How this advisory firm scales its impact with a $500k+ online academy

• GTM Partners is an advisory firm that helps B2B companies grow using its proprietary go-to-market framework
• Founders Bryan Brown and Sangram Vajre launched their online academy, GTM University, to scale beyond manual capacity and made over $500,000 in first-year sales 
• Get their strategies for scaling business revenue and impact with online education

​​1. Package your expertise into a professional training program

GTM Partners began as a consulting firm trading hours for revenue. While they’re highly successful, having earned over $5 million in revenue since 2022, the cofounders eventually hit a time ceiling – they simply couldn’t take on more work themselves.

To scale, they launched GTM University, turning their proprietary framework into an online training program. Now, instead of working with every client personally, they give companies the resources they need to implement their recommended go-to-market strategies themselves.

In less than a year, the online academy made over $500,000 in sales using Thinkific – fueling GTM Partners' revenue growth and increasing their impact significantly in the B2B space.

2. Attract high-quality leads with limited-time free access

An effective way GTM University drives enrollments is to offer limited-time free access to their courses, primarily through LinkedIn direct messages. By showing the original $500 price tag on the sign-up page, they establish the courses’ high perceived value right away. This makes the free access feel like a win for the prospect.

To ensure someone actually takes the courses, they set a strict 14-day access limit. As Bryan explains, “This is a great way to nudge someone to sign up for the training quickly. It creates urgency for them to take action.” 

These free, high-value courses help build brand trust and excitement, and prepare leads for nurture programs that will drive them to paid products.

3. Make your course content concise and easy to share

Most lessons in GTM University’s courses are under 10 minutes. Bryan says that they “make a conscious effort to keep them brief and focused,” so that professionals can learn quickly, stay engaged, and feel a sense of immediate progress.

To help the material stick, they also provide a resource center with over 25 PDF guides and an image library, with ready-made slides that make it easy for anyone to present their learnings with their own teams and networks. 

This doesn't just help spread the brand, but it also helps someone learn better. As Bryan notes, “If they're sharing [what they’ve learned from the training with others], they’re going to learn it better as well.”

By turning its proprietary framework into an online academy, GTM Partners is scaling beyond manual limits and adding a new revenue stream to its business.

4. Scale your reach through a partner network

A major turning point for the business was the launch of a certification program. Through its courses, GTM Partners trains and certifies professionals to use its go-to-market best practices with their own clients.

“We’d issue them a personalized certification badge and post it on LinkedIn, tagging them and their company’s leaders to celebrate this achievement,” Bryan shares. “That helps build our brand and community, because even those who are outside can see who's got certified.”

Today, over 40 certified partners are building their own businesses using GTM Partners’ framework. They’ve become a powerful brand engine for the firm, spreading its reach and solidifying it as a trusted voice in the B2B space.

5. Establish authority with a research newsletter

Another huge driver of GTM Partners' success is its Substack, “GTMonday,” which has grown to over 178,000 readers. 

“Every Monday, we put out new research, and we've been doing that for three years now,” Bryan says. “The reason why so many people are subscribed is because it's research. It’s not fluff.”

By publishing original, data-driven research weekly, Bryan and Sangram are solving real problems for their audience while building credibility within their industry. The newsletter also serves as a lead generation channel for GTM University.

6. Prioritize action over perfection

For other businesses looking to scale their revenue with online education, Bryan’s advice is to simply get started. 

“Take the knowledge you have and build a simple course on Thinkific. Don't overdo it,” Bryan suggests. “Build a nice landing page, create a coupon code, and go tell everybody in your network about your course to start driving people to it.”

Bryan also notes that it’s impossible to make smart decisions for your online academy without real-world feedback. By launching your first course early, you can gather data and see what actually resonates with learners. From there, you can refine your pricing, curriculum, and long-term strategy.

Learn more about GTM Partners, subscribe to their Substack, and check out their Wall Street Journal bestseller, “MOVE: The 4-question Go-to-Market Framework.”