Teach and Grow Rich: Share Your Knowledge to Create Global Impact, Freedom and Wealth by Danny Iny

“If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.” Richard Branson

This book is about the exciting opportunity of tapping into and profiting from the online educational space. For entrepreneurs or even existing educators that would like to take their courses offline and transform them into online courses you may find value within.

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The first half of the book is insightfully about education in general and the changing nature of this space. It views the pros and cons of traditional education versus online education. I found some of the perspectives and facts fascinating. While I am very pro education in general I feel there are vast improvements that can be made in both.

Here was one interesting insight Danny shared about college education.

“You are being put thousands into debt to learn things you will never even use. Wasting 4 years of your life to be stuck at a paycheck that grows slower than the rate of inflation. Paying $200 for a $6 textbook. Being taught by teacher’s who have never done what they’re teaching. Average income has increased 5x over the last 40 years while cost of college has increased 18x.”

This raises the value of online education because no longer do big private institutions that need to profit from students rule the game. While online education can help reduce the costs of traditional education there is ease of access to offering online courses and education means that anyone and everyone can become an educator. This may reduce the quality of content and education.

Danny talks about the concept of the short head versus the fat tail. For example, unknown artists could become very popular very quickly and make a fortune online. There days however there is great lifestyle and business that can be created in the long tail based on the concept that 1000 true fans are all you need.

For big business this may not be the case because certain overheads and expenses must be taken care of but for the small business owner or entrepreneur there is plenty of fat there to make a grand lifestyle. If you sold a course for $200 to 100 people that’s a nice little income. Sell another course for $200 to 20 people and do that several times a year you now have the potential to replace the income from your day job.

Is online course creation for everyone? Not really. There are many online “video” courses out there that have very little care for the end result of the individual who enrols. The primary goal is sales. Education needs to have the care for the results.

With a decent enough following it would be easy enough to sell a cheap course and make a dollar without any real effort, other than the initial course creation and marketing. This is not to say that this is necessarily without value but is often the case. I believe education comes with tuition and care. One can learn a lot from reading a book or watching a video series but the real learning comes in action and that is what most people need assistance with.

For this reason, it is important that the educator or course creator understands how to best teach people. They must have compassion and drive for the final result. Not everyone has the patience to teach nor the desire.

I think depending on your area of expertise we all have something to offer. It is often the case of the impostor syndrome that makes us believe otherwise. “Who am I to teach people about living life with greater passion and purpose.” We all face that inner critic. The truth is that if you have skill that has grown from an investment of your own personal time it is likely of benefit to someone.

The most popular courses and online education are within the areas of health, money and relationships. These are the big three. However, that does mean there is not value in other areas. Again, it is not about attracting the masses. If you find a niche area and find a following of 10 people that want to learn what you can teach, then you have a good start.

Here are a few areas Danny mentioned that he has seen successful online courses.

• how to massage your elderly dog
• how to interpret your dreams
• how to get ahead in your career as a project manager
• how to help children overcome sensory integration challenges
• how to use Evernote to get organized
• how to write a fiction book that people will buy
• how to teach your children math
• how to accelerate the success of a health or wellness practice

If you are looking to educate others and can offer value than this book will certainly give you some insight. I was hoping for some more guidance as to the how and while there is some I didn’t feel it was enough. It is a business card however and I would suggest the idea is to generate more clients for his business that teaches and assists individuals to find ways to turn their passion and value into online education.

Worth a read if this is a path you are seeking to take.

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If this book sounds of interest you can purchase Teach and Grow Rich: Share Your Knowledge to Create Global Impact, Freedom and Wealth here.

Please leave your thoughts, comments & questions below.

Peace, passion and purpose…

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