Program Design for Coaches: How to Build Group Coaching Programs That Sell, Scale Your Business, and Free Up Your Time

Curtis Satterfield, PhD. Helping Coaches Build Group Programs That Sell, Get Results, and Scale
  • 5.0 (1)
  • COURSES

Program design that actually works. Learn how to build a group coaching program that scales your business, delivers real results for your clients, and frees up your time. Program Design for Coaches is hosted by Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, building over 30 courses from scratch. I now help coaches who are at capacity with 1:1 clients figure out how to scale their business without taking on more hours. Because there's a ceiling on what 1:1 work can do for you, and a group program is usually the answer. The problem is most advice about building one is either too generic to be useful or too focused on marketing and not enough on actually making something that works. I see the same problems come up again and again. Programs packed with information but missing clear outcomes. Clients who buy but never finish. Launches that flop because the program itself wasn't built to deliver results. In my under-20-minute episodes, I get straight to the problem and show you how to fix it. You'll learn how to structure your program so clients actually complete it, create lessons that stick, and build something you're proud to sell. Whenever it makes sense, I'll link helpful resources in the show notes so you can take action right away. Scaling beyond 1:1 can feel overwhelming. There's conflicting advice everywhere, and it's easy to get stuck overthinking your outline, second-guessing your content, or wondering if anyone will even buy it. This podcast doesn't ignore that. Instead, it walks you through the messy and confusing parts step by step so you never feel like you're doing it alone. My goal is simple. I want to help you build a program that gets real results for your clients. One that creates transformation, builds your reputation, and grows your business through social proof and repeat buyers. From defining your transformation to structuring your modules, from designing your lessons to launching with confidence, we'll cover it all. If that sounds like the support you need, take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show. It's an easy way to support the podcast and make sure you never miss an episode.

  1. 1D AGO

    The 2026 State of the Market: Why Courses Are Declining and Group Programs Are Winning

    If you've been trying to sell a course in 2026 and the numbers aren't adding up, the problem isn't your marketing. The market has structurally shifted. Courses are declining, and the practitioners who've been in this industry for years are saying it out loud. In this episode I break down what's actually driving the decline, what's working instead, and what the 2026 buyer needs from you before they'll spend money. You'll learn: - Why standalone self-paced courses are losing ground in 2026 - How AI has undercut the information-delivery model that made courses so profitable - Why course completion rates are making buyers think twice before purchasing - What group programs are delivering that courses simply can't replicate - How today's buyers are still spending, just with more discernment and longer sales cycles The market hasn't dried up. The model has changed. Buyers aren't spending less on coaching, they're spending more carefully. The coaches and program creators who are winning right now are the ones who understand what buyers actually need before they'll commit, and they're building their offers around that. I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, and I help coaches build group programs that scale their business without burning out their roster. Ready to figure out if a group program is the right next move? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's talk through your options: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/ Send me a message!

    10 min

  2. TRAILER

    Program Design For Coaches - Trailer

    Welcome to Program Design for Coaches, the podcast that helps fully booked coaches build group programs that scale their business, deliver real results for their clients, and free up their time. I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, building over 30 programs from scratch. On this show I'll help you build group programs that actually work. Programs your clients finish, that generate real testimonials, and that make scaling your business a whole lot easier. Send me a message!

    1 min

  3. MAR 18

    The Foundation Every Online Course Needs Before You Start Building

    Online course creation starts with a foundation most coaches skip. Skipping it is the reason clients don't get the transformation they were promised. Most coaches sit down to create a course and start asking "what should I teach?" That question gets them into trouble every time. They end up with a pile of content that goes in ten directions and clients who finish without the result they paid for. The content isn't the problem. The missing foundation is. In this episode I walk you through the four-part foundation every course needs before you record a single video. You'll learn: Why starting with "what should I teach?" gives you a course with no destinationHow to define the specific transformation your course delivers before you build anythingWhy most coaches build for the client they wish they had instead of the one they actually haveWhat prerequisites are, why they're different from your starting point, and why skipping them sets clients up to failHow to check whether the distance between your starting point and your destination is actually achievable in one courseMost course creation advice skips straight to marketing and launch strategy. But a course that doesn't deliver on its transformation won't be saved by a good launch. The foundation work is what makes everything else work. Do it first and building your course gets a lot easier.  I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  Grab the free workbook that goes with this episode. Every step is in there with prompts and examples so you're not staring at a blank page:  The 30 Minute Program Foundation Ready for guidance specific to your course?  Book a free Program Roadmap Call  Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    12 min

