Course Lab: Lessons from Successful Online Course Creators

Think niching down is too limiting? Think again. Seamstress and course builder Anke Herrmann finds success teaching Flamenco dressmaking via online courses. Tune in to learn how she turned her passion into income.

Show Notes

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     Anke Herrmann is a tech professional and entrepreneur, but she also enjoys sewing and has a love for the world of flamenco. She went from blogging about her hobby to creating online courses to teach others how to do it as well. She founded Flamenco Dressmaking, an online company that features her courses.   

     In this episode, Danny, Abe and Anke give tips for thriving in a narrow niche. Anke shares how she built a community, pre-sold her course and learned why she should avoid underpricing her products. We are reminded that following our passions and teaching our gifts can be very rewarding and profitable, no matter how small the niche.  

In this episode we discuss:

  • The importance of an online community when course building in a narrow niche.

  • Pre-selling a course to gauge profitability.  

  • The role of social media in gaining exposure.

  • The benefits of teaching your passion when it’s not your profession.

  • Danny and Abe’s debrief.


“Making something cheaper does not make it an easier sale.”

“I actually sold it before I built it, because it was a giant piece of work.”
– Anke Herrmann


Guest Bio:
Anke Herrmann is a dressmaker, teacher, coach and dog lover, with an addiction to learning. She is from Germany and has also lived in Australia and the UK. In 2004, she decided to leave the corporate world behind, move to Spain and turn a dream into reality: combining two passions – sewing and flamenco. She became a dressmaker for flamenco artists, creating made-to-measure costumes for professional flamenco dancers, singers and flamenco enthusiasts from Andalusia and all over the world. She created courses to teach others the incredible art of flamenco dressmaking and continues to enjoy this passion. 

Resources or websites mentioned in this episode:



Credits:
  • Guest: Anke Herrmann
  • Hosts: Danny Iny & Abe Crystal 
  • Producer: Cynthia Lamb 
  • Executive producer: Danny Iny
  • Assembled by: Geoff Govertsen
  • Audio Post Supervisor: Evan Miles, Christopher Martin
  • Audio Post Production: Post Office Sound
  • Music soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely


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Music and SFX credits: 

• Track Title: Bossa BB
Artist Name(s): Marie
Writer Name: Chelsea McGough
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

• Track Title: Grace
Artist Name(s): Shimmer
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS

• Track Title: Carousel Lights
Artist Name(s): Chelsea McGough
Writer Name: Chelsea McGough
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS

• Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist Name(s): Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION


Episode transcript:  Über-Niche Success (Anke Herrmann)  coming soon

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Creators and Guests

Host
Abe Crystal
Host
Danny Iny
Guest
Anke Herrmann
Producer
Cynthia Lamb

What is Course Lab: Lessons from Successful Online Course Creators?

Want to create a hugely successful online course, one that has a major impact on the lives of your students? If you want to learn how to create online courses from the best, you turn to Mirasee; and if you want to host that course, you can’t go wrong using the powerful platform, Ruzuku.

Ruzuku co-founder Abe Crystal and Mirasee founder and CEO Danny Iny know what it takes to stand out and be successful in the online courses industry. And now they’re teaming up to share this intel with you in their new Course Lab podcast.

In every episode, Course Lab showcases an entrepreneur/course creator who is nailing it with their online course -- and not because they’re teaching people how to make more money. In fact, most of these creators occupy unusual or overlooked niches, like music, writing for video games, overcoming inherent bias, and finding your life purpose.

Turns out, the key to their success all comes down to their online course design. In this podcast, Danny and Abe reveal the most important design tactics that are making all the difference for these online course creators -- and how you can implement them in your own online course. So if you want to create a successful online course that changes the lives of your students, this is your big chance to learn how it’s done from the best in the industry!