering, is it still worth it to create a digital course? This episode is your answer. And spoiler alert. Yes. Yes, it is. So, Amy Porterfield, welcome back to the Gold Digger podcast. Okay, I'm kicking us off with, like, kind of we're going off of the deep end a little bit. But here's the big question. Are online courses still relevant in the age of AI? What's your take aim?
- [07:09]
B
Absolutely. But they are definitely different. We can't ignore that AI isn't going to change the way we create in launch courses, but in my opinion, it's going to allow us to get started faster and more efficiently. So they work hand in hand. They don't work separately, but they work hand in hand together. So absolutely, yes.
- [07:31]
A
Okay. I love this because I saw something the other day of like, our online courses dead, and I was like, wait, what planet are we on where we would think that people are not still willing to pay to learn something faster from one person? I think that, I mean, I remember taking online courses in some of the weirdest, silliest things to learn something from start to finish, because I did not have the wherewithal and I didn't even have the knowledge to know what step comes next and what. What question should I even be asking? And so I just think it's really interesting as we start to kind of evolve into this new era with AI, I think that, as you said, they are not separate. This is not a binary thing. I think they go hand in. And that actually really excites me.
- [08:21]
B
It does, because there's so much opportunity there. And I know we're going to get into it today, but there's so many different ways that you can level up. Like, if you've ever waited to create a digital course, if you've been on the sidelines, you're unsure. I have been telling my students, good for you, because this is a great time to get into creating and launching courses. So, my friend, good for you for procrastinating a little, because it can actually really pay off.
- [08:45]
A
Yeah, let's talk about that. Like, what are some of the reasons you think people are hesitant to dive into course creation? Like, what are some of the main things that hold people back? That we can kind of hit those objections on the head a little bit.
- [08:59]
B
So there's two that really stand out. We've surveyed our audience in our community. We've talked to them a lot. The number one reason why someone won't actually get into the rhythm of creating and launching a course is they do not want to waste their time or. Or money. Two things that are incredibly important right now. Saving your money and using it wisely and saving your time. And so when we hear that, we're like, okay, we get it. Which kind of sends us back, Jenna, to AI and how it can absolutely help you. So let's talk time first. Yeah. When you think about creating and launching a course, sometimes when someone thinks about that, they think there's a million steps. Number one, if you follow a plan that works, someone gives you a plan and says, do this, do that, do that. I've done it a million times. I know how to do it. When you have a plan, you are absolutely going to win if you stick to that. So that's the first thing. If you want to save time, follow a tried and true plan. And the second thing is, if you want to use AI, you don't have to, but if you want to, you can use it as your course creation collaborator, your assistant, to do things that in the past we couldn't have done as quickly, such as researched our topic or put together our outline but the thing that is missing from AI, the thing that will save you time, but you have to be careful that you don't want to waste your money on investing in this, is that you want the perspective of someone who's gone before you. So when I learned how to do courses, I was learning from people who had gone before me and had a proven track record. They had a perspective, they had nuances that worked. So again, getting back to that plan, you have a plan that works from someone who's gone before you, and using AI as an assistant, it's going to save you money and time.
- [10:51]
A
Okay. So I recently recorded a mini course. It's. It's. I mean, honestly, it's a couple hours of content. Recorded it at our lake house in about two days, right? And it's following the same system that I've done. It's the first. It was the first offer that I had created, like, from scratch, brand new, in so long. And I remember voice texting you, and you're like, wait, you did. Wait, you're at the lake. Wait, how? And I was like, I just got it done. It was awesome. And so what's amazing is, and I did leverage AI in helping add clarity. So, like, I had the entire outline, I had the content, I knew the framework, I knew exactly what I was teaching. And I was like, okay, where might somebody get stuck? Or what might be confusing about this to somebody who's brand new? Or what language am I using that might not be in someone's consciousness yet if they don't understand X, Y or Z, right? And so it was just like, awesome, where I'm like, you can absolutely create these. They don't have to take forever. And I do think that that is part of the model that we're seeing more. So come forward now, too, where people are having a lot of success solving one problem, right? Their courses aren't necessarily answering the biggest call of somebody's life or creating the most giant transformation, but it's solving a specific problem or it's helping someone overcome one certain hurdle in their lives. And so I think it's actually really exciting because for me, when I think of, like, hesitations I've had in the past, it's like, I need to throw in everything in the kitchen sink. I need to change somebody's life. I need to change your bank account. I need to change, like. And it's like, oh, my gosh, it's so overwhelming. Every person is unique. How do I make sure this works? And it's like, but wait, what if I just help them with this one thing? Right. What if that happened?
- [12:44]
B
Yes. That makes such a difference because you hit it on the head. Another reason why people are hesitant to create their course is what if my topic doesn't work again and I spend money and time that I don't want to waste? But also, what if I don't know enough? Or what if I can't put enough into this course that people will want to buy it and you just hit it on the head? Where people are looking for specificity, they want one solution to the thing that they're having a problem with. They don't need six months of training to get the results that they want. So it's actually easier to meet someone right where they're at and say, this is what you need. Here's what I've got. And so coming up with a topic has never been easier.
