Marlene Hielema went from burned-out community college instructor to creator of 8 online courses that generate revenue through a synergistic model of courses plus consulting. Her story illustrates how a multi-course catalog built over time — driven by real student questions — creates a sustainable business with multiple revenue streams.
The Catalyst: Leaving the Classroom Behind
Marlene Hielema (ImageMaven.com) spent years teaching photography and video production at a community college. By 2004, the burnout was undeniable — not from the teaching itself, which she loved, but from the institutional constraints: rigid schedules, long commutes, curriculum designed by committee, and a pace that didn't match how quickly the photography world was evolving.
"I wanted the flexibility to teach what students actually needed to learn, when they needed to learn it," Marlene recalls. The community college model meant teaching the same syllabus semester after semester, even as camera technology and editing software changed dramatically year over year.
The transition wasn't instant. Marlene spent several years building her consulting practice and growing her reputation as a photography educator before launching her first online course in the fall of 2010. That patience — building expertise and audience before creating the course — turned out to be one of the smartest decisions she made.
The First Course: 20 Paid Students and 10 Friends
Marlene's first online course launched with what many would consider a modest outcome: 20 paying students, plus 10 friends and colleagues she invited to participate for free. But that mix was intentional and strategic.
The 10 free participants served several purposes: they provided a larger group for discussions and peer interaction, they gave feedback on the course structure and content, and they became the first wave of testimonials and word-of-mouth referrals. Several of those free students went on to purchase her subsequent courses at full price.
This approach mirrors what we now call the pilot course structure — starting with a small, engaged group to validate your material before scaling. Marlene was ahead of her time in recognizing that a smaller, engaged cohort is worth far more than a large, passive audience.
"I didn't need a thousand students. I needed twenty people who were genuinely interested in learning photography and willing to give me honest feedback. That first cohort shaped everything that came after."
The FAQ-Driven Course Development Method
One of Marlene's most distinctive strategies is how she decides what courses to create. Rather than guessing what the market wants or following trends, she tracks the questions her students and consulting clients ask repeatedly.
Here's how her process works in practice:
- Collect recurring questions. Through consulting sessions, course discussions, emails, and social media, Marlene keeps a running list of questions that come up again and again. When she notices the same question from 5+ different people, she flags it as a potential course topic.
- Group questions into themes. Related questions cluster naturally into course-sized topics. "How do I use natural light?" and "What settings work for indoor portraits?" and "How do I deal with harsh shadows?" all point toward a lighting course.
- Test with a blog post or workshop. Before building a full course, Marlene often creates a free piece of content addressing the core question. If the response is strong — comments, shares, follow-up questions — she knows there's demand for a deeper treatment.
- Build the course around the answer. The course structure follows the questions naturally, with each module addressing a specific FAQ. This makes the course immediately practical because it's literally answering questions real people are asking.
This approach has a powerful side benefit: the marketing practically writes itself. When you can say "This course answers the 12 most common questions I hear from photographers about lighting," you're speaking directly to the need your audience already feels.
Building an 8-Course Catalog
Over the years since her first course, Marlene built her catalog to 8 courses, deliberately designed at varying price points and commitment levels:
- Short, inexpensive courses ($29-49): Focused on a single skill or technique. These serve as entry points — students who buy a $29 course and have a great experience are primed to invest in more comprehensive offerings.
- Mid-range courses ($97-197): Multi-week courses covering broader topics. These are the backbone of her course revenue and represent the best value for serious learners.
- Premium intensive courses ($397+): 8-week deep-dive programs with live coaching components. These attract her most committed students and generate the highest per-student revenue.
The key insight is that these courses weren't all planned from the beginning. Each one emerged from real student needs, and the catalog grew organically over time. By 2026 standards, this "course ecosystem" approach is considered best practice — but Marlene was doing it intuitively long before it became a strategy.
For thinking about how to structure your own course offerings, our guide tocrafting an irresistible offer covers pricing tiers and packaging strategies in detail.
The Course-Consulting Synergy
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Marlene's business model is how courses and consulting reinforce each other in both directions:
Courses feed consulting
Students who complete a course and want more personalized guidance become consulting clients. They're pre-qualified — they already understand Marlene's approach, trust her expertise, and have specific questions that go beyond what a course can address. These clients arrive ready to work, not needing to be convinced of her value.
Consulting feeds courses
New consulting clients who haven't taken courses get directed to relevant courses as "homework" or supplementary material. This accomplishes two things: it gives clients structured learning between sessions (making consulting time more productive), and it generates additional course revenue from the consulting relationship.
"I'll often say to a consulting client, 'The best thing you can do before our next session is go through Module 3 of my lighting course,'" Marlene explains. "They get better results from consulting because they have the foundational knowledge, and I get to focus our time together on their specific challenges rather than teaching basics."
This symbiotic model is something many coaches and consultants can replicate, regardless of their topic.
Lessons for Today's Course Creators
Marlene's story offers several timeless principles that are just as relevant — arguably more relevant — in 2026:
1. Let your audience tell you what to build
The FAQ-driven method eliminates guesswork. If people are already asking you the question, they'll pay for a thorough answer. You don't need market research surveys — you need to listen to the questions that come up in conversations, comments, and emails.
2. Start small and expand based on demand
Twenty students is a perfectly successful first launch. It's enough to generate revenue, validate your material, gather testimonials, and fund the creation of your next course. Don't compare your launch to influencers with six-figure audiences.
3. Build a catalog, not just a course
A single course is a product. A catalog of courses at different price points is a business. Each new course creates another entry point for new students and another purchase opportunity for existing ones. Over time, your back-catalog generates revenue with minimal ongoing effort.
4. Let your personality show
Marlene is known for her approachable, sometimes goofy teaching style. She doesn't try to be a polished corporate instructor — she's authentically herself on camera, and her students love it. In a market flooded with slick, impersonal content, personality is a competitive advantage.
5. Design for synergy from the start
Whether you combine courses with consulting, coaching, community membership, or done-for-you services, having multiple revenue streams that feed each other creates resilience. When one channel slows, the others keep generating.
Getting Started with Your Own Course Catalog
If Marlene's story resonates with you, here's a practical starting path:
- Start your FAQ list today. For the next 30 days, write down every question your clients, colleagues, or audience asks you. Don't filter — just collect.
- Identify your first course topic from the most frequently asked questions. Group related questions into a potential course outline.
- Run a pilot with 10-20 students using the pilot course structure.
- Let the next course emerge from the questions and needs your first students reveal. Don't plan your entire catalog upfront — let it grow organically.
For more inspiration from real course creators, visit our examples page.