How Flexibility Can Make or Break Your Online Course or Membership

You’ve built a successful business serving clients one-on-one, and now you’re ready to scale. You’ve got the expertise, the drive, and a powerful message to share. But as you step into the online space to create a course or membership, doubts start creeping in.

What if it’s not good enough? What if people don’t get the results they’re looking for?

What if all the effort you’re pouring into this doesn’t pay off?

If any of this sounds familiar, take a deep breath—because you’re not alone. Every experienced business owner who shifts into online programs faces this moment. But here’s the good news: The secret to long-term success isn’t getting it perfect right out of the gate. It’s building with flexibility.

Why Flexibility is the Missing Ingredient in Most Online Programs

Many business owners spend months (or years) trying to create the perfect course or membership before launching. They tweak, refine, and delay—paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong. But here’s the reality: Perfection is a moving target. What works today will evolve, and the only way to truly know what resonates with your audience is to get your program in front of them.

As marketing expert Seth Godin says, “Perfect is a trap.” Instead of striving for an unrealistic ideal, the key to creating a course or membership that sells is to launch, listen, and adjust.

The Truth About Online Programs: You Won’t Get It Right the First Time

The best course creators and membership site owners aren’t the ones who nail it on day one—they’re the ones who stay adaptable. Instead of obsessing over perfection before launching, focus on creating a strong foundation and being open to change. Flexibility allows you to:

• Respond to real feedback instead of making assumptions

• Improve member experience based on what’s working (and what’s not)

• Stay competitive in a fast-changing digital landscape

• Increase engagement and retention, because people feel heard and supported

The Cost of Rigidity: A Lesson from the Restaurant Industry

Imagine you’re a world-class chef. You’ve spent years perfecting your menu, crafting every dish to be a work of art. You finally open your dream restaurant, and on opening night, customers start making requests:

• “Can you make this gluten-free?”

• “I’d love a little more spice.”

• “Do you have a vegetarian option?”

But instead of accommodating their needs, you refuse. This is the menu. No changes.

At first, customers try to adjust. But over time, they start drifting to other restaurants that listen to their preferences. The chef blames the customers—They just don’t appreciate my vision!—but the truth is, their inflexibility is driving business away.

The same thing happens in the online course and membership space. If you’re unwilling to adjust based on real feedback, your audience will find someone who will.

Flexibility Doesn’t Mean Being a Short-Order Cook

Now, let’s be clear: Flexibility doesn’t mean changing everything for anyone. You’re not here to be a short-order cook, scrambling to please every single customer. Instead, think of flexibility as a willingness to refine, enhance, and elevate your program based on meaningful insights.

How do you know what feedback to act on? You’ll hear it more than once. When multiple people express the same challenge, it’s a sign that an adjustment could enhance the experience. Smart course and membership creators recognize these patterns and make strategic changes to improve their program without compromising their core vision.

Building a Course or Membership That Sells (and Keeps Selling!)

Most people in the online space either:

1. Never launch at all, because they’re stuck in perfectionism.

2. Launch and never adjust, because they think their way is the only way.

Neither of these approaches leads to success. The people who thrive in this space are those who launch, learn, and refine. They build with flexibility.

So if you’re wondering how to create a course or membership that sells, the answer isn’t found in endless tweaking behind closed doors. It’s in taking action, putting your expertise out into the world, and being willing to adapt as you grow. Your people will notice—and they’ll thank you for it.