I used to daydream about what kind of magic someone had to sprinkle on their course to turn it into a million dollar money machine. I knew it was possible – I saw other people doing it – but, I had no idea how they pulled it off.
It felt like they knew something I didn’t…like there was some kind of secret playbook I hadn’t been invited to read.
Well, fast forward a few years and 8-figures in online course sales later, I’ve learned a few things. And the truth is – you don’t need magic. You don’t need a celebrity-sized platform. And you definitely don’t need to go viral on Instagram every day.
What you need are these three key ingredients that every successful course creator I know (including my clients) have used to scale to six and seven figures – with ease, sustainability, and even a little fun!
So, if you’re ready to stop guessing and start scaling, let’s dive into the 3 keys to creating a million dollar course that sells without launching.
My name is Caitlin Bacher, CEO of Scale With Success®, and I’m on a mission to help course creators all over the world grow their business in a way that is profitable and scalable. I’m sharing revealing insights about what it really takes to scale an online course business to millions of dollars per year. Join me here to discover the tough decisions I’ve had to make, the biggest failures I’ve had to bounce back from, and the learnings that emerged every step of the way. I’m so grateful that I have the chance to tell you everything right here on Scale With Success®: The Podcast. Let’s get started.
When I first got started, I believed million dollar courses were only for the “famous” or “fancy” people. You know, people with perfect websites, big followings, and a top podcast.
But, once I started connecting with actual course creators who were bringing in millions every year, I was shocked.
They weren’t flashy. They weren’t famous. They didn’t have the biggest followings. They were just…committed.
They kept showing up – even when it was messy. They stayed focused – even when comparison crept in. They leaned into the hard parts – not because it was fun, but because it was worth it.
I realized: This wasn’t about perfection. It was about consistency, resilience, and having the right strategy.
Now that I’ve sold millions of dollars in courses myself, and helped thousands of clients do the same, I can tell you exactly what separates the courses that scale from the ones that stall.
Let’s get into the first key.
1. Love Your Topic
I know – this one sounds obvious. But, I can’t tell you how many course creators I’ve seen build something they think they “should” sell instead of something they’re genuinely excited to teach.
If you want to create a course that sells for years to come, you have to love talking about your topic. Otherwise, marketing starts to feel like a chore. Sales content becomes forced. And customer support? Exhausting.
Here’s the truth:
You don’t have to be 100% certain you’ve found your forever topic. But, you do need to pick something you like enough to talk about over and over again.
Give yourself permission to start with a “like”. It doesn’t have to be love at first launch. You can evolve. I did.
When I started, I was teaching Pinterest strategy. It worked – but, I didn’t love it. Eventually I shifted toward what I do now: helping course creators build sustainable, scalable evergreen businesses.
Once I found that alignment? Everything got easier.
That’s the magic of loving your topic:
You unlock a deeper mission. Something bigger than just “make money”.
Our mission is to help course creators scale their business to change the world. Every single client we support is on their way to impacting thousands – sometimes millions – of lives.
So yes, the course itself is important. But, the deeper mission is what fuels long term momentum. It’s what keeps you going when the numbers dip, or the tech breaks, or the emails flop.
So, ask yourself:
What’s the topic that lights you up?
What’s the mission that move you forward – even when things feel hard?
2. Teach What You Know
If you’re waiting for a certification, a credential, or a degree to “validate” your expertise – this is your permission slip to stop waiting.
You know more than you think. There are people out there right now who are looking for someone just like you to help them solve a specific problem.
Let me give you a few real-world examples from our clients:
- One client worked as a housekeeper. She developed a system for cleaning homes quickly and efficiently, and she turned that into a course for busy parents who felt overwhelmed by clutter.
- Another client loved crafting and became an expert in needle-felting pet portraits. She packaged her method into a step-by-step course and now teaches others how to do the same.
- Another had a background in data visualization and used MS Excel to create stunning dashboards. She built a course for professionals who wanted to use Excel in a more impactful way.
None of these creators had massive followings. None of them had formal teaching credentials. What they did have was a skill they could explain clearly, and a desire to help others.
That’s it.
So if you’re wondering, “Would anyone pay to learn this from me?” – do a quick test:
Search your topic on Google, YouTube, or Instagram.
Are people creating content about it? Are people asking questions about it?
That’s a sign of existing demand and where there’s demand – there’s opportunity.
Remember: You don’t need to know everything about your topic. You just need to know more than the person you’re helping.
If you’ve walked through the fire, figured it out, and come out the other side with a process – they will happily pay you to help them shortcut their learning curve.
3. Connect With Your Audience
Now, you’ve chosen a topic you love. You’re teaching what you know. But, how do you actually get people to buy?
Genuine Connection is the most under-leveraged growth opportunity in the entire online course industry. When done right, it’s what makes your audience lean in, trust you, and say “I need this” before you even pitch your program.
The mistake most people make? They think they have to be “on” 24/7 to create that kind of connection.
They think they need to post constantly, go live every day, or cold DM every person who likes their post on Instagram in real time. And that’s just not sustainable.
Instead, what I teach – and what we do inside our programs – is build systems that automate Genuine Connection through your entire marketing, sales, and course delivery process.
Yes, you heard that right. You can automate connection.
When you set it up intentionally, your systems do the heavy lifting for you – delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.
That’s why I love selling my course with an evergreen funnel. It’s all based on consent and permission.
Unlike a stressful live launch – where everyone gets shoved through the same funnel, on the same timeline – an evergreen sales system gives your audience space to make the decision on their terms – much faster than they would inside a launch.
And when you create space for your audience to feel seen, heard, and understood? You shorten the sales cycle, increase conversions, and build long term trust.
Here’s the bonus: It’s better for you, too.
I’m an introvert. I love helping people, but I also need lots of quiet time to recharge. Evergreen selling lets me scale my business and protect my energy.
Let’s recap the 3 keys to building a million dollar course without launching.
1. Love Your Topic – Choose something you genuinely enjoy talking about, and let that topic evolve with you.
2. Teach What You Know – You already have something valuable to share. Package your knowledge into a clear process and help others get results.
3. Connect With Your Audience – Build genuine trust through systems that work behind the scenes, so your business runs whether you’re working or resting.
Here’s what I want you to take away from this:
You don’t need magic. You need clarity. You need consistency. And you need a system that’s built to scale sustainably.
If you have a course, or even just an idea for a course, and you’re ready to get it into the hands of people who need it, it’s time to stop waiting for sales to happen and start building a business that runs on your terms.
Thanks for being here today and if this episode was helpful, please share it with a friend or a fellow course creator who would benefit from the same message.
I’ll see you next time on another episode of Scale With Success® The Podcast.
Are you sick and tired of launching and looking for a proven method to generate consistent revenue from your online course on autopilot?
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Today’s episode is brought to you by Scale With Success® Accelerator — an online course designed to help you generate launch-sized revenue without lanching. If you want to learn MORE about our proven method for success, click here to watch my free masterclass. See you in there!
