How I built Seed (and how you can build your course too)
Thinking of launching your own program? Here are 6 hard-earned insights from my journey—what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently.
Recently, Antonella, a Seed and now Nurture member, asked me, “How did you start with Seed? How do you get a course like this off the ground?”
Her question took me back to my own journey of creating Seed—a program for solopreneurs to design, test, and launch their offering and attract clients not by chance, but by design.
I’m sharing my story here—not as a blueprint, but as inspiration for your own path, so you can learn from my mistakes. If you’re a solopreneur looking to create your own course or program, these insights might spark some ideas.
1. Start small and learn by doing
Before launching Seed, I built my first hybrid online course in 2021 for a B2B client. It was highly profitable (I made 50K in 3 months working less than 2 days a week), but I quickly learned that creating a course is just the beginning—you need just as much energy to promote it.
Since I was building something I was asked to do (not something I truly wanted), I struggled to market it. Talking about it felt like a chore I kept procrastinating.
Tip for you: If you’re just starting out, begin with 1:1 coaching or consulting. It’s easier to adapt, get real-time feedback, and build confidence before transitioning to a group format. And make sure it’s something you deeply care about—because building a successful course & program is death by a thousand pitches.
2. Invest in research
Before launching Seed, I spent over $15,000 and a year learning from different courses for solopreneurs and freelancers. One lesson from Austin Kleon stuck with me:
"If you copy from one person, it’s stealing. If you copy from many, it’s research."
By taking these courses myself, I analyzed what worked and what didn’t—especially in the impact space. One key takeaway? Exercises and homework should have a real purpose, not just be check-the-box assignments that end up in a drawer.
I refined this approach over time. Now, instead of a workbook, Seed participants use an experiment backlog—because people don’t join to learn, they join to build their offering, together.
Tip for you: Study what works and what doesn’t. Borrow the best ideas, add your unique perspective and make them last.
3. Build an audience first
One of the biggest mistakes I made with my first course in 2021 was launching it before I had an audience. I see this happen all the time—the assumption that if you build it, people will come.
Before launching Seed, I hosted free events—monthly reflection sessions, networking meetups, and this newsletter. Why? Because the average conversion rate for courses is just 5%. To make it sustainable, you need a solid audience.
You don’t need a massive following—just an engaged one. Start with free workshops, valuable content, or direct outreach. Most people who join Seed have been following my journey for a year or more.
Tip for you: Start building your mailing list now. Having permission to land in someone’s inbox is powerful.
4. Test, refine, and expand
Seed started as a two-part workshop with just eight participants. That small start gave me confidence and clear feedback. Over time, it grew into an eight-week program, then a 12-week journey, and now offers six months of ongoing supporting 40+ independents.
Here’s what I learned from my early mistakes and what I invite you to think about:
Start simple and create early wins. How can you deliver results quickly? How do you keep it digestible instead of overwhelming people with too much information?
Create space for connection. How can you design a buddy system that helps participants stay engaged and show up fully?
Set expectations early. How can you craft an onboarding journey that clearly defines what participants can expect from you—and what you expect from them?
Tip for you: Don’t aim for perfection. Start small, test, and iterate. Solve one clear problem before expanding. Also, people take longer than you think to implement what they learn.
People are saying great things about it—and I’m still thinking about how to make it even better. 🤪
5. Adapt to your audience
At first, Seed attracted people just starting out. Over time, it evolved to serve experienced freelancers who wanted to refine their offers and move beyond the reactive feast-and-famine cycle to explore business models that provide more financial stability.
Caroline’s audio:
I also realized not everyone wants to wait for the next cohort—some prefer 1:1 coaching. So I adapted the program while keeping its core structure intact.
Tip for you: Talk to your audience. What challenges are they facing? How can you meet them where they are? Your course will constantly evolve—so don’t invest in super polished videos, because I promise you’ll end up re-recording them regularly.
6. Charge what it’s worth
One of my biggest mistakes? Undervaluing Seed.
When I worked with a business strategist and she did an audit of the IMMA offering, she told me: "I see people charging $10K for what you’re offering."
I pushed back—I work in the impact space, people have budget constraints. But then we did the math looking at the results: Even if someone charges just €300/day, Seed saves them weeks of wasted effort, helps them land clients, and teaches them how to charge premium rates. The value is in the thousands.
And here’s what I found—when people pay, they pay attention. If it stings a little, they show up. They commit. And they get better results.
Tip for you: It takes the same effort to design and launch a low-ticket or high-ticket offer. Invest the time to create a premium program first.
What’s Next for Seed?
I’m sure Seed will evolve further, but I finally feel confident in what it is and love helping people experience the repeatable process to craft, test, and launch a new offering—through structured experiments that help them land their first client as they go.
Because learning how to design and sell an offering is an invaluable skill in times of uncertainty and constant change. It gives you the tools to quickly adapt to whatever comes next.
And that’s the most empowering thing I’ve learned while building Seed—and IMMA as a whole.
If you’re thinking of starting your own program, I hope my journey sparks some ideas. But if you’re ready to stop overthinking and start taking action—packaging your services, launching with clarity, and signing clients with confidence in the next 90 days—let’s talk and let’s see if Seed is the right fit to fast-track your success.
Interesting opportunities for you
We save our members countless hours by curating the best opportunities for independents from over 150 job boards. Here’s a sneak peek for you from the over 20 opportunities we shared this week alone:
🧑💻Youth Fellowship - Climate Champions
🤝RFP/Tender
🧑💻Freelance Senior Campaigner - Compassion in World Farming
📍Remote
🤝Contract
🧑💻Call for Applications: Climate Mobility Fellowship (CMF) 2025–2026
🤝Contract
🗓️March 15, 2025
🧑💻Freelance reporters - Vogue Business (intersection fashion & sustainability)
🧑💻Website Content Specialist - Vivobarefoot
📍Remote
🤝Contract
🧑💻2025 Storytelling with Data Fellowship - Equal Measures 2030
💰$500
🧑💻Researcher: Deforestation-Free Supply Chains - Olab
📍Remote
💰$1,700-$2,200/Month
🤝Fixed Term
🧑💻Consultancy: Innovation Nodes – Insights Analyst Consultant - UNICEF
📍Remote
🤝Contract
🗓️March 12, 2025
But what if you could stop chasing job posts and start attracting clients—proactively and authentically (no sales-y tactics required)? Learn more.
Behind the scenes at IMMA
🚨 Last Call: Free workshop Personal Branding for the Reluctant
Do you keep meaning to put yourself out there… but never quite get around to it?
Does promoting your work feel awkward, pushy, or just not you?
And then time passes, and you feel bad for not showing up for yourself and your business? Good news: This workshop is for you. Sign up here for free.
We hold our first Open House
We had 30 attendees, which made intentional matches really meaningful. The feedback was the most positive we’ve ever received:
"I loved it, it's so useful to organize such a session and unite people around simple conversations. Thank you!"
"I was skeptical at first, but you turned it into something so valuable. I loved the care you put into emotions and reflections. I am going through a lot of reflection at this moment and this seems to come in the right time. Thank you!"
Thanks for reading!
With you, always
Lilli
Some very good tips in it, Lilli!