Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora
Have you ever wondered if a mini course—something super niche and seasonal—could actually become a legit revenue stream for your business? Or maybe you’ve felt stuck thinking, “Why would someone pay for this when there’s free content out there?”
If so, this episode is exactly what you need to hear.
Today, I’m coaching Jennifer Gulizia, a flower farmer and garden educator who turned her passion for dahlias into a beautiful educational business.
She’s the founder of The Flowering Farmhouse, a regenerative flower farm in Oregon, and she’s created a seasonal mini course to help home gardeners learn how to dig, divide, and store their dahlia tubers with confidence.
I actually came across Jennifer first on Instagram. She even sent me some dahlia tubers which are growing in my garden as we speak!
Now here’s what makes this conversation so special: Jennifer is also a Digital Course Academy student, and she’s back at the table, looking to refine her offer, grow her community, and get clarity on how to market something that’s niche, time-sensitive, and doesn’t quite fit the traditional “signature course” mold.
If you’ve ever worried your topic is too specific or too seasonal to succeed, this coaching session is for you.
And listen, if Jennifer’s story has you thinking, “Wait… maybe I could do this too…” then I want to personally invite you to check out Digital Course Academy: the very program that helped me launch my first course and change my entire business (and life!). Enrollment is open right now, but only for a few more days, so don’t wait!
So let’s dive in to help Jennifer get her course out into the world, and maybe spark some inspiration for your own!
1. The Power of Transformation Over Information
Jennifer’s first question was one I hear all the time: “Why would someone pay for this when there’s free content everywhere?”
Here’s the thing: free content is scattered, incomplete, and usually leaves people more confused than when they started. A course, even a small one, provides a proven path to a clear outcome.
The magic of a mini course is that it doesn’t have to solve everything. It just needs to solve one specific problem really well.
When you focus your messaging on the transformation (AKA: the actual result people will experience) instead of just the information, you make your offer irresistible.
You’re not competing with random YouTube videos or blog posts. You’re showing someone exactly how to go from “I don’t know what to do” to “I’ve done it, and it worked.” That clarity is worth paying for.
2. Marketing a Seasonal Offer Without Losing Momentum
One of Jennifer’s biggest concerns was timing. Because her course is tied to gardening seasons, she wondered how to keep it relevant throughout the year.
My advice was to keep it available all the time but lean into stronger pushes during the key moments of the gardening calendar. That way, people can technically join whenever they want, but when the season is right, you show up more intentionally to promote it.
What’s beautiful about a seasonal product is that the urgency is real. When you’re teaching someone how to dig and store dahlias before the frost comes, the clock is ticking.
That natural deadline is something most course creators wish they had! By mapping out her year around planting, tending, and harvesting cycles, Jennifer can not only plan her marketing content but also show up right when her audience needs her most.
3. Using Your Podcast and Community Without Feeling “Salesy”
Jennifer has her own podcast, The Backyard Bouquet, and she wanted to know how to authentically promote her offers without feeling like she was constantly selling.
I encouraged her to think about “covert” marketing instead of overt marketing. Instead of dedicating full episodes to pitches, she can weave in her course and membership by sharing stories, answering questions from her students, or referencing conversations happening inside her community.
This way, she’s creating value for everyone listening, while also giving little glimpses of the transformation happening inside her programs. It doesn’t feel pushy because it isn’t… it’s just part of the story.
When you position selling as serving, you give your listeners the next logical step to take if they want to go deeper.
4. Scaling Smartly and Bringing in Support
As her business grows, Jennifer wondered when she should expand into more offers or build a bigger team. My take? Keep things simple and go deeper before you go wider.
Multi-tiered offers can add unnecessary complexity, especially when your main offer is still finding its rhythm. Instead, focus on refining what’s working and only branch out when you have the bandwidth and results to back it up.
When it comes to building a team, I suggested she start small with a virtual assistant. Even just a few hours a week can free up precious time, especially if that person handles repetitive tasks like email management or customer support.
The goal isn’t to build a huge empire, it’s to run a lean, joyful business that supports her life and her family.
5. Guiding Students From Mini Course to Membership
Finally, Jennifer asked how she could move her students from her mini course into her membership, The Dahlia Patch. The answer is to make sure there are no dead ends.
At the end of her course, she can celebrate her students’ progress and then invite them to keep going inside the membership. Because Kajabi, her course platform, makes it easy to add invitations, bonuses, and triggers based on student progress, the transition feels seamless.
The truth is, most mini courses only solve one problem, and once students solve that, they’re ready for the next step. That’s where the membership comes in. It’s not about a hard sell, but about offering continued support in a way that feels natural.
Final Thoughts
Coaching Jennifer reminded me of something so important: your idea doesn’t have to be huge to be valuable. In fact, the more specific, the better!
People are willing to pay for clarity, for guidance, for transformation… and Jennifer’s dahlias prove it.
If you’ve been sitting on an idea because you think it’s too niche, too small, or too seasonal, I hope this conversation gives you the courage to put it out there.
Your people are waiting, and sometimes it’s the tiniest tubers that grow into the most stunning blooms. 😉
If you’re ready to take your own course idea seriously, don’t forget: Amy Porterfield’s Digital Course Academy is open for enrollment right now, but only for a few more days.
Grab my exclusive bonus suite when you enroll in Digital Course Academy today!
Thank you to our Goal Digger Sponsors
- Sign up for your $1/month Shopify trial period!
- Find an Airbnb co-host today.
- Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today!
- Ready to see what powerful banking can do for your business? Click here to apply in minutes. Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC. The IO Card is issued by Patriot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard. Working capital loans provided by Mercury Lending, LLC NMLS ID: 2606284.
- Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn Ads and get a free $250 credit for the next one—no strings attached.
- Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection here!
