How I Turned My Passion for Coin Photography into a $50K Online Course on Udemy

From Camera to Cash Flow: How I Built a $50K Coin Photography Course

Want to know the coolest part about teaching online? That moment when your hobby starts covering mortgage payments. Believe me – I never thought photographing coins would let me quit my accounting job. But here we are! Let me show you exactly how I transformed my numismatic passion into a thriving Udemy course that earned $50K last year.

The Side Hobby That Accidentally Went Viral

It all began with me snapping coin pics for Reddit. Slowly, something unexpected happened:

• My DMs flooded with “How’d you get that luster?”
• Forum members begged for lighting diagrams
• Seasoned collectors asked about my $40 DIY lightbox

That’s when I realized – my “just for fun” photos had uncovered a hungry audience.

Step 1: Proving People Would Pay (Before Filming)

No Guesswork, Just Cold Hard Data

I avoided wasting months by validating demand first:

• Forum snooping: Bookmarked every “help with coin photos” post
• 3-question polls: Asked collectors their biggest frustrations
• Secret shopper: Took competing courses to spot missing pieces

Turns out, everyone hated the tech jargon in existing tutorials. My “regular person” approach became my golden ticket.

Step 2: Crafting the Actual Course

What My Students Actually Needed

Forget theory – my collectors wanted actionable steps:

• Gear breakdowns (my favorite $8 macro lens hack)
• Lighting setups for proof coins vs circulated pieces
• Simple Lightroom tweaks that make details pop
• Pro results using smartphone cameras

My Bite-Sized Creation Formula

Each module follows this rhythm:

1. Quick intro (under 5 mins – attention spans are short!)
2. Printable cheat sheet with camera settings
3. Real coin demo from 3 angles
4. “Your Turn” challenge with before/after examples
5. Office hours-style Q&A

Step 3: Platform Showdown – Where to Host

Udemy vs Teachable: Real Numbers

After 18 months on both, here’s my honest take:

My winning combo? Use Udemy as a “free sample” funnel to my premium Teachable course.

Step 4: Marketing That Doesn’t Feel Sleazy

Organic Growth Tactics That Worked

1. Value-first YouTube: “Coin Lighting Hacks” videos with course links
2. Forum karma farming: Solving photo problems WITHOUT pitching
3. Grading service collabs: NGC loved my “Submission-Ready Photos” guide

Launch Timeline That Made $12k Fast

My 30-day secret sauce:

• Week 1: “Sneak peek” shots in collector groups
• Week 2: $49 early-bird offer (50 slots only)
• Week 3: Retargeting ads showing student wins
• Week 4: Live AMA addressing launch doubts

Why This Beats Trading Hours for Dollars

Three years later, my course runs like a vending machine:

• 5 hours monthly upkeep (mostly fun student chats)
• Paid for my Portugal coin-hunting trip
• Let me ditch spreadsheets forever

If a guy who used to photograph Lincoln cents under desk lamps can do this? You’ve got skills worth sharing. Start small, listen to your people, and remember – every expert was once the clueless newbie asking for help.

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