Marino Training

I wanted to do more than launch a few courses. I wanted to establish a training business. An academy of sorts. A single source of information, community, and trust for my industry.

I was fired up to bring my training business to the world! 

I was very confident. I had spent several years as an instructor in the military and I had been teaching as a consultant and an Assistant Professor (think: adjunct) at a university for years.

Shoot, I even ran an entire training branch with 155 staff and thousands of students. How hard could it be to launch my own online training business?

I was determined so I did what many entrepreneurs do: some quick math to determine startup costs and got started as a one-dude show. "Just get started" was the quote of the day.

This is where the fun and the pain coincided.

I wanted my platform to be professional so I spent considerable time researching and trialing learning management systems (LMS). I trialed multiple platforms, asked friends, researched reviews, watched YouTube videos...all the stuff you are probably doing.

I finally found my LMS home with Thinkific (which I love, by the way) and spent a ton of time learning the ins and outs of the platform.

I learned how to build and load courses, build landing pages (they weren't that great), enter quizzes and surveys, process students, load media, link sites, and more.

Then came all the admin! I spent days linking payment systems, learning how to generate reports, communicating with learners via the LMS and emails, setting prices (how exactly do you do that?), designating instructors/administrators/affiliates and more, establishing groups and communities, drafting proposals and agreements...the list goes on and on...

Whew...all of this on top of the normal "startup" stuff like creating a brand, a business strategy, and a network.

I bootstrapped the whole thing. Not one loan. I was very proud!

At first, sales would trickle in and I would lose my mind with joy every time! Yes!!! Another sale!

The machine was working, the sales picked up. I rejoiced regularly with the other instructors that I had brought onboard.

Soon the warm market got cold, the sales slowed to a trickle, and I realized I needed help with marketing and sales.

So, I hired a great coach (I share names of my coaches in my programs). I realized I had SO much to learn that I hadn't even begun to consider about sales funnels, social media strategies, and automations.

So, I picked up the Keap Pro customer relationship management software to manage my contacts, email distributions, funnels, scheduling assistance, task management, and more. I was an instant "believer" and became a Certified Keap Partner (yes, I can get you sweet deals). 

Soon, our Business-2-Business sales picked up, our product lines expanded, our sales funnels began working, and my role as CEO of my little business became much more a)effective and b)enjoyable. 

Hiring coaches was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I couldn't afford to hire staff and I needed to learn this stuff anyways. Having a coach gave me the ability to consult a trusted professional while I experimented in my business.

Now, we're running strong, expanding our course lines, engaging people around the world, and making money doing it.

It would have been awesome if I had a coach and organized program to guide my site and course launches, reduce my costs, teach me the systems, and connect me with resources. 

Which brings us to today. You are here, on a site I built, because I decided to help others interested in building their own training business. I can help you. 

Learn more about me below or meet with me virtually by clicking on the button below and picking a time that works best for you.

Let's go!