  4. MAR 11

    Why Clients Struggle with Your Course: The Crucial Course Design Step Most Creators Skip

    Course creation mistakes are costing your clients before they ever start. If you're designing a course right now, there's a step most solopreneurs skip entirely and it sets clients up to struggle from lesson one. In this episode, I'll show you the course design mistake that causes clients to hit a wall early, what it actually costs you when it happens, and the two-part fix that prevents it. You'll learn: Why course creators unknowingly design courses from the wrong starting pointWhat the curse of knowledge is and how it affects your course designHow to use your ideal client knowledge in a way most course creators never think aboutWhy clarity on your transformation is the key to setting the right prerequisitesHow to decide if your course is for beginners, intermediate, or advanced clientsMost course creation programs tell you to focus on your launch. But if your clients aren't starting from the right place, even great content won't save them. Course design that starts with where your clients actually are, not where you assume they are, is what separates courses that get results from courses that get refund requests.  I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  If this episode got you thinking, check out The Handoff Method: An Online Course Design Fix for Low Completion Rates, find it wherever you're listening right now. Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    9 min

  5. MAR 4

    Why More Content Won't Fix Your Online Course Completion Rate: Course Design Tips for Solopreneurs

    Online course completion rates don't improve by adding more content, they improve through better course design. If your clients aren't finishing your online course, the problem isn't what you're teaching. It's how much you're asking their brain to handle at once. In this episode, I'll break down the science behind why more content makes things worse and four course design mistakes that are tanking your completion rate.  You'll learn: Why adding more content to your course actually makes it harder for clients to learnHow working memory limits what your clients can process in a single lessonThe layering technique that lets you teach more without overwhelmingWhy naming your method makes your content literally easier to learnHow cutting content from your course makes it more valuable, not lessMost course creators measure their course by how much is in it. The ones whose clients actually finish and get results? They measure by how clearly their clients can act on what's there. That's the shift — and it changes everything about how you design your lessons. I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    12 min

  6. FEB 25

    What You Need Before Building Your First Online Course: A Course Creation Readiness Guide for Solopreneurs

    Online course creation starts long before you hit record, but most solopreneurs skip the readiness check and pay for it later. They jump into building modules, picking platforms, and recording lessons without the foundations in place, and end up scrapping weeks of work or launching something that doesn't deliver. In this episode, I'll walk you through four things you need to have ready before you create your first online course, so you can go in prepared instead of scrambling. You'll learn: Why your coaching experience might not be enough to build a course yetHow to know if your process is ready to be packaged into a repeatable systemThe difference between being comfortable on Zoom and being ready to present on cameraWhy courses don't run on autopilot and how to protect your time from day oneThe common "sell it first, build it later" advice and why it backfiresMost course creation programs focus on marketing and launch tactics while skipping how to actually build a course that transforms your clients. The truth is, if you get the foundations right before you start building, everything else becomes easier. Skip them, and you'll spend months fixing problems that didn't need to exist.  I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  If you want to learn how to structure your course once you're ready to build, check out my episode "How Long to Make Your Course: Modules, Lessons, and What Makes a Valuable Course." Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    12 min

  7. FEB 18

    The Best Course Platform for Your First Online Course (And Why It's Not Kajabi)

