0 (2s):
Boom, shake the room, Fire Nation JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs On Fire brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network with great shows like the shakeup. And today we'll be focusing on why live events still makes sense and to drop these value bombs. I brought Russell Brunson into EOFire studios. Russell has built a following of over a million entrepreneurs and becoming New York Times bestselling author through selling hundreds of thousands of copies of his book. Over the past 19 years, he popularized the concept of sales funnels and co-founded a software company called click funnels that helps tens of thousands of entrepreneurs quickly get their message out to the marketplace. And today we were talking about whether live events still make sense in the current environment, how much work goes into live events.

0 (45s):
What are the biggest benefits? Russel's favorite moments from both FHL and non FHL that's Funnel Hacking Live, live events, and it should Fire Nation attend Funnel Hacking Live 2021 in Orlando. Quick answer. Yes, I'll be speaking there and I'd love to see you Fire Nation and so much more. When we get back from thinking our sponsors Fire Nation is time to stop trading time for money and start reaching more clients and making a bigger impact. And you can do just that with online courses, try Thinkific for free today at Thinkific.com/EOF that's Thinkific.com/EOF. The HubSpot Podcast Network is the audio destination for business professionals who seek the best education and inspiration on how to grow a business.

0 (1m 32s):
Whether you're looking for marketing sales, service, or operational guidance, the HubSpot Podcast Network hosts have your back, listen, learn and grow with the HubSpot Podcast Network at hubspot.com/podcast network. Russell say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful. That most people disagree with

1 (1m 56s):
Fire Nation, so glad to be here. And so I'd say the thing that I believe about success that people always fight me on is everyone always asks me, Russell, how are you so balanced in your life? How are you successful and balanced and how we smile? I'm like, I don't believe that anybody can be balanced and successful. Like everything's successful. My life came from times of radical imbalance. Like when I became a good wrestler, it wasn't because my life was balanced is because it was radically imbalanced, focusing on wrestling. I remember my wife, I became radically imbalanced focusing my time and energy on her and it became something amazing. Right? And so anything in life you want to have success there's times and periods of radical unbalanced, and you have to focus on to be able to have success. Whereas everyone's looking for balance. I don't think that's how you have greatness in anything. I think that's probably the thing I would say that most people disagree with except for the people who are successful, who realize to be successful in anything in life.

1 (2m 42s):
You've got to have times of radical imbalance to really focus, to make something great.

0 (2m 46s):
Well, I agree with it a hundred percent because the reality is when I want it to become the first daily podcast interviewing entrepreneurs, and everybody said, John, you're crazy cliff. Ravenscraft Jamie masters. My dear friends and mentor said, can't be done. I said, I hearing that because if I find a way to do it, that means I will win at a disproportionate level. And so I went all in and I like to say the quotes, the higher, the barrier, the lower the competition. And I set a barrier so high that nobody could compete. Just like you, Russell, you set a barrier so high with whether it be wrestling, whether it be, you know, a, another competitor for your wife's love, you know, whatever that might be like. You just went all in on that thing. ClickFunnels another great example.

0 (3m 27s):
And you became the best in show. And what we're talking about here today, Fire Nation is why live events still make sense in 2021 and beyond. So let me just ask you actually ask you a question. Do live events, make sense in the current environment that we live in Russell.

1 (3m 46s):
So I would say not only do they make sense, they make more sense now than they have in the history of my business career, which is 20 plus years now. Well, we found with funnel hacking live this year. This is the first year we offered a virtual auction because I'm like, oh, people aren't gonna come. They're gonna be nervous. And all these things, the opposite should 90% of all tickets bought so far have been in-person and Don was aren't coming or people who like, like literally the country's locked down, but right now people are craving it. They want, they want connection. They want people, they want to like, they want to be around people. And so like, I think now, you know, just like when 2021 hit and it was like the year of virtual, I feel like this is the year of impersonal again, because people crave it now more than they ever did in the past. They respect it. They love it. They crave it more than they ever have at any given time.