- [13:25]
A
Yes, Amen. Amen to that. And thank God for that. Okay, right, so we talked a little bit about AI and I freaking love it. I think it's really interesting. How can creators leverage AI instead of being afraid of it? Like, what does that collaboration look like in reality?
- [13:44]
B
Okay, so a lot of my students have been taking advantage of this. They've created a successful digital course, and now they want to incorporate AI to help their students get bigger results. And this is one of the coolest ways to increase the value of your digital course and also make it easier for your students to get results. So one of the easiest things you could do with AI is create your own AI bot, like a custom GPT inside your course. Now, the reason why this is so powerful is you're going to take all of your ip, all of your own content, your stories, your experiences, your. Your frameworks around the topic of your course, and you're going to feed that to AI. And your AI tool can answer any question any of your students have if they get stuck, hence getting them to the finish line faster. We're going to see a lot more people finishing courses because of incorporating AI tools into the course. So if you get stuck now, you can ask a question. But the beauty of these custom GPTs easier to create than you might think, is that they are not pulling from everything on the web. They're only pulling from your course content. So if someone asks a question, they're not going to get five different answers from five different creators, only the answer you would give them. So now we're allowed to say, or we're able to say, buy my course. You've got the videos the PDFs, the support by me. But if you get stuck along the way, you have. We call it Porter. We named our chat GPT. Yeah, you've got Porter to use every step of the way. If you can't get a live support. And we do live Q and A, if you're not there for that, you've got this other alternative. We've just increased the value of our course and help people get to the finish line faster.
- [15:37]
A
Okay, so I am obsessed with this for a few different reasons. So the first one is this. A lot of times people will just get stuck and they don't take action, whether it's commenting, messaging, support, going in the Facebook group, or attending a Q and A. Right? Like, it's just like they wipe their hands and they're like, I'm out or I'll come back to it when I have time. Right, Right. And another thing is, is I think a lot of people have trauma around feeling like they asked dumb questions. I don't know, maybe it's me thought of that. Yes. And so like, I, like I have always told my kids like, that no question is a dumb question. But I also feel like it gives people the confidence to ask even what might feel like a dumb question because they're not being met by their mentor or, you know, their hero, they're literally being met by a bot. So they might ask questions that they might not feel comfortable asking in other settings just because they might feel like, well, I should know this or this, this should be obvious. And it's not. The third thing that I really love about this is even if you just have one person that's helping you, a virtual assistant or someone on your team, if you build out a custom bot like this, they can also support your students. So, for example, Steph on my team has literally been with me for almost a decade. She is absolutely fabulous. She has been in my support inbox since the beginning of time. And she is not an expert in Pinterest. Right. Like, she knows enough to be dangerous with it, but she doesn't know all the nuance like I do. And she's the one getting a lot of support questions. And so not only does it help your students, but even if you just had one part time VA helping you in the inbox, they can also leverage the GPT, the custom one that's fed with all of your intel, and support students on a higher level with a lot more confidence. And so like, that was also a game changer for us in terms of answering students questions like so quickly with accurate information and real strategies based on what I would teach. It was like me being a personal coach that my team could deliver if I wasn't online.
- [17:38]
B
I love that you brought this last point up. Yeah, I wasn't even thinking this, but it's so true in the sense that Jenna, a lot of people that are listening, a lot of people, my audience, in your audience, they're a one woman or one man show. They do not have big teams and. And if they're lucky, they might have a 10 hour a week VA. So that's very normal when you're getting started in your online business with an AI bot like this, whether you use it internally with your customer support or use it externally, we do both. Yeah, you just created a bigger team than ever before. Like two years ago, we were not able to have an AI support person that literally will answer in the voice. We want them to answer with the answers that we have created for ourselves, for our students. Meaning. And so you just expanded your team and didn't pay a dime to do it. That's a big deal. That's going to save you time with course creation and launching.
- [18:31]
A
Yes.
- [18:32]
B
Or money.
- [18:33]
A
Totally. And what I love about it too is again, we get so many people where. And I love them because I just, I love my people, but I love it when they're like, I am so unique. How could this work for me? And it's like, okay, I can't go through and type every single response of like, this works for a horse trainer and this works for a laundromat. And here's how this works. And so it was so amazing to pull in those questions. And the GPT knows all the strategies because it's all inside of my program. And so it could be like, here is how this works. If you are a service based business, here's how this works. And so it was just amazing from a support perspective because we were able to get back to our students faster. We were still human sending it. Right. It's still coming from us, a human. And we were able to make sure too that the level of information we were getting was what their question required. Right. Because it's like if they want a five paragraph essay, I've got it. If they also just want two sentences to clarify something for them, they also have it. And so it was a really beautiful addition to our support and I think it totally helps. So I think, man, we can leverage AI in a lot of ways and we do not have to be afraid of it. But those are some really great ways.
- [19:42]
B
Yes.
- [19:43]
A
Okay, so there are a lot of new tools out there, but I think there's still so much tried and true. You and I like, we lean on the strategies that are everlasting. And so what hasn't changed about launching an online course?
