10 Online Course Creators to Learn From in 2026

Is there a secret sauce behind running a successful online course business and actually selling your courses? There is no magic formula. There is only real value, delivered to the right audience, in a way that clearly communicates why it matters. When you get those two pieces right, the rest becomes much simpler.

So how do we make that happen? One of the best ways is to learn from people who are already doing it well. I outlined several creators and business owners you can learn from. Each of them has a unique approach, a different philosophy, and their own way of building trust, solving problems, and creating offers that convert.

You might not agree with all their viewpoints. You might not want to follow every tactic they use. What matters is that their success can give you insights into what works, what to avoid, and how different strategies can help you grow your own online school.

Online course creators to follow. How they did it 

Let us take a look at what makes these creators stand out and what you can take away from their journeys.

James Wedmore 

Helps creators scale digital businesses

James Wedmore helps digital-course creators and online business owners build scalable digital product businesses. 

His journey and overview of the approach

James Wedmore is a scene-figure online entrepreneur. He runs a training and coaching brand focused on teaching online experts how to move from one-off content or courses to a full business model. His signature program is Business by Design (BBD), which covers product creation, launch strategy, audience building, and systems for scale.

He also hosts the podcast Mind Your Business Podcast, which has 700+ episodes and reaches a wide audience.

What makes him different is that James focuses on mindset, identity, and building a “Digital CEO” rather than just a creator who shows up in interviews. 

In the podcast “Business & Spirituality”, he highlights that success starts when you recognize the role you play and its impact on your results. And he noted something I would like you to take into account as well. 

“The key principle we need to operate on in this business is the principle of authority. People don’t buy coaching courses and memberships from people they don’t perceive as an authority. You have to decide, now that I’ve seen that I can do this, I have to make a conscious click of the decision that yes, I am an authority. But we have to show it and we have to convey it through the stories of our past clients and through the expertise that we offer”.  

James Wedmore

After eight years in business, he scaled to “eight figures a year” in digital products. He can now host virtual events (70,000+ registrants) and live conferences of thousands of attendees. The success of his program is rooted in clear implementation resources, live interaction, a strong personal brand, and positioning. 

Key takeaways for you

• Create a unique framework or signature program to systematize your course creation and marketing.
• Use storytelling and personal growth journeys to build credibility and emotional connection.
• Test your market fit early with smaller launches or pilot offers.
• Build structures and systems to scale and reduce burnout while growing revenue.
• Align your business practices with values and authenticity for long-term sustainability.

As he shared multiple times in his interviews, webinars and value-based launches are part of his effective sales strategies. 

Wedmore's background shows he uses his own journey (starting from bartending, launching a YouTube video course that grossed $400,000 in 30 days, to evolving as a business coach) to build authenticity and trust with his audience.

Stu McLaren

Helps coaches, authors, consultants, and creators turn their expertise into recurring-revenue membership businesses. 

His journey and overview of the approach

Stu McLaren co-founded the WordPress membership plugin WishList Member in 2008, a platform that powered over 70,000+ membership sites before he sold his share in 2014.

Building on that experience, he launched his signature training program, The Membership Experience, a six-module course designed to teach people how to launch, grow, and scale membership sites.

Key success indicators

• One of six online entrepreneurs that Inc. Magazine has announced as making a fortune online, then giving it back.
• Co-founded WishList Member, which at the time of sale was powering over 70,000 membership sites. 
• Trained 19,000+ creators via The Membership Experience. 
• Author of the book Predictable Profits, offering his recurring-revenue blueprint. 
• Runs a yearly virtual “Membership Summit” attracting thousands of membership-business owners. 

The reviewers and students especially appreciate the detailed level of support that Stu offers for his learners. For example, progress coaching, so their team answers the student’s questions while they take the course, the FAQ vault, and the community. 

Key takeaways for you

I guess you already know that one of the challenging things about the course creation business is student retention. Especially if you also sell with the membership model. 

During one of the podcasts, Stu mentioned one of his strategies to address the issue. It is designing a “success path” for members that clearly shows their progress. This helps members stay motivated and satisfied. 

“What I realized is that people join memberships with the intent to accomplish some goals. But when they join the membership, it is just a big vault of information. A massive part of the problem is that people don’t have clarity or direction. So, what came from that is the concept of a success path. When somebody comes into the membership, we guide them through identifying where they are on this journey”. 

Stu Mclaren

Here are a few other things you should consider:

• Build your course offering around a strong community experience to boost engagement and retention.
• Design clear member success paths to help learners see their progress and value.
• Focus on a few impactful marketing tactics repeatedly rather than spreading efforts too thin.
• Use launch strategies like phased launches to create momentum and validate demand.
• Do not worry about having a massive audience; a smaller audience with the right strategy can generate strong sales.
• Invest in the right membership platform tools to streamline delivery and manage growth.
• Treat member retention as equally important as new member acquisition for sustainability.

