How to create an online course for free with Chris Badgett
Virtual Success Show
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Episode breakdown
In this episode, Barbara Turley speaks to Chris Badgett of LifterLMS about the process of creating your own online course and membership sites, and how this will help you and your business especially in the middle of a global crisis.
- Getting your course ideas out of your head and actually creating them
- The minimum tech stack needed in order to start an online course or membership site
- Taking advantage of the current crisis and developing your business online
The worst thing you can do is go into the course‑creator’s cave… work on a course for months—or years—and it never launches. The key is to start with who you’re going to help
In this episode
02:11 How to create an online course for free
Chris Badgett explains that many creative entrepreneurs get stuck perfecting online courses without launching. He advises focusing less on tools and monetization, and more on defining a clear audience and the outcomes they need. He promotes an open, collaborative process involving real feedback early. Barbara Turley agrees, suggesting a flexible “ready, fire, aim” approach, starting with a live, informal version to test and refine before formalizing.
06:22 SCIDL Method
Chris Badgett and Barbara Turley stress launching online courses quickly and improving them over time, avoiding perfectionism. Chris shares the “Scidl Method” — Screw it, Do it live — encouraging creators to run live sessions with small groups for feedback and validation. They emphasize that a launch is just the starting point, and recommend focusing on audience value and fit before worrying about advanced tools or tech.
09:58 How to avoid getting stuck with the Tech Stack
Chris Badgett advises course creators to avoid tech overwhelm by starting simple and focusing on delivering value and transformation, not fancy tools. He shares examples of successful courses run with just Dropbox, Zoom, and PayPal, and suggests using free tools like LifterLMS for quick prototypes. Chris encourages outsourcing tech tasks when needed, emphasizing that simplicity and learner results matter more than polished platforms in early stages.
13:13 Taking advantage of the current crisis
Barbara Turley highlights that the current online surge offers a prime chance for businesses to pivot and digitize. She shares how a Sydney chocolate shop thrived by moving online for Easter. Chris Badgett adds a SaaS pivot story, showing how Groundhogg built an academy in a month to train customers and boost revenue. Both stress speed, simplicity, and continuous adaptation as keys to lasting business success.
17:20 What does it mean to Pivot your Business
Barbara Turley explains that pivoting isn’t about changing your core business, but adjusting how you deliver it — like moving from in-person to online. Chris Badgett adds creative ideas, suggesting restaurants teach signature dishes or fitness trainers offer virtual classes. Both emphasize that simple, practical shifts in delivery method, rather than business model, can keep businesses relevant, valuable, and resilient in disruptive times.
18:30 Having the right Business Mindset this crisis
Barbara Turley stresses the importance of mindset in tough times, urging entrepreneurs to focus on action and opportunity over negativity. She encourages aspiring course creators to stop overthinking, launch their ideas, and prioritize consistency over audience size. Success, she notes, comes through persistence. Barbara wraps by inviting Chris Badgett to share where people can learn more about his platform, LifterLMS, and its supportive course creator community.
19:44 Wrapping things up
Chris Badgett invites listeners to connect through LifterLMS.com, his LMScast podcast, and the LifterLMS Facebook group. Barbara Turley highlights helpful resources like a two-hour recap of Chris’s recent course creation event. They close with thanks, acknowledging the realities of remote work, and remind listeners to subscribe, share feedback, and suggest future podcast topics.