    The wrong course platform can wreck your first online course launch before you make a single sale. If you're researching Kajabi, Teachable, or Thinkific for your course creation setup, you're about to make an expensive mistake. In this episode, I'll tell you the platform I recommend to my clients, why the popular options are a bad fit when you're just starting out, and how I learned this lesson the hard way after switching platforms myself. You'll learn: Why the most recommended course platforms are wrong for first-time course creatorsThe simple math that shows how a $200/month platform can wipe out your launch profitsHow most platforms take a cut of your sales on top of payment processing feesHow I wasted six months on the wrong platform and what happened when I switched backThe one platform I recommend and have used for years across multiple coursesWhy "more features" doesn't mean better results for your clientsThe big course creation programs push expensive platforms because they're built for people doing six figures in course sales. You're not there yet. And picking the wrong platform before your first launch is one of the fastest ways to lose money before you've made any. Two Tools Episode mentioned in today's podcast .  I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  Ready to stop spinning your wheels? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's figure out the right next steps for your course: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/ Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    10 min

  8. FEB 11

    Why Clients Won't Finish Your Online Course (4 Mistakes Course Creators Make)

    Your students have purchased your online course, full of excitement and anticipation. Yet, many mentally check out within the first 30 seconds. Not because the course lacks quality, but because the introductory moments fail to engage them. In this episode, you'll learn about critical course design mistakes that cause students to disengage right from the start, and discover a simple, three-part framework to hook your audience from lesson one. You'll learn: Why "In this lesson, we're going to learn about..." is the worst way to startThe four intro mistakes that make your course sound like a boring lectureHow YouTube, TV, and podcasts hook audiences, and how to steal those techniques for your courseThe difference between telling students why a lesson matters and showing themA simple three-part framework you can use to open every lesson in 15-30 secondsYour students already paid. But attention isn't included in the purchase price. You have to earn it every single lesson, the same way a TV show earns your attention every single episode. The good news? It's simpler than you think. Perfect for solopreneurs looking to build an online course that transforms students and grows their business, this episode offers actionable advice rooted in 17 years of course design experience. Attention isn't guaranteed just because someone paid, it must be earned lesson by lesson, just like a hit TV show. Tune in to learn how to design course intros that captivate and retain your students from the start. I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I spent 17 years as a college professor building over 30 courses from scratch, and I help fully booked coaches build group programs that deliver real results for their clients and scale their business without adding more hours.  If you liked this episode, go check out my episode on "The Handoff Method." It's another lesson-level design technique that helps your students go from "I get it" to "I can actually do this." Search "The Handoff Method" wherever you're listening. Note: This episode was recorded under the show's original name, Course Creation for Solopreneurs. The podcast is now called Program Design for Coaches. The name changed to better reflect what's actually working in the coaching space right now. Group programs where the coach is present and involved are what's selling, and that's the direction this show has moved. The instructional design principles in this episode apply whether you're building a course or a group program, so everything you hear still works.  Send me a message!

    12 min
See All (19)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

About

Program design that actually works. Learn how to build a group coaching program that scales your business, delivers real results for your clients, and frees up your time. Program Design for Coaches is hosted by Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, building over 30 courses from scratch. I now help coaches who are at capacity with 1:1 clients figure out how to scale their business without taking on more hours. Because there's a ceiling on what 1:1 work can do for you, and a group program is usually the answer. The problem is most advice about building one is either too generic to be useful or too focused on marketing and not enough on actually making something that works. I see the same problems come up again and again. Programs packed with information but missing clear outcomes. Clients who buy but never finish. Launches that flop because the program itself wasn't built to deliver results. In my under-20-minute episodes, I get straight to the problem and show you how to fix it. You'll learn how to structure your program so clients actually complete it, create lessons that stick, and build something you're proud to sell. Whenever it makes sense, I'll link helpful resources in the show notes so you can take action right away. Scaling beyond 1:1 can feel overwhelming. There's conflicting advice everywhere, and it's easy to get stuck overthinking your outline, second-guessing your content, or wondering if anyone will even buy it. This podcast doesn't ignore that. Instead, it walks you through the messy and confusing parts step by step so you never feel like you're doing it alone. My goal is simple. I want to help you build a program that gets real results for your clients. One that creates transformation, builds your reputation, and grows your business through social proof and repeat buyers. From defining your transformation to structuring your modules, from designing your lessons to launching with confidence, we'll cover it all. If that sounds like the support you need, take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show. It's an easy way to support the podcast and make sure you never miss an episode.

Information