(aka: Stop piecemealing your business and start building a system that actually sells).
Let’s be honest for a second.
If you’ve ever found yourself Googling, “What’s the best course platform?” or bouncing between Thinkific, Kajabi, Shopify, or GoHighLevel like it’s a game of tech roulette… this post is for you.
Because the hard truth?
✅ Your tech isn’t the real problem.
✅ Your platform isn’t the real problem.
✅ Even your offer might not be the real problem.
The actual problem is this: you’re building without a strategy. And it’s costing you more than you realize.
That $13,000 Mistake I Made in 2008
Let’s rewind to the very beginning of my business.
In 2008, I spent $13,000 on a website when I launched as a keynote speaker and corporate trainer. That number still makes me cringe.
Included in that? A two-camera video shoot, a host-style walkout effect on the homepage, and cutting-edge web design (for the time).
It looked amazing.
It did nothing for my business.
Within 30 seconds, people were leaving the site—because while it looked polished, the messaging was off. It didn’t speak to the person visiting. There was no emotional connection, no buyer journey, and no next step.
That mistake taught me the prettiest tech in the world won’t save you if your foundation is cracked.
My First Course? All Wrong.
Back then, I knew I wanted a course to support my speaking and training offers. So when a top keynote speaker I admired recommended Ruzuku, I jumped in.
And while the intention was good—to offer clients something to go deeper after an event—the execution was flawed.
❌ I didn’t have a list-building strategy.
❌ I didn’t understand tech let alone tech integrations.
❌ I didn’t think through how that course fit into my overall business model.
If someone opted in and didn’t get their freebie? I had no idea how to fix it. And if they did get it? There was no follow-up, no nurture, no funnel.
I was duct-taping my way through my first digital offer… and hoping for the best.
Let’s Talk About the Tech Spiral
Sound familiar?
After Ruzuku, I tried:
- Thinkific – more features, but poor support
- Kajabi – robust, but I didn’t love the templates
- ActiveCampaign + Thinkific – expensive and clunky
- FG Funnels (a GoHighLevel white label)– finally, a clean experience that saved me time and money
And guess what?
None of it mattered until I had a strategy behind the scenes.
If your funnel is broken, your tech won’t fix it.
If your offer isn’t clear, your platform won’t matter.
If your audience can’t see themselves in your messaging, they won’t buy—no matter how beautiful your landing page is.
Build It and Sell It? Nope.
Here’s the bad advice too many coaches and service providers still hear:
“Just build it and sell it.”
“You don’t need a list—just post on social.”
“The right platform will do the work for you.”
False. All of it.
Here’s what you actually need before a single person buys:
✅ A message that connects with the right buyer
✅ A funnel that nurtures that buyer and builds trust
✅ A simple way to bring new leads into your world consistently
Because social media?
It’s not a strategy. It’s a tool.
And likes ≠ sales.
A Potential Client Example That Makes Me Shake My Head (again)
Just two weeks ago, I had a conversation with a wellness coach who was in desperate need of help. But she couldn’t afford to hire me. Why?
Because she had just spent $3,500 on a website. One that I could have built in a couple of hours.
The site? A typical template you can get with any website builder.
The copy? All about her and her certifications.
The strategy? Non-existent.
She didn’t have:
❌ Any social media presence
❌ Any messaging focused on her client
❌ A lead magnet or way to build her email list
❌ A plan to market her business
And because she was maxed out financially, she couldn’t even join the $99/month Incubator. I offered the $27 a month Society membership as a starting point before doors closed, but her head was already spinning from what she’d bought into.
Unfortunately, I see this all the time.
People investing thousands into tools, platforms, and websites—but not the strategy that actually drives results.
What It’s Really Costing You to Keep Duct-Taping It All Together
If you’re honest… is your business being held together by duct tape and wishful thinking?
Here’s what it’s actually costing you:
💸 Time – spent troubleshooting integrations instead of building momentum
💸 Money – wasted on platforms that don’t convert
💸 Clients – lost because your funnel isn’t working
💸 Confidence – drained every time another “launch” flops
If you want:
- More people to talk to
- A message that connects
- Offers that convert
Then you need a system that supports all three.
That’s why this isn’t just about “choosing the right course platform.”
It’s about building the right foundation—so your platform actually has something to support.
What You Actually Need to Focus on First
If you’re not sure where to even begin, here’s the what and why to focus on:
✅ Know your audience – not just demographics, but beliefs, pain points, objections
✅ Build the right offer – rooted in audience intel, not guesswork
✅ Create a path – from freebie or micro offer to paid product
✅ Set up simple systems – tags, automations, and a basic nurture flow
✅ Grow your list – because an email list is an asset, social media is not
You don’t need everything at once. You need the right order of operations.
And that’s where most people go wrong.
Why I Changed My Model
I took what used to be my $5,000 signature program and restructured it into something accessible.
Because I got tired of watching smart, heart-led entrepreneurs get burned by:
- “Just build it” coaches
- Web designers who don’t understand marketing
- Expensive platforms with no strategic guidance
💡 Inside the Incubator, you’ll:
- Get the full strategy (not just tactics)
- Build a system that connects your message, offer, and audience
- Learn what tech you actually need (and what you don’t)
- Build a business that brings in leads consistently
Because strategy shouldn’t be reserved for those with $10K to burn.
It should be the starting point for everyone building something real.
Final Word: Stop Piecemealing. Start Strategizing.
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this:
You’re not broken. Your platform isn’t broken.
But if everything feels like it’s duct-taped together?
That’s a business screaming for strategy.
You can either keep spinning your wheels…
🚫 Or you can finally build the systems and messaging that get results.
👉 The Incubator is where we fix what’s missing—so your business can finally grow.
Ready to stop guessing and start building a business that actually works?
Join the Incubator today. Your strategy starts here.
