Tiny Course Empire Podcast

You know what often gets lost between the “lifestyle freedom” dreams and the “I’m my own boss!” reality? A tiny little thing called doing the work. I discovered that early in my self-employment journey, when I wanted to be a writer. The only trouble was, I was a writer who did everything but write. I watched a lot of bad television. I read a lot of advice about writing. I took some courses about w...

I used to work with a single mom. She had three kids all under 10, and their dad wasn’t around at all. She was on her own for juggling doctor appointments, school drop-offs and pick-ups, holiday pageants, birthday parties, and all the rest—all while working a full-time job. I told her often that I didn’t know how she managed it all. I don’t know how any parent does, to be honest. When I left that...

Have you ever looked at someone—Cal Newport, say, or Richard Branson—and wondered how they manage to get so much done? They have the same amount of time you do, with the same family and life obligations. One has a busy teaching schedule, publishes prolifically, and produces a weekly podcast. The other seems to always be diving into a new business adventure. And you? Maybe you struggle to publish a...

My only excuse is that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I didn’t know that running a successful business required more than just a strong desire to escape my corporate cubicle. I didn’t know that turning my “hobby business” into a full-time income meant it would no longer have the laid-back feel of a hobby at all. And I definitely didn’t know how much work I’d have to do inside my own brain befor...

When I was growing up, my dad had a favorite expression: When all else fails, read the directions. For him, it was a tongue-in-cheek warning not to struggle needlessly when someone else had already laid out a plan I could follow. I took it literally, and honestly, it’s served me well. When I was brand new to business, I didn’t have the cash to buy courses or hire a coach. I barely had enough to pa...

It seems like a smart, even inevitable solution. If you want to grow your revenue, you have to create more products. And it’s true. Sometimes. Clothing manufacturers won’t get far selling the same styles year after year. Authors (with rare exception) can’t live on the earnings of a single book. Even theme parks rely on new attractions to keep customers coming back for more. Maybe that’s why as cou...

Business—and life in general—is filled with conflicting advice. We hear about the latest and best email platform, only to be told a week later that this other one is better. A new social platform is suddenly everyone’s favorite hangout, when just last month they were raving about a different app. Even business models are not immune. Are courses dead? Or are they making a comeback? Who even knows?...

For all the systems and processes and funnels I’ve created to run my business, the one that rules them all might surprise you. It’s not complicated. It’s not automated. It’s not even digital. It’s a simple index card, and it runs my entire life. I’ll tell you all about it in this episode of the Tiny Course Empire podcast. Prefer a transcript? Here you go ! And if you’d prefer the video version, yo...

I read a book that was written with AI, and I enjoyed it it. What’s more, I’m going to recommend that you read it, too. There’s something I never thought I’d hear myself say. I’ve been actively avoiding tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and rolling my eyes at those who claim their “Brand New AI App Creates Best-Seller Quality AI Courses And Automated Course Websites In Less Than 60 Seconds” (yes,...

Visibility is a must in business. Without it, you can’t grow an audience, and without an audience, you’ll have no clients. One of the best ways to be more visible is to get booked on podcasts. That lets you take advantage of the community someone else has built around your topic, so you can show up as the expert you are. Getting interviewed on podcasts is something we talk about often in the Six-F...

Would it surprise you to know that the topic of this podcast episode was planned out weeks ago? Or that I’ve known since last January what my promotion calendar would look like in December? At the end of each year, I sit down with my calendar and my index cards and map out what the next several months will look like. I decide what training I’ll be creating, plan the workshops for Six-Figure System...

I wouldn’t start with a brand new website or an expensive course platform. I wouldn’t spend money on graphics or write a book. I wouldn’t even create a tripwire or build a funnel. Instead, I’d keep it simple, and prioritize the three core elements of a sustainable online business: Content List building Offers These are the foundation pieces every business needs. Without them, those funnels and tri...

