Some moms should skip the 1:1 offer phase entirely.
Not because they’re lazy or taking shortcuts. But because that’s what their LIFE allows for. And that’s completely valid.
Maybe you’re doing 1:1 coaching and you’re maxed out. You’re booked, but you can’t take on one more client without losing your mind—or missing bedtime every night.
Or maybe you’re just exploring work-from-home options and courses keep coming up. You’ve heard they’re “hot right now” (because they are!), but you’re not sure if that’s actually a path for YOU.
Either way, you’re wondering: Could I create a course? Should I create a course? And if so… what would I even teach?
Here’s what traditional business advice tells you: Start with 1:1 services FIRST. Get to know your clients. Validate your idea through working with people one-on-one. THEN—and only then—create the course.
But here’s what that advice doesn’t account for:
What if you literally can’t be on calls during the day? What if you have a baby or toddler at home and your schedule is completely unpredictable? What if your season of motherhood doesn’t allow for scheduled client calls that you can’t reschedule when your kid gets sick? This is exactly why so many moms in BossMom+ skip 1:1 and jump right to leverageable offers, like courses.
What if courses actually make MORE sense for you right now?
Whether you already have a service you want to scale into a course, or you’re wondering if you should skip straight to courses because that fits your life better—this is for you.
Let’s talk about what’s actually possible, how to know what to create, and how to do this without it taking over your life.
What You’re Really Building (And Why It Works for Mom Life)
First, let’s get clear on what we’re actually talking about here.
What a Course Business Actually Is
A course is you packaging your knowledge into a structured learning experience that people can go through without you being there in real-time.
It could be:
- Video lessons with worksheets
- Audio lessons they listen to while folding laundry
- Written modules with templates
- A mix of all of the above
It could be:
- Self-paced – They buy it and go through it on their own timeline
- Cohort-based – Groups start together and go through it at the same time
- Evergreen – Always available for purchase
- Launch-based – You open enrollment periodically
There’s no one “right” way to structure a course. There’s only what works for you and what works for your students.
Why This Works for Moms Specifically
Let me tell you why course creation is particularly well-suited for moms:
1. It’s Asynchronous Work
You create the content once, and it sells repeatedly. You’re not trading hours for dollars over and over.
You record your lessons during nap time. Edit them after bedtime. Create workbooks while your kids are at school or watching a show.
Your students learn on their schedule. You teach on yours.
Nobody needs you to be “on” at 2pm on Tuesday. If your kid is sick, your course still runs. If it’s summer break and you can barely think, your course is still there, still selling, still serving people.
2. Income Potential Without Hour Trading
With 1:1 work: You help one person at a time, get paid once for that time.
With a course: You help 50 people at once, get paid 50 times for creating it once.
Your income isn’t capped by your available hours. That’s huge when you only have 5-10 hours a week to work.
3. Flexibility That Actually Fits Mom Life
Kid gets sick for a week? Your course still runs.
Summer break? Your course still sells.
Can’t work this week because life happened? Your course is still there.
This is the kind of flexibility that actually matters when you’re a mom. Not just “remote work” flexibility. Real flexibility.
The Reality Check (Because I’m Always Going to Give You Real Talk)
It’s front-loaded work.
You have to put in the effort upfront to create the course. Outlining, recording, editing, setting it up. That all happens before you make a dollar from it.
But once it’s created? It can generate income while you’re at the playground. While you’re on vacation. While you’re sleeping.
That’s the trade-off. And for many moms, especially those in seasons where they literally can’t be on calls, it’s a trade-off worth making.
Two Paths to Get Here (Both Are Valid)
Path 1: You Already Have a Service
- You’re doing 1:1 coaching, consulting, or service work
- You know what people need because you’ve worked with them
- You’re ready to package what you know so you can serve more people without more time
Path 2: You Skip Services and Start Here
- You have expertise but can’t do scheduled calls
- Your life doesn’t allow for 1:1 work right now
- You want to test with a course first because that’s what actually fits
Both paths work. Both can lead to successful course businesses.
The question isn’t which path is “right.” The question is which path fits YOUR life right now.
How to Know If You Should Skip 1:1 Services (Even Though “Everyone” Says Not To)
Okay, let’s address this head-on because I know this is what you’re thinking.
What Traditional Advice Says
Every business guru out there will tell you: Start with 1:1 services first.
The logic makes sense:
- You’ll learn what people actually need
- You’ll test your ideas in real-time with real clients
- You’ll get feedback to make your course better
- You’ll validate that people will pay for what you offer
And you know what? That IS good advice…
IF you CAN take client calls during business hours. IF you WANT to do 1:1 work. IF you have consistent childcare or work time. IF you’re not in survival mode with babies or toddlers.
