What Nokia and Amy Porterfield Reveal About the Future of Online Courses

Jan 12, 2026

When Success Becomes the Risk

For years, Nokia was untouchable.

They dominated the mobile phone market.
They were everywhere.
They did everything “right”.

And yet, they disappeared.

Not because they weren’t successful.
But because they stopped evolving while the world changed around them.

That same pattern shows up in every industry, including the online course space.

Why Amy Porterfield Stopping Matters

When Amy Porterfield announced she was stepping back, many people were shocked.

She wasn’t failing.
She wasn’t irrelevant.
She had built one of the most recognisable personal brands in online education.

But her decision wasn’t about failure.
It was about timing, cycles, and evolution.

As a course strategist, moments like this stand out to me not as endings, but as signals.

The Online Course Industry Is Growing Up

The early days of online courses were built on:

Personality-led brands
Big launches
“Follow my exact blueprint” promises

That era worked because the market was new.

In 2026, the industry looks very different.

Audiences are:

More informed
More selective
Less impressed by hype
More focused on real outcomes

The shift we’re seeing isn’t about one person stopping.
It’s about an industry maturing.

What Nokia Got Wrong (And Course Creators Often Repeat)

Nokia didn’t fail because they lacked resources.
They failed because they protected what worked instead of preparing for what was next.

In the course world, this shows up as:

Reusing the same launch model year after year
Teaching outdated strategies
Relying on personal brand instead of systems
Avoiding uncomfortable change

Past success can quietly become the biggest blocker to future growth.

Why Strategy Matters More Than Ever

In a mature industry, tactics expire quickly.
Strategy does not.

This is where course creators need to shift:

From copying models to building aligned businesses
From chasing visibility to creating clarity
From personality-driven sales to sustainable systems

This is also where the role of a course strategist becomes essential.

My Perspective as a Course Strategist

I’m Stephanie, founder of stephanieHQ.
I work as a course strategist with creators who want to build businesses that last, not just businesses that launch.

What I see in 2026 is clear:

Courses still work
Education is still powerful
But the way we market, position, and sell must evolve

The creators who thrive aren’t the loudest.
They’re the clearest.

The New Era of Online Courses

The future of online courses isn’t about:

One platform
One personality
One launch style

It’s about:

Strong positioning
Strategic marketing
Systems that don’t rely on constant energy
Businesses that can adapt

Just like technology, education doesn’t stand still.

A Final Thought

Nokia didn’t disappear overnight.
The shift happened slowly, then suddenly.

The same is true in online business.

Amy Porterfield stepping back isn’t a warning sign.
It’s a reminder.

Industries evolve.
Markets mature.
And success requires adaptation.

The question isn’t whether online courses still work.
The question is whether your strategy is built for what’s next.

And that’s the conversation more course creators need to be having.