93. Creating a Course When You're at Capacity: A Simple System for Getting It Done Fast
- Brittany Miller
- Apr 15
- 12 min read
Updated: Jul 17
Have you ever thought about creating a course… but felt completely overwhelmed by where to start, what to include, or which platform to use? Or wondered why so many businesses added courses?
Many business owners hit a point where their time is maxed out, yet they want to grow their income without adding more hours to their workday. This is where creating a course can transform your business model, opening up scalable income opportunities.
In this episode of the Go Get Great podcast, I’m peeling back the curtain on my course business development journey—sharing exactly how I went from fully booked with 1:1 clients (and totally maxed out on time) to building a sustainable one-to-many model with online courses that generate income without needing me in the DMs 24/7.
I'm sharing why creating a course is a powerful move for businesses of any size, how to approach course creation without overwhelm, and a simple, actionable system to get your course ready in just three days. Whether you’re new to course creation or looking to expand your offerings, this episode will provide clarity and inspiration.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Listen to this episodes insights or keep reading for all the details!
Table of Contents
Why Creating a Course is Essential for Your Business Growth
Most service-based businesses operate on a one-to-one model, meaning you trade your time directly for money—one client, one service, one paycheck. This model has a natural cap because your income is limited by how many clients you can personally serve at once.
For example, if you can only manage five clients a month, your income is fixed unless you increase your prices or expand your team. Similarly, product-based businesses might face limits based on production capacity. Imagine a craft business where you hand-make 40 hats a month; your sales—and income—are capped by how many hats you can physically create.
This is where the one-to-many model comes into play. Instead of trading time for money, you create one product—like an online course—that many people can purchase simultaneously without additional work from you. Examples of one-to-many products include:
Online courses
Paid audiobooks
Downloadable resources like planners or templates
By shifting to this model, you can exponentially increase your revenue without increasing your workload.
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Starting with One-to-One Before Moving to One-to-Many
It’s important to note that most businesses can’t jump straight into a one-to-many model. Typically, you begin with one-to-one services to develop your expertise, processes, and systems. Once you have a proven framework, you can package that knowledge into a course or product to sell to many customers at once.
I share my own journey with this shift. As a solopreneur managing social media clients, I hit capacity and needed a new income stream. The first course I created was Profile to Profit (a midi course), which teaches Instagram bio best practices to attract your ideal clients and generate sales. After refining this strategy through client work, I packaged it into a course that scales beyond the limited number of profiles I can update personally. It's also a more affordable option for small business owners to learn to do it themselves vs. hiring me to do it for them.
Through experimenting with Profile to Profit, I realized I loved the course creation process and being able to support entreprenurs in this way (I also received great feedback from my course!). I've since launched:
Zero to Inbox Hero - an introduction to email marketing (currently not available while it's being revamped)
Cracking the Code: ChatGPT for Social Media Success -this course was born from my hands-on experience uing ChatGPT for content creation, and coaching my clients to do the same. This is my most popular mini course!
The Social Success System - a behind-the-scenes look at my content creation process for myself and my clients. I share the exact process, tools and tips, I implement to create value-driven content quickly that supports my goals (generating money). This is my newest course (launched in the spring of 2025).
Why I Love Courses as a Medium for the 1:Many Model
For me, courses are the perfect medium because they blend audio and visual learning, which helps clients absorb and apply information effectively. Unlike books, courses can deliver practical applications and transformations more directly and accessibly and they are significantly quicker and easier to build (compared to writing a book).
That said, courses aren’t the only option for a one-to-many model. You could also consider audiobooks, physical books, or downloadable products depending on what suits your style and audience best.
Why I’m All In on Course Creation Right Now
If you’ve been around here for a while, you already know—I love coaching and teaching. Creating courses feels like the natural evolution of that passion. It’s still me showing up to guide and support, just in a way that lets me help more people at once, without needing to be on Zoom 24/7.
Yes, I’m also getting ready to welcome baby number five, which definitely plays a role in why I’ve been leaning so heavily into course creation this past year. But truthfully, I’ve always been drawn to learning, breaking things down, and then turning around to teach what I’ve figured out. That’s the heartbeat behind everything I do.
If anything, the real challenge isn’t figuring out what courses to create—it’s finding the time to build them all (especially in 2025!). I have a long list of ideas, and while I can’t launch everything at once, I’m so excited about what’s coming. Keep an eye out for Inbox to Income, plus video modules to support tools like the Organic Engagement Playbook and the DIY Content Audit. These resources are designed to work harder for you—and help you grow your business even when you’re short on time.
Courses have become my way of creating more impact while also honoring the rhythms of my life and business—and I believe they can do the same for you.
