The Online Course Show

A big YouTube channel doesn't necessarily mean a better business. Ed Lawrence walked away from a channel with 380,000 subscribers and started over with simpler videos for a more specific audience.In this conversation, Ed explains the difference between videos that attract viewers and videos that attract buyers, how he decides which kind to make, and why a complicated funnel isn't always necessary to turn viewers into customers.We also discuss how he's using AI inside StoryOS to help people plan videos and put what they're learning into practice.If you're putting time into YouTube but not seeing it turn into business results, this episode will help you rethink where that time goes.Explore StoryOS:https://story-os.ai/

A year ago, putting together a five-day piano challenge took me about three months and several thousand dollars in contractor costs. A similar project with my AI business partner, Rocky, came together in three days.In this episode, I compare those launches and share how my role has changed. I explain what I still do myself, what Rocky handles with my direction, and how that shift has helped me get more done while spending less.I also share how Rocky helped troubleshoot our home Wi-Fi, explain the difference between an AI model and its harness, and discuss why I want control over my AI's working setup.Join me for the live AI Business Partner Challenge, October 26-30, 2026, from 11 a.m. to noon Central:https://aibusinesspartnerchallenge.com/The Challenge is $97. Love it or it's free!

Join the live AI Business Partner Challenge: https://aibusinesspartnerchallenge.comCan AI help you build a better course without replacing the expertise that makes it valuable? Jasmine Jonte, founder of CRE8TION, returns to share how her team reduced program production time by 37% using AI, then reinvested that time in tools that help students put the material into practice.In this episode, we explore where AI belongs in your curriculum, how workbooks and templates can become personalized learning tools, and what to consider before adding a coach clone or building software. Jasmine also explains why your own experience should come before an AI-generated outline, while Jacques shares a simple starting point for helping students use AI without overcomplicating your program.Watch the episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/wVLSIabj6YIJasmine's website:https://cre8tion.co/Connect with Jasmine on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jasminejonte/Join the live AI Business Partner Challenge:https://aibusinesspartnerchallenge.com/Apply for Coaching: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/coachingWatch the Free Workshop: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/workshopFree Kajabi Course and 1 month Trial: http://everyclickkajabi.com/Free Skool Course and 14 day Trial: https://www.skool.com/refer?ref=c725cf8892fe42c8bb37dd7e5ffc2575Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonlinecourseguy/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@theonlinecourseguyX: https://twitter.com/onlinecourseguy

What if your best course idea is hiding in the work you're already doing? Jayne Havens turned her sleep consulting experience into a certification program that reached about $60,000 in a peak month. But building a bigger business was never the whole goal: she wanted meaningful work that still left room for her kids and her life. In this episode, Jayne shares how she launched to a list of about 350 people, why community and referrals drive her sales, and why she hired experts instead of learning every technical skill herself. Jacques and Rocky also explore what her relationship-led approach means for course creators in the age of AI, with a practical exercise for reclaiming your time. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiQStc4D0G8 Jayne's Website: https://thecpsm.com/ Becoming a Sleep Consultant Podcast: https://thecpsm.com/podcast/ Join Jayne's Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomeasleepconsultant/ Sleep Consulting with Jayne: https://thesnoozefest.com/Check out the free workshop: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/workshopApply for Coaching: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/coachingWatch the Free Workshop: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/workshopFree Kajabi Course and 1 month Trial: http://everyclickkajabi.com/Free Skool Course and 14 day Trial: https://www.skool.com/refer?ref=c725cf8892fe42c8bb37dd7e5ffc2575Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonlinecourseguy/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@theonlinecourseguyX: https://twitter.com/onlinecourseguy  