- [19:59]
B
Okay, I love this question. The first thing that hasn't changed is that people are looking for, for a transformation. And if you build trust with your audience, they are going to want to learn from somebody they know like and trust. That has not changed. Going into an AI tool and finding the steps to create something big like a course, what's missing from that, that's always been in online courses is the frameworks that someone has used before you and can give you the nuances, the little things that they did that work that didn't work, the experiences, the stories. That's what makes learning something new from somebody else successful. And so that has always been baked into courses from my students. Another thing is accountability. So accountability is so important and this is not what you're going to get from an AI tool. Knowing that somebody is on the other end the of saying, okay, here's what you need to do, here's how you're going to do it and I'm going to make sure that you continue on this journey. Checking in, giving you an opportunity to engage with them, being in a community with other people doing it and saying, hey, where are you? You didn't show up for the meeting today. Let's make sure that we're getting this done. Accountability has become even more important with all the information online that still works extremely well inside of a digital course. Would you agree with that?
- [21:26]
A
Oh, totally. I think the two big things that I think are changing that excite me is in the age of information, which, let's be honest, information has always been out there, right? Like if you really wanted to piecemeal any sort of plan together, you already would have done it. Right. If you were serious enough about it. But I think the two big things, exactly what you're talking about are community and implementation. Information is interesting, but it's not useful until you apply it. And so if you do not have the community around you and the step by step process, yes, that allows you to implement in the right order without having to go back or start over or refresh, etc, then those are the missing pieces. And so that's where I think it's going to be interesting in this era of like as information continues to expand. Awesome. But just because we have more information doesn't mean that we as humans are in action more, in fact, I feel like we are more paralyzed from information and we're taking less action because there's too much information out there. And so what I think is exciting as a course creator and as a community builder is this opportunity to put people almost into think tanks, right? And say, come around other people who are doing what you want to do. Come learn not just from me, but other people who are in the arena, in the work. And also, let's make sure that as you are learning this interesting information, we're making it useful because you are applying it and taking action. Those things cannot be replicated by any robot. And so that's where I'm like, ooh, okay. I actually think this speaks to the heart of a lot of course creators on a way more visceral level of, you don't just need to lead with information, you lead with transformation. And that's what most of us want for our students and why we created it. And so I actually think it's like really feeding into the deeper desires of course creators out there.
- [23:35]
B
When you talk about not just leading with information, but the goal is transformation. The one thing that every listener has right now that nobody else has is a unique perspective. And so if I were to go into chat GPT and ask how to do homesteading, it will give me a big list of different things I need to do for homesteading.
- [23:58]
A
I can't believe, because of our conversation.
- [24:00]
B
Yesterday about I'm around Jenna way too much because homesteading is never something I will do, but my friend is now having chickens every everywhere. I called her the other day, and I'm like, what are you doing? I'm putting up a chicken run at nine o' clock at night. So, yes, this is for you, Jenna. So if I went into GPT and I wanted to know about homesteading, it could give me a list of all the things I need to do. What it can't give me is Jenna's perspective of what worked and didn't work for her and why she did what she did and what she's learned along the way and what she would share with somebody else else who's now going after her. The human touch of homesteading is going to be absolutely stripped from AI. However, it's not stripped from when Jenna teaches it. And so your unique perspective is what people want to make the transformation, and don't ever forget that. So you know how, Jenna, we've worked with course creators for years and years, and they're afraid to get lost in the Online mix. Like, there's so much information. No one's going to notice me now because perspective is so incredibly important. If you're willing to put yours out there, that is how you cut through the noise in a busy online world.
- [25:17]
A
Yes, yes. And don't worry, I'm not going to create a homesteading course. But Amy and I literally were having the cutest conversation where we were talking about chickens and roosters and eggs and it was just the best. But like, honestly, like, one of my good friends just got chicks and I've only been through this experience once, but I was like, okay, here's what you need. Here's how you do this. She could have gone onto YouTube and found it. But also, that YouTuber doesn't live in Duluth, Minnesota, hasn't been through it, doesn't remember what it felt like. And so it's just interesting in that perspective. And I do think that story and personality really allows us to shine in an information age. And I also think that that helps people get into action because you can hear the end result as told as information or you can witness a transformation. What is more interesting and inspiring to you? Right. And so I don't know, I just think it's awesome. And I think too, this brings me to my next question. Is like, what makes the listener listening the irreplaceable part of a successful course? Because information is more readily accessible. Like, how does a listener, if they're contemplating making an online course, what parts of them or their story are irreplaceable inside of a course? What do you think that they should make sure they include if there are other courses on their topic?
- [26:45]
B
Okay, I want to just go back to the word story that you mentioned because to me, that is the most irreplaceable part of creating a course that will really land with your audience. So recently, I'm not the best storyteller. I could tell that sometimes I rush a story because the people pleaser in me doesn't want to take up somebody's time. So I'm trying to get to the point. But a really good storyteller will weave in the details and take you along on their journey. And that is what is working right now in the online space, period. We've always talked about stories. I have seen it become even more important. So one of the things I've done recently is I started a newsletter. And the reason I started it is I wanted to challenge myself every single week to tell a story. So at the beginning of my newsletter, I always tell a story And I can promise you I write it on Sunday night. I can promise you Sunday morning I'm like, what is my story going to be about? I have no stories. This is not possible. And then somehow or another a story, I figure it out. And every week I have a new story to tell. So getting into the habit of creating stories, writing stories just in a casual way doesn't have to be written perfectly. Getting into that rhythm and starting to tell them on social inside your course, on your webinars. That is one thing. That the listener has that story that nobody else has kind of goes back to that perspective. So that's one thing. I know you have a few others, so let's keep going on this, but just I wanted to punctuate the point. Storytelling has become more important than ever before.
