In this episode, I’m joined by Philip, and we dive deep into how he built his first online course, what he learned from generating multiple 6-figures with courses, and what he would do differently if he started from scratch today.
Here’s exactly what we covered:
How Philip accidentally stumbled into online courses (00:38)
Why first-time course creators often focus on the wrong things (03:05)
Why the mindset of “published over perfect” and shipping fast is key (07:47)
How Philip’s first $1.36 payout set him up for multiple six figures in revenue later (10:29)
How Philip went from $1.36 to $5,200/month in just a few months (15:04)
Why building an email list would have made him 10x more money in the long run (22:36)
The most important question to answer before building your first online course (31:06)
And much, much more…
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Key Lessons From This Episode:
#1: “Good Enough” Beats Perfect
Your first course does not need a professional setup, studio lighting, or fancy gear.
Philip recorded his first course with an old phone, no microphone, no lighting, and a messy background, and it was still enough to get started.
What matters far more than production quality is whether your course solves a real problem and teaches a useful skill.
Perfectionism is often just procrastination in disguise.
Publishing something that’s “good enough” gives you real feedback, real momentum, and the chance to improve, which you’ll never get if you never publish it.
#2: Your First Sale Doesn’t Pay Your Bills - It Pays Off Your Doubts
That first payout might be tiny - $1, $10, $50, or $100 - but its impact is massive.
It proves one thing: someone is willing to pay for what you created.
That moment fundamentally shifts your mindset.
If you can make one dollar online, you can make one hundred, one thousand, or more.
The money itself doesn’t change your life, but the belief it creates does.
That’s why shipping something quickly matters more than building the “perfect” product.
Confidence follows action, not the other way around.
#3: Build Assets You Control
Platforms can accelerate growth, but they can also change the rules overnight.
Philip’s income dropped dramatically when Skillshare removed features he relied on, while others who focused on building email lists and personal brands stayed resilient.
The lesson is simple: use platforms to grow, but always funnel people into assets you own, especially an email list.
An audience you control gives you freedom to sell, to launch, to pivot, and to build a long-term business that isn’t at the mercy of algorithm or policy changes.
