You're building your first online course and you can't stop asking: how long should it be?

You've searched for answers. Maybe you even bought a course creation program hoping they'd tell you. But nobody gives you a straight answer.

In this episode, I share 4 course length realities no one talks about - and they directly affect whether your course succeeds or fails.

You'll learn:

• Why the "more content = more value" myth is destroying course completion rates
• What actually determines how much you can charge (hint: it's not length)
• Real numbers for modules, lessons, and lesson length
• Why I can't give you the exact answer for your course - and why that's actually freeing

After 17 years as an educator and online course designer, I've seen what works and what doesn't. The courses that transform students aren't the longest ones. They're the ones that give students exactly what they need to get results - nothing more, nothing less.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

Ready to build a program that delivers real results? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for you: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

You want to build a course that helps people. But when you sit down to actually create it, you're staring at a blank screen thinking... what do I actually put in this thing? Most course creators just record everything they know and hope something sticks. That's why their students don't finish - and why refund requests pile up.

In this episode, I share 5 truths I've learned in 17 years as an educator that separate courses that transform students from courses that just dump information.

You'll learn:

• Why nobody buys a course for information - and what they're actually paying for
• The "ladder test" for making sure every lesson has a clear, actionable outcome
• How to sequence your content so students build momentum instead of forgetting everything
• The difference between teaching and dumping (and why one of my students remembered a lesson years later on the job)
• How to know what to cut - because more content actually makes your course worse

Here's what most course creation programs won't tell you: your students aren't paying for hours of content. They're paying to go from "I don't know how" to "I did it." If you don't design your course around that transformation, no amount of marketing will save it.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Passive income from online courses is a lie. At least the way course gurus sell it to solopreneurs.

You followed the launch formula. Built your list. Sent the emails. Did everything the gurus told you to do. And you got almost no sales.

In this episode, I share the story of my first course launch. $2,000 spent on a program. Six weeks of work. 2,000 people on my list. One sale. I break down why this happens to most course creators and what actually works instead.

You'll learn:

• Why the success stories you see are cherry-picked from the top 5%
• The real reason launch-focused programs fail most students
• What "passive income" from courses actually looks like
• The one question you need to answer before building anything

The truth is, you can build something where your work multiplies if you start in the right place.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

Ready to build a course that works? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for your course: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Course creation as a solopreneur doesn't have to be overwhelming. In this episode, I'm sharing my complete framework for building an online course that actually transforms your students and grows your business.

You'll learn:

• Why most course creation programs set you up to fail (and what to do instead)
• How to identify exactly who your course is for and what they actually need
• The one-sentence test that tells you if your transformation is clear enough to build
• How to structure your modules and lessons so students finish instead of dropping off
• Why information alone doesn't create transformation and what to do about it
• The recording and editing basics that make your course look professional without spending a fortune

Most course creation advice focuses on marketing and launching. But here's the problem: if your course doesn't actually transform people, no amount of marketing will save it. You'll be grinding for every sale because your course isn't doing any of the work for you. When you build a course that transforms students, they leave testimonials, tell their friends, and book your higher-ticket services. Your course starts growing your business instead of you constantly pushing it.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

You bought a course creation program expecting to learn how to build your course. But module after module was about launching, selling, and marketing - with almost nothing on how to actually structure your content so students get results.

In this episode, I share the story of Anna, a book coach who paid $2,000 for a course creation program and asked for a refund. Then I walk you through the specific guidance I gave her that helped her sell out two courses.

You'll learn:

• Why understanding your student's transformation drives every other course decision
• How to structure lessons so students see progress and don't get overwhelmed
• The "stepping stones" approach to lesson outcomes that keeps students moving forward
• Whether you should show your face on camera (and the dating profile problem that catches most creators)
• What Anna said she actually needed that the expensive program never gave her

The big programs give you marketing strategies and launch frameworks. But when you sit down to actually build your course? You're on your own. That's the gap I help course creators fill - designing courses that transform students into fans who come back for more and sell your next launch for you.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Course design determines whether your second launch is easier or harder than your first. Learn how to build an online course that turns students into your marketing team.

Your first course launch is a grind. You don't have testimonials, success stories, or proof that your course works. You're convincing people to take a chance on something unproven. But your second launch? That one should be easier. And whether it is or isn't comes down to what happens inside your course after people buy.

