How To Make 6 Figures Online By Teaching Drone Pilots

Starting an online business requires knowledge and dedication. Brandon Trentalange, from California, has successfully built two of them. The first began during the COVID pandemic when he helped people obtain drone pilots' licenses. His second business now aids others in launching their own online ventures. His story is both inspiring and educational, offering insights into his success and failures.

Through his experiences, Brandon developed systems for landing high-paying clients and creating high-quality aerial photography. He shared his knowledge through courses on platforms like Kajabi, growing his student base to over 18,000. His journey showcases the potential of turning a passion into a profitable business.

Key Takeaways

• He built two online businesses, one from helping people get drone licenses.
• He developed and shared successful systems for drone photography and client acquisition.
• Brandon achieved success by teaching others and choosing effective platforms.

Interview with Brandon Trentalange

Location and Early Life Brandon Trentalange, hailing from California, has deep roots in Southern California. He spent his formative years in San Diego and pursued higher education at Loyola University of Chicago. Although sports, specifically lacrosse, initially intrigued him, a shift towards business occurred early in his life.

Launching His First Business Straight out of high school, Brandon embarked on his first entrepreneurial journey. Using the money he earned from stringing lacrosse sticks, he purchased a drone. This drone initially served to create highlight reels for his lacrosse team but eventually became the catalyst for his entry into the business world. Brandon began offering real estate photography services using his drone, marking the beginning of his first company, Altitude Aerial Services.

Dropping Out To Pursue Business While managing Altitude Aerial Services alongside his friend Miles, Brandon realized the potential of his entrepreneurial venture. This realization prompted him to leave college and focus entirely on his business. Within the first year, the company generated significant revenue, which confirmed Brandon's decision to pursue this path.

Creating Educational Courses Brandon soon ventured into the educational realm, developing a course to help others pass their commercial drone license exams. His accessible and practical approach to teaching complicated concepts led to over 18,000 students benefitting from his course on Kajabi.

Emphasis on Systems Brandon's success is largely attributed to his focus on creating efficient systems. Whether it was developing a method for high-quality real estate photography or establishing a step-by-step guide to passing drone exams, the importance of organized, repeatable processes is a recurring theme in his approach.

Choosing the Right Platform His journey through different platforms like Teachable, Udemy, and Thinkific highlights the trial-and-error process many entrepreneurs face. Eventually, finding an all-in-one solution like Kajabi allowed Brandon to consolidate his operations and scale his business effectively.

Timeline and Growth The transition from his initial ventures to an established educational business began around 2018. His hands-on experience and systematized approach led to steady growth and an expanding audience, ultimately creating a lasting impact in the drone and online education industries.

Creating Online Enterprises

First Business Venture: Drone Licensing Training

Brandon Trentalange's first online venture emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leveraging his expertise in drones, he began by helping individuals obtain their commercial drone licenses. This initiative involved not only teaching others how to fly drones but also guiding them through the process of passing the drone pilot exam. The course, hosted on Kajabi, attracted over 18,000 students, making it a significant success.

Key Offerings:

• Exam Preparation: Detailed guides on how to study for and pass the commercial drone pilot exam.
• Drone Operation: Step-by-step instructions on flying drones and capturing high-quality footage.
• Client Acquisition: Strategies for landing high-paying clients in industries like real estate and sports.
• Systematic Approach: Emphasizing the importance of systems to achieve consistent results.

Second Business Venture: Digital Business Setup Services

His second online business focused on assisting others in setting up their own online enterprises. This agency helped beginners navigate the complexities of starting a digital business, providing comprehensive support from concept to execution.

Services Provided:

• Business Strategy: Crafting tailored strategies to meet individual business goals.
• Platform Integration: Connecting various software and tools efficiently to create a cohesive system.
• Marketing Guidance: Offering insights into effective marketing techniques to attract and retain customers.
• Continuous Support: Providing ongoing assistance to ensure business sustainability and growth.

With clear frameworks and valuable insights, Brandon has helped many individuals launch successful online businesses.

Early Background and Initial Ventures

Pre-Online Business Missions

Originally from San Diego, Brandon went to school in Chicago but soon returned to Southern California. In high school, he excelled in lacrosse and was recruited for college teams. However, his focus shifted to business. He learned entrepreneurial skills by stringing lacrosse sticks for $30-$40 each and saved his earnings to buy a drone to film his team's games. These drone videos drew crowds to Friday night games and sparked his interest in real estate photography.

