Hi All!
I'm grateful to be able to teach courses and run group programs to help people grow their authentic business and joyful productivity.
My social media links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geokao
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/georgekao
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/georgekao
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/GeorgeKaoCommunity
Twitter: https://twitter.com/georgekao
Medium: https://georgekao.medium.com
4:13
6:48
Learn & Work Lightly ✨ Paper Airplane Mindset
Welcome to Module 2! Before we dive into the practical aspects of course creation, we need to talk about mindset... adopting a light, experimental approach that will prevent overwhelm and encourage consistent action. The Challenge of Overthinking Many aspiring course creators get stuck in the planning and preparation phase. They feel like they need to have everything perfect before they can launch. A student in this course perfectly captured this common feeling: "Do you have recommendations about how to keep the steps small enough? And how do you stay loose and not too attached to specific ideas as you are going about the development process?" The answer is in embracing an iterative mindset. Work Lightly ✨ Learn Lightly ✨ The core principle we'll be emphasizing throughout this course is to work lightly and learn lightly. This means: Taking small, manageable steps. Don't try to do everything at once. Break down the process into bite-sized actions for yourself. Embracing imperfection. Your first course (or even your tenth!) won't be perfect, and that's okay. The goal is to get it out there, learn from the experience, and improve over time. Being flexible and adaptable. Be willing to adjust your plans based on feedback and results. Don't get too attached to any single idea. Prioritizing action over endless planning. The best way to learn is by doing. Don't get stuck in "analysis paralysis." Take on an iterative mindset. The "paper airplane" analogy might help. The Paper Airplane Analogy: Think about creating a paper airplane. You fold a piece of paper, give it a toss, and see how it flies. It might nosedive, veer off course, or maybe even fly surprisingly well. Do you give up and declare yourself a failure if the first flight isn't perfect? Of course not! You pick up the airplane, make adjustments (bend a wing, straighten the nose), and try again. You learn from each flight, making small tweaks until the airplane flies better and better. This is an iterative mindset. Your courses are similar. They're not quite as inconsequential as paper airplanes, but in the grand scheme of your business, each individual course launch is definitely an experiment. The faster you launch, get feedback, and iterate, the faster you'll improve and create truly impactful courses. Journaling Exercise: Take a few minutes to journal about the experimentation mindset. What does it mean to you to "work lightly and learn lightly", and to take on an iterative mindset? How might adopting this mindset change your approach to course creation? Write whatever comes to mind – there are no right or wrong answers. Share your responses below as a comment if you'd like!
LIVE CHATS:
Mats Törnvall:
Love to “ship and iterate” 🙏 I see both life and business as an ongoing experiment 🙏 let go of perfection 🙏
Rod Newton:
We call that “create and adjust”
Kristin Østrem:
Magnum opus😅
Heather L:
well I did run a beta course that I got super data from...
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
Definitely an iterative mindset. I’ve tried many different formats for my Deeper Intimacy with Yourself (DIY) IFS Practice Group but it’s still not quite flying!!!
Elke:
I have only one chance to get it right
Tomar Levine:
I’m planning to start with solo workshops - to be iterative at the beginning.
Clare Downham - Inner Critic to Inner Knowing:
Love that metaphor. Definitely playing more on the iterative space
Grant Hunter:
I tried…failed miserably. Total Magnum Opus mindset. Years in my Ivory Tower, 100’s of hours of creating content. No real demand in the market. Ugh…
Michael Williams:
Paper airplanes all the way! Iterative airspace.
Anna:
I haven’t launched a course yet but I ‘launched’ a 1:1 programme and found it helpful to launch it as a ‘this is an experiment and we’ll see what happens!’
Margo Helman:
I've certainly done the magnum opus thing... I'm shifting :)
Karlen Wilson:
In business, it’s definitely been a magnum opus. In life it’s been iterative out of necessity (never really happy about it 😆)
Clare Downham - Inner Critic to Inner Knowing:
But you have seen it Grant. That's powerful
Esther Abergel:
I think I'm between the two. The marketing took a huge amount of time.
