How I Turned World War II History into a $50K/Month Online Course Business

How I Turned My WWII Obsession into a $50K/Month Teaching Empire

Three years ago, I was just another history buff with shelves full of WWII books. Today, my online courses about Pearl Harbor fund my research trips to Hawaii while earning serious income. Here’s exactly how I transformed dusty archives into digital gold – and how you can do the same with your historical passion.

Discovering the Sweet Spot: Passion Meets Profit

My “aha moment” came while showing my grandfather’s Pearl Harbor photographs on Reddit. The response blew up – hundreds of questions about ship movements, survivor stories, even currency used during the attack. That’s when I realized: what excites me could educate others and pay my bills.

Proving People Would Pay (Before Creating Anything)

I didn’t gamble on “maybe.” I confirmed demand through:

• Google Trends detective work: Spiked searches every December for “Pearl Harbor facts” and “WWII collectibles”
• Forum lurking: Collector groups desperate for expert help valuing Hawaii overprint notes
• Straight-up asking: My survey revealed 4 out of 5 history lovers wanted courses combining analysis with artifact collecting

The verdict? People would pay for what I geeked out about nightly anyway.

Building the Course: My “D-Day” Invasion Plan

Crafting Binge-Worthy Content

Forget dry lectures. I structured modules like Netflix episodes:

• Human Firestorm: First-hand accounts from cooks and admirals
• Secrets in Your Attic: Spotting valuable WWII memorabilia
• Missed Warnings: Crazy-intel failures before the bombs fell
• Time Capsule Hunting: My method for interviewing veterans

Each lesson mixes:

Hollywood Production Value (Minus the Budget)

My garage studio setup:

• Camtasia: Turned my slides into cinematic presentations
• Canva Pro: Made artifact photos pop with annotations
• $129 Blue Yeti: Gave my narration podcast-quality sound

Pro tip: Museum archives often provide free HD images if you credit them properly.

Platform Wars: Teachable vs Udemy Smackdown

Why I Keep Two Stores Open

Teachable became my flagship store because:

• I control pricing (no forced $9.99 sales)
• Keep 97% of earnings
• Built my brand with custom certificates

Udemy’s secret weapon?

• Their algorithm feeds students to you
• Handles all tax paperwork globally
• Perfect for sampling – 32% upgrade to my full Teachable course

Marketing That Doesn’t Feel Like Selling

My Collector Community Takeover

I became the “helpful history guy” by:

• Posting free artifact authentication videos
• Hosting virtual show-and-tells (my 1941 maps always steal the show)
• Sharing never-seen letters from sailors

Result? 1,200 email signups in 30 days – all rabid history fans.

YouTube Goldmine

These videos became student magnets:

• “That Time I Bought a $10 Trinket Worth $2,300” (63K views)
• “Survivor’s Son Shares Dad’s Last Words” (tearjerker that got shared everywhere)
• “The Radar Operator Who Was Ignored” (humanizes the “failure” module)

Each ends with: “Full story in Module 3 – use code YOUTUBE20.”

Growing Through Allies, Not Ads

Strategic partnerships became my growth rocket fuel:

• Museums: Split revenue on exhibit-linked courses
• Authors: Bundle my course with their Pearl Harbor books
• Podcasts: Swap interview spots with military history shows

This ecosystem now reaches a quarter-million potential students.

Passive Income Machines Need Oil

My 2-hour/week maintenance system:

• Zapier: Auto-enrolls students + sends welcome kit
• ConvertKit: Drips collector tips between lessons
• Teachable: Unlocks modules weekly to prevent overwhelm

Numbers That Actually Matter

Forget vanity metrics. Track:

• Student Lifetime Value: $287 (they buy advanced courses)
• Cost to Acquire: $21 (mostly coffee money for podcast interviews)
• Completion Rate: 63% vs industry’s sad 13% average

Use Udemy’s API to watch these like a hawk:


const udemy = require('udemy-api');
const client = new udemy.Client({
client_id: 'YOUR_ID',
client_secret: 'YOUR_SECRET'
});

client.get('/users/me/taught-courses/', (err, res) => {
if (err) throw err;
console.log(res.data);
});


Why History Courses Are Forever

My content advantage:

• December 7th = annual sales spike (mark your calendar!)
• Grandparents buy for grandkids
• New artifacts emerge constantly – easy content refreshes

I spend just 20 hours/year updating but keep 97% of income recurring.

Your Turn to Save History (And Earn From It)

“Every enrolled student funds three veteran interviews – we’ve preserved 127 stories since launching.”

Ready to start? Here’s your mission:

1. Pick your historical obsession (Civil War fashion? Revolutionary War spies?)
2. Test demand in niche Facebook groups or forums
3. Film three “core idea” videos this weekend
4. Launch a simple Teachable page
5. Partner with local historical societies

The heroes of Pearl Harbor taught us ordinary people change history. Your knowledge deserves more than dusty bookshelves. Build something that educates, preserves, and pays – the ultimate tribute.

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