The 7 Biggest Mistakes I’ve Made as a Digital Course Creator

RevFlow Agency
Aug 7
3 min read

Launching a digital course can be one of the most rewarding and profitable decisions you'll ever make but it’s not without its pitfalls. At RevFlow Marketing, we’ve helped entrepreneurs build sustainable online course businesses, and today, I’m pulling back the curtain on the Seven biggest mistakes I made early on so you can skip the stress and start strong.

1. Launching Without Hands-On Experience

Your course should be built on real-world experience. When I launched my first digital course, I hadn’t lived the journey I was teaching and it flopped.

Why hands-on experience matters:

Credibility: Your audience needs to trust you. Real experience = real results.
Effective Teaching: You’ll speak from experience, not just theory.
Problem Solving: You’ll be ready to help students through real obstacles you’ve overcome.
Confidence: You’ll teach with authority and clarity.
Long-Term Reputation: Becoming known in your niche opens doors to consulting, podcasts, collaborations, and more.

👉 You don’t need to be the expert—just one step ahead of your students. At RevFlow Marketing, we call that having a 10% edge.

2. Letting Imposter Syndrome Run the Show

Even with relevant skills, I let imposter syndrome slow me down. Thoughts like “Who am I to teach this?” crept in often.

How to fight back:

Keep a "brag file" of wins and client feedback.
Focus on progress over perfection.
Be kind to yourself—everyone doubts sometimes.
Don’t let tech overwhelm you. With resources like RevFlow Marketing, you don’t need to be a marketing whiz to succeed.

3. Creating a Course I Wasn’t Passionate About

One of my early courses was built around a topic I wasn’t even excited about anymore. Big mistake.

The key? Find your sweet spot—the overlap of:

What you love
What your audience wants
What you’re experienced in

When these align, staying motivated (and profitable) is way easier.

4. Spending Too Much Time Outside My Zone of Genius

Editing videos, tweaking slide decks, learning random tools I was doing it all, and it drained me.

Your Zone of Genius

What you love
What you're great at
Where you have the most impact

We encourage creators to outsource early so you can focus on what really drives revenue your content, your audience, and your sales.

5. Thinking My First Course Had to Be Perfect

I tried to make my first course a masterpiece. Spoiler: it overwhelmed people (and me).

Your first course won’t be your last. Focus on solving one clear problem for your audience. You can always refine and expand later.

6. Playing It Too Small

Early on, I was scared to go all in. I barely promoted my course and avoided video altogether.

But here’s what I learned: visibility drives trust, and trust drives sales.

Don’t wait to be “ready.” Start small—Instagram Lives, short reels, mini webinars—and build up. Your audience wants to see you show up.

7. Not Nurturing My Audience

I didn’t email my list regularly. I didn’t warm them up before a launch. And it showed in my results.

Your email list is your most valuable marketing asset. Whether you have 120 subscribers or 12,000, building a relationship matters more than list size.

At RevFlow, we help creators set up intentional email sequences that build anticipation long before your course goes live.

You’re Ready to Build a Profitable Digital Course

Now that you know the mistakes to avoid, you’re miles ahead of where I started.

Want expert support as you build and launch your course? Visit Us to explore how we can help you create, market, and scale your digital course without the guesswork.