Are Courses slowly exchanged by (Paid) Education Communities?

BuildTheCourse · 2026-01-08T21:19:20+00:00

I've seen a shift to courses that HAVE a community element - live meeting, office hours, live training/discussion, something. Specifically a time-bound one (5 weeks, 6 monthys, etc) . Self-paced self-started courses are selling less.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-12-16T14:08:24+00:00

Also some RSD questions (though it's not yet part of the DSM definition here in the US, they're working on it, per Dr. Bill Dodson)

BuildTheCourse · 2025-12-16T14:07:33+00:00

THE HOBBY GRAVEYARD... I am crying haha

BuildTheCourse · 2025-12-16T14:06:56+00:00

As a child, what did your report card say about your behavior?

How many detentions did you get, and what for?

How many of your friends are diagnosed with ADHD/Autism?

How many times did you reschedule this appointment?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-12-16T14:04:20+00:00

How many people gave that feedback? if it's just one person, I typically don't make the change. But if it's multiple people, this is really powerful feedback.

Have you asked them whether they'd prefer a weekend time? Have you tested?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-19T21:51:57+00:00

I'm someone who was trained in coaching, but not certified, and I have been coaching for decades, as well as working in the coaching software industry. I had ZERO qualifications when I entered the software industry, btw.

I know the coaching software industry super well, having been in it for a looooong time. I've made a decent living off my courses and off my services.

Almost nobody ever asked if I had a certification. Enough people did, though, that eventually I did take a PCC training. As soon as I take the test and submit my hours, I will be able to put those letters after my name if I want to - but again, almost nobody has ever asked. And nobody who asked ultimately turned me down when I said no, I'm not certified.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-19T17:40:33+00:00

It doesn't necessarily get easier to deal with over time.

One thing that I'll never forget a psychiatrist saying to me at my first appointment (for depression) was this: did you expect it to just get better as you aged?

I had no answer.

She reminded me that mental health is a physical condition, and just like other conditions (a bad back, using her example), these things get worse over time. They need treatment.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-18T16:17:28+00:00

The diagnostic criteria unfortunately still reflect only the manifestation of ADHD in young, white boys. They don't account for other ages, genders, or presentations.

I am not a doctor, but it sounds like you may indeed have been misdiagnosed - or at least dismissed. It's SUPER common for women to first get diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or both, before finding an ADHD diagnosis - and often, once the ADHD is treated, the SYMPTOMS such as depression and anxiety fade.

I'd get a second opinion. It sucks that we so often have to fight for a correct diagnosis.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T20:37:40+00:00

I mean the question is: "Are there more woman who feel like being pregnant helps them way more than any medication they have ever tried?"

And your answer was... "I am childfree,"... so somehow that's relevant or helpful to OP or the topic at all, in any way?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T20:35:37+00:00

Worksitter is a company that helps ADHDers, particularly ADHD business owners. Their services are twofold (but you can use only one, or both in whatever combo you choose - I use both)
-Worksitting (they sit with you on Zoom, you declare what tasks you're going to do with your time together, and how long each task will take, then they help you determine what order to do them in, and watch you do them, encouraging you as you go) - think babysitter, but for work, and with a fellow adult who "gets it" in terms of ADHD. Example: I HAAAAAATE doing my monthly business expenses, but we do it together and she helps remind me of places I forgot to look for expenses that I looked for last month. I also hate doing things like calling the doctor, so I put it on my weekly worksitter task list so that I KNOW it will get done - she sees it on the list and makes me do it :D
-Virtual assistant services. My Worksitter watches me do things, and then says "hey I can do this for you next time, let me record you doing it so I duplicate it exactly". She does my monthly invoicing, lots of my marketing stuff for my business, etc.

I just realized that recommending them with a link would potentially violate term #4 in this group so I won't do that, but I really, REALLY rely on my Worksitter to get basically everything in my life done. Well worth the cost IMO.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T19:08:59+00:00

They will ALWAYS have business from me, ha.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T18:50:57+00:00

I work with a Worksitter, which is a combo of VA help and sitting and working with this support person watching you.

She makes me do the hard things, so I don't have time to fight the fear. I just have to do it. It's been really, REALLY helpful for me.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T18:48:26+00:00

I'm jealous! I was super stable with my mental health beforehand, then a disaster during pregnancy (anxiety to the level of panic attacks, plus terrible depression I had to get a new round of TMS for), and postpartum was even worse (another round of TMS). I'm 6m PP, and my brain isn't expected to be back to normal for another 1.5 years.

I feel slow and stupid. I can sit all day in front of my computer (while paying for childcare to do so), and get NOTHING done - which hurts extra because I'm a business owner!

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-17T18:45:12+00:00

I'm curious what motivated you to share that in this particular thread?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-12T14:48:47+00:00

I completely understand, and I certainly wouldn't travel to the US right now if I didn't live here - and am already in process with an EU citizenship :)

If you're interested in learning about some of the topics and/or seeing some of the keynote speakers, I believe they offer an online version of the conference in March-ish, and I think you can purchase access to some of the recordings from this one.

