Do you really need slides to make your online course work—or can you just rock a messy bun and teach from your heart? In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra breaks down five of the most common course content formats: video, audio, live sessions, workbooks, and slides. She shares the pros, cons, and best-use scenarios for each so you can stop overthinking and start creating with confidence.

• You don’t need just one format! Most courses benefit from mixing and matching content types.
• Video: Great for visuals and tutorials, but requires more setup.
• Audio: Flexible and easy to produce—perfect for solo topics or mindset lessons.
• Live Sessions: High engagement and real-time feedback—but harder to scale.
• Workbooks: Help reinforce learning, but require clear direction and buy-in.
• Slides: Provide structure for complex topics, but can easily fall flat without thoughtful design.
• Consider your content complexity, your audience’s lifestyle, and your tech comfort level when choosing formats.

• [01:54] Overview of the five course content formats
• [03:33] Celebrating 600 downloads & April’s 30 Reels challenge! 🎉
• [05:30] Video Content: Face-to-camera vs. screen share
• [09:34] Audio Content: The “white noise” of online learning
• [12:31] Live Sessions: The engagement goldmine (but beware time zones!)
• [17:30] Workbooks & Printables: When to use them, how to keep them relevant
• [20:10] Slide-Based Content: Great for structure, but tricky to get right
• [25:55] Picking the right format: Ask the right questions
• [28:16] Instructional Design in the Real World: A unique group-based learning experience from a cohort course
• [32:52] Final reminders & call to action

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🧠 Need guidance? Book a discovery call or schedule an Ask an Instructional Designer Anything session for 1:1 support.

In this confidence-boosting solo episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra is tackling two of the most common myths that hold aspiring course creators back. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not expert enough,” or “Why would someone pay for something they can find for free online?”—this one’s for you.

Cassandra breaks down exactly why you don’t need a PhD to teach what you know, and she shares why structured, guided transformation is what people are actually paying for—not just information. Plus, in the Instructional Design in the Real World segment, she shares a hilarious and inspiring list of ultra-niche online courses that prove you have something valuable to teach too.

• Myth 1: You don’t need to be a top-level expert to create a course—just a few steps ahead of your ideal learner.
• Myth 2: People aren’t paying for information—they’re paying for transformation, clarity, and a faster path to results.
• The “A to B” mindset: You’re not responsible for teaching the whole alphabet—just helping learners move forward.
• The riches are in the niches: Specificity sells. The more niche, the better.
• Real-world proof: From buttercream coloring to goat-raising to square-foot gardening, niche courses are everywhere—and they’re selling.

• [06:00] Why traditional education & social media make us doubt ourselves
• [08:35] You only need to teach your learners from A to B
• [10:47] The “riches are in the niches” mindset shift
• [12:44] Busting the second myth: Why people won’t just go find it for free
• [14:58] People pay to save time, gain clarity, and achieve transformation
• [17:14] Instructional Design in the Real World: 10+ niche courses that prove your idea is worth selling
• [25:09] Final reminders: You’ve got what it takes—take the next step
• [26:14] How to stay connected through the Unlock Course Creation email list & Instagram

• 💌 Join the Email List to get new episodes and exclusive tips delivered bi-weekly: cassandrameszaros.ca/email
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• ⭐ Leave a Review: If this episode gave you the confidence boost you needed, share your thoughts to help others find the podcast!
• 🎯 Ready to create your course? Book a discovery call or ask Cassandra anything about instructional design

Ever tried assembling IKEA furniture without instructions? That’s what launching a course without testing feels like! In this episode, we dive into beta launching—your secret weapon for course validation. A beta launch isn’t about perfection; it’s about testing, learning, and refining before scaling your course. You’ll walk away with a clear strategy to gather feedback, fine-tune your content, and build with confidence.

✔️ Why beta launching is the ultimate test for your course

✔️ Overcoming perfectionism—your course will never be "perfect" from day one

✔️ How to gather real-time feedback and make improvements

✔️ The importance of iteration before a full-scale launch

⏳ [03:23] – The IKEA analogy: Launching a course without testing is a recipe for disaster

⏳ [06:10] – What exactly is a beta launch?

⏳ [09:40] – Why exactly is beta launching so important?

⏳ [18:04] – Instructional Design in the Real World: Perfect Pancakes

🚀 Ready to beta test your course? Start small and gather feedback from real students!

📩 Want to receive the podcast newsletter? Head to cassandrameszaros.ca/email

💬 Let’s chat! DM me on Instagram [@cassandra.meszaros] with your biggest beta launch question.

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