Understanding Different Types of Courses
Not all online courses are created equal — and choosing the right format for your audience and goals matters. Here’s a breakdown with real-world context:
Course Type | Description | Price Range | Case Study |
Mini Course | Short, specific, DIY-focused (typically 1-2 hours of content) | $49 - $97 | "Cracking the Code: ChatGPT for Social Media Success" Priced at $97 for ~2 hours of content. |
Midi Course | Medium-length, foundational training on a slightly larger topic or focus area (typically 2-4 hours of content) | $197 - $497 | "Profile to Profit" Priced at $297 for ~3.5 hours of content. |
Maxi Course | Long-term transformational program which often includes 1:1 or group support | $497 - $3,997 | "Monarch Business Academy" 12-week live program with community and coaching (a course by The Monarch & Co.) |
👉 Pro Tip: Start with a mini or midi course to build confidence, collect testimonials, and gauge market interest. You can always upgrade to a maxi version later or create multiple courses (I have 3 already and more in the works!).
Common Fears & Mindset Blocks Around Creating a Course
Creating a course can feel scary — and that’s totally normal. Here are common fears I’ve seen (and felt!) and how to overcome them:
Fear: “Who am I to teach this?”
Truth: You don’t need to be a world expert. You just need more experience than the person you’re teaching, a 20% edge. Meaning if you know 20% more than the average person on a spcific topic you could create a course! I'm betting that as a coach, or creative, you know way more than 20% about your topic.
I started Cracking the Code simply from what I was doing daily with clients and within my own business and shared my ChatGPT experince in the form of a course and everyone loves it!
Fear: “I don’t have time.”
Most business owners don't have time, which is exactly why they need a course. They're stuck in the cycle of having to work more hours, to make more money and one of the best ways to break that cycle is with course creation. Making a little time to create a course that you can sell on repeat with drastically increase your income opportunities.
Reframe: Treat course creation like a project. Use my 3-day sprint framework (outlined below) to make progress fast, and plan edits in smaller, manageable chunks.
Fear: “I won’t know how to tech it.”
Solution: You don’t need to be a tech whiz. Record on Zoom or your phone, upload to Thinkific or Kajabi, and add simple bells and whistles later. A clean audio and basic visuals are enough to start.
If you need help figuring out the flow of content etc. ChatGPT is a great brainstorming tool, or you can hire a coach to guide you (that would be me 😉, we can cover course creation in a hot seat or coaching retainer).
How to Create a Course: A Simple Step-by-Step Approach
1. Choose Your Topic or Course Type
Decide whether to pick your course topic first or choose the type of course you want to create. I recommends starting with the topic to avoid overcomplicating your content. Think about:
Services or products you currently offer that could be transformed into a DIY course
Frequently asked questions from clients or your community
Existing coaching programs you could record and repurpose
Ask your network—friends, clients, colleagues—for feedback on what they’d love to learn from you. This research can spark ideas and validate demand.
2. Plan Your Course Content
Outline your modules and lessons, breaking content into bite-sized videos rather than one long session. I plan all my courses using the sticky note method so I can move ideas around easily to find the best flow for the topics I want to cover.
Consider adding PDFs or other collateral to supplement learning, this can also happen on a second launch. Keeping it simple for your first course is the best way to do it.
3. Record Your Videos
No need for fancy studios—record with what you have, like your smartphone or Zoom. I record video lessons for my course because it combines audio, video, and visuals to cater to different learning styles. Additionally, I find creating slides can be time-consuming, so starting without them is okay. You can always add them later.
If you're new to recording video, you'll want to use an editing software to cut out long pauses or section of the recording you don't want in the final version. CapCut is a great choice, or whatever video editing software is already installed on your computer.
4. Choose a Hosting Platform
Popular beginner-friendly course platforms include:
Kajabi: Offers community features but can be expensive to maintina their monthly subscription fees.
Thinkific: Free for hosting one course, and is easy to use.
ThriveCart: Is a larger one-time payment, but supports multiple courses, affiliate and product sales, it's very versitile.
Do some research to select the platform that fits your current budget and needs, you can always change your platform later if you find you've outgrown the one you started with (this happened to me).
5. Set Up Your Sales Page and Marketing
Create a simple sales page that includes:
Course name and price
What transformation the course offers
Testimonials if available
Basic info about you, the creator
Details on how people can purchase or enroll in your course
You'll also want to write a few emails for your buyers—think purchase confirmation, encouragement, tips to help them complete the course, etc. You can keep this simple and use tools like ChatGPT for email writing.
Prepare social media posts and email campaigns to promote your course consistently during your entire open cart period and then recycle the best performing content for future launches. Remember, launching once is not enough—it's regular promotion drives sales!