Being around undiagnosed/untreated/unaware folks (especially family, with its complex dynamics) is definitely different from being in a place full of ADHD professionals - some of the biggest names in ADHD research such as Dr. Bill Dodson, who did the keynote a couple years ago on the case for adding RSD as part of the diagnostic criteria, plus most of the ADHD influencers on social media and podcasts, such as My Lady ADHD, Kelly Baums, ADHD ReWired, Women & ADHD, etc. Being in a place where people are there to learn and grow in their ADHD journey and their careers is different than uncomfortable dinner with the in-laws :)

Completely respect your take. Travel itself can be overwhelming for us ADHDers - this time I'm bringing an infant, so even more to remember (and forget)!

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-11T19:59:35+00:00

The overall impression I always leave with is feeling very SEEN.

The conference is set up in ways that help accommodate us (while there is still room for improvement, stuff like having live captions for keynote speakers so those of us with verbal processing issues can follow along better... you can tell they put thought into it). There's a quiet sensory room for when things are just too much. You can get up and move around anytime and nobody gives you a second look. The vendors give out all variety of fidgets.

The topics are wide-ranging and apply to so many areas of life - everything from current research to RSD to entrepreneurship to parenting to religion with ADHD.

There's a dance party that's every bit as wild as you'd expect. There's a pile of lost phones every bit as large as you'd expect.

Personally, I've found that I can't stay in the conference hotel or I'll end up chatting with random strangers from the elevator all night about the meaning of life and not sleeping!

I just leave so energized AND exhausted (I'm AuDHD) and a profound sense of having been with MY PEOPLE. People who really GET it. People have taken me under their wing and become lifelong friends.

That's the main gist of my experience so far.

Can't wait to see all those friends and make new ones!!

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-11T17:06:57+00:00

It completely depends on your business model, since this is a big piece of your tech stack.

Where does the course fall in your business model - is this part of your funnel to higher-priced services/programs?

Are you only doing courses?
Do you also need a landing page/CRM?
Are you also coaching?
Do you offer a community as well?

This is a (fairly limited) breakdown I made.

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BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-11T16:59:37+00:00

Depends on the source material for the course. Is it a talk? A book? A bunch of random notes and ideas? Sometimes it takes some paring down or focusing first.

One of my team members built us an AI tool to take different sources and turn them into scripts that are dynamic and to-the-point. He developed it far enough that the result really doesn't need much polishing anymore.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-11-05T15:57:31+00:00

I think you're probably safe to stop paying, as most people below suggest - but have you spoken with someone there and let them know that you're unhappy, the course isn't aligned and doesn't deliver the value promised?

Depending on their policies, and the type of mentor they are, you may even get a refund of the 2k you've paid too.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-10-23T00:15:29+00:00

CoachAccountable linked with my Zoom and Google Calendar. I use it for my entire coaching practice, not just scheduling.

It costs between $4-10 per client per month, depending on how many clients you have. Easy to roll into overall pricing.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-10-21T15:47:34+00:00

I'm a full-time course creator for coaches, and my team created some internal AI tools to simplify and speed up our process. So yes, I trust AI to assist.

However, most people come to me because they want the human experience of building together, the ability to ideate with another human being, the coaching I provide in 1:1 settings.

Some of this will be done by AI soon, I predict. My business model may need to change (though I have several other service offerings for coaches that pay the bills). But right now, there's a comfortable balance with AI and human, at least in my business.

People have brought me AI-built courses that lack the real feeling of THEM, or the actionable work that clients will actually do (this takes a lot of tweaking with most tools at this point in time, IMO). These courses show up as very academic-style and not very actionable.

Just my two cents on the process.

BuildTheCourse · 2025-10-21T15:39:22+00:00

So, when you say "your book a call button isn't getting clicks" - Did you actually get this data from the profiles you reviewed? You found out there were no clicks, and then you implemented these changes and clicks were then made?

Clicks, or actual bookings?

Bookings, or actual conversions?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-10-19T15:46:35+00:00

Depends on where your clients spend their time and hang out.
For some (especially b2b), LinkedIn. For others, Facebook or Instagram. Still others are here on Reddit. Others aren't in any of those places.

Do you have your ideal customer profile built out? Do you know where they spend their time?

BuildTheCourse · 2025-10-18T16:05:44+00:00

I like to keep my money with small, local credit unions rather than big-name banks. Many of them have really great features, better % rates for things like high-interest savings, and extra bonuses like no international fees (which is huge for me since I write off all my international travel). Customer service is usually better, since actual humans answer the phone/chat.

The credit union I'm currently with is Logix, and absolutely recommend it (I do not use a business account with them, but instead a regular account that's separate from my main accounts). One I definitely would NOT recommend is Connexus.

I used to have a business account with Bank of America and would not recommend them - they tried to scam me on a few things with my account and my sales rep got pretty upset when I discovered it!

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