- [28:18]
A
Yes, let's take a quick pause to thank our sponsors for making this show possible. As you're listening, I want for you to reflect like, what is your story? What moment, mistake or breakthrough could become a powerful part of your course or your content? And when we come back, Amy and I unpack how storytelling can make your message stick and why, in the age of AI, facts alone just don't cut it. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury Banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money When I first started taking my business seriously, I remember feeling stretched thin. I was juggling invoices, tracking payments, and managing cash flow across different tools. It was messy and I thought banking had to be that way. That's why I was impressed with Mercury. Unlike traditional banking that feels clunky and outdated, Mercury is designed to make managing money effortless so that you can focus on what actually grows your business. Everything you need is in one intuitive product. 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Shopify's AI tools write product descriptions and even headlines so you can create content faster. Plus, with their built in email and social tools, it's like having a marketing team in your back pocket. From inventory to shipping to returns, Shopify is the partner every entrepreneur needs. If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Turn your business idea into With Shopify on your side, sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com golddigger go to shopify.com gold digger shopify.com gold digger I agree. And there's that stat that like people remember stories six times more than facts. And so again, it's like we can consume information until we're blue in the face, but that doesn't actually inspire us into any sort of action. The other thing that I think is really, really important as a course creator is staying close to who you were when you were going through that transformation. That's good because there are, there are steps to everything, right? You could learn X, Y or Z to do anything. Like I could learn how to go change my transmission on my car if I wanted to check out the steps. But I might not have somebody being like, okay, I know you're scared to pull this wire out, but I promise you this wire is the wire you need to pull. And here's how it's going to work, right? Having somebody actually guide you through the information and help you overcome your own objections and fears and make you feel less isolated or alone in the information. Alone is truly what leads you into action and keeps you in action, right? Because there's so many people listening, myself included, where I used to be the girl who I'd be like, come Monday, I'm eating clean and I'm working out and I'm doing this. And then it was like, Wednesday, it was like, okay, starting over again next Monday, right? And it's like, if you have somebody walking you through it and saying, hey, you might be feeling this way, you might be sore today, you might be saying, there's no way I'm going to be able to do that. Just show up. Just show up. Just show up. And I think that that is what is so powerful, is like, oftentimes courses come from people who have been through the depths of steps, right? They have conquered the fears, they have overcome the mindset objections. They've made the mistakes, they've spent the wrong money, they wasted the time. They know how painful all of that is. And so their promise is so clear because they have literally been there, and they will guide you through it. And so that's where I think it gets really exciting again. And I think that it just connects and resonates with the way that we want to make an impact on people's lives and the way that we want to show up and create that transformation. I think that so many course creators should be singing from the rooftops right now, because now more than ever, we have needed other humans to walk alongside of us. And so I think it's really exciting. So I would say the big things are like, story objections, pain points, and just, like, implementation and like, guiding them through it.
- [34:40]
B
You know, one other thing. In all of my courses, and I teach my students how to do this as well, I always bake in pep talks. And you really hit on this, where I know that when you create your course outline, you're going to look at that and you're going to put way too much at it. At the end of creating your course outline, you have put way too much in it, and it's going to be very overwhelming. And at that point in my course, when I'm teaching it, I'll say, look, I know how you're feeling right now. You're looking at this thinking, this is way too much. This is going to take me forever. Oh, my gosh. And I'm going to tell you right now, you have too much. So here's what I want you to do instead. Take a deep breath. Know that I'm Going to guide you through this. But if you're feeling this way right now, I understand. And here's how to move past it. Those little pep talks along the way is what keeps people in it to get to the finish, finish line. That's the human touch that every digital course should include so that you are on the journey with them.
- [35:34]
A
Yes, Amen on that. Okay, so one of the things that I'm excited about, and I actually think it really answers the call to a lot of the things we're talking about, is you do a boot camp every year. And you actually inspired me to do my first ever boot camp this year.
- [35:52]
B
Believe it.
- [35:53]
A
Oh, my gosh, I was obsessed. It was like the best thing ever. If anyone was a part of our Pinterest bootcamp, like, oh, it was so good. And so let's talk about course Confident. Let's talk about the bootcamp in general. But also, like, how is this kind of the solution that takes somebody from idea to clarity? Because, honestly, I think it is the answer to a lot of the things that we're actually talking about. And for so many listeners, they want to see what we're talking about in action. This would be how.
