When I first started selling my podcasting course, I didn’t think much about affiliate programs. Honestly, I didn’t even know what they were. But after 8 years and $316K+ in sales — all without one — I’m finally considering it. And I want to take you along this journey with me, as a beginner figuring it out step by step.

So if you're curious about adding an affiliate program to your course, but want to do it slowly and thoughtfully (without the hype), this post is for you.

What Is an Affiliate Program, Anyway?

Let’s start with the basics.

An affiliate program is when someone — usually a past student — shares your course with others and earns a small payment each time someone signs up through their link.

Think of it like this: you’ve helped someone through your course, and now they want to tell their friends or community about it. They use a special link, and when someone signs up, they get a thank-you payment from you. It’s a win-win.

Start Small with Beta Testers

Instead of opening the floodgates, I’m starting with a small group of beta testers — just 3 to 5 trusted folks from our Healthcasters course who already launched their own podcasts.

Why? Because I’d rather test, break, and fix in a smaller group before scaling up.

We’re doing 45-minute calls with each one to learn:

• What would make it easier to share their affiliate link?

• What’s worked (or not) with other affiliate programs?

• What’s a fair commission that feels like a “heck yes”?

That personal connection matters — especially in our field.

Handle Taxes Right from the Start

Here’s the less-fun part — taxes.

In the U.S., if someone earns over $600 as an affiliate, you’ll need to collect a W-9 form (or W-8BEN for folks outside the U.S.). We use Kartra to run our courses, and it has tools to help manage these forms inside the affiliate portal. Still, it’s something we’re looking into carefully so no one’s caught off guard.

Be Thoughtful About Payouts and Refunds

Here’s a hard truth: someone might sign up for your course, ask for a refund… and you’ve already paid the affiliate.

To avoid that mess, we’re adding a 60 to 90-day delay between when someone buys and when an affiliate gets paid. That gives us time to honor refund requests, but still pay fairly.

We also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so this buffer feels respectful to both students and affiliates.

Microphones Matter

Affiliate programs work best when your students have what I call a “microphone.”

That could be:

• A podcast, YouTube channel, or blog.

• A trusted email list or social media audience.

If your course helps people build a microphone — like our podcasting course does — then they’re even more likely to share it naturally with others.

The 80/20 Rule Still Applies

Most of your affiliate sales will come from just a few people.

That’s why I’m planning to create special tools and trainings just for our most active affiliates — things like:

• Private webinars for their audience.

• Pre-written video or podcast scripts.

• Personalized affiliate strategies.

But even with all this, I’m still holding this whole idea lightly. I'm a big fan of simplicity over complexity. So we’re taking it one intentional step at a time.

Final Thoughts 

Here’s what I’d encourage:

• Start with people you trust.

• Learn before you scale.

• Focus on long-term relationships, not just short-term sales.

• Build systems that honor everyone involved.

If you’re looking to explore affiliate income or are building a course with heart — not hustle — I’d love for you to check out The Healthcasters Podcasting Course  or join our free Podcasting Workshop.

And if you want a quieter space to think deeply about growing your business, The Quiet Builder Newsletter might be just what you need.