If your business gets more complicated every time you try to grow, Stefanie Gass's story offers a very different path. She built a multi-seven-figure business by stepping away from social media, committing to one podcast, and directing everything toward one clear offer. In this episode, Stefanie shares her one person, one problem, one offer model, why she recommends coaching before building a course, and how she turned a successful live launch into an evergreen funnel. Jacques and Rocky also unpack what her simplicity-first approach means for course creators now that AI makes it easier than ever to create more. Watch the episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90jw0Sp7OJA Get Stefanie's Profitable Podcast Bootcamp free: https://stefaniegass.com/giftsCoupon code: JACQUES Or use this link to apply the code automatically: https://stefaniegass.thrivecart.com/profitable-podcast-bootcamp-gift/?coupon=JACQUES Stefanie's Website: https://stefaniegass.com/ Check out the free workshop: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/workshopApply for Coaching: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/coachingWatch the Free Workshop: https://www.theonlinecourseguy.com/workshopFree Kajabi Course and 1 month Trial: http://everyclickkajabi.com/Free Skool Course and 14 day Trial: https://www.skool.com/refer?ref=c725cf8892fe42c8bb37dd7e5ffc2575Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonlinecourseguy/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@theonlinecourseguyX: https://twitter.com/onlinecourseguy

Angelo Santiago wanted nothing to do with AI. His business is built around human connection, and he worried AI would pull him away from the clients and mission he cares about.Instead, his AI operator, Terry, now handles recurring admin, tracks his business numbers, captures content ideas, and helps keep everything moving. That gives Angelo more time for his clients, his family, and the work only he can do.Angelo also shares how his own marriage struggles led him to create Better Husband, what he learned from his early podcast experiments and launch setbacks, and what finally changed his mind about AI.Listen to Better Husband: https://www.angelosantiago.com/podcast Watch Angelo on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@angelosantiagocoach Learn more about Angelo: https://www.angelosantiago.com Apply for AI Operator Boot Camp: https://aioperatorbootcamp.com Watch The Online Course Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOnlineCourseGuy

AI doesn't have to feel confusing. In this episode, Jacques goes back to the basics with his AI operator Rocky to explain how large language models work, why AI confidently gives wrong answers, and how to get more accurate results. They also explain the difference between a model and a harness, then walk through the progression from basic chat to automations, AI agents, and always-on AI operators. If you want to move beyond simply chatting with AI and start using it to do real work, this episode gives you the foundation.

I interviewed Rocky, my AI employee, about what he actually does for me, how AI operators are different from chatbots, and why the future of AI in business is not just better prompts.

If ChatGPT is still the only AI tool you’re using, this episode will help you take the next step. In this episode of The Online Course Show, I’m sharing the AI tools I’m actually using in 2026. Not a giant list of random apps. Just the ones that are saving me time and changing how I work. I talk about why I’ve been using Claude as my daily driver AI, how to get better results with simple prompting habits, why “do research” is one of my favorite phrases to add to a prompt, and how Wispr Flow has made it much easier to give AI the context it needs. I also walk through Claude Cowork, how I use Rocky in my own business, why Pikzels has become part of my YouTube workflow, and why Claude Code is worth trying even if you don’t think of yourself as a coder. If AI feels overwhelming, don’t try to learn everything at once. Pick one tool. Try one workflow. Build from there. IN THIS EPISODE • Why ChatGPT is only the beginning • Why I’m using Claude as my main AI tool • How to use “do research” to get better answers • Why AI can sound confident and still be wrong • How to use ELI5 prompts • How to make AI review your work from your audience’s perspective • Why Wispr Flow makes prompting faster • What Claude Cowork does • How Pikzels helps with YouTube thumbnails • Why Claude Code is useful beyond coding CHAPTERS 00:00 Why ChatGPT is only the beginning01:57 Claude as my daily driver AI05:42 Prompting tips that make AI more useful08:54 A simple demo of AI guessing confidently11:15 ELI5 and audience-review prompts15:45 Wispr Flow and voice-first prompting19:24 Claude Cowork and AI agents 22:36 Pikzels for YouTube thumbnails25:30 Claude Code for apps and bigger projects29:15 Where to start if AI feels overwhelming LINKS AND RESOURCESClaude: https://claude.com/download Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai/r?JACQUES92 Pikzels: https://pikzels.com/?via=jacques63 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AzQiZEiQF-8 Get your Personalized AI Game Plan: https://jacqueshopkins.com/ai-start  Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

I spent years in the online course world thinking ChatGPT was basically the whole AI story. It wasn't. In this episode, I talk about what changed when I finally went deeper and built a personal AI operator that helps run my business 24/7. I share what it actually does, why it has been such a game changer for me, and why I think this shift is going to matter for every digital product creator.