Mariah Coz 

Helps turn expertise into profitable digital products

Mariah Coz has built an online education business since about 2015, serving “well over 15,000+ students and clients,” according to her own website. Her core offering is the program Profit Architecture, which provides different resources to build hybrid business models of courses, plus community, plus recurring revenue. 

She also offers membership and mastermind programs. 

Key success indicators 

• Served “well over 15,000+ students and clients” in her courses and workshops. 
• Built a business to “$5M+/year revenue, 20 team members” before refining her model.
• Hosts the “Creator Confessions” newsletter and maintains a podcast, positioning herself as a thought-leader in the creator/education space.
• Won the Inc. 5000  fastest-growing companies in America award. 

Mariah puts emphasis on combining content, community, and courses. So, in her case, it is not purely one-time launches.  She distributes her content via a weekly newsletter called the “Creator Confessions” newsletter, a podcast called the " Mariah Coz Show, and a free community platform called “Creator Party.”

Key takeaways for you

Mariah emphasizes the importance of validating course ideas before building them. Using strategies like "Rapid Validation Webinars," she encourages starting with pre-sales. 

I guess her philosophy is not for everyone. Because I know some course creators are not ready to start selling the course, which is not yet ready. 

As she mentions in one of her blog articles, she prefers the “choose your own adventure” approach for her learners. And she does not suggest that everyone on the same journey should follow the same blueprint for success. 

And when it comes to selling the courses and products, Mariah thinks the most important thing we need is copywriting skills. 

“If you know how to write a sales page, build an email sequence, and create a sales presentation (aka webinar) - you can literally sell any product at any price point ever. Sure, the tech changes and the styles evolve over time, but the fundamentals are always there.”

Mariah Coz 

If you follow Mariah’s approach to marketing and selling courses, here is what you would need to do:

• Validate your course ideas early via live or automated pre-sale webinars to reduce risk and gain momentum.
• Build flexible course structures tailored to your individual style and strengths rather than copying strict templates.
• Use high-converting webinar funnels to sell.
• Develop evergreen and hybrid course models for a steady income without constant launches.
• Price your courses confidently to reflect the value and transformation you provide.
• Be ready to pivot and adapt your offerings as markets evolve.
• Create authenticity by focusing on your unique voice and vision, rather than competing with others in your niche. 

According to Mariah, an essential factor in maintaining long-term success is the ability to evolve with the market. Because you know how quickly needs change in our day and age. And if we stick to the approach we started with years ago, there is no way we would survive in the market. 

Gillian Perkins 

Helps to get from zero audience to first sales 

Gillian’s approach focuses on building an online business through clear action plans, primarily teaching YouTube growth, course launches, and evergreen funnels. One of her signature programs includes Creator Fast Track, which walks creators through launching a YouTube channel and hitting the 1,000-subscriber mark. 

Key success indicators

• Generated over US$2 M in course revenue according to her public blog.
• Over 35 million views on her YouTube channel-driven content.
• Program Creator Fast Track, built to achieve YouTube monetization milestones.

Her marketing advice includes creating a straightforward content strategy aligned to business goals and choosing a few platforms to focus on consistently.

And if we speak in the content marketing language, Gillian suggests balancing between visibility content (to attract new leads) and conversion content, where you highlight your results. 

“The first three or four courses that I made were complete flops. But over the past few years, I have created courses that have earned me over two million dollars. The steps to creating a successful method for your course include meeting your customer where they’re at and walking them through the transformation needed to get to the result they desire”. 

Gillian Perkins

Key takeaways for you

• Validate course ideas early through live or beta launches to ensure market fit.
• Structure courses around clear, transformative results with a unique proprietary method.
• Use automated sales funnels for course sales.
• Develop a focused content marketing strategy that balances visibility and conversion.
• Create your messaging based on real customer language and pain points
• Use personal authenticity and lifestyle sharing to build deeper connections.
• Have mastermind groups or communities for accountability and structured growth.

Gillian often shares her lifestyle as a homeschooling mom and entrepreneur, which resonates with the audience. I think this authenticity builds trust and emotional connection. 

Kat Norton 

Helps with Microsoft Excel skills 

You may not know her as Kat Norton, but you may know her as Miss Excel. 

She started by posting videos on TikTok where she mixed practical Excel hacks with a fun, high-energy style. Her first video, posted in June 2020, quickly went viral, and she amassed a large following by delivering valuable content daily. 

She  frames her mission not just as teaching Excel but helping people “land their dream job, get a promotion, and build more confidence” by mastering spreadsheets. What sets her apart is applying influencer-style content creation and personal branding to a typically “boring” topic. 