- [36:21]
B
So every year, once a year, I do a live boot camp, and it's one of my most favorite things that I do. And it's for anybody who says I've wanted to create a course forever, I don't know if this is the time I should do it. I don't want to waste my time or money. I'm not sure what my topic is, but I see everybody else doing really well with courses. I see what Jen is doing, Amy's doing. I want in, but I'm not sure if it's a good fit for me. Get into course confident you will answer those questions. And so here's what I'm going to teach you. Live number one, how to choose a course topic. Especially as things have changed over the years, this actually is something incredibly important and easier than you might think if I take you through my framework. So the first thing you're going to do is choose a topic and kind of learn how to validate that topic to make sure that your audience actually really wants it. And then the second thing I'm going to teach you how to do is create a digital course offer. What goes into an offer that your audience can't resist buying. And also how do you price it to be competitive, but also make sure that you're getting what you're worth. So we go over how to create an actual offer, how to price a course offer so that you can do some course math to see what's possible with this course that I want to sell. And then from there, I teach you how to grow your audience while you're creating your own course. I want you to do the two at the same time. One thing, I share a lot of examples, and you do not need a big email list if you have 200, 500, a thousand people on your list. And I'll help you get there. You have enough people to market a course to. Gone are the days that you need hundreds of thousands of people to make this successful. So I'm going to show you what it looks like to grow your email list while you're actually creating your course. And then I'm going to end it all. I'm going to wrap it all up with what it looks like on a big scale of creating and launching a course. What are the key steps so that you really understand, oh, this is what it's going to take. This is what I need to do. So you have a great understanding and clarity. At the end of the bootcamp, I go on the journey with you. I do live Q&As, I'm in the community. It goes by really fast, but it will give you that, that course clarity that you're looking for to see if there's something that you want to jump into and actually make it happen.
- [38:41]
A
Yeah. I mean, I love a bootcamp for so many reasons, but one of my favorite reasons is that it forces people to actually sit down and do the work.
- [38:50]
B
Yes.
- [38:51]
A
And I see more progress in days than people have made in months.
- [38:58]
B
I agree.
- [38:58]
A
It is crazy. Like, it is like people, it is contagious. People get their first wins and their second wins and their third wins. Like, if you are someone who you have listened to this podcast for years and years and years and you've heard us talk about this and you're like, this is not the year. This is the joint. It's 47 and it is. You will get more out of those days than you've gotten in hours of listening to podcasts about it and not taking action. It will force you into action.
- [39:29]
B
And that $47, it not only includes live video from me that will be recorded in case you miss it, but every single training comes with a step by step PDF. I'm known for my step by step training. We do really valuable PDFs. You get one for every specific training I do. So you'll walk away knowing exactly what to do. That's the thing that my students want. Amy, just give me the plan. Tell me exactly how to do it. It. So for those first few steps of creating your course, I'm going to give you a PDF plan so you know what to do.
- [40:00]
A
Okay, we're gonna move on to the next question, but if somebody's listening right now and they want to go join the bootcamp. Jennicacher.com forward/bootcamp I'm also throwing in basically our Pinterest boot camp. It's our Pinterest kickstart. When you join absolutely free, just so you can see Amy's take and my take on it. It's literally like a case study waiting. Waiting for you to consume it. Jennicutter.com forward/bootcamp okay, so the reason why I think that this boot camp solves a lot of the things we're talking about is it puts people into action, it puts them into community, and it holds them accountable. All things that are not possible just with AI. And so it is literally we are doing what we're talking about in real life and you get to join. Okay. So for somebody that's, that's listening right now, and I know you have a lot of these folks in your community and also in mine is maybe it's someone that is an expert in their area. Right. But they do not consider themselves a marketer. What is their next step? Right. We know so many people that are like, brilliant, think like doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc, and they're like, they are geniuses. But they are like, I don't want to do this social media thing or I don't know, know how to grow my audience online. What would be a good first step for them?
- [41:18]
B
This is not talked about enough, Jenna. This is something that we've been talking about in my and my internal team a lot as well, that when people get stuck with the marketing, you've got to look at them just like you said and said they're a doctor. They weren't taught marketing in school. I was gonna say in doctor school. I'm pretty sure that's not what it's called. Medical school. Yes. They were not taught that. Or even someone who is a leadership expert or a mom that teaches you how to get your picky eaters to actually eat. You know your craft so well and many people listening. Be honest with yourself. You know your craft so well, where you often get stuck or feel like you're not enough or doing the right things is because you have never been taught how to market online. So. So the first Thing is to give yourself a little grace and know I'm not supposed to know this. Amy and Jenna have been doing this for many, many, many years and we've made it our career. But if you haven't done that, give yourself some slack. You're not supposed to know all of this stuff. But what's smart is your listeners are listening to a marketing podcast with someone who's gone before them. So it comes back to that plan number one, find someone that you trust that is willing to show you each step you need to take to build a marketing plan around selling your course. But also make sure you're following someone that will strip it down and make it simple for you. And so to answer your question, one of the ways to make this simple is the first thing. I want you to take a topic that maybe you'll create if you join the boot camp, I can help you solidify that. But maybe you have a topic, you're not sure if it will work. Let's just take that topic. And I want you to then do four, five bullet points. What are five different stories, experiences, or ideas that you could talk about that are aligned with that topic for your course? And with those five things I want you to think about, what social media posts could you maybe create? What kind of freebie, a cheat sheet, a guide, might you create that's aligned with your bigger topic? I want you to start to create content around it and just put it it out casually. It doesn't have to be some big formal thing. Just to start getting that exercise of sharing your ideas into your body and out into social and out into the world. So that's the first thing I would do. It will help you grow your email list, but also help you get into the habit of talking about this topic naturally.
