[av_heading heading=’#102. Making BIG $$$ and Building a Stable Company by Trusting your Intuition with Anja Winter’ tag=’h1′ link_apply=” link=’manually,http://’ link_target=” style=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ margin=” margin_sync=’true’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-koily6la’ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
[av_hr class=’default’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av_uid=’av-2ibj7s’]
[av_codeblock wrapper_element=” wrapper_element_attributes=” codeblock_type=” av_uid=’av-7lutuq’]
[/av_codeblock]
[av_two_third first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ row_boxshadow=” row_boxshadow_color=” row_boxshadow_width=’10’ link=” linktarget=” link_hover=” padding=’0px’ highlight=” highlight_size=” border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ column_boxshadow=” column_boxshadow_color=” column_boxshadow_width=’10’ background=’bg_color’ background_color=” background_gradient_color1=” background_gradient_color2=” background_gradient_direction=’vertical’ src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=” av_uid=’av-5uenwy’]
[av_textblock size=’16’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-knsas7dv’ admin_preview_bg=”]
Anja Winter is the creator behind the successful YouTube channel Learn German with Anja. She teaches German the ‘unGerman’ way by injecting a bit of crazy fun into her videos and courses. Anja’s many fans flock to her courses whenever they open and fill her inbox with emails begging for more.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
- Learn from others with the experience you lack.
- Build your team to complement your strengths and weaknesses.
- Anja’s Creator Smart Coaching Experience
[/av_textblock]
[/av_two_third]
[av_one_third min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ row_boxshadow=” row_boxshadow_color=” row_boxshadow_width=’10’ link=” linktarget=” link_hover=” padding=’0px’ highlight=” highlight_size=” border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ column_boxshadow=” column_boxshadow_color=” column_boxshadow_width=’10’ background=’bg_color’ background_color=” background_gradient_color1=” background_gradient_color2=” background_gradient_direction=’vertical’ src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=” av_uid=’av-3yl6ea’]
[av_image src=’https://creatorsmarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Anja-Winter-300×227.jpg’ attachment=’3576′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ copyright=” animation=’no-animation’ av_uid=’av-ko17stt0′ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_image]
[av_image src=” attachment=” attachment_size=” align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ copyright=” animation=’no-animation’ av_uid=’av-knsauhh4′ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_image]
[/av_one_third]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ row_boxshadow=” row_boxshadow_color=” row_boxshadow_width=’10’ link=” linktarget=” link_hover=” padding=’0px’ highlight=” highlight_size=” border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ column_boxshadow=” column_boxshadow_color=” column_boxshadow_width=’10’ background=’bg_color’ background_color=” background_gradient_color1=” background_gradient_color2=” background_gradient_direction=’vertical’ src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=” av_uid=’av-3a1wk2′]
[av_textblock size=’16’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-knsb4a09′ admin_preview_bg=”]
Introducing Anja
Growing up in Germany, Anja had no clues about what she wanted to do with her life, so she decided to travel around to see what the world had to offer. Turns out it provided wonderful experiences, friends and opportunities, but by the time she reached Thailand, Anja was flat broke.
Anja believes that the Universe will reveal your path, especially when you meet rock bottom. Sure enough — with no teaching experience — she landed a job at Chiang Mai University teaching German and English. Anja discovered a passion for teaching, but at the same time, was frustrated by the inefficiencies of the school system. Students weren’t able to spend enough time practising their new language skills, so Anja looked for a way to help. Then, in the middle of the night, inspiration struck — why not start a YouTube channel?
Not only would this give German language students a place to learn and practice their skills, but Anja had met many digital nomads on her travels and was keen to follow their example and earn some passive income.
The next day she borrowed a camera from a friend and shot her first video.
Learn from people with experience
Anja shared her new YouTube channel with friends and invited everyone in every likely Facebook group she found to share her videos. Of course, many didn’t, but some loved her point of difference and willingly helped.
The channel grew fast, and within a year or two, Anja was earning $1000/month through AdSense, Patreon and sponsorship earnings. So naturally, she began thinking about products and courses.
That’s when Anja met Lukas Van Vyve, who was adept at marketing and running six-figure course launches. Recognizing that he had skills she needed to learn, Anja partnered with Lukas and successfully launched her first course. Since then, she’s done plenty of launches, working tirelessly to please her audience.
“The big advantage you have as an educator or a teacher is you can sell courses, which are very scalable. YouTubers can make a lot of money from sponsorships and ads, but when you have a business with a product you can make so much more money.”
Anja’s Launch Lessons:
- It’s easier to have confidence in the quality of a course based on your own experiences because you know it’s a proven method.
- Plan a comprehensive marketing strategy.
- Use a deadline to create scarcity, e.g. a closing date or restricted number of participants.
- To alleviate launch stress and spread the income, consider selling courses as evergreen products. In her channel’s description, Anja includes a link to a webinar-type video that ends by offering a discount coupon to her course.
Make big, bold decisions when needed
One thing that sets entrepreneurs apart is their boldness and vision. Anja’s made plenty of big decisions in her life and says it’s essential to do whatever it takes to make your fans happy, especially during a course launch.
Deciding to give away content is also a bold decision, and a wise one says Anja. People have respect for teachers who they see bring value to society. Many students can’t afford to pay for courses and are particularly grateful for all the free lessons Anja uploads. At the same time, she still earns ad and sponsorship money, so it’s a win-win situation.
You can also become inextricably linked to your business, especially when it’s a personal brand. It tends to take over your life, and that’s when you need to make another bold decision — to hire someone to help.
Complement your strengths and weaknesses within your team
Hiring a team alleviates the problem of having to do every task yourself, but it brings other stresses. Anja’s team includes a video editor, a personal assistant, a newsletter writer and a designer. Still, she quickly discovered that it takes a certain patience and skill to manage other people. Lacking that skill herself — “I’m too impatient for managing people,” — she hired a team manager to ensure her team works smoothly.
Anja’s Creator Smart Coaching Experience
One key ingredient in Anja’s business success is her weekly Creator Smart coaching call. Olly brings his vision and extensive business experience to the table, allowing Anja to “look at the big picture.” Jan has a more practical bent, with his marketing background and podcasting experience. He helps her to break down the vision into actionable steps and to make it happen.
At heart, Anja’s a teacher and YouTuber, not a business person, so she says it’s vital to get input from an experienced business coach, someone in your business, to provide other viewpoints and the resistance to point out where things could go wrong.
“For me I would recommend business coaching to everyone – I couldn’t do it without you.”
Anja’s tips for Langpreneurs
Keep believing that it’s possible.
You will attract the right people and things eventually if you keep believing; if it’s meant to be, you will find a way. Trust in the Universe.
Take action to make things happen.
Work smart and work hard. It’s fun to leap when you don’t know what you’re doing.
Surround yourself with people who can advise you from experience.
It would have been hard for me to grow a business by myself. If you struggle and notice that making a course or something is hard for you then, reach out to people and ask for help.
Be honest with yourself.
What help do you need? First, acknowledge what you’ve done and achieved and if you aren’t making your goals go about it differently because clearly, your way isn’t working.
Contact Anja
YouTube: Learn German With Anja
Blog
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]