Bank $1M+ in 2026 with this Trend (IRL is back)

The Opportunity in the Anti-Trend [00:00]

• The common question of how to make a million dollars starting from scratch is explored.
• One suggested path is to create an AI startup or build an audience, but the episode focuses on an "anti-trend": going against AI and embracing "IRL" (In Real Life) experiences.
• Jonathan Courtney's approach of renting an Italian village, acquiring customers via DMs to fund it, and not needing a pre-existing audience is presented as a playbook.
• This approach is positioned as offering an "unfair advantage" for building a million-dollar business.

"I think that there's a tremendous opportunity right now to go actually against AI and do just a lot of IRL stuff."

Social Media Decline and the Rise of IRL [01:02]

• The core learning is how to leverage the "anti-trend" of the AI explosion to make businesses more successful by doing the opposite.
• Data suggests that in many countries, social media use peaked in 2022, with younger demographics leading the cutback.
• This trend indicates a desire for experiences beyond the digital realm, including long-form articles and print.
• The speaker shares personal experience of shifting profitable digital elements of his company to less easily scalable in-person versions, finding them easier to market.

"You're going to teach us how to make money doing things that have the complete opposite to do with AI."

The Success of In-Person vs. Digital Offerings [04:00]

• An example is given of facilitator.com, where an online certification cost $6,000, but an in-person version launched post-COVID at $14,300 and sold out three events quickly.
• These in-person events are now replacing or accompanying digital versions, not because they're easier to scale, but because they are far more enjoyable to market.
• The speaker notes that online virtual products require significant marketing effort to create excitement and differentiate from competitors.
• The appeal of in-person events is the ease of marketing them with simple copy like "in-person incredible," emphasizing the social aspect of "hanging out with people."

"What we're saying now is we have the best in-person way to do this."

The Shift from Digital Communities to IRL Experiences [06:13]

• The period from 2020 to 2022 saw a rush to build the best digital communities and online offerings.
• The landscape became very competitive, with an "app for that" or a community for every niche.
• While online certifications still generate more revenue, it's projected that in-person offerings will surpass them in the next two years.
• The strategy is to take something that exists in the digital space, make it a themed, in-person event, and highlight the inferiority of virtual alternatives.

"It's not as hypy as the latest AI tool, but for the people who stick around to the end, I think that they're going to have an unfair advantage for building a million dollar business in 2026."

The "Summer Camp" Model: Taking Digital Concepts IRL [09:50]

• The framework for translating digital ideas into IRL experiences involves observing popular digital-only offerings and creating an in-person version.
• An example is "Summer Camp," an August event inspired by online communities for funnel building and digital marketing.
• The concept was to create a nostalgic, non-"bro-y" event focused on hanging out and interacting with others, rather than just marketing.
• This mastermind event stripped out all virtual elements, including no recordings or virtual tickets, charging $6,800 per ticket and selling 30 easily.
• The selling point is the immersive experience, learning through osmosis, and a break from constant digital consumption.

"We take something that exists out there, something that's maybe cold and boring, but it's working, turn that into like a themed event, summer camp for me."

Creating Scarcity and Urgency with In-Person Events [13:18]

• Scarcity is difficult to implement with digital products, but in-person events naturally have limited tickets, creating inherent urgency.
• This makes campaign building easier, allowing for focused, short campaigns (e.g., one week) rather than year-round efforts.
• The speaker emphasizes that truly great in-person events are distinct from conferences, which are often money sinks.
• An example of Goose Gus (Gustavani) using in-person events as a hard-to-compete-with element of his community is highlighted.
• A new product, "Campfire," includes a once-a-year 5-day in-person meet-up for a virtual subscription product.

"Scarcity is really hard to do with a digital product. In-person events actually have a limited amount of tickets. And so it's way easier to create a true sense of urgency and scarcity because it just is inherent to in person."

Funding SAS and Building Brand Loyalty Through Events [15:37]

• IRL community and event series can fund software (SAS) or other products.
• ClickFunnels is presented as an example, using events to fund their software sales, creating a circular business model.
• Their "Funnel Hacking Live" event relocated to Florida during COVID to maintain its in-person format, demonstrating its importance.
• In-person events are a hard-to-compete-with element that builds a core element of the brand, as attendees spread the word effectively.

