When Should You Launch a Membership Site or a Course?
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Episode Summary
If you’ve ever thought about launching a course or membership site, this episode will help you get clear on whether now’s the right time and what it actually takes to make those offers work in today’s market.
In this episode, Parker Stevenson, CEO of Evolved Finance and author of Profit Pillars, shares what he’s learned after 15 years of working behind the scenes with course creators and membership site owners. Back in the day, these business models were a lot easier to pull off. Leads were cheaper, there was less competition, and you didn’t have to fight as hard to get people’s attention. That’s not the world we’re living in anymore.
Parker walks through three key questions every business owner should ask before jumping into a new offer:
- Do you have a big enough audience to make the numbers work?
- Do your customers actually want a course or membership?
- Do you have a consistent stream of new leads coming in?
He also breaks down how the most successful course and membership businesses are shifting by adding more community, accountability, and real human connection into their offers. Because let’s be honest, people can find information anywhere now. What they actually want is support, feedback, and results.
If you’re trying to figure out your next move heading into 2026, this episode will help you think through the business model that fits your goals and what it’ll really take to make it profitable.
Important links from this episode:
Profit Pillars Book: evolvedfinance.com/book
Evolved Finance Services: evolvedfinance.com/services
Finance Tools and Courses: evolvedfinance.com/learn
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few common questions business owners ask around this topic:
Yes, but it takes more strategy than it used to. Profitability depends on audience size, offer design, and consistent lead generation. The online education space is more competitive now, so creators are seeing the best results with hybrid programs that combine self-paced learning with coaching, community, and support.
A course is typically a one-time purchase that delivers a clear outcome or skill, while a membership site is built around recurring payments and ongoing value. The biggest challenge with memberships is keeping members engaged long enough to see results, which means your content, structure, and community all need to work together.
You’ll need a meaningful audience base to make lower-priced offers sustainable, ideally a few thousand engaged followers or email subscribers. Most course and membership launches convert between 1–3% of an audience, depending on how engaged your followers are. That’s why audience growth and nurturing are key if you want your offer to generate consistent revenue.
Consumers today expect more transformation, connection, and accountability, not just access to information. Programs that include coaching, community, or feedback opportunities are far outperforming static, self-study courses.
The most successful offers deliver clear, measurable results and real human connection. Building trust, delivering genuine value, and focusing on client outcomes will set you apart in the increasingly competitive digital education space.
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The Profit Pillars Show
The Profit Pillars Show by Evolved Finance gives online entrepreneurs and modern small business owners the real-world guidance and insights they wish they had sooner. Each episode delivers actionable, straight-to-the-point advice on finances, operations, and overall business strategy, drawn from host Parker Stevenson’s years of experience helping entrepreneurs build stronger, more profitable businesses.