Thank you Michael for your post. When I started back in 2015 I had no idea how to create a website or market a course. Like many of you, I just had information to share and wanted to help people and yes earn a little compensation. Udemy handled everything I could not do well so I could focus on course creation. If there was no Udemy, that barrier to entry from website development and marketing possibly could have stopped me cold. Instead I worked extremely hard and released my first course and made...wait for it...$22.50 USD my first month. Literally less than $1 per hour. First year was $4,500. However, with Udemy I could create more courses, find my niche and improve my online teaching skills. All at no website or marketing costs. While I was frustrated at times, alone in my basement with my camera, I believed in myself and I believed in Udemy. Now that means believing in lots of sales at very low prices and I think that is another thing that is right with Udemy. Of course anyone would like the average sale price to go up but deep down I feel good that as instructors we are helping lot's of people with affordable education. While I had a successful business career, Udemy helped me to quit my job and have my own little business. Like my father had a small business. That actually means a lot to me. Another thing that is right is Udemy's global reach. I live in the United States and my courses are in English and yet only 28% of my students are from the USA. I am not sure how I could get that global reach without Udemy. Another thing that is right with Udemy is that they are investing in themselves. From growing Udemy Business to experimenting with new solutions that if successful will benefit us as instructors. Personally, I feel my partnership with Udemy is stronger than ever and much of that is by design from Udemy such as webinars, this forum, Udemy events pre-pandemic and other individual opportunities I have been able to take advantage of and be a partner on. Ok. I am not naïve and there is always room for Udemy to improve, and for me to improve as well, but I think there is a lot more right than wrong. Also, it is very fair to say I am biased in favor of Udemy. Udemy has made a difference in my life not only in terms of money, currently I have 412,000 students, but in who I am. In terms of my profession, I have my own business and I help people by providing online training and I am not some cog in a monolithic organization. -Steve B
... View more