The wrong course platform can wreck your first online course launch before you make a single sale. If you're researching Kajabi, Teachable, or Thinkific for your course creation setup, you're about to make an expensive mistake.

In this episode, I'll tell you the platform I recommend to my clients, why the popular options are a bad fit when you're just starting out, and how I learned this lesson the hard way after switching platforms myself.

You'll learn:

• Why the most recommended course platforms are wrong for first-time course creators
• The simple math that shows how a $200/month platform can wipe out your launch profits
• How most platforms take a cut of your sales on top of payment processing fees
• How I wasted six months on the wrong platform and what happened when I switched back
• The one platform I recommend and have used for years across multiple courses
• Why "more features" doesn't mean better results for your clients

The big course creation programs push expensive platforms because they're built for people doing six figures in course sales. You're not there yet. And picking the wrong platform before your first launch is one of the fastest ways to lose money before you've made any.

Two Tools Episode mentioned in today's podcast .

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been building and selling online courses for years, and I help solopreneurs create courses that actually transform their clients and grow their business.

Ready to stop spinning your wheels? Book a free Course Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for your course: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Send me a message!

Want free feedback on your course structure? I'm reviewing five course outlines this month. Grab your spot here: https://curtissatterfield.com/free-course-review-call/

Your students have purchased your online course, full of excitement and anticipation. Yet, many mentally check out within the first 30 seconds. Not because the course lacks quality, but because the introductory moments fail to engage them. In this episode, you'll learn about critical course design mistakes that cause students to disengage right from the start, and discover a simple, three-part framework to hook your audience from lesson one.

You'll learn:

• Why "In this lesson, we're going to learn about..." is the worst way to start
• The four intro mistakes that make your course sound like a boring lecture
• How YouTube, TV, and podcasts hook audiences, and how to steal those techniques for your course
• The difference between telling students why a lesson matters and showing them
• A simple three-part framework you can use to open every lesson in 15-30 seconds

Your students already paid. But attention isn't included in the purchase price. You have to earn it every single lesson, the same way a TV show earns your attention every single episode. The good news? It's simpler than you think.

Perfect for solopreneurs looking to build an online course that transforms students and grows their business, this episode offers actionable advice rooted in 17 years of course design experience. Attention isn't guaranteed just because someone paid—it must be earned lesson by lesson, just like a hit TV show. Tune in to learn how to design course intros that captivate and retain your students from the start.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been an educator and course designer for 17 years, and I help solopreneurs build courses that actually transform their students and grow their business.

If you liked this episode, go check out my episode on "The Handoff Method." It's another lesson-level design technique that helps your students go from "I get it" to "I can actually do this." Search "The Handoff Method" wherever you're listening.

Send me a message!

Want free feedback on your course structure? I'm reviewing five course outlines this month. Grab your spot here: https://calendly.com/dr-curtis-satterfield/free-course-structure-review

For solopreneurs looking to build an online course that truly transforms students, understanding the difference between transferring information and transferring skills is key.

In this episode, we introduce the Handoff Method, a simple three-step approach to course design that helps your students move from "I get it" to "I can do it."

You'll learn:

• Why most online courses fail to transfer actual skills
• The absurd way most courses are structured (and why we'd never accept it in other fields)
• The three steps of the Handoff Method: Me, Us, You
• A real example of this method creating a breakthrough for a student
• How to implement the Handoff Method in your own course
• How to use the Handoff Method in pre-recorded courses where you can't interact with students

Your students don't truly understand something until they've done it themselves. But they can't just jump to doing. They need to see it, practice with support, then own it. The Handoff Method gives you a simple structure to make that happen.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've been an educator and course designer for 17 years, and I help solopreneurs build courses that actually transform their students and grow their business.

Got a course creation question? Use the send me a message link and let me know what you're struggling with. I might answer it in a future episode.

Send me a message!

Want free feedback on your course structure? I'm reviewing five course outlines this month. Grab your spot here: https://calendly.com/dr-curtis-satterfield/free-course-structure-review