Did it "need" to take months?
No.
This is less about how long it took to get an idea through to delivery, and more about the rewarding feeling of being commited to a challenge.
You see, designing and launching an e-course as a purchasable product was not on my Bingo card of project goals this year.
A dinner conversation changed that. I guess that is what the Free centre space on the board is for. An exciting, wild-card entry that cannot be ignored.
The result is the FORMULA FAST TRACK—an e-course designed to help new and lapsed fans get up to speed with everything they need to know about Formula 1... fast. But this is a story about how I got there.
Ten years ago, my digital marketing and productivity partner, Guy Thompson, had lost his grip on which teams, drivers, and cars were on the grid. He had once seen everyone from Schumacher to Rosberg become champions, but would be shocked today to learn that Alonso was still racing. His digital nomad life left little time to catch-up and join the conversation weekend-to-weekend. The knowledge barrier to re-entry too high.
Enthused to have another buddy in our F1 group chats to share the latest race results and drama with, I launched into a 20-minute, passion-filled rundown of who's racing for who in 2025. I needed to be reminded to pause and take bites; my food was getting cold.
It was then that Guy proposed a compelling offer.
"How about I buy you a coffee tomorrow, and you can tell me what I've missed so I can start watching with you this weekend? You could even record it and turn it into a course. I'll help you produce it."
You know the emoji with stars for eyes? It was like that.
I was buzzing too much to sleep. We had an outline within the hour.
And there it lied. The magic had waned by morning. Not for lack of interest, but in facing the sheer size of the task ahead.
Over the next few months, the idea heightened, evolved, retreated, repeated, and returned. I couldn't shake it, even when I searched for excuses. It needed to be done.
If I was going to have Guy enjoying the races alongside me, he'd need a crash course; a one-stop shop that didn't require finding and consuming dozens of different YouTube videos, F1 explainer podcasts, and race blogs.
After all, I had already done that, I was eager to pass on what I had learned, and he was willing to *pay* for it. Buying me a coffee or lunch to get up to speed with a thing I love to talk about?! Done deal. I just needed to follow through.
Fast forward to an unintentionally-timed push of the 'Publish' button at the stroke of midnight—it was live. All there; my first e-course.
All video modules edited and uploaded. All descriptions ironed out. The payment page configured* and ready [*hopefully done correctly. I'm seeing order confirmations come through, but now nervously waiting the important part where they're deposited into my bank account].
This test launch 'MVP' (minimum viable product) was complete. Screenshots taken of my new Stan.Store creator profile were verifiable proof that I had gotten something into market.
I didn't know whether to feel joy, relief, or exhausted.
So, doing what any creator would do when spurred by success in the wee hours of the morning... I did more. Sleep could wait; not the wisest of decisions, but old habits die hard.
The first half of the Formula 1 season had already passed by, and I wasn't about to miss the window on the second. I had cleared the commitment hurdle, but clever marketing was the next obstacle.
The five red lights at the Belgian Grand Prix were due to go out in the next few hours, and despite the time zone difference to the race working against me, I crudely made a few promo posts to kick-start my acquisition engine. This wouldn't be a post about motorsport without getting my puns into gear.
Physical rest came easier after that; a calmer state of mind. The clock now reading some time past two AM.
12 hours and an off-hand email to a friend later, the first $5 sale had come in. A few more followed.
The reminder loud-and-clear that you shouldn't try to target the world before targeting your friends and family. It's hard enough to compete in the endless sea of created content, so don't make it harder than necessary—give your network a nudge first.
As I sit back and reflect on the process, satisfaction rightly seeps in. Each step had been a foray into uncharted tool territory; from creating the course using Canva and Loom to finding time freedom via AI-assisted transcript editors.
My course may be live, but it's not the final product. Not even close.
There is so much that I'm dying to re-write, re-record, and change, but that is not what's needed next. I need to let this phase breathe.
I need to breathe.
I need to stop and celebrate the achievement. I need to get it in in the hands of every casual Drive to Survive viewer interested in learning more. I need to refine my marketing approach to get them from curious couch surfer to track-side supporter.
I made something real, and I've got the momentum to make more.
But first, breathe and soak it in.
The race isn’t over. Far from it.
If you’re looking to get up to speed with Formula 1 too or know someone who is, I’ll tell you everything you need to know so you can join the enjoy the next race with the in-crowd. All I’m asking for right now is a coffee to go 🏎️☕