@xbobby – Thanks for your positive response.  I appreciate it!

@learnandgetsmarter – Thanks for your enthusiasm.  I haven’t decided what to do with platforms yet.  I’ve used Teachable (first course, three students) and that was pretty straightforward.  I have an account with Thinkific that I haven’t used, though I’ve been getting a lot of emails from them lately.  I’ve been planning to start a course in Mighty Networks because that also incorporates the community, which has been one of the most valuable perks within GEA, and yet I’m not 100% sold on that either – and have yet to see anyone’s course.  I still have a few more things to create while I let this percolate in my brain.

Do you have a Thinkific example you could share?  Have you been able to incorporate a community into your course?  I’d be interested to hear what you have to share from your own experience.

Today I completed my first journal page.  Nothing fancy, just good enough.  Now I’m thinking about Bradley’s idea to make it interactive.

Reflections in the Lungs #1

I’m still considering platforms, but my gut says the option for a community forum may be the deciding factor.

@bradleytmorris – When I followed the link in your email, I noticed that it led to your Mighty Network.  I’ll spend some more time there checking it out.  I really do believe the community is such a huge draw for this course.  I would not be where I am now if it were not for the active, ongoing support of GEA members.  The community can lead us from our own (small) individual potential to our (big) collective potential – and that’s a BIG thing!

A question: My plan has always been to offer the first module (The Lungs/Mindfulness) as a free intro.  I’m not sure whether I’d be able to do that in Mighty Networks, the way it’s set up right now, so that people could take the free intro and then sign up for the whole shebang.  As I see it, the way things are set up now, the choice is to a) invite people to your community with no charge and this gives them access to the course, or b) invite people to your community and they have to pay for entry to the whole course – no free module option.  Is there a way to offer a free segment?  Can I set up two networks – the first one a free intro community and module, and the second one the paid community and module?  I want to make this work so people can have a taste of what I’m offering and feel confident in committing – especially since I may start recruiting before the whole course is complete.

Another question: Is it a smarter business plan to charge entry to the FULL course (8 modules)?  Or would it be a better option to offer three separate courses (each 3 modules)?  I feel strongly that each module builds on the previous module, and I’d prefer people follow that order.  That being said, if someone wants to sign up for the “Execution” strategies and bypass the “Attention” and “Connection” strategies, who am I to stop them from paying me?  And maybe being impressed with what I have to offer and signing up for another course?

And all this being said, it’s my understanding that when someone signs up for my Mighty Network, it grants them access to everything and I can’t charge separately for each/all courses.  In that case, maybe I set up a free Mighty Network but they take the course on a separate platform (like Thinkific or Teachable) and when they sign up then I give them access to the Mighty Network which we use as a community but not for the course.

Hmmmm.