Here's where Skool makes sense...
I found a dynamite startup ecosystem guru whose model makes perfect sense for Skool, and for having free and paid communities, both, here. Greg Isenberg suggests starting with Audience, then Community, then Product. (hence: "ACP") The AUDIENCE becomes a COMMUNITY, which validates the PRODUCT you can then sell to them. You'll have product-market fit, and you are the perfect founder to take it to market, with a community who trusts you and is ready to buy. If you want to attract your own AUDIENCE to build a COMMUNITY that will tell you what PRODUCT they will buy from you, click HERE