She used free viral videos to build an audience, then funnels viewers into her paid courses. According to interviews, she achieved her first six-figure month (over US $105K) by April 2021.

Key success indicators

• Garnered large social media traction (one video hit 3.6 million views within 24 hours) early on.
• Named a Top Social Media Influencer of 2021 by Forbes via Microsoft Create listing.
• First six-figure month in her business in a few months. 

Her branding is refreshed to match her vibrant, enthusiastic personality, which resonates strongly with her audience. 

Key takeaways for you 

• Use free, high-value webinars to showcase your knowledge, transform attendees. 
• Supplement courses with practical extras like templates, guides, workbooks, and community access to increase perceived value.
• Offer bundles and time-limited discounts to drive quick and increased sales conversions.
• Incorporate authentic personality, energy, and mindset into your brand. 
• Foster community engagement via private groups to support learners and increase course satisfaction and retention.

Ashlyn Carter 

Helps entrepreneurs create high-converting messaging and copy

Ashlyn is the founder of Ashlyn Writes, a copy-and-marketing curriculum. She shifted from corporate marketing into writing conversion copy for launches and brands. And over time, developed training like Copywriting for Creatives and The Art of Efficiency. 

Her business model centers around copy templates, launch funnels, and membership-style education. 

Key success indicators

• A brand messaging expert by Creative Live, HoneyBook, & Shopify.
• Over 5,000 students trained and 90+ 1:1 clients.
• Featured in major publications (e.g., Forbes, Southern Living), and speaks at marketing/creative conferences. 

She has successfully positioned herself as the "go-to girl" for launch copywriting through strategic focus and rapid acceleration in her niche.

Key takeaways

One of the copywriting tips she shared, and I find golden, is the idea of niching down. So, when it comes to writing our website copy, you can have the following in mind. In her case, she wants people to clearly understand who she writes for and what she writes about.

 The same principle you should apply in your niche. That is, your website should be a clear sign of who you help, what with, and who your courses are not for. 

“Nowadays, niching down is the first thing I tell students in my courses and clients who hire me for strategy. You want to make sure that when people land on your website, they know exactly who you write for and who you don’t. Take a dose of your own medicine as a marketing writer, this is the kind of stuff you know is true, flip that around and shine the mirror on yourself.”

Ashlyn Carter

• Base your course content and marketing copy on a deep understanding of your customers' needs, including what outcomes they want and the mindset shifts they need to buy.
• Position yourself clearly in a niche where you can become the go-to expert. 
• Use segmented and targeted email campaigns to nurture leads and create spikes in sales. 

Uteach creators who could inspire you 

• Angel Rodriguez

Angel Rodriguez runs state-approved online training for unarmed security guard licensing in Tennessee.

His course business evolved from in-person training to online when the industry shifted during COVID. In one of his interviews with me, he shared that a crucial part of his success was due to the feedback he received and the relaunches he had to make. 

“I relaunched, I did another relaunch, and I got some feedback from that relaunch. And that’s another thing you should always do: check in with your student, see how they enjoy the course.”

Angel Rodriguez

You can watch the full interview and what helped him reach the 300K mark quickly, here. 

• Francesco De Nobili 

Francesco De Nobili runs the “B2B Digital Academy” on Uteach, offering practical B2B digital-skills courses, such as managing a corporate LinkedIn page, a course on ChatGPT for daily work, LinkedIn Ads, Web Analytics, etc. 

His academy emphasises single-payment courses, certificationս, and added support. The focus on corporate or business tools and his deep expertise in the field gives the offer a clear niche and value.

• Terry Hatziieremias 

Terry Hatziieremias runs the “InnerCircle”, offering personal growth, business growth and investment-related training. For years, he has been helping Greek-speaking individuals who want personal development and a business mindset. His model focuses on LIVE training for members (“InnerCircle Accelerator”), courses, and community. 

• Ivan Petrychenko 

Ivan Petrychenko runs “Campfire School” for web-development learners. Courses include “Full course in JavaScript + React with individual project”, “Typescript + React”, “Web Developer”, among others. He offers real projects and mentoring. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, every creator builds success in a different way. Some focus on content quality, others master marketing, and many rely on consistency, experimentation, and understanding their audience. There is no single blueprint. 

If you are looking for an online course platform, consider Uteach. It is built for creators who want to teach, sell, and grow without the tech overwhelm. Uteach helps you set up your website, create and host courses, run live sessions, automate marketing, build a community, and manage your entire school from one simple dashboard.

More than 6000 academies are growing with Uteach today. If you want to see how Uteach can help you sell more, attract more students, and run your online school with confidence, book a demo with our specialist. We will walk you through everything and help you choose the right setup for your business.