But that advice completely falls apart if those things aren’t true for you.
When That Advice Doesn’t Work
If you can’t be on calls reliably because you have a baby or toddler at home with no childcare…
If your work time is scattered—nap time one day, after 9pm the next, maybe a few hours on Saturday if your partner can take the kids…
If you need to build something that runs without you being present in real-time…
If the thought of scheduling calls makes you anxious because you know life is unpredictable and you’ll have to reschedule constantly…
Then the traditional advice doesn’t serve you. It just makes you feel like you’re doing it wrong when you’re actually just trying to build something that fits your real life.
When You Should Skip Straight to Courses
Scenario 1: Your Season Doesn’t Allow for Calls
You have a baby or toddler at home with completely unpredictable schedules. You don’t have consistent childcare. You can record videos during nap time, but you absolutely cannot guarantee you’ll be available for a scheduled call at 2pm on Tuesday.
This is a valid reason to skip 1:1 work. Not a cop-out. A practical decision based on your reality.
Scenario 2: You Already Have the Knowledge
You have expertise from a previous career. You’ve been asked the same questions over and over by friends, family, or your network. You don’t need 1:1 clients to figure out what to teach—you already know what people struggle with.
Example: You’re a former HR professional who can teach interview skills. You don’t need to coach people one-on-one first to know what works. You already know. So why not package it into a course from the start?
Scenario 3: Asynchronous Income Is Specifically Your Goal
You’re drawn to courses precisely because they allow you to make money without being present. You’re okay with the front-loaded work because the long-term payoff—income while you’re at the playground—is exactly what you want.
This is a completely valid reason to start with courses.
When You SHOULD Start With 1:1 First
I’m not saying everyone should skip 1:1 work. Some people shouldn’t.
Start with 1:1 if:
- You’re not totally sure what to teach yet, and working with clients will help you figure it out
- You CAN do calls consistently (kids in school, you have childcare, schedule is predictable)
- You want faster income (1:1 work can generate money within weeks; courses take longer to create and market)
- You learn best by doing, and you know you’ll create a better course after working with real people
The Hybrid Approach (This Works Too):
Many moms start with a few 1:1 clients to test and learn, THEN create the course. You don’t have to choose one forever. You can do both at different times.
Here’s your permission: There’s no “right” order. There’s only what works for your life right now. And if courses make more sense first? Do courses first.
The Exercise That Tells You Exactly What Course to Create
Okay, so you’ve decided courses make sense for you. Or at least you want to explore it.
Now comes the question everyone asks: “But what would I even teach?”
Let me walk you through the exact exercise I use with clients to figure this out.
The Problem You’re Facing
You have ideas. Maybe too many ideas. Maybe not enough clarity on any one idea. You don’t know which one would actually work or which one people would buy or which one you’d actually enjoy creating.
So let’s fix that.
Step 1: Brain Dump Everything
Grab a piece of paper. I’ll wait.
Got it? Okay.
On the LEFT side of the paper, I want you to write down two things:
A. Services You Already Provide (if applicable)
If you’re already doing any kind of work—coaching, consulting, freelancing, whatever—write down what you do.
But here’s the key: Don’t just write “I coach women.” Get specific.
WHAT do you coach them on?
Do you teach them how to START their business? GROW it? SCALE it? AUTOMATE it?
Break it down. “Business coaching” becomes “How to get your first 10 clients” or “How to automate your email marketing so it runs without you.”
B. Questions People Ask You All the Time
What do people constantly come to you for advice about? What do you explain over and over? What questions do people always ask you?
These repeated questions are gold. They’re pain points you could solve with a course.
Examples:
- “How do you meal prep for a family of 5?”
- “How did you build your email list?”
- “What tools do you use to manage client projects?”
- “How do you schedule social media without it taking all day?”
Write down every question you get asked regularly. Don’t filter yet. Just dump it all out.
Step 2: Rank By Three Criteria
Now, on the RIGHT side of your paper, make three columns.
For each item on your left-side list, you’re going to rank it on three things:
Column 1: Likability – How Much YOU Love It
Rank everything from 1 (you wake up excited to talk about this) to however many items you have on your list (you’d rather never talk about this again).
If you have multiple things you absolutely love, force yourself to rank them anyway. Put them in order.
Why this matters: Creating a course takes WORK. Real work. If you don’t genuinely love the topic, you will not finish it. Life will get in the way, you’ll lose motivation, and that course will sit unfinished forever.
Only create courses on topics you actually love teaching about.
