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What Actually Works in Digital Products Today
A candid breakdown with Philip Hofmacher on building, selling, and scaling.
If you’ve ever wondered how digital products actually make money, or why most courses fail to deliver results, this conversation will change how you think about building online.
In this Substack Live, I had a short chat with Philip Hofmacher to break down what’s really happening in the world of digital products, courses, and collaboration.
What you’ll learn from this Live
1. How a $4.90 sale can change everything
We started with the moment that matters most.
Not $10K months. Not scaling. Not automation.
I shared how my first sale came from a simple Notion template with a donation option. Someone paid $4.90.
That single moment shifted everything.
Before: uncertainty, doubt, overthinking
After: proof that this works
That shift is what most people never experience.
2. Why low-ticket products work better than you think
Philip and I broke down why platforms like Gumroad are powerful:
Low friction to buy
Fast trust building
Easy entry into your ecosystem
Instead of trying to sell a $1,000 course upfront, you:
Start with $17 to $47 products
Deliver quick wins
Build trust
Then upsell naturally
This is how you turn strangers into buyers.
3. The real role of courses in 2026
One of the strongest points from this conversation:
Most traditional courses are becoming irrelevant.
Why?
Information is everywhere
AI can generate content instantly
Completion rates are low
Only about 15% of people finish courses.
What works now:
Mini courses
Specific outcomes
One clear problem solved
People don’t want more information.
They want progress.
4. The system behind consistent sales
We went deep into the backend most people don’t see.
Here’s what actually drives revenue:
Lead magnets for first-time buyers
Automated email workflows (up to 20 emails per product)
Different funnels for different products
Continuous upsells
Once someone buys, they are far more likely to buy again.
That’s the real leverage.
5. Why marketing matters more than the product
This part is uncomfortable, but true.
At the start, marketing matters more than product quality.
Because:
A great product that no one sees will not sell
A decent product with strong distribution will
AI is making product creation easier.
But it cannot replace trust.
And trust is built through:
Content
Conversations
Consistency
Showing up
6. How AI is changing the game
We also covered how AI is compressing the entire creation process:
Research that used to take days now takes minutes
First drafts are instant
Product creation time reduced by up to 50%
But one thing remains unchanged:
You still need to understand your audience.
AI helps you move faster.
It does not replace thinking.
Why you should watch the full recording
Inside the recording, you’ll see:
How ideas evolve in real time
The exact thinking behind decisions
The trade-offs most creators don’t talk about
Honest perspectives from both sides
You’ll also hear how Philip approaches:
High-ticket vs low-ticket strategy
Mini course positioning
Building trust before selling
These are insights you don’t get from polished content.
If you’re building your first product, or trying to figure out what works now, watch the recording.
It will save you time.
And more importantly, it will help you focus on what actually moves the needle.
This Live is part of the First Digital Dollar Project, where solopreneurs share the real story behind their first online income.
More on the project and the list of contributors:
Follow along:
Thank you Jim Chianese, Jennifer M. Maki, Paul k, and many others for tuning into my live video with Philip Hofmacher!
Join me for my next live video in the app.
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Let’s crack the growth equation and build a thriving one-person business on your terms!
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