1 (4m 27s):
And I think that's why it's, it makes the most sense now of all times in our, in our history. I agree

0 (4m 32s):
For sure. One thing that I've always loved is live events. I just love getting to live events, talking to people in person there's even sometimes where I'm like, you know, I'm going to, I'm going to fly across country and I've got to get into a hotel room. Like, do I really want to do this? And then like, I of course want to, and I do it and I get there and I'm like, oh my God, I can't believe I actually even potentially questioned it because it's the interactions, the energy, like you can listen to a, a, speak, a talk or a speech or presentation online. And it's cool. It's fine. But you're in person you're in like the first row or the 10th row or wherever it might be. And you're feeling the energy. You're surrounded by people who are there. It's just a different experience. And I've been to a few, I can lives in the past.

0 (5m 12s):
And you always put on such a grand show, which is why I was so honored when you unbelievably, kindly asked me to speak at Funnel Hacking Live 2021 in Orlando, Florida, which we'll be talking about more later. And you've always in the past put on such a grand show. So let's talk for a second. Let's be realistic. How much work is it to put on a live event on such a scale and granted, or that you managed to do every year with, FHL such

1 (5m 41s):
A bigger thing than I ever would have known. And it's kinda like having a baby when you first have baby, he's nervous that pops out. And it's, it's a little baby. Didn't sleep most of the time. And then over time it grows and it gets bigger. And you know, and I've got five kids now. So I've been through that process a lot of times, but it's similar to events. The first time we did it, it was smaller and it was, but it was fun. And we tried to put on the best show we possibly could dream of. And next year it got a little bigger and it got a little bigger. Whereas last year alone, I think we spent $3 million just on the production of funnel hacking live, which is crazy from the light. So the people to the, like just the entire experience, because we found that like the environment has so much to do with how people actually internalize how creates belief, how it creates change in someone's life.

1 (6m 21s):
And so we put in basically all the money we get from ticket sales goes a hundred percent back into the production of the show to make it amazing. But it's a lot of work, man. It's, you know, it's a 12 month process of on our, we have a whole full events team with building out all the stuff, getting everything done. I spent three weeks prior to funnel hacking, live, doing nothing but slides. I have six presentations that I do every year. And so it's like, it's, it's intense. I don't sleep much leading up to it. And then the event is, you know, you've been to them, they're, they're intense. They're they start early. They go late there's parties and after parties and things happening, and the energy is just off the wall. And it's, it's a workout man. But when it's done, it's all the things we do. It's the most transformational, the people who come and experience it, and then they leave afterwards.

1 (7m 1s):
It's, it's the biggest impact of anything we do. And so that's why we love doing it, even though it's so much work, so much effort, so much money, but it's, it's amazing.

0 (7m 9s):
And that's why you've created such a tribe too. Like, I mean, it'd be tough to create such a fanatical raving tribe as you've created, without being able to have like thousands and thousands and thousands of people in the same room, like all being like, you know, we are funnel hackers. Like you do these all night hackathons and these funnel thoughts, and there's just like amazing experiences. And people just lead there being like I'm part of the family, I'm part of the tribe. I'm part of the team. And so I probably just stole one of the next answers that I know you're going to have for it, but I want to talk next about the biggest benefits above and beyond this unbelievable try building that live events, allow

1 (7m 45s):
Tactics and the strategies that we teach or whatever. Like you can find those things anywhere. You can find them. You can read in my books, write books, have all my secrets through my books, right? There are other places, but like the power of an event is yes, we give strategies and tactics. But the biggest thing is like belief. I found that when people believe in themselves and believe in the process, they can do whatever it is. Like, the thing we're doing is not, it's not that difficult. It's teachable, it's learnable. It's a skill set that everybody can have, but it's then believing first off that it's possible. And second off it's possible for them. And there's something about being in that room when just the way the energy of the room is one thing. But number two is, you know, and you know, this you've, you've been there. Like we give away awards called the two comma club awards. And at first people were sitting there and you see the speakers on stage and you know, everyone that she'll be watching JLD on stage like, oh my gosh, but he's, JLD like, that's why he's so great.

1 (8m 31s):
But the power's like when we do the award shows, all of a sudden people are looking around and their neighbors start standing up and coming up to the front to get their awards. And they realize, oh my gosh, this isn't just the people on stage. I look around it's, it's my peers. As people in the audience next to me, people who last year were sitting here dreaming about it. And now they're getting up and getting on stage, getting the award. And it gives people that belief of like, oh my gosh, not only is this possible, but it's actually possible for me. I think I can do this. Cause that's the biggest thing. If I can give people that belief, the tactics, the strategies, those things are super easy. It's the belief in themselves. That's the hardest thing. And I can't break that very easily through a book. I can't break it through a webinar. I can't break it through these other ways, but in, in an event, in a room where we're there in immersion for four days, like we can do amazing things where by the time you leave, you have absolute certainty and confidence like, yes, this is gonna work and it's gonna work for me.

