(And Why It Could Work for You Too)
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A few months ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table, scrolling through YouTube at midnight, desperately searching for legitimate ways to make money online. Not get-rich-quick schemes. Not cryptocurrency hype. Just real, sustainable ways to turn what I already knew into income.
I wasn’t looking to become an influencer or master complicated technology. I just wanted something that made sense for someone like me: a woman over 50 with decades of experience but no massive social media following or technical background.
That late-night search led me to Arlan Hamilton, a Black woman entrepreneur whose straightforward approach to building revenue immediately resonated with me. Her message was simple but powerful: you don’t need permission to start, and you already have what it takes. I joined her “Your First $5K” membership that same night, and it completely shifted how I thought about online income.
Through Arlan’s community, I discovered Skool, an online community platform that has genuinely transformed how I approach building and monetizing my expertise. If you’ve been thinking it’s too late to pivot, start something new, or build an online income stream, I want to share why Skool might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
What Makes Skool Different from Other Online Community Platforms
Skool is an all-in-one community platform designed for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs who want to build engaged communities and monetize their knowledge without the technical headaches. Think of it as combining the best parts of Facebook Groups, course platforms like Teachable, and community tools like Circle, but without the complexity or overwhelm.
The platform includes everything you need in one place: a course library where you can host your training content, a community forum that actually encourages meaningful discussion, event scheduling for live workshops and calls, and built-in payment processing for free or paid memberships. No need to cobble together multiple tools, manage several subscriptions, or figure out how to connect different platforms.
What struck me immediately was how clean and distraction-free the interface feels. There are no ads competing for attention, no algorithm hiding your posts, and no endless scroll of unrelated content. When you’re inside a Skool community, you’re there to learn, connect, and build something meaningful.
Why I Started My Own Skool Community at 50+
As someone in my fifties, I wasn’t interested in traditional retirement. I was ready for what I call “rewiring”: taking everything I’d learned over decades and packaging it into something purposeful and profitable. I had experience, ideas, and practical knowledge that could genuinely help other women navigating this same season of life.
I created my Skool community, Rewired to Rise, specifically for women over 45 who are curious about building online income streams but don’t want to burn out trying. We focus on practical, achievable strategies like starting done-for-you services even if you’ve never sold anything online, packaging your real-world experience into digital products people actually want, and launching your first small offer using simple tools you probably already know, like Canva, Google Docs, or Calendly.
The most powerful part isn’t just the strategies we share. It’s doing it together. Having a community of women who understand the unique challenges and advantages of starting something new at this stage of life changes everything. We celebrate small wins, troubleshoot obstacles, and remind each other that we’re not too late, we’re right on time.
Why Skool Works Better Than Facebook Groups for Building Community
I’ve been part of countless online communities over the years: Facebook groups, Slack channels, Circle communities, and various course platforms. Each has its strengths, but nothing has felt quite like Skool for actually building something sustainable.
Facebook groups are great for casual connection, but they’re designed for scrolling, not for structured learning or building a business. Important posts get buried within hours, there’s no clear organization for training content, and the constant distractions of ads and notifications pull people away from focused work.
Skool eliminates these friction points. Every post is searchable, so members can easily find past discussions, resources, and answers without asking the same questions repeatedly. The learning paths feature lets you organize courses and trainings in a logical sequence, so new members don’t feel lost or overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start.
One unexpected benefit has been the gamification elements. Members earn points for participating, there are leaderboards that create friendly motivation, and the whole system encourages consistent engagement without feeling forced. It’s the kind of environment where people actually want to show up, contribute, and support each other.
Real Ways to Make Money with Your Own Skool Community
You don’t need a huge audience or advanced technical skills to create value and earn from it on Skool. I’m living proof of that. Here are several viable ways people are using the platform to generate income:
Paid Membership Communities are perhaps the most straightforward approach. You share your expertise through weekly training videos, host regular Zoom calls for members, and build a recurring monthly income. Some successful Skool communities charge anywhere from $27 to $297 per month, depending on the value and level of access provided.
Done-for-You Services work beautifully on Skool because you can use the community to share examples of your work, answer common questions, and stay top-of-mind with potential clients. These are services like setting up someone’s email marketing system, creating Canva templates for their business, organizing their digital files, or building them a simple Notion workspace.
Digital Workshops and Mini-Courses let you teach something specific you do well without committing to a full ongoing membership. You might host a one-time workshop on budgeting for retirement, meal planning for busy professionals, or organizing your home office for productivity.
Peer Support Circles can be powerful for people navigating similar life transitions: career changes, empty nest syndrome, health challenges, or creative projects. These don’t require you to position yourself as an expert, just as someone willing to facilitate a supportive space.
Digital Products like checklists, template packs, guides, or workbooks can be delivered through Skool, with the community providing ongoing support and implementation help that makes your product more valuable.
