Podcast Summary: The Ops Experts Club Podcast

Episode 77 – Count the Cost: What It Really Takes to Sell Digital
Host: The Collab Team (Aaron, Taryn, and Savannah)
Date: August 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Aaron and Taryn from The Collab Team unpack the often underestimated realities of building, launching, and scaling a digital product business—especially for entrepreneurs accustomed to success on physical stages. Drawing on their extensive experience supporting 7- and 8-figure entrepreneurs, the team stresses the importance of strategy, resource assessment, and operational savvy before jumping into digital sales. The conversation is packed with practical, behind-the-scenes knowledge, essential cautionary advice, and a candid look at the true “cost” of going digital.

Main Discussion Themes

1. The Lift Behind Digital Products

• Many entrepreneurs with large audiences think moving into digital products will be easy, but the effort is "mighty."
• "People underestimate how much it takes to move into a digital space… The lift is mighty." – Aaron (03:21)
• Transitioning from live events, stages, or books to online offers involves significant additional work on top of previous efforts.

2. Finding Your Digital Sweet Spot

• Identify your unique expertise or proven process that people can’t get elsewhere.
• Offerings can include courses, communities, or knowledge-based products.
• Importance of matching the offer to distinct audience “strata” and having a multi-tiered product ladder.

3. Strategic Preparation & Funnel Hacking

• Study successful competitors through “funnel hacking”—break down their opt-ins, pricing, upsells, and fulfillment.
• "Hire a strategy coach… or mimic something that is already highly successful…" – Aaron (07:36)
• Weigh strategies: high-level guidance vs. learning from others’ blueprints.

4. Course Creation Models

• Two main options:
  • Record live with your initial cohort, then repurpose content.
  • Pre-record everything for an evergreen product.
• "Personally like the live one because… you can even charge more for it because it’s going to be a live offering." – Taryn (09:24)
• Initial creation requires significant time and energy (and should not be underestimated).

5. The Danger of Overselling Your Time

• Visionaries often over-commit to live coaching or Q&A access, leading to exhaustion and fulfillment bottlenecks.
• "Make sure you want to give that much time to it…" – Aaron (11:16)
• Carefully design fulfillment models (group calls, office hours, etc.) to protect founder time—reserve deeper access for high-ticket levels.

6. Delivery, Scaling, & Tiered Offers

• Options: self-paced courses, cohort-based with a moderator, certification programs.
• Notable success story: Dr. Dharius Daniels' multi-tier model, including train-the-trainer certification and revenue sharing with certified coaches.

7. Selling High vs. Low Ticket

• Under ~$1,000: sales can often close automatically (webinar, checkout page).
• Above ~$2,000: usually requires human touch—sales calls or group Q&A/“open house” to close.
• "Another method is a group Q&A… that’s going to push people to the cart, but only require one or two people’s time." – Taryn (15:25)

8. Build Before or After the Sale?

• Split opinions:
  • Build before launching (safer, but more upfront time and cost).
  • Sell before building (validates demand; risk of scrambling post-sale).
• Pedro Adeo’s approach: always pre-sell and build “one week in advance of every drip.”
• "Some people, that stresses them out to no end… but I understand why." – Aaron (18:31)
• The digital space moves much faster than traditional businesses—pressure is higher, and deadlines tighter.

9. Choosing Your Dream Team

• Hire those with proven experience and real testimonials.
• Don’t be fooled by “idea sellers”—demand referenceable track records and clear delivery timelines.
• "It's very easy to sell an idea and it's very different to actually get it done in a timeline that's real." – Aaron (20:19)

10. The Ongoing Hustle

• Digital requires ongoing input—constant needs for fresh creative, bonus sessions, new videos, etc.
• "Digital space is a hustle character as always. Excellent." – Aaron (22:33)
• Success comes from counting the real costs, preparing for operational sprints, and being ready for the last-minute fires that come with digital launches.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The lift is mighty. It’s a big deal. It’s not just 'I’m going to start selling something digital.' ...Count the cost, make sure this is something you want to do." – Aaron (03:21)
• "Visionaries new to the digital space will be very quick to offer up their time… make sure you want to give that much time to it." – Aaron (11:16)
• “Maybe there are different strata of people that are willing to spend certain dollars on certain things and having an offering for each one.” – Aaron (06:10)
• "You’re not going to pay them the rest of what you owe until they deliver it to you on time. That’s super important." – Aaron (20:19)
• "The digital space can move so fast. A visionary can have an idea this morning and be launching a funnel by this afternoon." – Aaron (18:31)
• “The danger can be well, do you want to be on a weekly call every week? ...Make sure you want to give that much time.” – Aaron (11:16)
• “Depending on the type of person you are… some people, that stresses them out to no end that they would get people to buy something they haven’t built yet.” – Aaron (18:31)

Key Timestamps

• 03:21 – The underestimated cost and effort of moving online
• 06:10 – Creating multi-tiered offer ladders
• 07:36 – The value of funnel hacking and strategic modeling
• 09:24 – Two approaches for course creation—live vs. prerecorded
• 11:16 – The risk of overextending yourself with live support
• 13:00 – Models for delivery: self-paced, moderated, and certification
• 15:25 – Closing high-ticket sales via Q&A vs. 1:1 calls
• 17:50 – Selling before building; “Pedro Adeo way” and digital speed
• 20:19 – Pick vendors and team with proof, not promises
• 22:33 – Why digital is an ongoing hustle, not a "set it and forget it"

Final Takeaways

• Selling digital products can be highly lucrative and a logical extension for those with an existing following, but it requires as much (if not more) work than traditional business, just in different ways.
• Meticulous planning, strategic modeling, and a clear-eyed assessment of both operational costs and team capabilities are crucial.
• Ultimately, as Aaron puts it: “Count the cost going into it… The digital space is a hustle.”