Business Tao with George Kao George Kao

Years ago, I championed the idea that all knowledge should be freely available online, aiming to accelerate humanity's progress. When I actually tried it, I learned two valuable lessons -- (1) free courses resulted in lower engagement and commitment from participants, and (2) my motivation waned without the reciprocal energy of paid exchanges. This experience, coupled with the disappointing experiment in using Patreon, gradually shifted my perspective. I now seek a middle way. I hope to integrate generosity and sustainability. I now advocate for (fair) pricing of courses. It's important for boundaries, self-worth, and the support of small creators.


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My gentle launches are simple: Early bird for 1 week, then regular price for 1 week before the course begins :)


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Watch/listen to this episode first…
Follow-up question I received:
"So let's say we have an offer like with your example, 3 're-works' over 6 weeks... once you've got the most response from whichever one... when would you actually then launch what you'd been talking about? Would that be your next offering? Or would it be a few months out? What do you typically do? "
My response:
I would go ahead and launch (as the very next thing) the offer test that did the best. Basically, sell it while it's hot 😄 because it could be something in the culture or timing that's making your audience more interested in that one right now compared to the others, so... don't wait, assuming it'll be hot later (or that you'll be interested later!)


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This principle has been essential to my success.
How do I make great content? By making more content, and observing what spreads.
How do I improve my skills? By working with more clients, and noticing who grows the most.
True learning comes from action — we build muscles by doing things, not just reading about them. It takes *quantity* of action to develop quality of results.


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how to feel ready to put your work out there?
begin, explore, publish, repeat.


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Even if you haven't been actively posting on social media or creating content, don't let it stop you from gently launching new offers and services to your audience.
I appreciate hearing from people I've hired, even if it's just a few times a year to let me know about their new programs or specials.
In this video I also discuss how often to post content vs. how often to sell something on your social media. I assure you that even a small announcement -- after a long time of not posting -- is usually appreciated.


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