Overthinking. If you’re like me, that’s what you do when have a great idea for a new course, but you’re anxious about putting it out there for the world to see. Suddenly you’re filled with questions. What if you don’t know enough about the subject you want to teach? What if you get lost in a sea of others all talking about the same thing? What if what you make doesn’t live up to your own (ridiculously) high standards? Just who do you think you are, anyway? Creators in every niche can...

Decision matrices, SWOT analysis, pros and cons lists, cost/benefit analysis... there are a multitude of tools you can use to make decisions in your business. Whether you're deciding on a new product line to create, a new marketing strategy to try, or even a new business model to explore, there's no end to the advice you'll hear on how to choose the right path. But what I've found is that one simple question is more important than everything else, and it's often the one we never bother to...

There are a lot of confusing terms in the online marketing space, and maybe one of the worst offenders is “funnel.” It means a lot of different things depending on who you ask and what their particular business model is. Just to add to the confusion, it also goes by many different names. In this episode of the Tiny Course Empire Podcast, we’re taking a look at funnels. You’ll learn what they are, how they’re used, and I’ll answer the big question: do you even need a funnel at all? Listen...

We’ve all been there. A great looking new software solution comes along and promises to solve all our business problems. It will help us make more money, land more clients, create more content. What’s more, everyone is talking about it, and many of them are making the move, too. You’re tempted. Who wouldn’t be? But how can you tell if this is a good move to make, or if it’s just another distraction dressed up like progress? In this episode of the Tiny Course Empire podcast, I’m going to...

Imagine having a beautifully organized home, a thriving business, healthy relationships with your family and friends, and a fit, healthy body, too. Sound like a pipe dream? It might if you listen to those who say it’s impossible to be successful in so many things, like Randi Zuckerberg claims. She says that you must choose only three areas of life in which you can thrive. All the rest? They’ll suffer from lack of attention. I have a different take, and in this episode, I want to explore some...

I've watched students, clients, friends, and colleagues struggle with digital product creation—sometimes taking months or even years to create a single product. When you're just getting started and not earning much (or anything) yet, that's a bad spot to be in. It might be keeping you stuck in a day job you hate. It might erode your excitement about being in business at all. It definitely undermines your confidence about your future business growth. It's also not bringing in any money. A...

There are almost as many ways to make money online as there are people in the world who are doing it. In this episode, I'm going to break down six popular online business models, including what it takes to get started, the profit potential for each, and how to know which one is the right fit for you. Plus, we'll talk about how to combine business models to create multiple streams of income in your business. Prefer a transcript? Here you go! What you’ll learn in this episode: Which...

It's not a secret that organic reach on Facebook, Instagram and others is at an all time low. What's worse, even if you've mastered a platform or two, it seems as if every week or so, there's yet another algorithm update that threatens to destroy all the work you've put into it. Pinterest users are even feeling the pinch. The platform is often referred to as a search engine rather than a social network, and as such it's been the go-to traffic source for bloggers in many niches for years. But...

I always thought that having a big team was the key to success online. That it would let me make more money and (more importantly) spend more time doing what I really love to do. Turns out, the size of your team has little to do with your success. In this episode, I’m giving you the scoop on how my thinking has changed, and why I prefer to run a tiny business with as few team members as possible. Prefer a transcript? Here you go! What you’ll learn in this episode: The big advantages...

Sooner or later, every email marketer finds themselves in a tricky situation. It’s been weeks, maybe even months since you sent your last email, and your list has grown a bit cold. Maybe life got in the way. Maybe your business changed. Maybe you simply ran out of things to say. Regardless of the reason for your absence, it’s time to re-engage your cold email list, but where do you even start? What’s the best way to get back in the game? In this episode, we’ll look at what you can do to...

If you give away a lot of information on your blog or podcast or YouTube channel, do you run the risk of diluting your sales? Will people just continue to learn for free and never pay you for your courses or coaching or services? That’s a worry that many small business owners face, and it sometimes causes them to play small, saving all the “best ideas” for their paid products. What they don’t know is that people pay for more than just information. When you add that to the equation, you might...

First it was supply chain disruptions that sent prices skyrocketing for everything from cars to toilet paper. Then inflation joined the party and drove prices even higher. Chickens across the US got sick, and suddenly eggs were the most expensive breakfast food you could buy (assuming you could even find them). Now, you might not be selling cars or toilet paper or eggs, but all of this economic weirdness we’ve experienced over the past few years is taking its toll even in the online space. In...

