How I Transitioned from 1:1 Services to Online Courses

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Today I’m sharing how I went from being a one-on-one service provider to a full-time online course creator.

If you’ve been dreaming of making this same transition, I hope my story (plus a few of my best tips) will give you a clear path forward.

Hit play or read the post below:

How It All Started

When I first started my online business, my ultimate goal was to run an online course business. I’d seen people talk about the incredible potential of this model and thought, Yes – that’s exactly what I want to do.

The problem? I didn’t have a specific expertise I could turn into a course yet.

So, I began as a tech virtual assistant – helping other business owners with their backend systems, admin, marketing, and anything tech-related. It was a great fit and, best of all, I could work from anywhere in the world.

The First Spark of an Online Course

Many of my clients happened to need help with Squarespace – the website builder. Over time, I became a Squarespace expert, and I noticed something: while most people were using WordPress, new entrepreneurs often needed something simpler.

That’s when the idea for my first course began to take shape.

I built my very first online course, originally called Build a Better Website (it’s now known as Website That Wows – much better name, right?).

And I didn’t quit all my client work to create it. I built it gradually as a side project while keeping steady income from my 1:1 clients. This meant less financial stress and more freedom to take my time.

Was it a lot of work? Absolutely. But I knew it would be worth it.

My First Big Struggle

While I had a great course idea, I had no clue how to actually market or sell it.

At the time, I was following successful entrepreneurs on Instagram, seeing their big launches, and assuming they just posted a few times and magically made hundreds of sales. I didn’t realize all the behind-the-scenes strategy that was happening.

So, I launched my course for the first time… and got zero sales.

I was devastated. The self-doubt kicked in hard. I thought I’d wasted all my time and that this was never going to work.

In reality, I just needed better marketing and sales strategies – both of which can be learned.

(Spoiler alert: I went on to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars of that very same course.)

Learning, Adjusting, and Trying Again

The problem wasn’t my course – it was how I was talking about it, the messaging, and whether I had the right audience.

That first launch? I think I sent two emails, and they weren’t particularly compelling. No wonder it didn’t work.

That’s when I started working with mentors and learning everything I could about marketing and selling. I kept my 1:1 work going while building my course business on the side.

Finally – It Starts to Work

Slowly but surely, I began to see results. They weren’t huge at first, but every new thing I learned brought better outcomes.

For me, sales funnels became a game-changer – using tech and systems so that my sales process ran 24/7.

I’ll never forget the first time I was out for dinner and got a sales notification on my phone. It was the coolest feeling ever.

From there, I focused on growing that side of my business, phasing out clients as my online course revenue became more reliable.

The Last Client

Eventually, I had just one client left – someone I loved working with. I knew I probably needed to let them go, but I was hesitant.

Then my coach asked:

“You’re giving up 10 hours a week to keep this client. What would happen if you spent those 10 hours marketing and selling your online course instead?”

Lightbulb moment 💡

I realized I could replace that income if I invested that time into my course business. So, I took the leap, went all in, and finally became a full-time online course creator – building the exact business I’d dreamed about.

3 Big Takeaways for Moving from 1:1 to Courses

1. Just get started – Your first version is just that: version one. You’ll improve it over time.

2. Don’t give up if you get no sales at first – It usually means your marketing or audience building needs tweaking.

3. Expect resistance – You’ll question whether you’re expert enough or if your topic has been done before. But with billions of people online, there’s more than enough room for your unique angle.

Final Thoughts

Making the shift from 1:1 work to online courses is one of the best ways to create a leveraged, scalable business. It takes time, persistence, and the willingness to keep learning – but it’s worth it.

I'm hosting a FREE 3-day challenge  to help you bring your online course to life 🎉 I’d love to help you take the next step.