In this episode, I'll show you the system that turns your students into your marketing team and three things you can do right now to make it work.

You'll learn:

• Why your second launch depends on what happens after the sale
• The growth cycle that makes each launch easier than the last
• How to design lessons as stepping stones so students don't get overwhelmed
• Why sequencing matters and how to build your course in the right order
• The curse of knowledge and how it's causing your students to quit

Most course creation advice focuses on launching and marketing. But a fancy launch won't save a course that doesn't transform your students. When your students get results, they become your marketing team. They give you testimonials. They tell their friends. And your next launch gets easier.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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/

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Welcome to Program Design for Coaches, the podcast that helps fully booked coaches build group programs that scale their business, deliver real results for their clients, and free up their time.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, building over 30 programs from scratch. On this show I'll help you build group programs that actually work. Programs your clients finish, that generate real testimonials, and that make scaling your business a whole lot easier.

Send me a message!

Online course completion is the key to course creation success. If your students aren't finishing, you're not getting testimonials, referrals, or repeat buyers. Just silence.

The problem isn't your content. It's that your students don't understand why each lesson matters to them. And the common advice to "just explain why" doesn't work because it relies on you remembering to do it every single time.

In this episode, I'll show you two structural tools that build purpose into every lesson automatically.

You'll learn:

• Why students check out even when your content is solid
• The real reason "start with why" advice fails most course creators
• The Outcome Test: one question that forces clarity into every lesson
• How to use Problem-Example-Lesson structure to make students care before you teach
• Why building purpose into your course architecture beats relying on willpower

Here's what most course creation programs won't tell you: the courses that generate testimonials and referrals aren't doing it because of fancy production or better marketing. They're doing it because students actually finish, implement, and get results. And that happens when every lesson has a clear purpose your students can feel.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Are you ready to record your online course lessons but unsure whether to write a full script, use bullet points, or just wing it? This episode explores essential techniques for course creation that help solopreneurs build an online course that truly connects with their students. Learn from my 17 years of experience as an educator and course designer as I break down the three main approaches to lesson delivery and share which method works best.

You'll learn:

• Why repeating yourself on camera tanks your credibility (and how scripts prevent it)
• The minimum preparation you need before hitting record
• How to read a script without sounding robotic
• When bullet points are enough (and when they'll get you in trouble)
• A simple tool that changed how I record everything

The aim isn't perfection but presenting your authentic self while covering everything your students need to succeed. Whether you are just starting to create an online course or looking to improve your delivery, these tips will save you time and help you design more engaging lessons.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

Ready to move forward with your course creation? Book a free Program Roadmap Call to get personalized guidance: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

You build an online course, launch it, and only a few people sign up. For solopreneurs trying to create an online course that grows their business, low enrollment feels like failure. But it doesn't have to be.

In this episode, I share exactly what happened when my course launch got only one paid student, and the course creation strategies I used to turn it into a sold-out relaunch just months later.

You'll learn:

• Why low enrollment only matters for certain types of courses
• How to cap your enrollment so selling feels easier and scarcity stays honest
• The "scholarship" strategy that filled my seats without destroying my pricing
• Why slashing your price after a bad course launch backfires long-term
• The one thing I asked from free students that made my relaunch completely different

A disappointing first launch isn't the end. It's an investment in testimonials, refined content, and a better second launch - but only if you play it right.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Online course creation starts with a foundation most coaches skip. Skipping it is the reason clients don't get the transformation they were promised. Most coaches sit down to create a course and start asking "what should I teach?" That question gets them into trouble every time. They end up with a pile of content that goes in ten directions and clients who finish without the result they paid for. The content isn't the problem. The missing foundation is.

In this episode I walk you through the four-part foundation every course needs before you record a single video.

You'll learn:

• Why starting with "what should I teach?" gives you a course with no destination
• How to define the specific transformation your course delivers before you build anything
• Why most coaches build for the client they wish they had instead of the one they actually have
• What prerequisites are, why they're different from your starting point, and why skipping them sets clients up to fail
• How to check whether the distance between your starting point and your destination is actually achievable in one course

Most course creation advice skips straight to marketing and launch strategy. But a course that doesn't deliver on its transformation won't be saved by a good launch. The foundation work is what makes everything else work. Do it first and building your course gets a lot easier. 

