In this week's episode with Koston Williams he talks about how he STOPPED using a VSL (video sales letter) on this About Page. The reason he did this was because his audience is plumbers who often have a sceptical view of online education. This is a market who might be nervous of wasting money on programs that don't work, or even getting scammed. Another way that Koston overcame this was by offering a 7-Day free trial (which I haven't seen many communities using, often because people are afraid of bots and scammers taking advantage of it). So my question to you is this: 👉 How sceptical is your market?

🎙️ Based on a podcast between William Renner and Matt Burns In the dynamic world of online community building, Matt Burns has emerged as an insightful voice on the Skool platform created by Sam Ovens and popularized by Alex Hormozi. After leaving his corporate job at Monday(dot)com, just 50 days before this conversation, Burns has quickly positioned himself as someone who deeply understands the psychology behind successful community building and what it takes to monetize effectively in today's digital landscape. I recently sat down with Burns to discuss the culture of Skool, the psychology of status in online communities, and the strategies that actually work for creating thriving digital spaces that generate sustainable income in an increasingly disconnected world. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 When asked about the new affiliate features on Skool, Burns doesn't hesitate to identify the core human motivation at play. "What drives people, right? Let's take it out big picture. What drives humans to do anything? We have health, wealth... what do all those things really chunk up to? Status." This focus on status as the underlying driver of human behavior provides a powerful framework for understanding community dynamics. "You want status with the people you care about, status from your peers," Burns explains. "Health, wealth, money, all of those things chunk up to this." The affiliate program on Skool taps directly into this status economy, creating a system where members can increase their standing by bringing valuable new people into communities they believe in. It's a sophisticated approach that goes beyond simple referral mechanics. "When you think about having a group where somebody that you really respect or look up to or just wanna be closer to... what's a great way to get somebody's attention? You bring in great community members to that community," Burns points out. This creates powerful feedback loops that benefit everyone involved when implemented correctly.

When most people think of dance, they envision studios with polished floors, mirrors, and the energy of bodies moving together in shared space. Lauren is challenging this traditional paradigm through her innovative work on Skool, the rapidly growing community platform championed by business leader Alex Hormozi. Through her "Dance Hub" community, she's creating something previously thought impossible—a vibrant online environment where dancers across styles, experience levels, and continents connect, learn, and move together without geographic limitations. I recently sat down with Lauren to discuss the unique challenges of building an online dance community, her journey on the Skool platform, and what it takes to create a thriving digital space for dancers in today's increasingly online world. Bringing a Physical Art to a Digital Platform When asked about the inspiration behind creating a dance community online, Lauren is refreshingly candid. "I think the original inspiration was hearing that Hormozi was coming to the Skool platform. I was a follower of what he was doing since the Leads launch, and reading the books that he had," she explains. Already familiar with Skool through Andrew Kirby's group, she jumped into Skool games without a clear plan, simply drawn by the opportunity to build something online. The challenge of bringing a physically-centered art form like dance to a digital platform is significant. "I'm still learning what's possible," Lauren admits. "We've been doing dance improvisation sessions where I had an audio recording so I wouldn't have to facilitate and could just follow along. We were moving and dancing freely." She notes that while certain aspects of in-person dance can't be replicated – "the smell of the room and feeling the sweat of other people's bodies" – the online format opens up new possibilities: "There's many people in our group that don't live in the same place. The only time we would have the chance to dance together is through something like this."

"Be human, online." This simple philosophy has guided Sarah to remarkable success on Skool, the innovative community platform founded by Sam Ovens that's rapidly changing how entrepreneurs connect with their audiences. Where many digital marketers hide behind polished personas and aggressive sales tactics, Sarah has embraced what she calls her "neuro-spicy" authentic self, creating thriving communities built on genuine connection rather than formulaic engagement strategies. I recently sat down with Sarah to discuss the culture of Skool, effective community building strategies, and why being your authentic self online is not just personally fulfilling—but also the fastest path to monetization success in today's digital landscape. Finding Your Authentic Space on Skool When asked about what drew her to the Skool platform, Sarah's answer cut straight to the heart of what makes this community unique: "I started finding people that I resonated with—it wasn't just the people that had gone to business school. It wasn't just the pushy, bro marketing, hustle culture, sales tactics all over the place. I found people that were having fun doing business." This culture of authenticity is what initially attracted Sarah to Skool and what continues to make the platform stand out for community builders seeking a different path to making money online. "Being able to be authentically me, because in a lot of areas for a lot of my life, I've held back," she explains. "Whether I was masking because I'm neuro-spicy or whatever, we're trained from when we're little to fit in. Here's your box! But I've been on a journey for the last several years to smash the damn box." This commitment to authentic self-expression isn't just a personal preference—it's become central to Sarah's community building strategy on Skool. "When I can be authentically me and I can show other people that they can be authentically them, that's when the magic happens," she notes. "Because then they start energetically attracting their ideal client that they love to work with, and their clients love to work with them."

🎙️ Based on a podcast between William Renner and Mike Jasper 💰 Learn the proven sales system that helped Mike scale from minimum wage to millions In the competitive world of online selling and digital business, Mike Jasper stands out as a refreshing voice. With nearly a billion dollars in lifetime sales and decades of experience, he's now focused on helping beginners make their critical first sales—a decision that might seem puzzling to some. During our conversation, Mike revealed the psychology behind effective online selling, the importance of authentic connection, and why your first sale could be the most life-changing moment in your entrepreneurial journey. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 When asked why someone with his track record would focus on helping newcomers to online sales, Mike's answer was refreshingly honest. "I'm really a connection junkie. I really get fulfilled by helping other people, and I always have," he explains. "I've been retired for 20 years, so I've owned everything I want to own, I've traveled everywhere I want to travel... nothing is as rewarding to me as either building a company or helping someone else build a company." This philosophy stems from Mike's own transformative experience with his first sale. "When I first started my business, there was a critical moment, like a fork in the road," he recalls. After training as a machinist but seeing limited income potential working for others, Mike decided to launch his own company. However, his first sales call nearly derailed his entrepreneurial dreams: "I got more and more nervous... I couldn't go in. I had to wait for like 10 minutes pacing back and forth." After struggling through an unsuccessful pitch, Mike questioned whether he was cut out for business at all. The turning point came when he invested in sales training. "I learned so much in one month that I was able to go out and get my first customer," he shares. "When I got my first order... I thought, 'Oh maybe I can do this.' That led to me starting my own company, which I grew to almost a hundred million dollars a year."