Brandon and his friend Miles then started using the drone for real estate photography. Brandon managed deals from his college dorm room while Miles handled the actual drone flights back in San Diego. This venture ran successfully for a year, leading Brandon to drop out of college and start "Altitude Aerial Services," his first business.

Shift from Athletics to Business

Starting in high school, Brandon was deeply involved in lacrosse and planned to pursue it in college. He was heavily recruited but changed his direction to study business instead. While attending Loyola University Chicago, Brandon experimented with business ideas during the summer in San Diego.

After his lacrosse aspirations diminished, Brandon's focus shifted to entrepreneurial ventures. He turned his passion project of drone photography into a business. During his freshman year, he balanced both school and running the drone photography business. Eventually, he left college to fully dedicate himself to his business endeavors, reaffirming his commitment by generating enough income to cover his would-be college tuition.

Entrepreneurial Journey

Starting Out and Real Estate Photography

Brandon Trentalange began his journey right after high school. Initially aspiring to play college lacrosse, he shifted to business. During this transition, he started experimenting with drones, purchasing one to record lacrosse games. This passion shifted to a small business, where he began using drones for real estate photography. Over time, his hobby evolved into a serious venture, showing early signs of his entrepreneurial drive.

Creating Altitude Aerial Services

In the early days, Brandon partnered with his friend Miles. While attending Loyola University in Chicago, he closed deals from his dorm while Miles managed local operations in San Diego. This partnership laid the foundation for Altitude Aerial Services. Brandon decided to leave school and focus entirely on the business. Within a year, the company's revenue matched his college tuition, affirming his choice to pursue entrepreneurship full-time.

Dropping Out and Key Financial Milestones

Brandon's decision to drop out of college came from clear financial markers. After the initial success of Altitude Aerial Services, he saw potential beyond traditional education paths. His efforts culminated in revenue that validated his entrepreneurial direction. This early success became a strong indicator that he was on the right path, leading to the further development of his business ventures.

Creating and Selling Digital Products

Developing an Educational Course

Brandon Trentalange began his journey by leveraging his skills and experiences to create an online educational course. After purchasing a drone to record lacrosse games, he realized its potential for real estate photography. This sparked the idea to develop a structured system for teaching others. He created a course focusing on high-quality aerial photography, Landing higher-paying clients, and preparing for the commercial drone license exam. His course has successfully enrolled over 18,000 students, helping many enter the drone industry.

Teaching Drone Licensing

Brandon's first major success in the online business world was his course on passing the Drone license exam. He recognized the difficulty of the test and saw an opportunity to simplify the learning process. By sharing his own experiences and insights, he developed a comprehensive curriculum that was accessible and effective. The course quickly became popular, establishing a strong reputation for providing valuable guidance to aspiring drone pilots.

Adapting Systems and Processes

Initially, Brandon experimented with various learning platforms such as Teachable, Udemy, and Thinkific. He also used tools like MailChimp and Zapier to manage his course distribution and communication. Over time, he realized the need for a more integrated solution and found Kajabi to be the best fit. Kajabi allowed him to consolidate his processes under one roof, making it easier to manage a growing number of students and ensuring a smoother operation. This adaptability and willingness to find efficient solutions contributed significantly to his ongoing success in the digital products space.

Selecting the Best Platform

Trying Out Various Platforms

Choosing the right platform for an online business often requires trial and error. Initially using Teachable, the speaker moved on to Udemy, then Thinkific. Additionally, tools like MailChimp and Zapier were used to connect different components of the business. Implementing multiple landing page softwares, they managed with a smaller student base. This piecemeal approach was feasible at first, but scalability became a challenge.

Deciding on Kajabi and Growing the Enterprise

When the student count increased, the complexity of managing various platforms necessitated a change. The speaker opted for Kajabi, which streamlined operations by providing an all-in-one solution. This platform supported the business's growth from dozens to thousands of students. Consequently, managing the online course and business became more efficient and reliable.

Achievements and Development

Chronology and Key Events

Brandon Trentalange started his journey straight out of high school. Initially, he pursued sports, but soon pivoted to business. In his early days, he turned a passion for drones into various business ventures. His first major step was creating a business that offered aerial photography services in real estate. Balancing college and business, he eventually left school to focus fully on his enterprise. Within a year, his company, Altitude Aerial Services, earned as much as his tuition costs would have been.

Broadening Student Engagement

Brandon's first online course aimed to help others pass their commercial drone license exam. His course, initially hosted on various platforms before settling on Kajabi, attracted over 18,000 students. Through his methodical approach, he not only taught drone usage but guided clients on pricing services, building portfolios, and creating high-quality content, establishing a comprehensive system for success in the drone industry.