If you’re not ready to create your own community yet, I highly recommend joining a few free Skool groups first. Watch how other creators structure their content, engage with members, and deliver value. That’s exactly what I did, and it gave me the clarity and confidence to start my own.
Three Simple Service Packages You Could Sell This Week
One of the biggest myths about online business is that you need to be a coach or create a course to make money. Some of the fastest wins actually come from simple, practical services where you do something useful for someone else.
Here are three $250 packages that women in various Skool communities have successfully sold:
Email List Setup and Integration: Many small business owners know they need an email list but feel completely overwhelmed by the technical setup. You can connect their lead magnet to Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or another email platform, create their welcome sequence, and deliver it within five business days. No advanced skills required, just the willingness to follow platform tutorials and test everything before delivering.
Social Media Profile Optimization: Rewrite someone’s bio and profile copy for Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads so they sound confident, clear, and compelling. Include a short strategy document about what makes their profile work and suggestions for improvement. This takes a few focused hours but saves the client weeks of second-guessing themselves.
Digital Organization Service: Organize someone’s chaotic Google Drive, Dropbox, or computer files into a logical folder system, delete duplicates, and create a simple naming convention they can maintain. Record a Loom video walking them through the new system. People will gladly pay for this because it saves them hours of frustration and helps them actually find what they need.
These aren’t glamorous services, but they’re genuinely helpful, clearly defined, and deliver immediate results. That’s what makes them sellable, especially when you’re just starting out.
Understanding Skool Pricing and Features
Skool offers a free account option that lets you join and participate in existing communities. This is perfect for exploring the platform, seeing how successful communities operate, and learning without any financial commitment.
If you want to create and host your own community, the paid plan starts at $9 per month for a “Hobby” type of community (with some limited features) – and the pro-plan is $99 per month. This gives you access to all features: unlimited members, full course hosting, event scheduling, built-in payments, and complete customization of your community space. There are no transaction fees on top of the monthly subscription, which means you keep more of what you earn.
For many creators, that $99 monthly investment pays for itself with just a handful of members. If you charge $27 per month for your community, you only need four paying members to break even. Everything beyond that is profit.
I’m a Skool affiliate, which means if you sign up using my referral link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. But more importantly, you get access to a platform that could genuinely change how you think about building community and income online.
You’re Not Too Late, You’re Right on Time
One of my favorite concepts from Arlan Hamilton’s book “It’s About Damn Time” is this idea: there’s real strength in starting late. We don’t have to move at anyone else’s pace, chase trends designed for twenty-somethings, or pretend we’re something we’re not.
Instead, we lead with the wisdom that only comes from experience. We serve from a place of genuine understanding because we’ve actually lived what we’re talking about. We rise by rewiring what we already know into something new and valuable.
This is what Rewired to Rise is all about, and it’s what Skool makes beautifully possible. The platform gives you the structure and tools, but you bring the experience, perspective, and authenticity that makes your community worth joining.
Getting Started with Skool: A Practical Action Plan
If you’re curious about whether Skool could work for you, here’s what I recommend:
Start by joining two or three free Skool communities in topics that interest you. Pay attention to how they’re structured, what kind of content resonates, and how the community manager facilitates engagement. You’ll learn more from observing successful communities than from any tutorial.
While you’re exploring, make a list of what you already know how to do, even if it seems small or obvious to you. Often, the things that feel simple to us are exactly what others struggle with and would pay to learn or have done for them.
Think about who you’d most want to help and what specific problem you could solve for them. The more specific you are, the easier it becomes to create relevant content and attract the right members.
When you’re ready to launch your own community, use Skool to start small. You don’t need a fully built course library or a hundred posts ready to go. Begin with a clear promise of what members will get, show up consistently to deliver value, and build from there based on what your community actually needs.
An Invitation to Build Something You’re Proud Of
If you’ve been feeling stuck, uncertain, or like your best opportunities have passed you by, I want you to know something: you don’t need anyone’s permission to start. You’re not too old, not too late, and definitely not invisible.
You have decades of experience that younger entrepreneurs would pay for. You have perspective that comes only from living through challenges and coming out stronger. You have wisdom that can genuinely help people, and Skool gives you a straightforward way to share it.
The women I’m connected with through Skool, both in my community and others, are building real businesses doing meaningful work. They’re not becoming millionaires overnight, but they’re creating sustainable income streams that give them flexibility, purpose, and financial security.
That’s what’s possible when you combine your experience with the right platform and supportive community. I’d love to see you build something you’re genuinely proud of, and I’m happy to support you however I can.
Ready to explore Skool for yourself? Start with a free account and join a few communities to see what’s possible. When you’re ready to create your own community and start building your online income, the same link will get you started with the paid plan. And when you do, send me a message. I’d love to hear about what you’re creating and maybe even join your community.
I would love for you to join my own community, Rewired to Rise 🙂
If you would like to learn how to very quickly start earning online – I would also recommend that you join Arlan Hamilton’s community “Your First $5K” 🙂
Let’s build something meaningful together.