- [43:43]
A
Yes. Oh my gosh. One of the things that I feel like people like, it's like a lie that people believe is like, like, I need to get the audience first and then I'll start talking about the things I need to talk about. And it's like, you won't. First off, they're not going to come if you're not serving them. But second off, the way you get the audience is by putting the things out there, right? It's like this weird, like what comes first and the cart or the horse. And it's like, no, no, no. The more you put the content out there, the more people will come and they will be aligned with what you will eventually offer. And so you have to start doing steps like Amy said, and Getting comfortable and do it while there aren't people following. Like, make the mistakes while there aren't fuel following so that you start to, like, put your cringiest stuff out there and just get it out there. And then as people start to follow, you get better. Like, that is the only way to refine it. And I saw something the other day that was so beautiful, and it was. Somebody was challenging those brilliant minds out there. And she said something like, I'm sick of scholars and researchers and doctors and all of them saying, like, you know, I don't need social media. I'm not made to be on it. And she's like, we need those voices now more than ever. We need the voice of reason, the voice of truth, the voice of honesty, the voice of transformation. You sitting yourself on the bench and saying, I just. That's not for me is actually a disservice to humanity. And it is really impacting your ability to change the world. And so I just love that because it was like, there are so many echo chambers on the Internet and unqualified people teaching the things that you are qualified to teach. And so if you belittle this idea that social media isn't for you, you are literally holding back your ability to make impact with the things that you study and know like the back of your hand. And so I loved that where it was like, yeah, you're not too good for this. We need you. Please show up, give us your voice.
- [45:52]
B
What a great way to think about it. Like, this is your opportunity to make change. Show up on a platform that maybe you don't love social media. Most of my audience doesn't love social media, but it is an opportunity to transform now more than ever. So I love that you said that. And here's a little tip for anyone that's like, I got an idea. So let's be honest. Many people listening right now. If they're being honest, you don't have to admit to anybody. But if you look at something online and someone's teaching your expertise, I know you've had a moment that you've said, I could teach this better. Actually, that's incorrect information that they're giving. I can give the information in a better way to make a change. If you've ever had that moment, you are ready for a digital course because you need to get your experience, skillset and knowledge out there. But coming back to the content part of it, here's something really easy you could do and something I've absolutely done. I want you to go to Jenna's social media, let's say IG and mine. And I want you to find just one post that you like. How we did it. Whether it's a carousel or reel or story or whatever, copy it with your own content. So if you got your topic, maybe a topic for a course. You've got those five bullets I talked about. Take one of those bullets, see something that Jen has done, maybe a carousel post, and then model it for your own so you don't have to come up with a new idea. Just model it. Let's start at least getting some stuff out there and you don't have to start from scratch when you have other people that you can follow like that.
- [47:23]
A
Yes, I want to pause for a moment to say a big thank you to our sponsors for making the show possible. If something Amy shared today gave you clarity or sparked a new idea, take a second and send this episode to a friend who's thinking about starting an online course. Coming up, I'm sharing a pro tip for starting on social media from scratch and how to get traction when you're building from zero. We'll be back in just a minute. This message is sponsored by greenlight. My 6 year old woke up this morning asking if she could do chores to earn money.
- [47:55]
B
Why?
- [47:56]
A
Because she read a fancy Nancy book where Nancy worked to buy fabulous shoes. And suddenly my daughter wanted to experience the same pride of buying something special with her own money. But here's what hit me. I had no good way to help her actually see and feel her money growing. Cash gets lost, piggy banks are abstract and she can't really understand the connection between effort and reward. That's why we started using Greenlight. Green Light is the easy, convenient way for parents to raise financially smart kids and for families to navigate life together. And maybe that's why millions of parents trust and kids love learning about money on Greenlight, the number one family finance and safety app. Now, when she does chores, I can instantly send her earnings to her card. She watches her balance grow in real time and feels genuine ownership over her money. And when she's ready for those fabulous shoes, she'll swipe her own card and experience that incredible feeling Nancy had. Don't wait to teach your kids real world money skills. Start your risk free Greenlight trial today@greenlight.com golddigger that's greenlight.com golddigger to get started greenlight.com golddigger can we talk about how bad underwear can ruin your entire day? Like I used to put on underwear and a bra knowing that I'd be adjusting it by 10am and completely over it by lunchtime. That is why I am obsessed with the Skims Fits Everybody collection. Now, I bought skims for years, but I swear this line is a total game changer. The Fits Everybody Scoop Roulette has buttery, soft fabric that literally feels like nothing, and I mean that in the best way I can put it on and I forget that it exists. I'm so confident in these pieces that when I packed my grease suitcase, it was basically all skims. I even wore their bodysuit for a recent branding photo shoot, because when something fits this well, you just trust it. When your underwear actually works, you stop wasting precious mental energy on it and you can focus on everything else that matters. If you're tired of uncomfortable intimates, this is your sign to try Fits Everybody Shop Skims Fits Everybody collection@skims.com Once you place your order, make sure to let them know we sent you Just select podcast in the survey and choose the Gold Digger podcast in