Many Black-owned businesses suffered during the pandemic. But there were others who were able to monetize their knowledge and achieve record revenue numbers. Entrepreneurs who tapped into the course creator economy were able to teach others profitable skills from the comfort of their homes.
If you’re thinking about creating an online course, here’s some inspiration from three Black women who’ve hit the million-dollar mark.
Teri Ijeoma
In 2017, Teri Ijeoma quit her job as an assistant principal at an elementary school. She traveled around the world and used her income from trading stocks to fund her lifestyle. She started teaching others how to make money in the stock market too. Three years later, her course, Trade and Travel, generated over $10 million on the Teachable platform.
“I didn’t seek to start a class,” Ijeoma shared on the Social Proof podcast. “I just wanted an exit strategy. While I was traveling, people started asking me to teach them how to trade. I did my first class in Thailand. The people loved it and asked me to do another one.”
Ijeoma is on a mission to help more people earn $1,000 per day in the stock market. Her course has allowed students to retire their family members, pay off debt, and travel the world.
“Only two-course creators made over $10,000,000 in 2020 and I am one of the two,” Ijeoma told David Never Sleeps.“You don’t become one of the top-selling courses on Teachable by marketing. The course actually has to get people results.”
Danielle Leslie
After getting laid off in 2015, Danielle Leslie earned $10,000 within 30 days by teaching her network how to launch online courses. Eventually, she
developed “Course from Scratch, a training program that has generated over $4 million in revenue.Leslie’s success didn’t happen overnight. She had to identify her niche and develop consistency. Leslie urges entrepreneurs to keep going, stay focused on one idea, and track their progress. She also believes it’s important to marry your story and your skills.
“Know the power of your unique story,” Leslie shared during a podcast interview. “I think that is the reason why I was able to grow this quickly. I tapped into who I am and who I appeal to. Embracing whatever your difference is will take you so far.”
Leslie has experienced tremendous revenue growth over the last four years. She committed to engaging her audience, hiring coaches, leveraging social media, and automating her processes. Leslie went from earning $85,000 in 2017 to $2.5 million in 2018. Her business earned more than $9 million in 2020, according to her Instagram
page.“My first $1M was about Freedom—freeing myself,” says Leslie in an Instagram post. “Passing $10M is about Legacy—freeing others.”
Danielle Pierce
When Danielle Pierce launched her Property Preservation Mastery online course In 2017, she earned a little over $21,000. Fast forward to 2020, Pierce made it to an exclusive list of million-dollar course creators. She hit the $1 million mark by teaching others how to earn more money during the pandemic.
Pierce has been an entrepreneur since getting laid off from her accounting job in 2007. She has explored many real estate side hustles, including tax lien investing and onsite property valuations (BPOs). But it wasn’t until Pierce invested in a business coach that she really started to see her profits soar. After hiring coach Thomas K.R. Stovall, her online course sales increased over 4,000%.
“He’s the single driving factor behind why there has been and will continue to be such a massive, predictable growth of revenue for Real Estate Profit Lab,” Pierce mentioned in a Facebook post. “If you’re great at what you do, are laser-focused, and a bona fide subject matter expert, I’m here to tell you that working with a specialist will change your life.”
Pierce uses her experience in real estate to help others how to create profitable six-figure businesses, without the stress of selling or building a team. She’s on a mission to help more people develop businesses that aligns with their lifestyle.
“Being able to articulate and deliver consistent results for the customer is how you create a profitable and enjoyable business. In other words, don’t take everyone’s money.”