I like to imagine an arm wrestling tournament. On one side of the table we have Gary Vaynerchuk, and on the other, Cal Newport. Both internet superstars. Both prolific content creators. Both sharing their unique perspectives on what it takes to find success in the world of business. Yes, one is more business focused and the other more career oriented, but the message, in a lot of ways, is the same...

Content is a critical part of your business success. Creating content is time-consuming. Entire industries have sprung up as a result of these two conflicting statements, from private label (done-for-you) content you can purchase for pennies to generative AI solutions and costly freelancers who handle all your writing needs. Honestly, I’ve tried all those solutions, and none of them worked for me....

This summer, we decided to retire all of the existing courses at CindyBidar.com . That touched off a flurry of questions from Six-Figure Systems members and others: Are you really retiring? Will I still have access to my purchases? What will happen to Six-Figure Systems? What will you do instead? Today, I’m answering those questions and more. Prefer a transcript? Here you go ! What you’ll learn in...

Some days I sit down at my desk and I can barely sit still. I flit from email to my writing app to a video I’m editing to a course outline and back again, making no progress on anything. I get up to get coffee, or take a shower, or eat breakfast, thinking that when I come back I’ll find my focus. Sometimes it works. Other times, I sit down just as distracted as I was before. What the heck is going...

Just one more revision. Just one more fact check. Just one more chapter. Then it will be ready to publish. Or will it? For content creators, perfectionism is a never-ending search for better, and the result is a backlog of content that’s never published. It’s never quite good enough. How do you set aside your perfectionism and start putting content out in the world that serves your audience and he...

Crowded. Saturated. Red ocean. These are some of the words that might describe a difficult niche—one that’s so competitive it’s difficult for a new voice to gain traction. If those are the words you’re using to describe your niche, it’s easy to feel defeated before you even begin. You might think there’s no point in creating content, because no one will ever see it, and if they do, it will just be...

“But shouldn’t I have something to sell before I start creating content?” That’s a question I hear often, and my response is always, “No. You should create content so you know what to sell.” Here’s the thing. Content invites conversation. It helps you to refine your processes and your unique stance on topics that matter to your audience. It forms a foundation upon which you can build (and market)...

Do you ever look back and think, “Dang, I wish I’d known!” I’m not even talking about the big stuff, like the 2008 recession (although it can be argued that we all should have seen that one coming). What I’m talking about are things like, “Dang, I wish I’d known that I can wear whatever I want and no one will notice or care,” or “I wish I’d known that investing a tiny amount when you’re young adds...

Congratulations! You’ve completed your course and it’s ready to launch. All that’s left is to roll out the red carpet, right? Let’s hit the pause button for just a minute. What if I told you that before you publish that sales page, there are strategies you can use to make it easier to sell your course, and that will increase your sales, too? These are the same ideas multi-million dollar sellers us...

Did you know course completion rates—and even the results your students achieve—can depend more on the design of the materials than the content you teach? I sure didn’t, but after speaking with learning design expert Lisa Tussey, it makes perfect sense. Learning design is all about making it easy for your students to be successful. I was thrilled to learn that we don’t have to radically change how...

Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time available. For course creators, nowhere is this more true than in the launching of a new course. I’ve seen creators spend months or even years planning and developing a single course. They start with the best of intentions, but with no milestones to aim for and endless time available, progress—ironically—slows to a crawl. I spent several mo...

Pricing your digital course is surprisingly stressful. Charge too little, and you might end up feeling resentful about all the work you put into your training only to be “giving it away for practically nothing.” Price it too high, and you might feel self-conscious about it. Who do you think you are, anyway? So we try to apply some logic. We try to math, but when it comes to digital goods, math doe...

You already know you have something big to share with the world. You’ve overcome an obstacle, or achieved a goal, or helped others to do the same. You’re excited about the impact you can have on the world, and looking forward to being your own boss. The only question that remains is, “What’s the best business model to choose? Should you create courses or become a coach?” That’s what we’re answerin...