the drop down menu that follows. Last February, when the Minnesota winter felt like it would never end, I looked at my family and I said, that's it. We're going south. So we booked a house on Airbnb with a pool, enough space for each of us to actually get good sleep and all of the little luxuries we didn't have at home. But what really stuck with me wasn't just the house. It was all these thoughtful touches, fresh coffee waiting for us, local restaurant recommendations, even pool towels that actually smelled good. Drew and I kept looking at each other like, how did they think of everything? That's when I realized this host was a pro. They had clearly figured out how to make people feel genuinely cared for and not just housed. Now, having been a host myself, I understand how much care it takes to create that kind of experience. The thing is, not every host can always be there in person. Life gets busy. Maybe you're traveling, working remotely, or you've got a second property sitting empty. That is why I love that Airbnb offers tools to help make hosting simpler. With their co host network, you can partner with experienced local co hosts who manage the details from guest communication to on the ground support so that your space and your guests are cared for even when you can't be there. If hosting has ever felt overwhelming, this makes it easier than ever. Find a co host now@airbnb.com host okay, here's my pro tip for somebody listening. If I were starting social media from zero, I would create A new account and I would go onto the like explore page or whatever they call it these days. I think it's explore. And I would type in because now social media is more search based so you can find like more content. And I would type in the main keywords that describe my offer and I would scroll through and I would save a hundred posts. Now this sounds crazy, but I would go through all the time. Yes, I would literally go through and I would look at what posts got the most views, the most interactions and I would save a hundred of them and then I would analyze them. What was the hook they used, what was the content? What would be my hot take on that? Where do I think they got that wrong? What is an unpopular belief that I have about this? It is easier now than ever to grow an account because of the search based nature that is social. We weren't able like hashtags kind of sort of did it, but not in this way. And so you can literally see what is working and put your own spin on it and put your own personality on it. So I'm like, you know what, I'm not going to use that as an excuse for use anymore. Go out and do the reps and if you need to see cringe, just scroll on back to my account. You'll see lots of cringe where I showed up. So just know we all went through those cringy phases and that's how we grew initially. And you have to be kind of willing to go there. Okay, my last question is this. For somebody that's on the fence about jumping into the online course world, like what would you say to them?
- [53:10]
B
I would say to them first, what is your why? If your why is I want to create an online business so I don't have to work in a 9 to 5 anymore, great. If your why is I want to have more freedom and time with my kids, so I want to call my own hours, great. If your why of, you know, building something of your own is that you just want that independence to make the decisions of what you want, when you want, how you want, wonderful. Get really clear on your why and then I want you to really hear me. One of the easiest, best, most effective ways to kickstart an online business or to grow an online business is to have a digital course. It puts you on the map, you become known for something. The way you actually start to get success in an online business is when your name starts popping up for a specific topic. Courses do that. So if you're saying, Amy, I want to cut through the online noise. I want to be able to get my knowledge out there to the audience that needs it and I want to be known for that. It's a digital course and if you've ever worried, I don't want to waste my time, my money. I'm not sure if this is a good fit for me. That's where you try something like the boot camp just to dip your toe in the water. So then you can come to that conclusion. Is this the direction I want to go? But I want you to hear that many online businesses have been built by starting a digital course and becoming known for something. Actually, can I give you like one quick story that I love? A new story in my audience. So I like to share stories that recently happened to show you that courses are thriving and working for people all over the world. Not just in the US all over the world. And I have a student and her name is Wajma and she is a Muslim mother. And she wanted to help other Muslim mothers become confident and empowered in their parenting. Now take that for a moment. That is very specific. Not all moms, Muslim mothers. So that's something that she knows well. She was homeschooling her kids. She had four of them. She wanted to help other mothers thrive. Wasn't sure how to do it, but she thought there's got to be something here year. So she started to figure out what a course could look like. I helped her along the way. What could a course look like? And she started to grow her email list. Now here's the deal. She only had 1,000 people on her email list. She started with zero. And she started to put her content out there. 1,000 people. And she created her first course. And here's what's crazy. The first time she put it out there, she got 45 students. She made $12,000. $12,000 can be life changing, especially in the world we live in now. She made $12,000. Only 45 students teaching something that she does every single day. Were other people teaching it? Absolutely. But this is something that she leaned into. She went on to launch again and again and she was able to make over $30,000 with the course based on what what she does every single day. Don't discount something you know well just because it comes easy to you other people. It is not easy for them. So don't discount what you already know. It can absolutely be a digital course.
- [56:28]
A
I love that so much. I had this moment yesterday where I was really just thinking like, we're about to enter this New era with the kids both being in school. Like, I have have the house quiet for the first time in seven years. I might cry if I think about it too hard of just, like, not having a kid home constantly.
- [56:49]
B
Look at this.
- [56:49]
A
I'm gonna cry. You know me. Amy's like, I know.
- [56:53]
B
Yes.