1 (9m 15s):
And I know the path, I know the process and that's, I think the biggest benefit events is this, the transformation that comes because you're, it's not just in your head, it's in your, it's in your body, your belief system. And that's the, that's the power belief

0 (9m 27s):
Fire Nation. You will leave funnel hacking live 2021 with belief, belief in yourself, belief in your idea, belief in the mission and the message that you have to share with this world. And we are not even close to done talking about Austin MIS and dropping value bombs, but we gotta to go thank our sponsors. There is a lot to be excited about right now. Fire Nation summer is here. Things are opening back up, and there's never been a better time to start saving time. So you can have more of it for life's little adventures. In one way, you can start saving time right now with stamps.com with stamps.com. You can skip trips to the post office and save on postage, just like we've been doing for years.

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0 (10m 52s):
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0 (11m 39s):
Kevin allows them to learn and take action fast. So if you're ready to create an online course as a lasting way to reach a wider audience, build revenue and make an impact, then Thinkific is the perfect partner to have by your side. Get started at Thinkific.com/EOF that's Thinkific.com/EOF. It's Russ we're back ends. I want to get specific here. I want to talk about your single favorite moment from past FHL events. I mean, there are so many of them I can imagine you've had Tony Robbins rocking it on your stage. I mean, who can even imagine listening right now that you would have your own conference? I'm talking to you fire station. You're going to have your own conference and your keynotes, Tony Robbins.

0 (12m 22s):
I mean, think of how you would feel seeing him on stage, just crushing life itself and Russell, you and I have had so many great experiences over the years. You know, we were both top 10 finishers for Tony Robbins, promotional challenges with key BB and stuff over the years, we've gone to hang out in Namali his island over in Fiji, and then most recently in Palm beach in Florida. And so it's just an amazing experience to be in that man's presence. And I mean, he looks at Russell as being literally the guy when it comes to funnels in the world and a lot of other things as well. So, you know, again, I might've stolen one from you, but I just wanted to know your single favorite moment beyond that one from past FHL events

1 (13m 0s):
For me, this one was definitely I'm fucking lied. That was in Orlando. And it was the very first time we had introduced our community to an organization called operation underground railroad. And we'd been where we worked behind the scenes for six months leading up to Helen's documentary, showing, telling the story. And if you don't know who w O U R is, it's an organization that goes and saves children from sex, slavery. And so at the funnel, and what people don't know is Tony's actually their biggest donor. And we didn't know that ahead of time. We got started, but later we found out. And so we, we brought Tim Ballard and the people involved in OER to a finicky live. We told their story, and then we showed this documentary and documenting. Now it's like 11 30, 12 o'clock at night. And we got done. People were bawling their eyes out. We did a fundraiser and everyone ran the back donated money.

1 (13m 41s):
And it was crazy as Tim Ballard. Who's the head of U R. He adopted two kids that he'd saved from one of these raids in Haiti. And he spent the last four or five years trying to he'd. He'd got all official. They were his kids, but they were stuck in Haiti and they couldn't get the Haitian government to allow them to come free. And so at funnel hacking live day two, after we announced that we watched a documentary, he got a phone call from the Haitian government saying, okay, your kids ready for you to pick up. So he flew from funnel hacking live. He flew to Haiti, picked up his kids, flew back to salt lake where he lives about that time. Tony Robins came on stage. And so Tony came on stage and Tony is our person. So he start talking about who you are. And then after it got done, we get on stage. So everyone has to get one last shot to, to donate money. And really quick, we wanna show you guys something special.