Create a Course in Just 3 Days: A Practical Breakdown
If you’re wondering how to fit course creation into your busy schedule, here’s my simple 3-day plan using the step-by-step approach above:
Day 1 - Plan and Prepare: Spend half the day outlining your course content and modules (steps 1 & 2). Use the remaining time to create any visuals, slides, or PDFs you’ll need.
Day 2 - Record and Edit: Dedicate the first half to step 3, recording your videos. Use the second half for editing—cut mistakes, add visuals, and polish your content.
Day 3 - Build and Launch Prep: Upload your videos to your course platform, set up your sales page, write emails, and prepare social media posts. Keep it simple—fancy sales pages and elaborate marketing can come later (steps 4 & 5).
This focused approach lets you create a quality course over a long weekend and launch it quickly, testing your concept and gaining valuable feedback in the process. All successful courses have gone through multi versions, don't be afraid to launch it and adjust it later!
Top Tips for Successful Course Creation
Your course will shine when it’s clear, optimized, and strategically delivered. Here’s how to elevate it:
Keep It Simple: Avoid overwhelming your students with too much info. Focus on clarity and actionable steps to help them succeed.
Do Market Research: Validate your course idea before investing time and energy. Use waitlists or early-bird offers to gauge interest and secure early sales.
Automate Where Possible: Use email platforms, Zapier, and chatbots to automate course delivery and marketing so you can focus on other priorities.
Promote Consistently: Talk about your course often—on social media, in emails, podcasts, and other channels to keep momentum going.
Mistakes to Avoid When Creating Your First Course
Here are some common pitfalls and how to sidestep them (most of which I learned the hard way):
Overloading with content - Keep modules short and focused on key transformations. Less is more.
Skipping lead-ins and feedback loops - Use a pilot or group survey to pre-validate ideas and collect testimonials.
Neglecting promotion - Plan promotional posts, emails, content sequences in advance—don’t roll out as a surprise to your audience.
Not automating basics - Automate enrollment, reminders, email so you can focus on content quality. (Most of this can be managed by your course platform)
Not checking for technical issues before launch day - Do a platform test run—enroll a friend or family member early to confirm flow.
Avoiding these early mistakes ensures a smoother launch and happier learners from day one.
Final Thoughts
Creating a course is a strategic move to scale your business, increase income, and provide value to more people without adding more hours to your workweek. Whether you’re a solopreneur at capacity or a parent looking for flexible income streams, transitioning from one-to-one to one-to-many with courses is a game-changer.
Remember to keep your courses focused, validate your ideas, automate your processes, and promote consistently. And don’t be afraid to start small—mini courses are a great way to dip your toes into course creation.
If you’re ready to get started, why not try my three-day plan and see how far you can go? And if you have questions or want to share your course journey, I would love to hear from you. Creating a course doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it just needs to be strategic.
Frequently Asked Questions about Creating a Course
How do I know if I’m ready to create a course?
If you have expertise in a topic, a proven service or product, or frequently get questions from clients that you could answer in a course format, you’re ready. Starting with a mini course is a great way to test the waters.
What equipment do I need to record my course?
Simple is best. You can use your smartphone, laptop webcam, or free tools like Zoom or Google Meet to record. Good lighting and clear audio help, but you don’t need fancy studios or gear for your course creation.
Which platform should I use to host my course?
Popular beginner-friendly options include Kajabi (premium), Thinkific (free for one course), and ThriveCart (one-time fee for multiple courses). Choose based on your budget and desired features. A big thing to consider would be if you need access to a community and chat features, if so, Kajabi is a great all-in-one option.
How long should my course be?
Courses can be mini (1-2 hours), midi (2-3 hours), or maxi ( 3+ hours with several months of 1:1 or group support). Start with a length that suits your topic and audience’s needs without overwhelming them.
How can I promote my course effectively?
Consistent promotion is key. Use email marketing, social media posts, podcasts, and your existing network will help you generate beta testers and sell your course continiusly afterwards. Consider creating a waitlist or early-bird offers to generate excitement before you even launch.
Go Get Great Episode 93 References
Monarch Business Academy https://www.themonarchandco.com/a/2147496635/zqJhaBfY
Kajabi https://kajabi.com
Thinkific https://www.thinkific.com
Zapier https://zapier.com
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Hit follow and please leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! The kids and I might even bust out a happy dance! 💗 - Brittany
0:00 Intro
1:45 How creating a course brings sustainable income
5:00 Experience in business for course creation online
9:30 Focusing on one to many model
12:25 How to establish a one to many model
18:15 How to make a course
24:00 Course creation platforms explained
25:50 Marketing your new course
28:00 Tips for online course creation
33:30 How to create a course to sell in only 3 days
37:00 Wrap up
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