In the old days of Keith Olbermann's "Worst
Person in the World" segment on MSNBC, the host attacked my friend Brion McClanahan, who's a brilliant, iconoclastic historian.
At the time, I don't think Brion quite knew how to handle this. I think he thought it was a terrible thing.
I thought the same thing when I was once denounced from the New York Times editorial page for one of my books. Why, this heretic has uttered forbidden thoughts!
But here's the thing:
By the next day, people who despise you because of that segment have already forgotten your name.
Your existing fan base loves you all the more, because they're outraged at your absurd treatment.
And you certainly will pick up new fans, because curious people will look you up.
So don't worry! You've been given a gift.
But you should be set up to (at least) collect email addresses from your new visitors or, what is at least as good, have something set up to sell to them.
Brion now has that.
He built McClanahan Academy as a way of supplementing his income as a historian. I was so glad to see him doing this -- most academics, myself included in the old days, are almost anti-entrepreneurial.
You don't need to do anything that extensive.
But is there anything you could teach?
Some courses on Skillshare, for instance, are just 15 minutes long -- the entire course. So I'm not asking you to teach AP Calculus.
Just one sliver of one thing.
Or you can be more ambitious. Whatever suits you.
A course is a great first product.
But how about this:
What if I just do the work for you, and give you finished courses you can sell as your own, and keep all the revenue? You can even rebrand them if you like, or put your name on them, or edit them -- or just sell them as is.
What if I gave you a ready-made sales page you could put up in no time?
I'm giving two great courses away just for the next two days, as bonuses for a -- get this -- $13 product.
I've just saved you at least two months of work and frustration, for less than Bernie thinks you should earn in an hour.
You're welcome:
Tom Woods