One of the most common conversations I’ve been having recently is with people who are thinking about building online courses. They’re not exploring this out of curiosity; they’re doing it because they’ve realized a harsh truth: they are forever stuck in the cycle of exchanging time for money.

Every hour they work, they earn. But if they stop working, the income stops too. The problem? They have no real plan to build automated income streams that can serve them in the long term.

Despite this revelation, many of these people are completely overwhelmed by their current commitments. Their schedules are full, their energy is stretched thin, and they say, "I don’t have the head space to start something new."

Sound familiar? If this is you, then you need to know that there is a way out.

That’s what this edition of the Raw News is all about: starting to build a future where your efforts create lasting freedom AND impact more people’s lives.

The Mindset Shift: “I Realized That I Didn’t Have the Right Mindset”

When I first started thinking about this, I thought the problem was my lack of time or resources. But what I soon realized was that my biggest hurdle wasn’t external; it was internal. I didn’t have the right mindset.

What I needed was a builder mentality—a mindset shift from earning through endless effort to creating assets that could generate income AND impact people without my constant involvement.

Create once - then let them run.

This shift didn’t happen overnight, but it was transformational. I started to focus on activities that would pay dividends in the future rather than only focusing on immediate returns.

That’s the mindset shift I encourage you to embrace: seeing yourself as a creator of systems, products, and opportunities that will serve you long-term.

If you’ve been stuck, your primary issue is not lack of time - it’s a change of mindset.

Build-Once, Serve-Forever: Focus on Leverage

The key to breaking free from the time-for-money cycle is to focus on activities that have leverage.

Now, there are lots of ways to do this and I’ve tried numbers of them. EBay Store, Amazon KDP, Crypto, Software as a Service. Grief - I even dipped my toe in print on demand T-Shirts! (And no you won’t ever see my designs!)

The reason I’ve settled on online coaching and courses is that they combine the ability to impact people’s lives AND create income - whereas lots of others are simply avenues to make money.

That’s not a bad thing but for me, it’s not a totally satisfying thing!

Here are some examples of scalable assets that you can build in the coaching/course space:

• Digital Courses: Package your knowledge into a course that people can access anytime.
• Coaching/Mentoring Frameworks: Develop a repeatable structure for coaching that can be used with multiple clients or groups.
• Evergreen Content: Create blogs, videos, or newsletters that continue to provide value long after you’ve created them. These can be paid to bring in income or free to bring in new clients for other offerings.

The idea is to build assets that work for you, even when you’re not actively working. This is how you transition from being a worker to being a builder, creating a foundation for lasting freedom.

Coaching Others: The Multiplier Effect

Coaching and online courses are one of the most powerful ways to maximize your impact and income.

When you help someone else grow, you’re not just impacting their life—you’re equipping them to impact others. This is what I call the multiplier effect.

Think about it: when you coach someone on a new skill or strategy, they can then go on to apply that in their own work, their relationships, and their community. Over time, the ripple effect of your coaching can reach far beyond what you could ever achieve on your own.

Coaching/Mentoring is also a great way to start building your automated income because you can start with 1-1 and as you harness your skills and method it very quickly becomes a product that you can scale to serve larger groups.

Design for Scale from the Start

If you want to truly break free, you need to think beyond 1:1 interactions. While one-on-one coaching or mentoring is the perfect starting point, it’s not scalable in the long term. That’s why it’s important to design for scale from the very beginning.

Here are some ways to do this:

• Group Coaching: Even when working 1-1, build a framework that will work with multiple clients at once, providing the same value in less of your time.
• Online Courses or Memberships: Transition your knowledge into digital formats that you can pre-record and can then reach unlimited people.
• Automated Systems: Use tools and processes to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up your time for high-impact work.

By designing for scale, you’re setting yourself up for a future where your income and impact are no longer tied to the hours you work.

Carve Out Time and Take the First Step

One of the biggest objections I hear is, “I just don’t have the time.” But here’s the thing: if you don’t make time to build something different, nothing will ever change. You don’t need to clear your entire schedule—you just need to carve out 2-4 hours a week to get started.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Audit Your Time: Take a hard look at how you spend your week. Are there low-value activities you can cut back on, like excessive screen time, unnecessary meetings, or mindless scrolling?
2. Create Focus Blocks: Treat your building time like a non-negotiable appointment. Block out chunks of 60 minutes a few times a week and commit to it, knowing that this is an investment in your future.
3. Start Small: Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to launch a massive project all at once. Focus on small, manageable steps that build momentum.

Taking this first step is key. Without it, your dream of escaping the time-for-money hamster wheel will stay just that—a dream. But with even a few focused hours a week, you can start turning it into reality.

Closing Thoughts

The freedom to work less and impact more is within your reach. It starts with a mindset shift, a small commitment of time, and a focus on building assets that create leverage. Coaching others and designing for scale can amplify your efforts, turning your dreams of freedom into a reality.

So, what’s your next step? Carve out a couple of hours this week to start building your escape plan. Brainstorm one idea for something you can create once and serve many.

How I Can Help

If you’re ready to learn more about creating a successful online course, coaching or mentoring program, here are some ways we can work together to bring your vision to life:

1. Subscribe to The Raw News

If you're not already receiving it, get weekly tips, tactics, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox to help you build your online coaching program. Sign up here.

2. Join My FREE Facebook Group

Become part of a community of aspiring coaches, mentors and course creators in the Online Course & Coach Accelerator group. Here we share resources, answer questions, and provide feedback to help you grow. Join us here.

3. Sign Up for my Impact & Income Accelerator Program

If you’re ready to level up, my Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop shows you how I built a profitable, scalable online course business in my spare time. Sign up here.