125: Real-Life Tech Troubles: How the AWS Outage Almost Derailed Her Launch
If you’ve listened to The Teacher Biz Podcast for a while, you know Heather’s no stranger to tech troubles. But this past week took things to a whole new level when a major AWS outage hit the internet.
Right in the middle of her membership launch, Heather found herself in the thick of it…payments failing, customers confused, and chaos unfolding in real time. She had no idea how much it would impact her business until everything started breaking.
In this episode, Heather shares what happened behind the scenes and what she learned about staying calm through the chaos. Tune in for a relatable dose of real-life entrepreneurship and a reminder that even when tech fails, you’ve got this!
Key Takeaways:
- (02:15) Heather’s current launch and summit prep
- (03:45) The large impact of the AWS outage
- (08:20) Handling customer issues during the outage
- (14:05) Lessons learned and plans for the next launch
Listen to Episode 124: Testing New Facebook Ads to Find What Really Converts
Lessons Learned from a Previous Tech Crisis: Episode 84 & Episode 85
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Navigating Tech Turbulence: How an Internet Outage Challenged My Launch and What I Learned
Ever wondered how major tech outages can impact your online business and what to do when things go wrong?
The Unpredictable World of Online Business
If you’ve ever found yourself shouting at your laptop or panicking over a loading screen, you’re not alone.
Heather shares her firsthand experience weathering a major AWS outage right in the middle of an important business launch.
Tech hiccups are an inevitable part of running an online business, but with the right mindset (and a bit of teacher tenacity), you can come out stronger—and even wiser—on the other side.
The Realities of Online Launches: When Tech Goes Down
Launching an online product or membership is always a high-stakes moment. Heather describes the rhythm of her business: online summits to warm up her audience, followed by a week-long membership launch.
Everything was running smoothly until an unexpected tech issue hit—the widespread AWS outage.
At first, the impact seemed limited to home inconveniences (no Alexa music in the kitchen, fire stick issues in the basement). But soon, Heather realized the outage had infiltrated her business.
Her main email provider, Kit, and her sales platform, ThriveCart, both rely on AWS. That resulted in $0 revenue for the day—a troubling sign in the midst of launch week.
Solving Problems on the Fly: Responding to Customers and Adapting Ads
When a customer reached out, eager to join her membership but unable to complete the transaction, Heather sprang into action.
She offered alternate checkout links, reassured the customer twice over, and then—when she realized just how deep the AWS integration ran—paused her higher-budget Facebook ads until payment systems were stable.
This episode is full of practical wisdom: monitor your platforms during launches, read provider emails carefully, and keep your customer support channels open and honest.
Even for seasoned entrepreneurs, there’s always a lesson when technology throws a curveball.
The Ripple Effect: Why Outages Matter for Every Online Entrepreneur
It’s easy to underestimate how dependent online businesses are on platforms like AWS.
Heather discovered firsthand that her transaction processing (via ThriveCart) and delivery emails (triggered through Kit) both hit a snag. Customers weren’t receiving access to products they’d purchased, payments weren’t logged, and it took nearly 15 hours for service to resume.
She wasn’t alone; friends and fellow business owners faced similar issues with platforms such as Go High Level.
Heather’s story reveals the importance of understanding where your business depends on third-party tech—and communicating proactively with your audience when things go wrong.
Making the Best of It: Lessons, Timing, and Next Steps
Despite the rocky start, Heather opted to extend her launch for one extra day to accommodate anyone affected by the outage. She also reflected on other factors that influence launch success, such as timing and email list growth.
Even established business owners face tech disasters, and that’s okay. The key is to adapt, communicate, and lean into your educator mindset—to problem-solve and support your customers.
If technology’s ever thrown you off course, remember: you’re in good company, and there’s always a way to turn setbacks into new strategies for success.