- [56:53]
A
These are the moments that really get. Jenna, I know you get all of me, but I think about, like, my life. If I were still a wedding photographer, and God bless all of you wedding photographers out there, if I were still sloughing gear every weekend, leaving Saturday mornings, getting back late Saturday nights, being so sore on Sundays that I can't even get out of bed. If I was editing all week long, like, if I was still in that nature of a business, my experience of motherhood would be incredibly different. And I, like, look back at these last seven years, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, like, what a gift that I got to serve the world, that I got to be home with my kids. Like, it's just crazy. And so I just like, you know, I love you, but you changed my life. And I think that when we see that we know something valuable, we show up differently, right? Like, when we know we have something that can help somebody else, it changes the energy of how we show up. It literally changes, like, the frequency of, like, where we are, like, shining in our lives. And I just think, like, my kids got the best of me because I was still able to serve the world not in a one to one way, but in a one to many way that allowed me to be one on one with them. And that's like, man, that's the creme de la creme. Like, I can't. I can't imagine. I was, like, thinking about it the other day because I saw my cameras out and I was like, dear Lord, this is like, you know me. Like, in the summer, I'm like, I am not leaving Minnesota. You. You cannot get me to leave Minnesota. Like, I have waited all year for this. But there was a former version of my life where I was gone every single weekend, sometimes double headers and shooting multiple weddings in a weekend. And I just can't imagine that life. And so I want to encourage people that, like, maybe it's not to make a million dollars, right? Maybe it's to afford your mortgage or to buy groceries or to get your kids. Kids new clothes for school. Maybe it's to be able to pay the tuition for that Montessori school that you want your kids to go to or to buy your parents a car. That's reliable. Like, I don't know what that is, but I feel like there is so much beauty in the way that you can share something that you know and that you've experienced, that can help other people, but that also pulls you out of that rat race of trading time for money because your time is so valuable, and your time is your currency. And I have been able to live the fattest minutes of my life with my kids because of this. So just. Thank you, Amy.
- [59:33]
B
Beautifully said, my friend. And I just. I know Jenna so well, and all of that is so true. Like, that is exactly how she lives her life and what she focuses on and what means the most to her. So I love that you can explain it in a way that, sure, we want to make money and we want to be successful, but a digital course is as much for you, the creator, to change your life as it is as much for the people that you serve. And so the win, win is what makes it so powerful.
- [60:00]
A
Amen. All right, well, I can't even blame my period, because I don't even know when it's coming, but Lord help us all. Here's what I'll say. Amy does this boot camp once a year. If you're listening to this episode and it's much later on and you miss the bootcamp, that's a. Okay, we'll make sure that page is going somewhere of value for you. But. Jenna kutcher.com Bootcamp the Bootcamp starts on September 11th. Amy and I will be in there. I promise you, you will make more progress with this idea than you've made in five months. And I have a really good hunch that you're going to meet people that you really enjoy. If you have ever looked at mine and Amy's friendship and been like, is that really real? Are they really friends? How did they become friends? It is through communities like this and putting yourself in Facebook groups like this. I mean, it was literally from me investing in Amy and promising myself that I'd become her greatest success story of all time. And so, like, get in the rooms where the people are doing the things you want to do. Get led by the mentors that are doing and walking the walk and talking the talk. And it's 47. It's, like, less than a doordash, so you could definitely do it. Jenna kutcher.com Bootcamp Amy, I love you. Thank you for changing my life. I am so excited to just continue evolving and what's next? And I can't wait to guide people through it with you.
- [61:23]
B
Love you so much. Jenna. This has been such a treat and I can't wait to really pour into your community. So I hope to see him in the bootcamp and thanks so much.
- [61:32]
A
Woo. I did not expect to get so emotional today, but I'm also not going to apologize for it. I have been doing so much reflecting as my kids start school as I enter this new era of a working mom who is used to having kids at home and facilitating lunchtime and quiet time and nap time and all the different things. And I really am in just the state of pure reverence for what I have been able to build and the way that it has changed my life. And Amy has really been just the person in my life that has taught me and led the way and gone before me. And so I'm just so grateful grateful for her and I really want for you to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from her. Jennacutcher.com forward/bootcamp I will be in there. She will be in there. We are literally answering a lot of the questions that we talked about today. On this episode. You will get more out of these days than you've gotten in months, guaranteed. And also, if you just want to do almost a case study on what we're doing and what we're teaching, this is how to do it. Jenna kutcher.com forward/bootcamp if you know somebody in your life who is a genius, who you want to learn from, send this episode to them. Do it together. Create a little accountability pod and jump on in and just thank you so much for listening to this podcast. I hope that it touched you. Until next time, Gold Diggers, Keep on digging your biggest goals. Thanks for listening to the Goal Digger podcast. I hope today left you inspired and equipped with something you can put into action as you build. Build a business that truly supports your life. If this episode resonated with you, here's how you can help this show reach even more entrepreneurs. Hit follow, Share it with a friend who's building something meaningful and if you're feeling generous, leave us a review. Those reviews help other listeners discover these conversations when they need them the most. This show has become so much more than I ever imagined, and it's because of listeners like you who show up and share you are helping build something that will inspire entrepreneurs for years to come. For show notes, links and resources, head to golddiggerpodcast.com keep digging your biggest goals. The world needs what you're building. Please note this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements and individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in the episode. Your support through affiliate links or sponsored content helps us continue to bring you valuable content. Thank you for being a part of the Gold Digger community.