1 (14m 23s):
And on the big screens, we popped it on Skype, Tim Ballard. And he had his two kids. He just adopted from Haiti and who had seen on the documentary four days earlier, every starts crying. People, ran the back of the room and we added up all the totals. We had raised a million dollars and we were able to hand him and his team a huge check for a million dollars, which is enough money to save, I think like four or 500 children from sex, slavery. And that was like, I, that was time I broke down. I couldn't even, I couldn't even stand up anymore. And I was just like, that was like literally when the most amazing experiences of my life and definitely something that I'll never,

0 (14m 54s):
And for our nation, this is why, like, I just have to really talk seriously to people who say, yeah, John, but you know, w why do you work so hard? Like you, you, you make all this money. When is enough enough for you? Like, blah, blah, blah. I'm just like, you're missing the entire point. I'm like, when you are giving amazing value to this world, like real, truly value, you're going to be compensated accordingly. And when you love what you do, of course, you want to keep doing it. And guess what? Money specifically probably can't buy you happiness. I will agree with that, but try handing a blank, check to a charity or an organization or a cause that you truly love and believe it, and tell me that, that doesn't make you happy. I mean, things that we'd done over the years with pencils of promise, we've donated hundreds of thousands of dollars.

0 (15m 35s):
I've gone down to Guatemala with Kate, and we did school openings to see that the joy in the eyes of those kids down there, that now have an education opportunity. And the teachers that are not getting employed there and the parents who can send their kids to school and know that their kids have a chance at a better life. Now, I mean, telling me that didn't fill my heart with happiness. And it was the most amazing experience in my life. Just like we're also said, I mean, the happiness that, that brought, not just Russell, but every single person who donated a dollar and above was gone and received happiness. And that knowing that they were helping, you know, these kids escape, slavery, like literally sex, slavery. I mean, think about that. Now, Russell obviously funnel hacking lives and amazing events.

0 (16m 16s):
And, and, and again, I'm super honored to be speaking there in Orlando in 2021. So Fire Nation, if you're thinking about going to a live event this year, come to Orlando, 20, 21 in September, it's going to be amazing. Just Google Funnel Hacking Live. You'll go right there and you can buy a ticket. It'll be absolutely amazing. I'll be speaking there and other amazing speakers. Now, what is a, another single favorite moment that you've had from a past, not FHL live event. So maybe it's one that, you know, even inspired you to do what you do with Funnel Hacking Live, or maybe it's even, you know, recently you just went and it was an amazing experience. What is that single favorite moment?

1 (16m 52s):
Yes. This one was really fun actually for me to reminisce about. So when, when I got started this business, one of my, one of the first mentors I learned from is Dan Kennedy. And I remember as soon as they discovered him and learned from us, like, this is amazing. And I bought all his books and I read it and I bought his courses. I'd read them. And it's like, I spent probably a year, year and a half, just like, like immersing myself in his brain and his mind like just loved what he did. And then I found out he did advance. I didn't know that at the time. And so I was like, ah, so I signed up for, it was called internet marketing, super conference back then. And I remember I signed up and I went to this thing and I was nervous. I didn't know anybody. I didn't have any friends with me. It was just myself. I flew out there and I get in this big room with like, I think they had 1200 or 1500 people in the room. And I remember getting there, I sat down, I saw the speakers coming.

1 (17m 33s):
And then I remember it was like halfway through day. Number one, finally, Dan was going to come out and speak. And I guess he just got in a, in a wreck earlier, a horsing accident or something, Susan, a wheelchair. And I remember like when he came, they, they will not a wheelchair. And is he, will they wheeled him out. Everybody stood up and I stood up and I remember the butterflies in my stomach and like the nerves and the anxiousness and all these things, because this was this person who changed my life. I knew I'd heard it had been my head for a year and a half. Like everything they had ever said, I tried to find and consume. And all of a sudden I saw the person like the guru. Like for me, it was like I was coming to the mountain and seeing my guru teach. And I remember he came out in his wheelchair and he stood, you know, he couldn't stand up and speak. You sit there in a wheelchair and he spoke. And it was just like, I don't know for me to be able to like, to see the person I've been learning from, in person and like to learn from at their feet.

1 (18m 16s):
That was like a transformational moment for me. And I think that's what a lot of people experienced with when they come to Funnel Hacking Live. Right? Like how many of your listeners have been listening to you for years? Seven days a week, every single episode. Right. And now they have a chance to come in, like, and be at your feet and hear you speak live in person. Like there's something transformational about that. You know, the, I was talking about coming to the guru on the mountain. That's what I felt like in that moment. And it was such a big change for me. Like I still, I get chills just thinking about that moment. Cause it, like, it meant everything to me. And it was just such a special

0 (18m 44s):
Thing. I mean, Fire Nation. How amazing is that feeling to meet people who have just impacted and changed your life literally. And that's why I love when people come up to me at conferences and they're like, John, like, I feel like I know you, like, I've literally been like mowing my lawn for the past seven years, listening to you every single time when I'm mowing my lawn or I'm driving to work or I'm at the gym or doing this, or I'm doing that. And I just want to thank you in person. And I love being able to do that because now I'm here at this live event and I do the exact same thing to people that have impacted my life and has happened over the years all the time. And I love that experience since that's where I want to end on. And that's what I want to end on Russell is why, why should Fire Nation attend Funnel Hacking Live 2021 in Orlando, Florida, specifically September 22nd to the 25th.