Vanessa Carneiro Kindt:
I have had some 'paper planes' crashed. Would love to see some flying.
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
I have fun offering workshops at the IFS Unconference to large groups, so I know I can do it, but I have some kind of block on offering a similar structure in my own practice
Kim Gordon Cumbo- Animal Reiki:
The burnout from the huge marketing, has stopped me in the past.
Anna:
I have both the perfectionism of the magnum opus and the laziness (greatness!) of the ‘I’ll create it later when I have a sign up’
Denitsa Atsova:
The One To Rule Them All mindset didn't get me far 😄 So experiments sounds better!
Margo Helman:
I took a year (in addition to private practice, taking care of dad, etc) to create a course about being calm in relationship conflict. Then my one idea about selling it tanked.
Clare Downham - Inner Critic to Inner Knowing:
I have 54 courses on Insight Timer. They are short but I could expand most of them into something bigger. I cover subjects like burnout, overwhelm, stress, boundaries, inner critic to inner knowing, calm, Revealing your true potential
6:03
Warm welcome to the Course Creator's Journey!
This is a co-learning experience... so what strengths and energy would you like to bring to this community? What do you look forward to receiving? Comment below :)
LIVE CHATS:
Anna:
Experimental and supportive
Vanessa Carneiro Kindt:
creativity
Esther Abergel:
I'd like to have and contribute a sense of excitement about what we are offering to people.
Gwen:
Inspiring one another and holding a safe space
Elke:
Possibility
Heather L:
energy bringing: thoughtful contemplation, quiet excitement
Benoit Foucher:
curiosity and being mysefl
Kristin Østrem:
Clarity
Mats Törnvall:
Positive energy, curiosity, vulnerability 🙏🙌🫶
Grant Hunter:
Curiosity, desire to serve, openness
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
I bring a deep knowledge of Internal Family Systems parts work!
Maria Chan:
Supportive, inspiring, openness.
Kim Gordon Cumbo- Animal Reiki:
The energy I am bringing is effervescence. The strengths I bring are commitment, care, inspiration.
Benoit Foucher:
teaching about tennis
Vanessa Carneiro Kindt:
Interior
Kristin Østrem:
Health
Maria Chan:
General area: Leadership(self-leadership) and compassionate communication and repair
Benoit Foucher:
and fitness and mental strength related to it
Esther Abergel:
Internal Family Systems therapy and intuitive drawing
Clare Downham - Inner Critic to Inner Knowing:
The journey from being led by the inner critic to being guided by inner knowing
Mats Törnvall:
Area: leadership specifically for men in leading positions
Elke:
Emotional wellbeing
Anna:
Love and belonging outside of romantic relationships
Rod Newton:
teaching AI literacy related to personal growth
Karlen Wilson:
Giving: taking action; receiving: support; area: Motherhood
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
Esther! Let’s connect! I’m a fellow IFS lover!
Kim Gordon Cumbo- Animal Reiki:
Two areas Health/healing. Teaching- Reiki, SoulCollage, Crystals. Niche- Intuitive folks, Divorce, and spiritual awakening.
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
I offer small, Internal Family Systems coaching circles and classes to learn how to do parts work on yourself — Deeper Intimacy with Yourself (DIY) IFS Practice Group
Tomar Levine:
My area is purpose in second half of life, spiritual connection, highest potentials.
Margo Helman:
Calm in conflict.
The greatest difficulties in your most precious relationships are the place where you have the greatest opportunity for becoming the person you want to be, including healing your childhood hurts.
Rose O'Keefe Rochester:
I am a non-fiction history author of 8 books and would like to figure out a good way to share the oodles of research I've gathered along the way.
Kim Gordon Cumbo- Animal Reiki:
Joyfull Wellness and Business circles.
4:26
Who "should" be creating courses? Don't we need an audience first?
