Course From Your Own Experience
A course built from a problem you've lived through yourself, such as a $500 productivity course for college students
Video published Oct 23, 2026 by Richard Yu
Startup cost: Low startup cost (course platform and recording setup) (our estimate; the video doesn’t give figures)
Source video
Richard Yu · I Tried Selling Digital Products for 365 Days ↗
What It Is
You turn a problem you've personally solved, like keeping up at university, into a structured online course for people now facing it, and sell it at a price that reflects the result. Your own experience is the research.
The Pitch
Richard says he was 21, with no credentials, when he built a $500 productivity course that students at Harvard, Stanford and Cambridge bought, and that it did over $500,000 in under eight months.
Who It’s Best For
People who have clearly solved a painful problem and can explain how.
The Truth (as we see it)
His first result came with an audience and timing most beginners won't have; he now cites over $30 million across his dashboards. A $500 course needs trust, which usually means months of free content first. Richard says he has built systems for over 3,000 people who sell digital products, and his videos promote his own paid programs.
Our assessment, based on the video and what’s typical across similar videos. We don’t independently verify income claims or prices.
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