How I Got 8 Out of 12 People to Beg to Work With Me (By Refusing to Charge Them)

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Helllooooooo community builders!

Let me share something wild that happened at a networking event yesterday.

I walked into a room with 12 established business owners, and by the end, 8 of them were literally handing me their contact info, signing up for everything, and messaging me to work together.

I even had someone who already had a Circle community ask about how hard it was to switch to Skool and book a call right there at the event.

The kicker? I told them I wouldn't charge them a dime, even when one person DEMANDED to know how to pay me.

But before you think I've lost my mind (it's already long gone lmao), let me break down exactly what's working and how you can use this approach to transform your own community-building game.

Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this - building a community is absolutely brutal sometimes.

There are days when you get zero members, zero engagement, and it feels like you're shouting into the void. Especially when you're tying it to your expertise, your coaching, your whole identity.

But here's what I've learned from talking to dozens of you in my DMs (and thank you for all the amazing messages, by the way): Everyone wants to sprint, but this is a marathon.

The good news? While it's not easy, it IS simple. Dead simple, actually.

Remember that line from The Godfather? (Don't worry, I'm not throwing anyone to the fishes here.) When you make someone an offer so compelling, so obvious, that saying no would be ridiculous - that's when you know you've hit gold.

Here's exactly what I said at that networking event:

"I'll teach you how to build a community that transforms your business. I'll guide you through every step. I'll recommend the right software and communities. I'll be transparent when I'm an affiliate. But I won't charge you for any of this because I make enough from my existing clients and software recommendations. If you want more leads, more exposure, and to be the host of an awesome party that actually fulfills you - let's talk."

Boom. Eight hands shot up.

You Need Daily Non-Negotiables y'all.

1. Schedule It or Forget It

Stop treating outreach like something you'll "get to when you have time." Put it on your calendar. Pick a specific time. Mine's 1 PM. Every. Single. Day.

2. The Welcome Video Game-Changer

When someone joins your community, don't just send a generic welcome message. I shoot a quick personal video with specific observations about what they shared. Takes me 2 minutes. The response? "Wow, nobody's ever done this for me before."

Most community builders are too busy trying to upsell their premium programs to actually help their free members. Be different.

3. Follow Up Until They Tell You to Sleep with the Fishes

I can't tell you how many times my 5th, 6th, or 7th message is the one that lands.

Unless someone explicitly tells you to go away, keep showing up. You can't control when they'll need what you offer, but you CAN control how often they think about you.

People don't care about your community. I know i know we're all builders here so we get it, but most people dont.

They care about what your community GIVES them. The utility. The transformation. The party they get to host. The problems it solves.

Instead of consuming more content (you already know enough), here's what you're going to do:

Pick your "unreasonable" offer - What can you give away that seems almost too good to be true?
Reach out to 5 people today - Not tomorrow. Today. Use this framework: "I help [specific person] achieve [specific result] without [their biggest fear/cost]."
Send one personal video - Pick your newest community member or hottest lead. Record a 90-second video with specific, personalized feedback.
Schedule your daily outreach time - Right now. Open your calendar. Block as much time as you can. Set it to repeat daily.
Follow up with one "dead" lead - You know that person who ghosted you three weeks ago? Message them. Simply ask: "Are you dealing with this problem by chance, or know someone who is?"

Building a community isn't about having the perfect strategy or the fanciest funnel. Spend as much time as it takes to learn how to make offers people can't refuse (especially when that offer is genuine help without the catch), and staying in the game when everyone else quits.

Become the host of the party everyone wants to attend!!!

Now get out there and make them an offer they can't refuse. And hey, share what happens - I want to hear about your wins and lets learn from our losses.

The crazy thing is that almost everyone I talk to KNOWS what to do, they just aren't doing it for a fear we've often just overblown in our own heads.

And EVERYONE (myself included) isn't doing nearly enough to get the results they wanted.

PS - Seriously, let me know if this isn't useful. I'm here to help, not waste your time. Drop a comment here and help me learn to make this space better for everyone!

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