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

Grab the free workbook that goes with this episode. Every step is in there with prompts and examples so you're not staring at a blank page: 

The 30 Minute Program Foundation

Ready for guidance specific to your course? 

Book a free Program Roadmap Call 

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Course creation mistakes are costing your clients before they ever start. If you're designing a course right now, there's a step most solopreneurs skip entirely and it sets clients up to struggle from lesson one.

In this episode, I'll show you the course design mistake that causes clients to hit a wall early, what it actually costs you when it happens, and the two-part fix that prevents it.

You'll learn:

• Why course creators unknowingly design courses from the wrong starting point
• What the curse of knowledge is and how it affects your course design
• How to use your ideal client knowledge in a way most course creators never think about
• Why clarity on your transformation is the key to setting the right prerequisites
• How to decide if your course is for beginners, intermediate, or advanced clients

Most course creation programs tell you to focus on your launch. But if your clients aren't starting from the right place, even great content won't save them. Course design that starts with where your clients actually are, not where you assume they are, is what separates courses that get results from courses that get refund requests. 

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

If this episode got you thinking, check out The Handoff Method: An Online Course Design Fix for Low Completion Rates, find it wherever you're listening right now.

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

 Online course completion rates don't improve by adding more content, they improve through better course design. If your clients aren't finishing your online course, the problem isn't what you're teaching. It's how much you're asking their brain to handle at once. In this episode, I'll break down the science behind why more content makes things worse and four course design mistakes that are tanking your completion rate. 

You'll learn:

• Why adding more content to your course actually makes it harder for clients to learn
• How working memory limits what your clients can process in a single lesson
• The layering technique that lets you teach more without overwhelming
• Why naming your method makes your content literally easier to learn
• How cutting content from your course makes it more valuable, not less

Most course creators measure their course by how much is in it. The ones whose clients actually finish and get results? They measure by how clearly their clients can act on what's there. That's the shift — and it changes everything about how you design your lessons.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Online course creation starts long before you hit record, but most solopreneurs skip the readiness check and pay for it later. They jump into building modules, picking platforms, and recording lessons without the foundations in place, and end up scrapping weeks of work or launching something that doesn't deliver.

In this episode, I'll walk you through four things you need to have ready before you create your first online course, so you can go in prepared instead of scrambling.

You'll learn:

• Why your coaching experience might not be enough to build a course yet
• How to know if your process is ready to be packaged into a repeatable system
• The difference between being comfortable on Zoom and being ready to present on camera
• Why courses don't run on autopilot and how to protect your time from day one
• The common "sell it first, build it later" advice and why it backfires

Most course creation programs focus on marketing and launch tactics while skipping how to actually build a course that transforms your clients. The truth is, if you get the foundations right before you start building, everything else becomes easier. Skip them, and you'll spend months fixing problems that didn't need to exist. 

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

If you want to learn how to structure your course once you're ready to build, check out my episode "How Long to Make Your Course: Modules, Lessons, and What Makes a Valuable Course."

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

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 spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

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 spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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.

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

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 spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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.

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Creating an online course? Solopreneurs often make this course design mistake without realizing it. And it's costing them students, testimonials, and future sales.

In this episode, I share a personal story about learning to crochet that reminded me why so many course creators lose students before they even get started.

You'll learn:

• Why students give up on courses in the first few minutes
• What the "curse of knowledge" is and how it affects your course design
• How to figure out where your audience truly is in their journey
• The difference between a "beginner" and a "beginner beginner"
• Why it's okay to include basic information in your course

The transformation your students get determines your course's value, not how advanced the content is. If you skip the foundations your students need, they'll go elsewhere. And without students completing your course, you won't get the testimonials and social proof you need to grow your business.

Check out my Amigurumi Whale (and journey) here.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours. 

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

Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works. 

Send me a message!

Most coaches plan their group program by listing everything they cover in 1:1 sessions and turning it into content. It feels logical. It also tends to produce a program that looks right but doesn't move people the way your one-on-one work does. The gap isn't your expertise. It's that coaching someone through a transformation and designing a program that creates transformation for a group are two different skills, and most of the advice out there for coaches who want to scale skips the second one entirely.

In this episode, I walk through three things: why that skill gap exists, where it shows up first, and what it actually looks like to build a group program the right way.

