The CLASSIFIEDS is now a paid community. 🤩 I've said since the beginning that community owners shouldn't make business decisions based on Growth Boost, and I strongly believe that to this day, but there were several reasons why optimizing for GB was in the best interest of this business. Here are my thoughts, in no particular order... 1. I have always kept this community free because I wanted it to be accessible, especially for new community builders. At only $2/month and a proven track record, I feel that is still true. 2. I have to keep GB on for this community because the Skool Network provides more than 50% of our members and Discovery is very important for our growth. 3. There were never any ads for this community. Increasing the percentage to 50 or even 70% didn't make a difference - it only resulted in my paying more of my profits to Skool. I've since learned that is because free and freemium communities are only rarely boosted. 4. The CLASSIFIEDS vacillates between a level 3 and a level 4 on Growth Boost, which would be ah-mazing except for the fact that being freemium gives us ZERO benefits. 5. I just learned that @Éva Raposa made a community a one time fee of $2 and got ads! 🤯 So, given all these factors, like I said, I believe it is the best interest for the long-term growth and prosperity of this group to go paid, but for a minimal fee. Let me know your thoughts below. I'll keep you updated with the progress (or lack thereof!). And, does this mean I have to put my picture on the thumbnail now??? 😩

CLASSIFIEDS own @Des Dreckett is running a free live talk on how AI has changed making, producing, editing and marketing video, and how to start using it. I think it's worth your time if you make content. It's 30 minutes, then 30 minutes of live Q&A. Here's the reason he's doing it. A lot of creators use AI to write scripts and ideas, but very few have connected it to the tools they work in and given it real work. A UK survey of 1,000 small business owners this summer found that only about 5% regularly use AI tools that carry out tasks across their other tools. Meanwhile, most people still make video the way they did in 2022: a face-to-cam recording, their own B-roll, a long edit, captions, export. That works, but it takes a lot of hours, and that's where the gap is opening up. What Des will cover How most creators make video today, and what it costs in time. He'll use his own old workflow as the example. A short history of how each era of video making removed one barrier, and which barrier is left now. Making: going from a script to a finished clip, including generated B-roll, native audio and keeping a character consistent between shots. Producing and editing: what used to need a camera, a studio or a crew, and what editing looks like now, with a real before and after. Marketing: turning one video into shorts, a YouTube cut and posts, and testing what works instead of guessing. Where AI still looks like AI: hands, text, drift on longer shots, lip-sync, skin that's too smooth. He'll also cover where AI tools still fail on whole jobs. Des isn't telling anyone to drop their camera or chase every new tool. He's showing what's possible now and being straight about what isn't. Who it's for: creators, editors and one-person businesses who already make content. Who it isn't for: anyone looking for UGC avatars, AI influencers or an AI agency. When: UK: Monday 19 October, 8 pm (BST) / 19:00 GMT New York: Monday 19 October, 3 pm Sydney: Tuesday 20 October, 6 am

There's a new INTERACTIVE masterclass on the calendar for Oct 6, and it helps you get new clients by appearing on streaming TV! Hosted by the CLASSIFIEDS own @Karin Crawford , of Blooming Voices Streaming TV, this is what she has to say about the session: Your YouTube channel isn’t the only place your best videos belong. You've already planted the seeds. You have videos that people are already resonating with, videos that have brought you clients, built your credibility, and proven your message works. Now let's discover what they're ready to become. This isn't a sit and listen webinar. By the end of this session, you'll have a clear picture of: 1. What Streaming TV opportunities exist 2. How your videos are positioned for streaming TV 3. Your very own Streaming TV Readiness Score, built live, in the room, with you. 4. You'll walk away with real ideas for improving your existing videos, or building new ones that transition better to streaming TV 5. Plus a simple, guided next step if you want to go further. But this is about more than a score. It's about what happens when your best work has a bigger stage. Streaming TV means the right people find you first, instead of you chasing algorithms hoping your next video sticks. It means more freedom, more credibility, and opportunities that come looking for you. Ideal for established youtubers, podcasters, and businesses with strong videos already converting clients.

It’s time for my humble ask… If you have found value here and think it would be a good place for other Skool community owners to promote their groups and connect with others, please consider leaving us a 5 star review. You can do this by clicking Settings and then Reviews. Unfortunately, you must be a paying member to leave a review… As a point of interest, this community has gotten over 20,000 visitors in the last 30 days! P.S. If you are not a paying member but would still like to leave a review, you can do so at ProveWorth

Update: sorry for the quick message. Just some logistical issues with picking our dog up after her surgery today… Sorry everyone but I'm having to cancel the Personals today. See you next month!