Shows
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesIs Your Course Actually Working? How to Measure Student Success - 192025-07-1821 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesKeep Them Coming Back: Simple Strategies to Boost Course Completion Rates - 18Episode Summary: What’s worse than ghosting after module two? Spending hours building your course and watching your students not finish it. In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra breaks down three practical and easy-to-implement strategies that will help you boost your course completion rates—without overwhelming your learners or yourself. From setting up simple progress markers to sending friendly nudges, she shares how to design your course so learners keep logging in, keep learning, and actually finish what they started. And yes—there’s story time, but this time, it’s not about falling of...2025-07-0419 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesStill Platform Shopping? Let’s Dive Into the Teaching-First Options (Part 2) - 17Ready to find a course platform that truly puts learning first? In Part 2 of her course platform comparison series, Cassandra shifts the spotlight to teaching-first platforms that prioritize student experience and support real transformation. From Thinkific to Mighty Networks, she walks you through four top contenders designed for creators who care deeply about curriculum, progress, and completion, not just flashy funnels. You’ll hear who each platform is best for, their biggest strengths (and limitations), and how to match your course vision with a platform that makes sense for you and your learners. Plus, Cassandra sh...2025-06-2025 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesNo Clue Where to Host Your Course? Start Here (Part 1) - 16Feeling overwhelmed by course platforms? You’re not alone. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Cassandra dives into the world of all-in-one platforms and creator-friendly tools to help you figure out where to host your online course. From sleek, premium platforms like Kajabi to social-savvy tools like Stan Store, this episode breaks down who each platform is best suited for, their pros and cons, and how to pick based on your tech comfort and course goals. Plus, in this episode, Cassandra shares a heartfelt (and humorous) moment about falling off her mountain bike—and how it s...2025-06-0624 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesChoosing the Right Online Course Platform: What to Know Before You Commit - 15Is choosing a course platform giving you analysis paralysis? In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra helps you cut through the noise and strategically think about online course platforms without regret, stress, or duct tape. From tech comfort levels to student experience and scaling potential, she breaks down the five key categories to consider before committing to a platform. Plus, in this week’s Instructional Design in the Real World segment, Cassandra shares how learning to French braid her own hair perfectly illustrates the power of repetition and real-world practice in any learning journey. Ke...2025-05-2332 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesGroup Program vs. Online Course: What’s the Difference and Which Is Right for You? - 14Is your course idea better suited for a group program or an evergreen online course? In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra breaks down the real differences between these two popular formats—from pricing and scalability to time investment and student experience. Using relatable metaphors (Target runs and dinner parties, anyone?), she helps you decide which path fits your content, lifestyle, and goals. You'll learn the key pros and cons of each model, common course creator mistakes, and the exact reflection questions to ask yourself before choosing. Plus, in the Instructional Design in the Real World se...2025-05-0940 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesDo I Need Slides? Choosing the Right Format for Your Course Content - 13Do you really need slides to make your online course work—or can you just rock a messy bun and teach from your heart? In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra breaks down five of the most common course content formats: video, audio, live sessions, workbooks, and slides. She shares the pros, cons, and best-use scenarios for each so you can stop overthinking and start creating with confidence. Key Takeaways: You don’t need just one format! Most courses benefit from mixing and matching content types. Video: Great for visuals and tutorials, but requires more setu...2025-04-2534 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesMyth-Busting for New Course Creators: You’ve Got What It Takes - 12In this confidence-boosting solo episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra is tackling two of the most common myths that hold aspiring course creators back. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not expert enough,” or “Why would someone pay for something they can find for free online?”—this one’s for you. Cassandra breaks down exactly why you don’t need a PhD to teach what you know, and she shares why structured, guided transformation is what people are actually paying for—not just information. Plus, in the Instructional Design in the Real World segment, she shares a hilarious and insp...2025-04-1127 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesAvoid the Guesswork: How a Beta Launch Validates Your Course - 11Ever tried assembling IKEA furniture without instructions? That’s what launching a course without testing feels like! In this episode, we dive into beta launching—your secret weapon for course validation. A beta launch isn’t about perfection; it’s about testing, learning, and refining before scaling your course. You’ll walk away with a clear strategy to gather feedback, fine-tune your content, and build with confidence. Key Takeaways: ✔️ Why beta launching is the ultimate test for your course ✔️ Overcoming perfectionism—your course will never be "perfect" from day one ✔️ How to gather real-time feed...2025-03-2824 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesFrom Pura Vida to Profitable Courses: 5 Mistakes to Skip - 10Fresh off a two-week adventure in Central America, Cassandra Meszaros is back with valuable insights—not just from the trip, but from the world of course creation! 🌎 In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, she shares the five biggest mistakes new course creators make and how to avoid them. From trying to teach everything to waiting for perfection before launching, Cassandra breaks down the common pitfalls that can slow down (or completely stall) your course progress. Plus, in this episode’s Instructional Design in the Real World segment, she dives into how learning Spanish on vacation revealed key ins...2025-03-1429 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesBuilding Community for Your Course: Do You Really Need One? - 9Building an online course without a community is like hosting a dinner party, inviting all your friends, and then never introducing them to each other! In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra Meszaros breaks down the role of community in online courses—whether it’s essential, when it makes sense, and how to build a thriving group without creating another full-time job for yourself. From cohort-based programs to evergreen courses, Cassandra explores different models of community engagement, common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies to make sure your course community actually enhances the learning experience. Plus, she dive...2025-02-2829 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesIs Your Online Course Relationship Ready? 