The Analog Renaissance, Episode 7: The Completion Obsession

When Bonnie Christine gathered her team together in April 2025, she asked a question that would change everything: What if the biggest innovation isn't digital at all?

The data was undeniable.
Vinyl sales hitting 18 consecutive years of growth.
Barnes & Noble opening 60 new stores.
Eleven million Americans are raising backyard chickens.
80% of Americans now garden, a 5-year high.
Etsy’s reporting a 40% surge in analog-themed shops.

This wasn't nostalgia; it was a coping mechanism.
A collective reaching for things we can touch in a world that feels increasingly untouchable.

Welcome to The Analog Renaissance, Episode #7. 

In this episode, Bonnie shares an email from a student that made her pause: “It took me 11 months. But it was wildly important for me to get certified.”

It highlighted something powerful.
Self-paced courses typically see completion rates between 3-15%.
Cohort-based programs, with community and accountability, can reach 85-90%.
The content may be the same, but the experience changes everything.

She shares the three intentional elements they built into Surface Design Immersion to support that transformation: Study Groups where peers connect and often stay together for years, Course Coaches who provide personalized roadmaps, and Certification that gives students a meaningful finish line.

"The world is zigging digital. Maybe it's time to zag."

Key Takeaways

• Self-paced courses have 3-15% completion rates; cohort-based courses reach 85-90%.
• Stop selling content. Start selling completion.
• A credential creates a finish line that keeps people going even when life gets busy.
• The question for you: What would it take to guarantee your students actually finish?

Resources

• PRINT & PATTERN REVIVAL WORKSHOP: https://www.bonniechristine.com/revival 
• SURFACE DESIGN  IMMERSION: https://www.bonniechristine.com/immersion 
• ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR | https://adobe.prf.hn/click/camref:1011luXb5

FOLLOW, RATE, OR REVIEW! 

Review of the week: 

HELPFUL & INSPIRING

I love Bonnie's heart and her guidance and encouragement carries so much care & depth. This podcast is such a helpful and encouraging space I come to often.

—ChristineSponsel

READ THE TRANSCRIPT

Quick Disclosure: This post may include some affiliate links which means that if you click the link to purchase something on this page, it won't cost you more but I may receive a commission for sharing this with you. Which is great, because I was going to share it with you anyway!