As your co-produced course business grows, so do the demands. What started as a two-person operation between an expert and a co-producer can quickly evolve into something more complex—more students, more launches, more platforms, and more customer expectations. To scale effectively without sacrificing quality or burning out, you’ll eventually need to grow a team.
Building a co-production team isn’t just about hiring help—it’s about creating a structure that supports sustainable growth, frees up your time, and enhances the student experience. In this article, you’ll learn how to strategically expand your co-production team, define roles, manage collaboration, and maintain quality as your business scales.
Why Growing a Team Is Inevitable in Co-Production
The co-production model is inherently dynamic. It involves:
- Strategic planning
- Course content creation
- Funnel building and copywriting
- Paid traffic and list growth
- Launch logistics
- Customer support
- Post-sale engagement
As your catalog of courses grows, or your single offer scales, the time and energy required will exceed the capacity of two people. This is when a lean, well-structured team becomes essential.
Benefits of Growing a Team
- Leverage: More gets done with less personal time investment
- Specialization: Team members can focus on what they do best
- Consistency: Processes can be standardized and delegated
- Scalability: You can handle more students, products, and campaigns
- Business longevity: The operation no longer depends entirely on you
Building a team doesn’t mean becoming a corporate machine—it means protecting your vision while expanding your impact.
Step 1: Assess What to Delegate First
Start by identifying bottlenecks in your current operations. Ask yourself:
- What tasks are repetitive and time-consuming?
- What are we not doing because we don’t have time or expertise?
- Which activities are outside our zone of genius?
In most co-productions, the first tasks that should be delegated include:
- Tech setup and maintenance
- Video editing
- Graphic design
- Customer support
- Scheduling and admin tasks
These are essential but do not require strategic input from the expert or co-producer.
Step 2: Define Your Core Roles
A scalable co-production team should cover six key functions:
1. Project Manager (PM)
Oversees timelines, deliverables, and internal communication. Ensures launches run smoothly and tasks stay on track.
Responsibilities:
- Assigning and following up on tasks
- Managing calendars and checklists
- Coordinating between departments (e.g., design, tech, content)
Ideal when launching multiple products or managing affiliates.
2. Tech Specialist
Handles platforms, automations, integrations, and troubleshooting.
Responsibilities:
- Course platform setup (Hotmart, Kajabi, etc.)
- Email marketing system maintenance
- Webinar setup and tracking
- Deadline Funnel and CRM tools
This role is essential to avoid launch-day disasters.
3. Copywriter or Content Assistant
Creates marketing materials, scripts, and onboarding content.
Responsibilities:
- Writing emails, ads, and landing pages
- Repurposing content for social media
- Transcribing or summarizing lessons
- Assisting with curriculum polishing
Many co-producers retain this role until scaling significantly, but outsourcing content can unlock more strategic thinking time.
4. Video Editor and Design Support
Polishes course lessons and visual assets.
Responsibilities:
- Editing video modules
- Creating thumbnails and graphics
- Designing PDF materials and workbooks
- Supporting promotional visuals
Quality production increases perceived value, even in low-ticket products.
5. Customer Support or Community Manager
Engages with students and handles inquiries.
Responsibilities:
- Responding to email or chat support
- Moderating course groups (Facebook, Discord, Circle)
- Posting updates and encouragement
- Handling refund requests
This person becomes the voice of your brand post-purchase and ensures student satisfaction.
6. Paid Ads Specialist (optional at early stages)
Manages Facebook, Instagram, Google, or YouTube ads.
Responsibilities:
- Setting up and monitoring ad campaigns
- A/B testing creatives and audiences
- Reporting on cost per lead (CPL), click-through rate (CTR), and ROAS
You may outsource this short-term or keep it in-house as revenue allows.
Step 3: Choose the Right Hiring Model
There are three main approaches to building your team:
1. Freelancers
Great for:
- Specialized, task-based roles (design, editing, copy)
- Short-term or project-based work
- Budget-conscious hiring
Use platforms like Upwork, Workana, or your own network.
2. Virtual Assistants (VAs)
Best for:
- Administrative support
- Customer service
- Consistent, ongoing tasks
VAs can be trained to handle various tasks and are often more cost-effective than hiring multiple freelancers.
3. Part-Time or Full-Time Hires
Suitable when:
- You’ve validated consistent revenue
- You want to build a long-term, invested team
- You prefer consistent availability and faster turnaround
Consider starting part-time and growing from there.
Step 4: Systematize Before You Scale
Hiring won’t solve disorganization. Before growing your team, document your processes.
Build SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
Create step-by-step guides for repetitive tasks:
- How to publish a module on your platform
- How to upload emails into your CRM
- How to respond to common support questions
Use tools like Loom (video), Notion, or Google Docs to store SOPs.
Use Project Management Tools
Centralize tasks and communication in tools like:
- Trello
- Asana
- ClickUp
- Notion
Assign due dates, responsibilities, and checklists to avoid confusion.
Organize File Structure
Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive with clear naming conventions:
- Course_Content > [Course Name] > Modules
- Launch_Assets > [Month_Year] > Ads, Emails, Design
This saves hours and reduces friction as the team grows.
Step 5: Onboard and Train Your Team
The success of your hires depends heavily on how you introduce and guide them.
Create a Welcome Packet
Include:
- Team values and mission
- Tools used and how to access them
- Key contacts and communication guidelines
- Expectations for response time and availability
Set a Trial Period
Start with a 30 or 60-day evaluation window. Provide feedback early and often. This allows for adjustments or quick exits if the fit isn’t right.
Encourage Asynchronous Communication
Use Slack, WhatsApp, or ClickUp for updates. Avoid micromanagement—empower team members to take ownership of tasks.
Step 6: Maintain Co-Production Alignment as the Team Grows
With more people involved, it’s easy to lose alignment between the expert and the co-producer.
To prevent this:
- Hold weekly leadership syncs (expert + co-producer)
- Keep a shared vision document with product roadmap
- Decide together on major decisions: pricing, offers, tone, strategy
You’re building more than a team—you’re scaling a partnership. Protect that core.
Step 7: Measure Team Performance and ROI
Don’t just grow the team for the sake of it. Measure what’s working.
Track:
- Task completion time
- Quality of deliverables
- Student satisfaction (via support response times)
- Launch efficiency (did it feel smoother?)
- Revenue per team member (approximate contribution)
Set clear KPIs per role and review quarterly. Make performance-based adjustments as needed.
Step 8: Create a Culture, Not Just a Workflow
Remote teams thrive on more than deadlines. Build a sense of purpose and connection.
Ideas:
- Celebrate wins (even small ones)
- Host monthly Zoom hangouts or coworking sessions
- Share course success stories and student feedback
- Acknowledge birthdays or milestones
Even as a small team, culture matters. It boosts morale, retention, and creativity.
Final Thoughts: Build to Grow, Not Just to Get By
Growing your co-production team is about unlocking the next level—not just easing your current workload. When done strategically, it allows you to:
- Launch faster
- Serve students better
- Innovate more freely
- Focus on vision over execution
Start lean. Grow smart. Document everything. And above all, treat your team not as helpers, but as builders of the same mission.
Because when everyone rows in the same direction, the co-production model becomes not just scalable—but unstoppable.