"These people also become like a very core element of the brand and there they spread the word better than any marketing can do."

The "AJ and Smart Retreat" Case Study: Renting a Village [17:36]

• A chaotic but real example of an IRL event is the "AJ and Smart Retreat," where an entire village in Piedmont, Italy, was rented.
• The retreat was the company's first in-person event in six years, occurring as COVID restrictions eased.
• The location, a "workation village," typically rented for weddings, was secured provisionally before sales were confirmed.
• A campaign highlighted the location's beauty, and the retreat sold out in two days at $7,800 per ticket due to the high cost of renting the village ($100k).
• This was achieved through a webinar series inviting people to discuss facilitation trends, culminating in the announcement of the retreat.

"It's an actual entire village you can rent. Um, it's normally rented for like weddings, I think."

Building Events Without a Large Audience or Pre-Booked Venues [21:39]

• It's acknowledged that for large, expensive events, an audience is needed. However, smaller events (like Summer Camp with 35 people) can be filled with a smaller audience, such as podcast listeners.
• High-ticket prices for these smaller events can still form a profitable business.
• The speaker shares that event spaces are often secured for free by pitching the cool idea of the event to companies, leveraging existing communities and products.
• The process for creating an event includes choosing dates, finding a location, and then figuring out the pitch. Direct messaging potential attendees for soft commitments is a key early step, especially for higher-priced events, to ensure financial viability.

"I don't have an audience, but I still like you know the there's this concept of the uh 1,000 true fans. Well, I have like the 100 true fans or the 10 true fans. And that's all you need if especially for in person."

The Power of Physical Products and the Anti-AI Approach [30:19]

• The discussion shifts to physical products, exemplified by Alex Hormozi's printed "100 Million Playbooks," which cost $5,800.
• The appeal lies in the tangible nature of these products, making them more likely to be read and referenced than digital PDFs, especially as AI-generated knowledge becomes abundant.
• This physical manifestation of information creates a sense of value and substantiality.
• Printing playbooks and making them physically accessible is presented as a deliberate strategy to appeal to individuals who might otherwise rely on AI or digital summaries.

"The unbelievable power of having a physical thing to show off, especially if you're doing any sort of info product."

What People Need vs. What They Want [34:07]

• The core of the "anti-trend" is focusing on what is "better for the customer" and "for humans," rather than just what they want (which is often comfort and convenience).
• For instance, in-person facilitation training is presented as the absolute best way to learn, even if it's inconvenient for both the provider and the customer.
• Similarly, a physical version of a book is better for learning than a digital one if it functions as a workbook.
• The principle is to prioritize effectiveness over convenience.

"What people want is ultimate comfort and convenience, but I often feel like that's not very effective."

The Unbeatable Moat of In-Person Interaction [36:01]

• While clients might use AI to generate content, they cannot replicate the experience of a team coming to their office for an in-person training.
• This makes IRL experiences a difficult moat for competitors to overcome.
• The speaker is "sold on IRL" as a primary strategy for building a million-dollar business today, contrasting it with AI development.
• The cumulative effect of doing in-person events, even if short-term inconvenient, has a significant positive net outcome on a business.
• Offering high-ticket, limited-capacity in-person events (e.g., $15,000 for 20 people) is highly appealing.

"What they cannot do is say, 'Yeah, we've generated a new version of you and your team coming to our office and running this,' right? That will always be hard to do."

The Guarantee of Value and the Future of Events [39:11]

• The "Full Stack Facilitator" event offers a unique guarantee: a full refund, including the $15,000 ticket price, if unsatisfied by the end of the training.
• This guarantee underscores the confidence in the value delivered and the importance of ensuring the event is truly worth the investment.
• The discussion touches on potential future event locations like Miami or Montreal during winter, appealing to the desire for unique experiences.
• The "anti-trend" of IRL is seen as a moat because it's inherently less convenient and therefore has fewer competitors willing to engage in it.

"We're so confident you'll love Full Stack Facilitator that we offer a full refund if you are unsatisfied by the end of your training."