Episode 57

Stop Building Courses Like It's 2020

Is your course secretly setting your students up to fail? In this episode of Your Community Strategist, I unpack why most courses are still designed for 2020—and how that’s leaving 85% of your students feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and disconnected.

 

🎯 The reality check: binge-worthy content might work for Netflix, but it’s silently killing your course completion rates. What your students really need is a shift from content delivery to community-integrated learning.

 

You’ll discover:

▸ Why course completion rates are stuck at 15% (and how to flip that number on its head)

▸ The five elements of community-integrated learning that transform content into actual results

▸ Why transformation doesn’t happen in isolation—and how to design for connection from day one

▸ Simple ways to build accountability, support, and celebration into your course (without burning out)

▸ How shorter, more focused lessons paired with community application can skyrocket engagement

 

Whether you’re a course creator, membership leader, or summit host—this episode shows you how to create experiences your students actually finish (and rave about). Because in 2025, it’s not about polished modules, it’s about building courses that truly change lives.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

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SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you found value in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more community builders who need these insights. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Your Community Strategist! See you next week for the final episode in our challenge series!

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome Back and Exciting Announcements

01:02 The Importance of Community Building

03:01 Adapting Course Strategies for 2025

05:18 Understanding Student Needs in 2025

09:35 Introducing Community Integrated Learning

10:12 The Five Core Elements of Effective Learning

18:16 Practical Steps to Implement Community Learning

23:00 The Co-Creator Growth Summit

24:14 Final Thoughts and Challenge

About the Podcast

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Your Community Strategist
Mastering the art of community one strategy at a time.

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About your host

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Rachel Starr

Hi friends! I'm Rachel Starr – founder of coCreator Society and community strategist with 20+ years of helping creators build thriving businesses and communities.

I'm basically Leslie Knope with tech skills, turning complex community challenges into strategic solutions. From my podcast "Your Community Strategist" to building The Co-Op community, I'm all about helping creators connect, collaborate, and grow without the overwhelm.

When I'm not building platforms that actually work for people, you'll find me on the ski slopes, caffeinating heavily, or wrangling two awesome teenagers. I believe the best business happens when great people find each other – which is exactly why coCreator Society exists.

Here's to new adventures, epic collaborations, and really good coffee!