You'll learn:

•  Why being great at 1:1 coaching doesn't automatically tell you how to design a group program

•  How mismatched starting points derail group programs before the first session ever starts

•  Why you need a clear client baseline before you build a single session

•  The question that separates programs built around content from programs built around transformation

•  What it looks like when every session in your program has one specific, doable outcome

Most scaling advice focuses on marketing and launch strategy. What it skips is the design work that determines whether your program actually delivers. A group program that doesn't create real results won't grow your business no matter how well you launch it. Getting the design right is what makes everything else work.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as an educator and course designer building structured learning experiences, and I help maxed-out coaches turn their proven 1:1 methodology into a group program that gets results.

Ready to figure out what your group program actually needs? Book a free Program Roadmap Call: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/ 

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If your roster is full and it still doesn't feel the way you thought it would, you haven't done anything wrong. You've hit the income ceiling every successful coach eventually hits. And the problem isn't your work ethic or your pricing. It's the model.

In this episode, I walk you through where that ceiling actually comes from, why the obvious fixes don't solve it, and what changes when you shift to a group program. Including the honest caveats most people skip.

You'll learn:

• Why a full 1:1 roster is a capacity ceiling, not a success plateau — and why that distinction matters
• The real math behind the 1:1 model and why raising your rates doesn't actually solve the problem
• What 'group program' actually means (it's probably not what you're picturing)
• Why the right clients can get as good or better results in a group than they do one on one
• The honest caveats about group programs, and what to think through before you build one

The ceiling isn't a motivation problem. It's not a pricing problem. It's arithmetic. The 1:1 model was never designed to scale, and every coach who's good at what they do eventually runs out of runway. A group program, built properly, is the structural solution to a structural problem. Next week I'm going to talk about the biggest mistake coaches make when they try to build one, and it's not what you'd expect.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I help maxed-out coaches build group programs that deliver the same transformation as their 1:1 work. So they can serve more clients, earn more predictable income, and get some of their time back.

Ready to figure out what your group program could look like? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's talk through your situation: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Send me a message!

If you're building your coaching business on social media, you're building on land you don't own. The algorithm changes, your reach drops, and the audience you spent months growing suddenly can't hear you. That's not a marketing foundation, that's renting.

In this episode I walk you through the three things every coach needs to have in place to stop renting and start owning their audience.

You'll learn:

• Why your social media following isn't really yours, and what owning your audience actually means
• How an email list gives you direct access to potential clients without an algorithm standing in the way
• What your website is actually supposed to do, and why most coaches get it wrong
• How a freebie starts building trust with potential clients before they ever spend a dollar
• Two methods for getting eyes on your freebie and growing your list from scratch

Most coaches are told to show up on social media consistently and the clients will come. But in today's market, buyers are taking longer to make decisions and need more touchpoints before they commit. The coaches who build sustainable businesses aren't the ones with the biggest Instagram following. They're the ones who own their audience and can reach them directly. That starts with the foundation covered in this episode.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent years studying and implementing marketing strategies and I've built and sold my own online courses and programs. I help coaches design programs that transform their clients and grow their business.

Want to understand the market you're building in? Go back and listen to The 2026 State of the Market, find it wherever you're listening.

Marissa Corcoran: https://www.marissacorcoran.com/

Dallas Travers: https://dallastravers.com/

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If you've been trying to sell a course in 2026 and the numbers aren't adding up, the problem isn't your marketing. The market has structurally shifted. Courses are declining, and the practitioners who've been in this industry for years are saying it out loud.

In this episode I break down what's actually driving the decline, what's working instead, and what the 2026 buyer needs from you before they'll spend money.

You'll learn:

- Why standalone self-paced courses are losing ground in 2026

- How AI has undercut the information-delivery model that made courses so profitable

- Why course completion rates are making buyers think twice before purchasing

- What group programs are delivering that courses simply can't replicate

- How today's buyers are still spending, just with more discernment and longer sales cycles

The market hasn't dried up. The model has changed. Buyers aren't spending less on coaching, they're spending more carefully. The coaches and program creators who are winning right now are the ones who understand what buyers actually need before they'll commit, and they're building their offers around that.

I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, and I help coaches build group programs that scale their business without burning out their roster.

Ready to figure out if a group program is the right next move? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's talk through your options: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/

Send me a message!