Column 2: Client Need – How Much THEY Need It
Rank based on two factors combined:
Urgency: Do they need this NOW? Or is it nice-to-have-someday?
Awareness: Do they KNOW they need it? Or do you have to convince them first?
This is the difference between a soft sell and a hard sell:
Soft sell (easier to market): They already know they have this problem and they’re actively looking for a solution.
- Example: “How to get clients” – If you’re a business owner, you KNOW you need clients. You’re already looking for help with this.
Hard sell (harder to market): You have to educate them on why they need this before they’ll buy it.
- Example: “Why you need a brand strategy” – They might not realize they need this yet. You have to convince them of the problem first.
When you’re creating your first course, make your life easier. Pick something that’s a soft sell.
Column 3: Uniqueness – What Makes YOU Different
For each topic, write down: What unique angle do you bring? What’s your specific experience or perspective? Why would someone learn from YOU versus someone else teaching the same thing?
Examples:
- Not just “email marketing” but “email marketing for product-based businesses selling on Etsy”
- Not just “time management” but “time management for work-from-home moms with kids under 5”
- Not just “nutrition coaching” but “plant-based meal planning for families with picky eaters”
Your unique angle is what makes your course different from the 47 other courses on similar topics.
Step 3: Find Your Top 3
Look at your rankings across all three columns.
Which topics score high in all three areas?
- You genuinely love teaching about it
- People need it (and they know they need it)
- You bring a unique perspective or experience
Those are your contenders. Circle them. These are the topics worth pursuing.
Step 4: Can You Break It Down Further?
For each of your top contenders, ask: Is this too big? Too small? Or just right?
Too big: “How to start and grow a six-figure business”
This is MASSIVE. This could be 10 courses. If you try to teach everything, you’ll never finish, and your students will be overwhelmed.
Could be broken down into:
- How to validate your business idea in 30 days
- How to get your first 10 paying clients
- How to scale from $0 to $50K
- How to hire and manage your first team member
Each of those could be its own focused course.
Just right: “How to meal prep for busy families in under 2 hours per week”
This is focused. It has a clear outcome. Someone can finish it and know they’ve accomplished something specific.
Here’s your permission: Start small. You can always create more courses later. But starting with one focused course that solves one specific problem is WAY easier than trying to create the Everything Course that solves all the problems.
Done is better than perfect. Small and finished beats big and abandoned.
How to Know If People Will Actually Buy It (Before You Spend Months Creating It)
Okay, so you have your top ideas. Maybe you’ve even picked THE one you want to create.
Here’s what most people do next: They spend 3-6 months creating the entire course. Recording every video, creating every worksheet, building the whole thing out.
Then they try to sell it.
And… crickets.
Don’t do that.
The Smarter Approach: Validate Before You Build
Validation Step 1: Ask Your Community
Take your top 3 course ideas (or just your top idea) and ask people which one they’d want most.
Where to ask:
- Your email list (if you have one)
- Facebook groups where your ideal students hang out
- Instagram stories with polls
- Direct messages to people who’ve asked you questions about this topic
What you’re listening for: Not just “Oh, that sounds nice!” but actual interest. “When can I buy this?” or “How much will it be?” or “I would totally take that.”
Enthusiasm. Eagerness. Not just polite acknowledgment.
Validation Step 2: Create Buzz AND Get Accountability
Here’s something I learned from creating multiple courses: When you ask about your course ideas publicly, three magical things happen:
- Their excitement fuels you. When people say “Yes! I need this!” you get motivated to actually create it. Their enthusiasm becomes your energy when you’re tired.
- Their ideas improve your course. They’ll ask questions you hadn’t thought of. They’ll share what they’re struggling with. This makes your course better before you even start creating it.
- Public accountability keeps you going. Once you’ve told people you’re making this course, you’re more likely to actually finish it. Nobody wants to be the person who announced a course and then never delivered.
Don’t create in a vacuum. Talk about what you’re building. Let people get excited with you.
Validation Step 3: Pre-Sell It (The Ultimate Validation)
Want to know for sure if people will buy your course? Sell it before you fully create it.
I know. This feels scary. But hear me out.
Option 1: Teach It Live First Run it as a live workshop or group program. Teach the content in real-time, record it, then turn those recordings into your course. You get paid to create your course, and you get feedback as you go.
Option 2: Pre-Sell at a Founder’s Price “I’m creating this course. It’ll be $297 when it launches. But if you buy now for $197, you’ll get access as I create each module.”
Founding members get a discount. You get validation (and money) before you invest months of work.
Option 3: Create a Mini-Version First Don’t make the whole course. Make the first module or a mini-course. Test it. See if people buy it. See if it helps them. Then decide if you want to build the full version.