It’s true that the economy right now is a bit topsy-turvy. Inflation continues to rise, making the cost of everything from a loaf of bread to a new car more costly than it was a year ago. Small business owners—even those who aren’t selling bread or cars—are feeling the pinch. Every week I hear from clients, customers, and friends who say their sales are down, their expenses are up, and they’re beginning to wonder if they’ll still be in business in a year. Now is not the time to panic....

I remember the first webinar I ever watched about starting an online business. It was about niche blogs, and how to find an SEO-friendly domain, research a few keywords, write a few blog posts, and insert Google Adsense ads and Amazon affiliate links. I was fascinated, and the whole process made perfect sense to me. Until I actually sat down to create the first blog, and I realized it’s just not as easy as it looks on a webinar. That was just one of the harsh realities I’ve learned about...

Every good email marketer knows you have to nurture your new subscribers, right? But what if it turns out the whole "nurturing" thing has morphed into something it was never meant to be? What if instead of building stronger relationships, you're actually hurting them by trying so hard to "add value" that you forget to sell to them at all? That's what I'm asking in this episode of the Tiny Course Empire Podcast, and I have to warn you, I may have been a little fired up in this one. Tell me...

One of the best skills any small business owner can develop is to pay attention to what others do. There are valuable lessons to be learned, both on and offline, if you just know where to look. This week as I walked my dog, considered selling putting our house up for sale, and unsuccessfully tried to make a purchase online, I saw several things that could be improved in my own business—and maybe yours as well. Prefer a transcript? Here you go! What you’ll learn in this episode: What...

Everywhere you turn today, people are talking about AI and how it’s making business so much easier. And it is, to a point. Unfortunately, there’s a subset of people who are taking it a step further, and claiming that tools such as ChatGPT can replace you. They can write your content, create your lead magnets and products, handle your customer service, build your website… everything. Just click a button, and head to the beach. Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? If only it were true. Join me for a...

Looking for a content marketing boost for your business? Podcasting is more popular than ever, and more and more listeners are discovering new favorite shows. I love podcasting because it gives you all the SEO benefits of a blog, without requiring stellar writing skills (perfect for the grammatically challenged, in other words). Plus, podcasts offer a level of “know, like, and trust” that you just can’t get with written content alone. After all, a podcast feels more like a conversation and...

If there’s one question I hear over and over again, it’s “How do I build a mailing list?” There are a few tried-and-true strategies I’ve used, such as participating in bundles and giveaways or starting an affiliate program. But there is one method that consistently brings in high-quality subscribers to my email list, and that’s content upgrades. In this episode, I’m chatting with content creator Jeff Herring about four ways I use content upgrades. I love these methods because they’re fast and...

One of the biggest appeals of digital course business—aside from showing up for work in your sweat pants—is that it takes very little cash to get started. You don’t need to save for years, or wine and dine angel investors, or wait for an inheritance to land in your bank account. You can get started right now, today, with nothing more than a few dollars shaved off your household budget. That’s what bootstrapping is all about, and in this week’s episode of the Tiny Course Empire podcast, I’ll...

Studies have shown that students learn more effectively when they take notes with a pen instead of a keyboard. I find similar results in my own life. I’m much more likely to remember things I wrote by hand. It’s also easier for me to solve complex problems on paper than it is with a keyboard. And sometimes, I just need to dump out all my thoughts into a notebook so I can see them. It makes whatever I’m working on easier to manage. Turns out that even when you run an online business, sometimes...

Let’s be honest. Creating a Tiny Course Empire is not for the tech-averse. There are just so many platforms to master, it can all feel overwhelming. You have to build and manage a website, design sales pages, master your email platform, figure out a shopping cart and payment processors, and make sure your students have easy access to their purchases, too. And you have to connect all of those systems together for better branding and a good user experience. All of that can make the...

It’s no secret that email marketing offers the best ROI (return on investment) for your promotional efforts. But did you know there’s a way you can earn even more from your email list… without mailing more often (although you certainly can) while serving your subscribers better using tools you already have That’s what segmenting your email list is all about, and it’s a technique every business owner can master. On this episode of the Tiny Course Empire podcast, I’ll share some easy...

There’s no escaping the camera when you run an online business. Video content continues to outrank other formats. Social platforms prioritize reels and live streaming. And let’s not forget podcast interviews, video-based courses, conferences (both live and virtual) and the many other opportunities involving a microphone and camera. For those of us with a bit of anxiety, stepping up and being seen in this new way is intimidating. In this episode of the Tiny Course Empire podcast, I’m welcoming...