"What if this is my first offering as a creator? Should people just entering the content creation field start elsewhere?" This is a fantastic question that many aspiring course creators grapple with. The short answer is: No, you don't need a large, established audience to successfully create and launch a course. In fact, creating a well-crafted course can be one of the fastest ways to build your audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. The Power of Courses for New Creators: The beauty of courses, especially shorter courses or even a single, well-focused webinar, lies in their ability to: Showcase Your Expertise: A course allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and passion in a structured, in-depth way that goes far beyond a blog post or social media update. It positions you as a go-to resource. Provide Tangible Value: Students are actively seeking solutions and transformation. A well-designed course offers that, making it inherently valuable and attractive. Accelerate Audience Growth: When your course is aligned with what people want and need, and it's delivered well, it can be a highly effective tool for word-of-mouth audience growth. Build Authority Quickly: Successfully teaching a course, even a small one, establishes credibility and positions you as an authority in your niche. My Personal Story and Strategy: I (George Kao) actually started my online business by creating courses right from the start. I didn't have a large following. Here's the strategy I used, and it's one you can adapt, starting with the people you already know: Identify Your Expertise & Passion: What are you genuinely knowledgeable and passionate about? What problems can you solve for others? This is the foundation of your courses. Identify "Influencers" (Within Your Network): Look at the people already in your network. This includes: Facebook friends LinkedIn connections People who follow you on Instagram (or other social media) Contacts in your cell phone address book Email contacts People you've met at networking events or conferences Colleagues past and present Clients past and present Are there friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who have a network or audience that would benefit from your course topic? These could be bloggers, authors, podcasters, service providers, other course creators with a complementary offering, or even just individuals with a bit of a following. Think broadly – "influence" doesn't always mean having a massive following. It can mean having a small but highly relevant following. Offer Genuine Help: Approach these individuals and offer to help them personally (for free) with the topic of your course. This isn't a sales pitch; it's a genuine offer of value, leveraging your existing connection. You might say something like, "Hey [Name], I know you're interested in [Topic]. I've been developing some expertise in this area, and I'd love to offer you a free consultation/mini-training/resource to help you with [Specific Problem]." Build (or Strengthen) Relationships: By providing valuable assistance, you build (or deepen) trust and rapport with these individuals. Strategic Collaboration: After you've provided value and established a stronger connection, you can then explore the possibility of them sharing your course with their audience. This is much more effective than a cold outreach because it's built on a foundation of genuine help and a pre-existing relationship. Key Takeaway: Don't let the lack of a large audience hold you back. A well-crafted course, combined with a strategic approach to leveraging your existing network, can be a powerful engine for growth. We will be diving a lot more deeply into the above strategy, and working on the specifics, in the coming modules of this course. Revisiting Lesson 1: Think back to the qualities of an effective course creator we discussed in Lesson 1. Do you want to embody those qualities more fully? If so, creating courses is not just a business strategy; it's a path to personal and professional development. Action Step: Start brainstorming a list of people in your existing network who might be a good fit for the "influencer" strategy described above. Consider who has a relevant audience and who you could genuinely help. Comment below on whether you have ever thought of this strategy, or how you might now use it. Also comment on any connections that came to mind!
Starting with determining where you can offer genuine help is the right orientation. Give it away for free and build the momentum for paid offers organically, lightly. This feels like the Kaoist approach!
@Grant Hunter it's great to have you in this course! Really looking forward to seeing you launch your next one.
. I am a mental health and emotional regulation coach. And I wonder what kind of course will be beneficial? How could I create a course on that?
@Gayatri Aptekar great to see you here! As for what courses could be beneficial for you to teach, I hope the rest of this module will start to give you a stream of inspiring ideas 😊
5:44
I love this, George! I relate to your message so much and I deeply appreciate you and your work!
@Denitsa Atsova aww thank you so much for saying that!
FYI -- I wasn't able to get to your Q in the calls but will do my best to record a response for you in the next 2 weeks 🙏🏼
3:48
"What course platform do you use, George?"
