Turning Expertise into Thriving Online Businesses | Kyle Scott from Thinkific

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Kyle from Thinkific, general manager, high growth creators with them. How are you doing today, Kyle?

Kyle Scott: Hey, thanks for having me. Good to see you, Ernesto.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on and excited to learn a little bit more about what Thinkific is all about. Well, I’m sure our listeners are as well. So, let’s kick it off with that. Kyle, in your own words, tell us a little bit more.

Kyle: Yeah, so Thinkific is the leading software platform that enables entrepreneurs to create, market, sell, and distribute their thought leadership. We have helped over 900,000 creators to date make over $2 billion and counting on our platform. For us, it’s all about the success of our creators. We’re about helping creators earn income on the platform but also have great impact. Thought leaders often want to make an impact, and the better our customers do, the more people they reach and influence. The better we do as well.

Ernesto: Definitely important. Okay, and so that our listeners can get a good understanding of Thinkific, what would you say are the key problems you help your clients with?

Kyle: We help creators turn their expertise into a sustainable, growing business. Some of our creators use this as their primary source of income. You can make a full-time living off of selling your ideas, expertise, and impacting others. Others use it to supplement their income through passive revenue. One of the great benefits of online courses is that everyone has something to say and share. Everyone has a unique genius, and by putting that effort upfront once, you can monetize it over time and reach more people.

Ernesto: Definitely important. I don’t want to assume here, but is your ideal audience primarily creators, or are there other verticals you focus on as well?

Kyle: Yeah, we think of it as creator-educators. But really, everyone has something to say. Today, thanks to technology, all of us have a platform to share our message without relying on gatekeepers like traditional media. Whether it’s creators, educators, or entrepreneurs, everyone can use Thinkific to share their expertise.

Ernesto: Got it. So, if I’m a creator, how would I typically find out about Thinkific? Is there a primary acquisition channel for you?

Kyle: Great question. We use traditional channels, but I’m particularly focused on building real relationships. Organic social media is huge. People hate being sold to, but they love shopping with friends. So, having a voice that feels authentic and human on social is key. We also engage where our ideal customers are—whether that’s at events, meetups, or online communities. By building relationships before someone lands on your website, you can improve conversion rates significantly.

Ernesto: Makes sense. So, on that note, Kyle, are there any tools or tips you’d recommend for website lead generation?

Kyle: Absolutely. Build a strong top-of-funnel strategy. From my experience, email lists are one of the highest-converting tools. I’ve seen 30% conversion rates during Black Friday sales through email lists. But those conversions happen because we’ve built strong relationships and a high level of trust beforehand. The website should complement that by sealing the deal, but the relationship-building starts long before they arrive.

Ernesto: Great insights. Let’s switch gears a little. As the general manager of high-growth creators at Thinkific, what are some key tasks you focus on daily?

Kyle: My day is split into three parts. First, creating initiatives to help our high-growth creators achieve more success, such as community-building and resources. Second, helping creators diversify their revenue with online courses and products. Finally, ensuring Thinkific is the go-to platform for online courses and thought leadership.

Ernesto: Sounds like a full plate. How do you stay up-to-date with marketing trends and strategies?

Kyle: I rely on a mix of resources—The Wall Street Journal, Morning Brew, and industry-specific sources like The Information. I also stay active on Instagram to observe trends firsthand and translate them into actionable insights for our creators.

Ernesto: Great approach. Let’s move into our rapid-fire round. Are you ready?

Kyle: Let’s do it.

Ernesto: What’s the last book you read?

Kyle: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.

Ernesto: What’s one thing Thinkific is focused on most right now?

Kyle: Helping our creators achieve more success. We’re focusing on features like our performance checkout page and streamlining tax solutions so creators can focus on their expertise.

Ernesto: If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d fix for marketers today?

Kyle: Perfect attribution. Knowing exactly where every conversion comes from would transform how we allocate efforts and budgets.

Ernesto: And if you could automate one repetitive task?

Kyle: Perfect relationship tracking. Automating follow-ups and connections to strengthen networks would save so much time.

Ernesto: Lastly, what advice would you give your younger self starting out as a marketer?

Kyle: Focus on being great today. Don’t overthink your next move—do your best work now, and the rest will follow.

Ernesto: Excellent advice. Before we wrap up, what’s one thing people should remember about Thinkific?

Kyle: Everyone has a unique genius, and you can use it to impact others and earn income. Thinkific makes it easy to share your knowledge with the world.

Ernesto: Fantastic. Check them out at thinkific.com. Kyle, thank you for joining us today. And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in to another episode of Pathmonk Presents.