Why this works:
- If people pay, you KNOW they want it
- You’re creating knowing you already have buyers
- You get feedback as you build (so the course gets better)
- Way less risk of spending months on something nobody wants
Real talk: Yes, it feels vulnerable to sell something that doesn’t fully exist yet. But it’s WAY better than spending three months creating something in secret and then discovering nobody wants to buy it.
Ask me how I know. (I’ve made that mistake. Don’t repeat it.)
How to Actually Create Your Course (During Nap Time and After Bedtime)
Alright, people want your course. You’ve validated it. Now you actually have to create it.
Let’s talk about how to do this without it taking over your life.
The Reality First
Creating a course takes work. There’s no way around that.
But there’s a smart way to do it that works with mom life, and there’s a way that leads to burnout and quitting.
DON’T Create the Course First (Seriously)
I know that sounds backwards, but listen.
Here’s the order that actually works:
Phase 1: Outline the Course
Don’t record anything yet. Just outline.
- What modules will you have?
- What lessons go in each module?
- What’s the transformation someone gets from start to finish?
This is your roadmap. Get this clear before you do anything else.
Phase 2: Create Supporting Content (Your Marketing Strategy)
From your course outline, brainstorm 10 topics you could create content about.
These could be:
- Blog posts
- YouTube videos
- Instagram carousels
- Podcast episodes
- Whatever format you prefer
These topics should relate to your course but be valuable on their own. They’re not just “buy my course” posts. They’re genuinely helpful content that also positions you as the expert on this topic.
This becomes your marketing content. You’re building interest and authority while you create the course.
Phase 3: Create One Lead Magnet
Pick one topic from your content list. Create a freebie that relates to it.
Could be:
- A PDF guide
- A checklist
- A mini-workshop
- A template or workbook
This grows your email list of people who are interested in this topic—your future course buyers.
Phase 4: NOW Create the Actual Course
Once you have:
- A clear outline
- Marketing content planned
- A lead magnet to grow your audience
THEN you create the actual course content.
Why This Order Matters
You’re not creating in a vacuum. You’re building buzz while you create. You’re growing an audience who’ll actually buy it when you launch.
You’re also proving to yourself (and the world) that you can talk about this topic, that people care, that there’s interest.
And honestly? Sometimes by the time you get to Phase 4, you’ve already pre-sold the course from all the interest you generated in Phases 2 and 3.
Making It Manageable for Mom Life
Record in Small Chunks
You don’t need to record your whole course in one marathon session.
Record one lesson during today’s nap time. Record another after bedtime tomorrow. Chunk it out over weeks.
Progress over perfection.
Done Is Better Than Perfect
Your first course doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. It needs to help people and be good enough.
You can always improve it later. (And you will! Every course creator updates their course after the first round of students go through it.)
Use What You Have
You don’t need:
- A fancy camera (your phone is fine)
- Expensive software (start with free or cheap tools)
- A professional studio setup (your kitchen table works)
- Perfect lighting (natural light from a window is great)
You need: Knowledge to share and the willingness to be imperfect.
Batch Your Work When Possible
If you get a day where you have 3-4 hours? Use it wisely.
- Outline everything in one session
- Record multiple videos in one day (if your energy allows)
- Create all workbooks in one sitting
- Edit everything at once (or hire someone cheap on Fiverr to do this)
The Realistic Timeline
Creating your first course while being a mom, working in small time blocks: 1-3 months.
Not 6 months. Not “someday when I have more time.” One to three months of actual focused effort in small chunks.
Your permission statement: Your first course doesn’t have to be your best course. It just has to exist and help people. You can make Version 2.0 later.
The Reality of Course Income (What to Actually Expect)
Let’s talk about what’s actually possible here. Because I want you to have realistic expectations.
Courses Are Hot Right Now (For Real Reasons)
Course creation is having a moment. And it’s not just hype. There are real reasons:
- People want to learn
- Online learning is normalized now
- The barriers to creating courses are lower than ever
- You can reach people globally from your kitchen table
So yes, there’s potential. But let’s be realistic about what that looks like.
Let’s Talk Numbers
Scenario 1: The Small Course ($47-$97)
- Teaches one specific skill or solves one specific problem
- Easier to sell because the price point is low
- You need more students to make significant income
- Example: 100 students × $97 = $9,700
Scenario 2: The Mid-Tier Course ($297-$497)
- More comprehensive transformation
- Takes more work to create and sell
- You need fewer students for significant income
- Example: 50 students × $297 = $14,850
Scenario 3: The High-Ticket Program ($997-$2,000+)
- Usually includes coaching calls, community, or more direct support
- Harder to sell (people need to trust you more at this price)
- You need even fewer students
- Example: 20 students × $997 = $19,940
The Reality Check
Most first courses don’t sell 100 copies right away.
