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ENCORE: The 10 Biggest Mistakes I Made As An Online Course Creator
27th November 2025 • Selling the Couch • Melvin Varghese, PhD
00:00:00 00:28:15

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I’ve been focused on building a life around my family and self-care rather than fitting those things around a career. I’ve learned that there is much wisdom in slowing down and not keeping up a crazy pace. One thing that has helped me accomplish these goals is creating an online course. Even though I’m super grateful and blown away by the success, I made a lot of mistakes along the way. Join me as I share my insights and lessons learned. 

You’ll Learn:

  • The 10 biggest mistakes I made as an online course creator:
  • 1–I didn’t understand how my childhood trauma affected my course pricing. 
  • Check out these resources: “The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship” (Inc Magazine), We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers, and courses by Tiffany McLain.
  • 2–I gave my students lifetime access to coaching and community.
  • This caused me to feel resentment for not charging more for that kind of access to me.
  • 3–I focused too much on gear instead of creating a steady marketing system. 
  • I have learned that marketing, which is not my strength, is all about authenticity and connection.
  • 4–I focused on being in the “middle of the pack” on pricing instead of in the upper tier.
  • Ask yourself, “Do you want to be the Apple or the Walmart in your niche?”
  • 5–I didn’t realize that I could invite students into other experiences beyond my course.
  • Options include a mastermind, cohort-based course, and other recurring income buckets.
  • 6–I realized that looking at my bank account doesn’t drive sales as testimonials do.
  • 7–I thought I’d be stuck on one business model, so I built a “strip mall model.”
  • 8–I thought having a mentor with a similar course meant that I couldn’t create one.
  • When someone else has a similar course, you can niche down into a more specific message.
  • 9–I was too concerned about the sale over the relationship.
  • This came from a poverty mindset instead of the abundance mindset to which I aspire. 
  • 10–I didn’t think about the one-off sale on the front end and the recurring invitation on the back. 
  • A certain number of students will want a more in-depth experience with us. 

Resources:

Want to launch your online course?

Join our Free 90-Minute Workshop happening on December 10th: Will AI Make My Course Irrelevant? Save your spot at sellingthecouch.com/aiwebinar

Check out our new membership site that’s launching in January! Find out more and join the interest list for Haven. 

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