Episode•March 18, 2021•23 min

Scale Up a Business with Melody Johnson | Ep. 55

Ready to scale? Tiffany sits down with Melody to discuss using courses to scale your business. There are a lot of gems to take away from this episode! About Our Guest Melody Johnson helps content creators and small business owners scale their business with online courses and curriculum design. With over 5 years experience in corporate training and education and has her Master’s degree in Instructional Design, she specialize in course development strategy including course outlining, creating micro-offers, building landing pages, copywriting, and creating sales webinars for new course creators. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecourseconsultant Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecourseconsultant/ Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecourseconsultant/ Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Leverage your day job skills for freelancing side income
Melody started freelancing on Upwork doing the exact same instructional design work she performed in corporate training
Her first gig was $50, then progressed to $200, $500, $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 before going full-time
She emphasizes that people often miss the opportunity to monetize skills they're already being paid for in their day job
2
Align business model with personal values for greater fulfillment
Melody transitioned from a $20,000/month agency model to a consulting/education model because she wanted to teach rather than just deliver work
She identified three service branches: DIY (courses), done-with-you (group coaching), and do-it-for-you (agency)
The shift gave her more family time and allowed her to impact more people through scalable education rather than managing team deliverables
3
Debt freedom creates entrepreneurial opportunity
Melody paid off $65,000 in student loans by aggressively funneling extra income toward debt
Once debt-free, she redirected former loan payments ($1,000-$2,000/month) into her business and emergency fund
Having savings built from debt payments gave her the confidence to quit her job and go full-time with her business
4
Three pillars for successful course creation
Unique solution to a problem for the target audience
Powerful program that delivers actual student results
Unique messaging across emails, content marketing, and sales pages
5
Group coaching increases accountability and results
Community support helps students stay committed to programs
Tiffany cites Dave Ramsey's group model and her own AFC certification group experience as evidence
Group formats provide both accountability and peer learning that solo learning lacks

Intro

Tiffany Grant interviews Melody Johnson about scaling businesses through online courses and curriculum design, exploring Melody's journey from corporate instructional designer to successful course consultant.
Melody Johnson helps content creators and small business owners scale with online courses. She has over 5 years in corporate training, a Master's in Instructional Design, and specializes in course outlining, micro-offers, landing pages, copywriting, and sales webinars.

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– Guest Introduction & Background

Tiffany introduces Melody Johnson, highlighting her expertise in helping content creators and small business owners scale through online courses and curriculum design.

– How Melody Got Started

Melody shares her journey from corporate training to freelancing, explaining how she discovered instructional design and began taking on Upwork gigs on the side while working full-time.

I started with the side hustle of maybe $50. I think that was my first gig was a $50 gig, and then 200, then 500, then $1,000, then $2,000, then $3,000. And eventually, I got to the point where I quit my job.
– Melody Johnson

– The Value of Freelancing Your Day Job Skills

Tiffany emphasizes that many people miss the opportunity to monetize skills they're already using in their day jobs, rather than seeking completely different side hustles.

I think a lot of people miss that part and miss that opportunity. You know, they do their day job and they're thinking, oh, I need to find a side hustle doing something completely different.
– Tiffany Grant

– Transitioning from Agency to Education Model

Melody explains why she moved away from her $20,000/month agency model to focus on teaching through courses and group coaching, prioritizing impact and work-life balance over revenue maximization.

Hustle culture isn't always what you thought it was going to be.
– Melody Johnson

She describes three service branches: DIY (self-paced courses), done-with-you (group coaching/mentorship), and do-it-for-you (agency work).

– Teaching vs. Doing It For Clients

Both Tiffany and Melody share similar philosophies about preferring to teach clients rather than manage their finances or deliverables for them, emphasizing that teaching creates more fulfillment and lasting impact.

What if I get hit by a proverbial bus right tomorrow? I want you to be able to just pick up and go.
– Tiffany Grant

– Paying Off Student Loans & Financial Freedom

Melody recounts paying off $65,000 in student loans and how that debt freedom gave her the confidence and financial runway to quit her job and pursue her business full-time.

That moment when I paid everything off, I just instantly felt so much lighter. I felt like I was walking on air.
– Melody Johnson

Control your money, control your life.
– Tiffany Grant

– Course Impact Mastermind Program

Melody introduces her 12-week Course Impact Mastermind program focused on three pillars: unique solutions to audience problems, powerful programs that deliver results, and unique messaging across marketing channels.

The program includes weekly calls, co-working sessions, and access to three powerful courses covering program creation, messaging, and sales pages.

– Benefits of Group Coaching

Tiffany and Melody discuss why group coaching models work well for accountability and results, citing examples like Dave Ramsey's programs and group study formats for professional certifications.

– Where to Find Melody

Melody shares her social media presence on Instagram (@thecourseconsultant) and her free Facebook group called Inspired Courses for ongoing training and community support.

Resources

Topics

online coursesbusiness scalinginstructional designfreelancingdebt payoffgroup coachingcourse creationwork-life balanceside hustlesentrepreneurship