1 (19m 34s):
Oh man. Well, there's a lot of reasons. The biggest one is, you know, we're coming out of this crazy. I don't want to call it pandemic or whatever, where everyone's lives are kind of put on pause. Some people pivoted and moved forward quick. Some didn't, but no matter where you are right now, this is like, I feel like this is a time of rebirth and we have some exciting announcements happening, funnel hacking live. I can't tell people yet publicly, but it's at the time of rebirth for all of us, for our lives, for our businesses, for our relationships, for things we're trying to do. I think this is one of the best ways to really have a platform for that. You're gonna have a chance to learn from me from obviously from you. It isn't saying Tony Robins is coming back again. We've got the best of the best that are coming to, to be part of this thing, to help give you the transformation you need to, to really springboard you into the next step of your life.

0 (20m 14s):
No, I did say they can just Google Funnel Hacking Live. Is there a better way to do it or is that just going to make it happen for

1 (20m 19s):
Him? They could just go to funnelhackinglive.com. That's the other spot. So, oh, there

0 (20m 23s):
You go. You're going to get to the same place Fire Nation. You know, sometimes it's hard to remember that.com. You know, I'm not, I'm not sure if you guys have used that before, so check it out. But that is going to be September 22nd to the 25th in Orlando. So, I mean, Hey, bring the family down, go to Disneyworld afterwards, do your thing. I mean, I heard some amazing things about that new avatar ride, like some really amazing things. So I'm going to have to check that out fo show. So Russell, with everything we talked about here today, just give a one, one single takeaway. You want to make sure Fire Nation walks away with, from our chats. Then we'll say goodbye.

1 (20m 55s):
The systems, the processes, all the things you guys are learning that they work. The biggest thing, the hardest thing to overcome is like your own personal belief, about two things. Number one is, will this actually work? But in second and more importantly is like, will work for me like for my specific business, my situation, my things. And then if you come to funnel hacking live, I promise you, we will give you an experience that will give you the belief. You need to be able to, to move forward, to have success to one or two comma club to change world, whatever your goals are. We'll give you the belief and the direction and the roadmap to do that. And, and you know, worst case scenario, you're hanging out with me and GLD for four days so much fun. So what more could you want in life?

0 (21m 28s):
Amazing Fire Nation. You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with? You've been hanging out with RB and JLD today. So keep up the heat, head over to EOFire.com type a rustle in the search bar. And this episode shown us page will pop up and Russell quick side notes. I did a little search before the interview today. This is your seventh time and Entrepreneurs On Fire. You are such a flipping steady. You're almost averaging once a year, and that's amazing. So we're gonna have to up that a little bit. So make sure it's at least once a year going forward and thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value with Fire Nation today, for that we salute your brother and we will catch you at Funnel Hacking Live. Thanks so much, man. Appreciate you. Hey, Fire Nation today's value bond content was brought to you by Russell and what can 3000 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs teach you?

0 (22m 15s):
How about how to achieve financial freedom and fulfillment. And that's all in my first traditionally published book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success. It is a revolutionary 77 roadmap that will lead you to a lifestyle that you have been dreaming about Fire Nation. This book literally took me 10 years of accumulating the genius of those world's top entrepreneurs. And you can get it all in one place. When you visit UncommonSuccessBook.com. UncommonSuccessBook.com. I will catch you there, or I'll catch you on the flip side. Fire Nation is time to stop trading time for money and start reaching more clients and making a bigger impact. And you can do just that with online courses, try Thinkific for free today at Thinkific.com/EOF that's Thinkific.com/EOF.

0 (23m 6s):
The HubSpot Podcast Network is the audio destination for business professionals who seek the best education and inspiration on how to grow a business. Whether you're looking for marketing sales, service, or operational guidance, the HubSpot Podcast Network hosts have your back, listen, learn and grow with the HubSpot Podcast Network at hubspot.com/podcastnetwork.