Three-minute read. Or less.
Welcome to week twenty-five of Three Wins, where I walk you through my process of launching an online course in 2024.
Even if you are not launching an online course, this will help you think about whatever you may launch.
Downing Street was interesting. I had some conversations with people and where they lead I don’t know, but as someone said to me ‘things lead to the next thing.’
Just had a sauna and a 3 minute plunge. Been doing farm chores, so that is my switch off.
Currently drinking a Sentia Gaba red which is a non-alcohol drink designed to elevate your brain’s Gaba levels. Tastes good, will let you know.
Shall we?
- What can you learn from a fridge maker?
Haier is the world’s largest manufacturer of home appliances. A Chinese white goods manufacturer that is perhaps the most innovative businesses in the world.
- The CEO is Zhang Ruimin.
- Anyone in the business can propose a new product or service.
- To get closer to the customer, he got rid of all middle management.
Instead of one big business, he turned it into 200+ small micro-enterprises.
Each micro-enterprise interacts closely with users. They don’t wait to hear what the boss thinks, they listen to the customer.
The micro-enterprise has control over its decision-making, who it hires, and profit distribution.
How does that inform me in terms of launching my online course?
Well, what if I changed the way I think about trying to find customers to finding micro partners? What if a customer loved the course and then profited each time they told their friends about it? What if they received more money than it cost in the first place?
This only works if the product is so good that they want to tell a friend.
Everything is dependent on that.
A win.
- Institutional yes.
I heard this phrase for the first time this week.
The podcast was talking about the culture at Amazon. In short, every manager who hears an idea from a team member has to say yes to it.
If they disagree with it later on, they must write a two page thesis on why they don’t think it is a good idea.
This culture has produced some of their biggest wins.
My learning here is our default is mostly to say no to new ideas. But if we have to say yes as a standard answer that changes our mindset. It also gives you a discipline of articulating clearly why you don’t think it is a good idea.
I don’t know how this will help me with this course or future ones. But it will at some point.
A win.
- Six months from now, my course has failed; what was the reason?
The book is all but finished, and it is being edited. This week I turn my attention to the workbook. Then, I build the slides. Then I film the course…
But if I zoom out and try and second guess, what could I now do to prevent it from failing?
- Not enough examples.
- I didn’t make it simple enough.
- I didn’t galvanise the community.
The best time to do a post-mortem is before.
A win.
As always, I hope this was useful in some way.
Talk next weekend.
Have a good week.
David.
Next up on the farm. Makers and Mavericks. West Wales. May 4th. One day to rethink your business.