5 Key Questions to Find Out - 8Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕 In this special episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra Meszaros is putting your course through a relationship test. Just like a great partnership, a successful online course needs trust, commitment, and a strong foundation. But is your course truly “relationship-ready”? Cassandra breaks it all down with five key questions every course creator should ask before diving into course development. Whether you're just getting started or refining an existing course, these questions will help you build a strong foundation, avoid common mistakes, and ensure your course is ready to make an impact. And don’t...2025-02-1426 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesYour Lesson Isn’t Over Until They Take Action! 12 Ideas to Make It Happen - 7Want your learners to feel accomplished, engaged, and actually apply what you've taught them? Then this episode is for you! In this solo episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra Meszaros is switching things up with a rapid-fire breakdown of 12 ways to ensure your learners take action at the end of your lessons. Using a fun Hot Wheels-inspired analogy (thanks to her preschooler’s physics experiment), Cassandra explains why action is the key to real learning and provides practical, creative strategies to help course creators build in engagement, application, and accountability. Whether you’re designing a brand-new course or l...2025-01-3123 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesFrom Idea to Script: Building Lessons That Flow and Engage - 6In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, Cassandra Meszaros takes you through the next critical step in your course creation journey—turning your brainstormed ideas into engaging, bite-sized lesson scripts. With her signature millennial mom humor, Cassandra shares actionable strategies to ensure your lessons are clear, focused, and impactful. From defining lesson topics to applying instructional design principles like clarity and simplicity, this episode will equip you with the tools you need to craft lessons that engage your learners and help them achieve meaningful results. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to craft concise, singularly focused less...2025-01-1735 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesEssential or Extras? Brainstorming Ideas into Actionable Content - 5In this episode of Unlock Course Creation, host Cassandra Meszaros kicks off 2025 with a deep dive into the creative and strategic process of brainstorming content for your online course. This solo episode explores how to sift through ideas, refine them, and align your content with course objectives and promises to create a seamless learning experience. Drawing comparisons to organizing a closet or preparing for a major event (including a fun Taylor Swift Eras Tour reference), Cassandra highlights the importance of getting messy before achieving clarity. Whether you’re building a course from scratch or fine-tuning an existing on...2025-01-0336 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesCrafting Your Course Roadmap: The Power of Objectives - 4In this solo episode of Unlock Course Creation: A Millennial Mom's Approach to Impactful Online Courses, Cassandra Meszaros unpacks the essential role of course objectives in building impactful online courses. Objectives serve as guideposts that keep your course aligned, organized, and effective—not only for your clients but also for you as the course creator. Cassandra shares tips for creating clear and actionable objectives, explains common mistakes to avoid, and provides real-world examples to help you design a seamless learning journey for your audience. Plus, in this week’s instructional design segment, Cassandra shares a fun and insi...2024-12-2038 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesPromise Made, Promise Kept: The First Step to Course Creation Success - 3Episode Summary: In this solo episode of Unlock Course Creation: A Millennial Mom's Approach to Impactful Online Courses, host Cassandra Meszaros dives into the importance of a clear and concise course promise as the cornerstone of successful course creation. She shares actionable tips to define who your course is for, what it will teach, and the transformation it will provide. Cassandra also discusses how your course promise serves as a guiding light through every step of the design and development process, ensuring alignment and impact. Plus, Cassandra reflects on her own learning moments in podcasting...2024-12-0626 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesHow to Speak Your Clients’ Language and Build a Course They’ll LoveEpisode Summary: In this solo episode of Unlock Course Creation: A Millennial Mom's Approach to Impactful Online Courses, host Cassandra Meszaros dives into the art of truly understanding your clients and how this knowledge can transform your course creation process. By learning to speak your clients’ language and addressing their specific needs, goals, and pain points, you’ll be able to create an online course that resonates deeply and drives impactful results. Cassandra shares actionable strategies, real-world examples, and her own insights to help you connect with your audience on a meaningful level. Whether you're an o...2024-11-2230 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesWhy I’m Here: My Story, My Passion, and My Podcast MissionWelcome to the very first episode of Unlock Course Creation: A Millennial Mom's Approach to Online Courses! 🎉 I’m so excited to have you here as I kick off this podcast journey and share my story with you. In this episode, you’ll get to know a little bit about who I am, my background, and why I felt called to start this podcast. I’ll also dive into my passion for the learning experience and how my real-world experience with instructional design (including a fun story about sourdough!) shaped my approach to course creation. Key Takeaways: My Jo...2024-11-0834 min
Unlock Course Creation: A millennial mom's approach to impactful online coursesMeet Your New Go-To for Creating Courses That TransformWelcome to Unlock Course Creation: A Millennial Mom's Approach to Impactful Online Courses! In this quick trailer episode, I’m here to give you a sneak peek into what you can expect from this podcast. If you’re ready to create an online course that doesn’t just inform but truly transforms, then this podcast is for you. Hosted by me, Cassandra Meszaros, this show is all about bringing you a clear, no-nonsense approach to building courses that make an impact. Key Takeaways: Introduction to Unlock Course Creation: This podcast is designed for solopreneurs, online coaches, consul...2024-11-0301 min