Books and Resources to Start Strong
Before you invest in equipment, you need a solid foundation in course design and online education strategy. These books will guide you through the business side, instructional design principles, and student engagement—all critical to making your course profitable.
Teach What You Know by Stephanie Chandler
This book walks you through the entire process of creating and selling an online course, from validating your idea to marketing it effectively. Chandler covers the business model, pricing strategy, and platform selection—all decisions you’ll make before recording your first lesson. If you’re new to course creation, this is your starting point.
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The Online Course Workbook by Meg Brunson
A practical, hands-on guide that helps you structure your curriculum and plan your course content before you hit record. This prevents wasted recording time and keeps your course organized and student-focused. It’s worth the investment to work through this workbook early.
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Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
While not course-specific, this book teaches you how to develop a unique teaching voice and perspective—essential for standing out in a crowded market. It also addresses the mindset needed to create original educational content without overthinking perfectionism.
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Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt
Building an audience is half the battle in course creation. This book covers how to grow a platform that will become your primary marketing channel for course sales. You need visibility before you launch, and this book shows you how to build it strategically.
Equipment You Need
Course creation requires audio and video recording equipment, a reliable computer, and software to edit and host your content. You don’t need professional broadcast-quality gear to start, but you do need dependable equipment that produces clear, watchable video and audible audio. Here’s what to buy based on actual creator needs.
Computer and Processor
- Laptop or Desktop: You need a machine capable of handling video editing, screen recording, and course platform uploads without lag. A mid-range laptop with at least 8GB RAM and an SSD will handle most course creation work. More processing power (16GB RAM, dedicated GPU) speeds up editing significantly if you’re producing full video courses.
Microphone and Audio
- USB Microphone: A cardioid USB microphone like the Audio-Technica AT2020 or Blue Yeti eliminates background noise and delivers clean voice-over audio. This is non-negotiable—poor audio makes students quit faster than poor video.
- Pop Filter: Reduces plosive sounds (hard consonants) that muddy recordings. Inexpensive but essential for professional-sounding audio.
- Microphone Stand: Keeps your mic at consistent distance and reduces handling noise during recording.
- Headphones: Monitor your audio while recording to catch problems in real time.
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Camera and Lighting
- Webcam or Mirrorless Camera: If you’re recording face-on-camera content, a 1080p webcam is the minimum. For higher production value, a mirrorless camera (Canon M50, Sony a6400) gives you better depth and professional appearance but requires more setup.
- Ring Light or LED Panel: Proper lighting makes an enormous difference in video quality. A ring light is affordable and works well for talking-head video. LED panels give you more control for larger setups.
- Backdrop or Stand: A simple pop-up background or studio stand keeps your video area professional without requiring a dedicated recording room.
Recording and Editing Software
- Screen Recording: OBS Studio (free) or Camtasia ($120-200 one-time) capture your screen for tutorials and demonstrations. Most courses rely heavily on screen recording.
- Video Editing: DaVinci Resolve (free, professional-grade), Adobe Premiere Pro ($55/month), or CapCut (free, mobile-friendly) for cutting, transitions, and basic effects.
- Audio Editing: Audacity (free) for cleaning up voice-overs and removing background noise.
Course Hosting Platform
- Learning Management System (LMS): Teachable ($39-119/month), Thinkific ($39-299/month), Kajabi ($149-399/month), or Udemy (60% revenue share) host your course and handle student management. Teachable and Thinkific work well for creators with $500-5,000/month revenue goals.
Additional Essentials
- External Hard Drive: Back up all your course files and raw video. Losing course content to hard drive failure is expensive and demoralizing.
- Reliable Internet: Upload speeds matter when you’re dealing with large video files. Consider a dedicated internet line if your home internet is slow or unstable.
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What to Buy First vs Later
You don’t need everything at once. Spread your purchases across your first few months based on what you’ll use first.
- Month 1: Microphone, USB pop filter, editing software (or free alternatives), course platform account. These are your revenue-blocking items. Poor audio kills courses before anything else does.
- Month 1-2: Laptop upgrade if needed, basic lighting (ring light), headphones for monitoring.
- Month 2-3: If you’re doing video content—camera, backdrop, microphone stand. If your course is screencasts and slides only, these can wait.
- Month 3+: Premium editing software (if free tools feel limiting), upgraded camera equipment, podcast-style microphone setup if you’re recording lots of audio content.
New vs Used Equipment
Some equipment holds value well used; other items are risky buys secondhand. Microphones, for example, can have hidden wear that affects audio quality. Cameras might be returned units or have manufacturing defects. If you’re budget-conscious, buy new microphones and audio gear—this is where used equipment most often disappoints.
Laptops, lighting, and stands are safer used purchases if you’re buying from reputable sellers. External hard drives should be new or very recent; old drives are failure risks. Software licenses are almost always better bought new directly from publishers to avoid licensing issues. Ring lights are durable and fine used. Screen recording software like Camtasia or OBS is free (OBS) or one-time purchase, so no secondhand risk there.
Where to Buy
- Amazon: Fast shipping, easy returns, competitive pricing on most hardware.
- B&H Photo: Photography and video equipment specialist; excellent return policy and knowledgeable customer service.
- Newegg: Computer components and laptops often at competitive prices.
- Best Buy: Can try products in-store; good return window for electronics.
- Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp: Local used equipment, especially cameras and microphones, often at 30-50% off retail if the seller is reputable.
- Course Platform Official Sites: Buy hosting directly from Teachable, Thinkific, or Kajabi for setup support and potential early-user discounts.
- Adobe, Autodesk: Buy software subscriptions directly to avoid third-party seller issues.