I use Simplero -- it handles my website, email lists, course platform, event registration, client scheduling, and more -- but you can use whichever platform you enjoy as a student and a creator. Yes, try out various ones as a student and see which you like best, then try it out as a creator on their platform! If you have a favorite course platform, comment below. Perhaps you can find others who use a similar platform as you and provide mutual support :) If no comments below and no ability to comment, first log into the course.
LIVE CHATS:
Michael Williams:
I’ve started using Teachable. So far, so good.
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
I use EzyCourse and although it can have a few weird little buttons that make me nuts, they reply quickly and it’s been easy for me to use, which I need since platforms and uploading make me bananas
Zoom user:
I aspire to be more technically savvy and knowledgeable of whatever course platform I choose to use
Benoit:
I use systeme.io
Josephine Seeger- CET- Berlin:
what do you think about starting with a squarespace website to purchase courses, when we just start out?
Val Nelson:
I discovered it was important for me to think about what I want to do in my course and then look for a platform that fits my needs. It’s so easy to get lost and think you need all the stuff they offer until you get in and get stuck.
Zoom user:
Is google classroom user-friendly for both creators and students?
Benoit:
I don t like the platforms that gamify every part
Kayli:
I’ve had squarespace for years and if while I do like their courses feature, I am often frustrated with the platform and feel I’ve “outgrown” it
But for starting out it’s cheaper than many platforms and easy to use
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
I list my courses on Squarespace and then link them to my Ezycourse website www.athousandpaths.com/intro is an example
Lori Harger:
Anyone here use Circle? to facilitate community within the course?
kim@heartwisehealingpaths.com:
Anybody use Mighty Networks?
Josephine Seeger- CET- Berlin:
we tried Systeme. io and it gave us a big headache and its so limited for artistic needs
Collette Streight:
It sounds like there is a distinction between an online course and a small group online program. Am I hearing that right?
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
Thanks Josephine, it may be slightly dorky or something but it works for me for now. SquareSpace is so easy to use and great looking (the Ezycourse website isn’t as sexy looking) so I used the LOOK of Squarespace with the course-hosting of Ezycourse
Josephine Seeger- CET- Berlin:
@Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach this sounds really great !!!
Val Nelson:
I do think group program has a different connotation than online course. My courses have a live group component so I’ve started saying “Course with Live Group Support” to help clarify.
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
Josephine, I invite you to take Kayli up on her generous offer to talk about how she uses Squarespace — she’s super open-hearted and kind! And knowledgeable
stephanie morrison:
Has anyone used Sutra.co? I love that they are heart-focused.
Marilyn Edwards:
Replying to "Anybody use Mighty Networks?":
They have some really nice features. For me...I found their communication overwhelming, several different people multiple times per day. I am looking at Simplero because it has so many features in one place. Including the email instead of needing to interface with Constant Contact or some other platform
Val Nelson:
I am a member of a community on Mighty Networks and I don’t find it user-friendly at all. It’s more community based, not course based. If you want a course platform, maybe it’s better to go with something that started as a course platform.
Melissa Sandfort IFS Life Coach:
Replying to "Anyone here use Circle? to facilitate community wi...":
I liked how it worked from the inside. I posted on Facebook and asked friends to give me recommendations about platforms and a friend let me log in for a week to get a sense of it. Really nice user experience. But I went with Ezycourse because it’s Ezy!
Tomar Levine:
I like that George used to use his DIY method, combining Youtube vids and Google docs. I’ve used YT videos too. It’s super-easy.
Tomar Levine:
I’ve been on several programs on Mighty Networks and found it over complex and frustrating.
Very good insight! I have been running minicourses inside my membership program several times over the years and people enjoyed it, just never got to build the bridge to doing it as public minicourses that lead into the membership program.
To me it makes sense to offer the minicourses as low-priced stand alone courses, and for those who purchase can have get the purchase price as a discount when joining the membership.
what do you think, is that an authentic and connected way to do it?
@Tue Olesen Yes! There are quite a few memberships I've seen over the years that do this. Public price vs Membership discounted price, for courses. However, I think for growing the membership, it's probably better just to say join the membership and get the course (and other courses) for "free".