How Becoming the ‘Belly Button’ Expert in Your Tech Niche Commands $300+/Hour Consulting Rates
December 5, 2025How to Write a Technical Book on Niche Topics: My O’Reilly Experience Documenting Coin Varieties
December 5, 2025
From Coin Nerd to Six Figures: How I Turned My Obsession Into an Online Course Empire
Let me tell you a secret: your weirdest passion could pay your mortgage. Mine did. That 1885-O Morgan “Belly Button” VAM I spent years geeking out over? It became the foundation for a $76,000/year online course business. I’ll show you exactly how I transformed rare coin knowledge into real income – you can do this with your expertise too.
Finding Your Profit Goldmine
Start With What You Know Best
Remember that moment you realized you knew something others didn’t? For me, it was spotting the tiny “belly button” dent on an 1885-O Morgan dollar. While new collectors missed it, I understood this die flaw made certain coins worth thousands more. That’s when I knew – my niche had paying students waiting.
Proof Before Production
Before filming a single lesson, I checked three things:
- Coin forum conversations (like the 20+ comments from collectors struggling with belly button IDs)
- Price differences at auctions (MS-63 belly button Morgans selling for 30% premiums)
- Actual Google searches (2,400+ monthly lookups for “Morgan dollar varieties”)
Building Your Money-Making Course
How I Structured My Winning Curriculum
My 8-module system mirrors how I learned:
- Morgan Dollar Basics: Why varieties matter to your wallet
- Die Flaws Decoded: Spotting belly buttons and other goldmines
- Grading Secrets: Turning MS-63 into MS-64 profits
Tools That Didn’t Break the Bank
You don’t need Hollywood gear:
- ScreenFlow ($299) for crisp tutorials
- Canon EOS R7 ($1,499) for coin close-ups
<div class="coin-comparison"><img src="normal.jpg"><img src="belly-button.jpg"></div>
Where to Sell Your Expertise
Platform Showdown: Where the Money Is
My two-pronged approach:
| Platform | Price Point | My Cut | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | $297 | 95% | Serious collectors |
| Udemy | $49-$199 | 50% | Casual learners |
Title Hacks That Got Clicks
These formulas sold courses:
- “[Specific Skill] for [Your Audience]: [Life-Changing Result]”
- “The No-BS Guide to [Pain Point]”
My winner: “Morgan Dollar Detective: From Clueless to Certification-Ready in 30 Days”
Filling Your Course Without Sleazy Sales
My 38% Conversion Secret Weapon
This freebie packed value:
“Belly Button Hunter’s Field Guide (Free PDF + Video Demo)”
How I Became the Forum Hero
Real community building looks like:
- Answering “How to spot VAMs?” posts daily
- Posting free YouTube tutorials (showing exact identification steps)
- Partnering with grading companies (they sent students, I got 15%)
Turning Lessons Into Lasting Income
My Set-It-Forget-It System
Today’s tech stack:
- ConvertKit ($29/mo) – auto-sends coin ID tips
- Zapier – updates courses when new VAMs surface
- Quiz bots – grade student submissions instantly
The Tiered Offer That Tripled Revenue
Three options for every budget:
- Self-Paced Course: $297
- Coin Mastermind: $997 (group coaching)
Your Action Plan From Hobby to Income
Creating profitable online courses comes down to:
- Teaching what makes YOU geek out (like belly button VAMs)
- Packaging knowledge step-by-step
- Meeting students where they browse (forums, YouTube, Udemy)
- Building trust before asking for money
If my weird coin quirk became a $76k side hustle, imagine what your expertise could do. Start today – your first student is already searching for exactly what you know.
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