Knowledge as a Product

Introduction.

In the last few years it has become increasingly popular to create a living wage from selling your knowledge as a trainer or providing courses to anyone that knows less than you do about a subject.

Companies that provide courses to people who want to build their own courses are very popular and some of the most popular courses are linked with guidance and mentorship for high-end 5 figure sums.

Case in point: Jon Pemberty.  Jon runs a company called AdClients.. promising...."Our 3-step marketing strategy has been responsible for over $30million in revenue for us and has created many millionaire coaches in the process"   And saying...they "help people scale their on-line knowledge business to 100k a month with less stress and more profit". During his training Jon points out the importance of marketing and selling courses that individuals have not even designed or prepared. The point being.. Get the orders and then worry about making and delivering the courses.

Whilst this approach teaches people to leverage their time for money, it also teaches them to add so much value to their promises, they can charge inordinate amounts for the deliverables and results of the training they provide.  

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These companies have created the knowledge economy and this is worth some In Britain, it is estimated that the knowledge economy (driven by hi-tech companies) is now worth £95bn per year, according to research by Universities UK. (quote Telegraph)

Knowledge as a Product KaaP is a subset

Information and Knowledge - What's the difference?

In recent years, more and more individuals and companies have turned their expertise into revenue streams through online courses, training, and mentorship. This trend has helped shape what we now call the knowledge economy. It’s an economy where knowledge is a key asset, driving growth and wealth. In the UK alone, this sector is worth around £95 billion per year, fueled by knowledge-intensive businesses and high-tech companies.
In today’s digital world, there’s an endless supply of information—but that’s not the same as knowledge. This difference is important, especially in education and training.
Information is raw data—facts, statistics, and reports. It tells you what is going on but doesn’t dive deep.
Knowledge, on the other hand, is about understanding. It’s how you interpret and apply that information, giving you the how and why.
Think of it this way: if information is a pile of bricks and wood, knowledge is the blueprint that helps you build a house. Without the blueprint, the materials aren’t very useful.

What exactly is KaaP all about?

KaaP is a more targeted offshoot of the knowledge economy. It’s about turning knowledge into products that can generate income without needing constant time and effort from the creator. It is not just like moving from a live online class to selling a recorded series that can be purchased again and again though, KaaP is more. Much more.
KaaP has a few standout features:

Productization: Turning knowledge into a structured format—like a framework or digital tool—that people can use without needing the creator’s input.
Intellectual Property (IP) Protection: Since this knowledge is now a product, it’s crucial to protect it legally to prevent copycats.
Scalability: KaaP products can be sold repeatedly without needing more of the creator’s time, making it easier to scale up than live services.
Product Marketing: The packaged products have been created from your knowledge, but also from your expertise and experience. An example of this is where business processes are also part of your KaaP projects. This means the creation of frameworks and easy to remember and easy to use communication techniques is key.

This makes KaaP very different from traditional consulting or coaching, which usually ties income directly to time and is hard to protect in IP terms.

KaaP is gaining traction because it offers a way to create lasting value from knowledge. Many companies have already been doing this in some form. For instance, McKinsey & Company’s 7S Framework is a proprietary tool they use across different projects. It’s a prime example of KaaP in action—creating value that lasts beyond individual engagements.

Some online course creators also flirt with the KaaP model by pre-selling courses, then building content as the demand rolls in. But even this is often tied to ongoing delivery. KaaP goes further—it's about creating something that can be licensed, sold, or even used as a unique market advantage without ongoing involvement.

How KaaP Is Different from Online Courses ?

KaaP might sound like just another way to sell online courses, but there are key differences. KaaP is about creating a product that functions independently from the person who made it. Unlike online courses that need updates, live sessions, and constant tweaks, a KaaP product can stand alone.

Beyond Time-for-Money: Online educators often trade time for money. If they stop hosting classes, the money stops. With KaaP, the product keeps selling even when the creator steps back.

Building a Legacy: KaaP allows businesses to develop proprietary methods or tools that can be licensed out or even sold as assets in a business acquisition.

Less Delivery Pressure: Since the focus is on creating a self-sustaining product, KaaP removes the need for continuous live sessions, making it easier to scale up.

KaaP’s Place in the Knowledge Economy

KaaP is a specific strategy within the knowledge economy, focusing on turning expertise into products. While the broader knowledge economy includes all kinds of knowledge-based work, KaaP is about making knowledge into something that’s scalable and repeatable—like creating software from your expertise rather than just offering coding lessons.

It’s especially relevant for industries like consulting and education, where businesses are starting to see the limits of traditional service-based models. KaaP helps companies move beyond trading time for money by packaging what they know and how they do things into products that can sell on their own.
KaaP has a lot of potential, but it’s not without hurdles. Developing a knowledge product takes time, effort, and sometimes a significant investment. There’s also the challenge of protecting the product from being copied. And because it’s still a new concept, it takes some effort to explain the value to potential customers.
KaaP is a natural evolution in how businesses monetize knowledge. It aligns perfectly with the shift to digital business and the search for long-term value. For companies that want to leverage their intellectual assets, KaaP offers a way to build scalable products and create a lasting impact.

In a world where knowledge is more valuable than ever, KaaP offers a new way to turn expertise into a real asset. It’s about building something that can keep generating value long after the initial work is done—turning what you know into a product that can stand on its own and make money.

Author Note:

The AMPLIFIES program by Zway taps into a key part of the KaaP concept—turning your expertise into a valuable framework that becomes intellectual property (IP). We help consulting, education, and training companies take the processes and knowledge they already use every day, and package them into a clear framework. This framework can then be sold as a product, protected as IP, and scaled. It’s all about turning what you already know into a product that can make you more money, add value to your business, and open new revenue streams.