You might sell 5 on your first launch. Or 10. Or 25.
And you know what? That’s still income you wouldn’t have had otherwise. And once it’s created, you can keep selling it.
The Compounding Effect (This Is Where It Gets Good)
Here’s what most people don’t tell you:
- Year 1: You create the course. You sell 30 copies. You make $3,000-$9,000 depending on your price.
- Year 2: Same course. You improve your marketing. You sell 60 more copies.
- Year 3: Same course. Your audience is bigger. You sell 100 copies.
Total: 190 sales from ONE course you created once.
This is the compounding effect. The course keeps working for you.
What This Means for Different Life Seasons
Baby/Toddler Phase:
- Creating a course might be the ONLY way to build a business right now
- It might take longer to create because your time is so limited
- But once it’s done, it can run during the chaos
School-Age Phase:
- You have more consistent work time during school hours
- You can create faster
- You can do more active marketing
The Key Point: This isn’t get-rich-quick. But it IS build-something-that-lasts.
It’s building an asset that can generate income for years from work you do once.
For moms with limited time? That’s incredibly valuable.
Why You Can’t Create a Course in a Vacuum
Here’s the mistake I see all the time: Moms try to create their course alone, in secret, until it’s “perfect.”
Then they either:
- Never finish it (because perfection is impossible)
- Launch it to crickets (because nobody knew it existed)
- Give up when it gets hard (because they have no support)
Don’t do that.
What Community Provides
Feedback on Your Course Idea
- “Is this topic too broad?”
- “Should I teach X or Y first?”
- “Does this price make sense for what I’m offering?”
Other course creators who’ve been there can tell you. You don’t have to guess.
Accountability to Actually Finish
Creating a course is a marathon, not a sprint. Having people who ask “How’s your course coming?” keeps you moving forward.
Celebrating small wins matters. “I finished my outline!” “I recorded my first video!” These deserve celebration, and community gives you that.
Real Examples of What Actually Works
You get to see:
- How other moms structured their courses
- What platforms they used (and which ones they regret)
- How they marketed without being on social media 24/7
- What worked and what flopped (so you don’t repeat mistakes)
Support When You’re Stuck
“I don’t know what to charge.” “Nobody’s buying and I don’t know why.” “I’m overwhelmed and want to quit.”
Other course creators get it. They’ve been there. They can help you through it.
Specifically for Moms
Generic course-creation advice: “Just batch your content creation.”
Mom course-creator advice: “Here’s how to batch when you have maximum 2-hour windows and they’re unpredictable.”
Generic advice: “Launch every quarter.”
Mom advice: “Here’s how to plan launches around school schedules, holidays, and summer break.”
Generic advice: “Invest in the best equipment.”
Mom advice: “Here’s what you actually need to start, and what can wait until you’ve made money from the course.”
See the difference?
The Truth About Creating Alone
When you create alone:
- Every decision feels huge
- You second-guess everything
- You have no one to celebrate wins with
- You give up easier when it gets hard
- You get feedback that makes your course better
- You have accountability that keeps you going
- You celebrate progress (because others understand what a big deal it is)
- You stick with it because you’re not doing it alone
So, Are You Ready to Create Your Course?
Let’s bring this all together.
Courses offer something really valuable for moms: The ability to create income that isn’t tied to your hours. Work you do once that pays you repeatedly. Asynchronous business that runs even when life gets chaotic.
You DON’T have to start with 1:1 services if your life doesn’t allow for it. You CAN skip straight to courses if that’s what fits your season of motherhood. Both paths are valid.
The process isn’t mysterious:
- Figure out what to teach (using the ranking exercise)
- Validate before you build (so you’re not creating in a vacuum)
- Create strategically (outline, then marketing content, then the course itself)
- Do it in small chunks that fit mom life (nap time and bedtime sessions add up)
It’s not get-rich-quick. It’s build-something-that-lasts.
And you don’t have to—and absolutely shouldn’t—do this alone.
Ready to Build Your Course With Support?
If you’re ready to explore course creation with moms who are building the exact same thing—and get support every step of the way—join us in BossMom+.
Whether you’re scaling an existing service into a course or skipping straight to course creation because that’s what your life allows—you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Your course is possible. Your timeline is valid. Your season of motherhood matters.
Come create with us. We’ll be here when you’re ready.
April 1, 2016
How to Turn Your Service Into a Course (Or Skip Services and Start With a Course)
