1. Quiz
  2. Your result
  3. Your plan
  4. Your guide

Step-by-step guide

Paid online course or cohort for professionals: your step-by-step start

Teach a practical professional skill in a live cohort or recorded course.

  • 20 lessons
  • 5 modules
  • about 1 hour in total

Is this guide for you?

Good fit if

  • Recognised expertise plus an audience or network that trusts you.

Think twice if

  • You need money within the next two weeks: first income usually takes about 90 days.
  • You have no laptop or computer to work on.
  • You would rather not show your face on camera.

Honest expectations

  • First income usually takes about 90 days.
  • This can grow into a full income for people with strong skills and steady customers, but that usually takes months.
  • The main risk to plan for: no audience, no sales.

What is inside

  1. Module 1

    Is this right for you?

    What it involves, who pays, and honest expectations.

    1. How paid online course or cohort for professionals worksFree · 5 min
    2. Honest expectations4 min (in the full guide)
  2. Module 2

    Set up and price

    What you need and what to charge.

    1. Your startup kit, costs and skills5 min (in the full guide)
    2. Pricing and getting paid5 min (in the full guide)
    3. Your numbers: a worked example in rands5 min (in the full guide)
  3. Module 3

    Your first week

    The first steps, in order.

    1. Your first week, step by step6 min (in the full guide)
    2. Week one, step 2: Survey your audience3 min (in the full guide)
    3. Week one, step 3: Open a waitlist with price3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Finding your first customers: who to message5 min (in the full guide)
    5. Messages to copy: your first customers5 min (in the full guide)
  4. Module 4

    Your first month

    A routine that brings in customers.

    1. Your first 30 days: build a routine4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Month one, task 1: Run cohort 13 min (in the full guide)
    3. Month one, task 2: Run the first lessons live for a small group and record them3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Month one, task 3: Collect questions people ask and turn them into lessons3 min (in the full guide)
  5. Module 5

    Months two and three

    Repeat what works, grow and stay safe.

    1. Days 31 to 90: repeat what works and grow4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Months two and three, task 1: Turn cohort into recorded course; corporate offer3 min (in the full guide)
    3. Months two and three, task 2: Package the recordings into a course with worksheets3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Months two and three, task 3: Ask your first students for reviews3 min (in the full guide)
    5. Getting paid safely and spotting scams4 min (in the full guide)
    6. Risks, rules, tax and staying safe5 min (in the full guide)

What it costs to start

R0 to R5 000 to get started, from our research

What you will use:

  • Zoom
  • PayFast
  • Teachable/Thinkific

Prices change and differ by area, so check two places near you before you buy.

Try it before you buy

Lesson one is free. If it helps, the whole guide is R149 once-off.

Start the free lesson

Reviewed 24 October 2026 by the Earn Path team. Next review due 24 October 2027.