Rob Walling

We're going to do, I'm trying to think how many we did in our biggest year, but we have our two big flagship events, right? Where we have the one in US, the one in Europe. We're going to be in Croatia here in just a week or two after this comes out.

We're going to do, I'm trying to think how many we did in our biggest year, but we have our two big flagship events, right? Where we have the one in US, the one in Europe. We're going to be in Croatia here in just a week or two after this comes out.

But then we wanted to do local events, which were like these, first we're going to do one day events where it's like eight hours, four speakers and fly into some major cities. And we started doing those and the uptake was not great. And it was a lot of effort. And so we said, well, what if we just make them like three hours in the afternoon, almost like a happy hour.

But then we wanted to do local events, which were like these, first we're going to do one day events where it's like eight hours, four speakers and fly into some major cities. And we started doing those and the uptake was not great. And it was a lot of effort. And so we said, well, what if we just make them like three hours in the afternoon, almost like a happy hour.

I would either do a short talk or I'd interview someone. So I would fly in with a producer and we would basically produce a three-hour event. And they were fine. The events themselves were really good. And the people who came, it was awesome. But the local interest wasn't there. We couldn't charge enough even to make them break even. We were losing money on them.

I would either do a short talk or I'd interview someone. So I would fly in with a producer and we would basically produce a three-hour event. And they were fine. The events themselves were really good. And the people who came, it was awesome. But the local interest wasn't there. We couldn't charge enough even to make them break even. We were losing money on them.

And it was burning me and the producer out because we were on the road all the time. And, you know, I went to, I don't even know, it was 10 events, 12 events last year. It's just way too much travel. And it wasn't just the being there. It was getting on the plane. You know, it would wreck 48 hours, 72 hours of stuff that I could be doing that's not being on a plane, right? It's recording podcasts.

And it was burning me and the producer out because we were on the road all the time. And, you know, I went to, I don't even know, it was 10 events, 12 events last year. It's just way too much travel. And it wasn't just the being there. It was getting on the plane. You know, it would wreck 48 hours, 72 hours of stuff that I could be doing that's not being on a plane, right? It's recording podcasts.

It's recording videos. It's writing another book. It's all the opportunity cost of the travel and the time. And so that was an effort that we decided to, I'll say put on pause, but like it's done. And so is it a mistake? Is it failure? Did we, well, we certainly struggled, certainly had trouble at times. Like my whole team burned out last, about a year ago, including me. And it was, it was rough.

It's recording videos. It's writing another book. It's all the opportunity cost of the travel and the time. And so that was an effort that we decided to, I'll say put on pause, but like it's done. And so is it a mistake? Is it failure? Did we, well, we certainly struggled, certainly had trouble at times. Like my whole team burned out last, about a year ago, including me. And it was, it was rough.

So, but it was, it was a calculated bet of if this works, it's going to be great. We can do more. We can have local MCs. You know, we had all these plans, but the interest wasn't there. So I don't regret it. It's not a mistake, but we did struggle and we agonized. I agonized over whether to keep doing them because these are hard decisions, right? Strategic decisions are big and difficult.

So, but it was, it was a calculated bet of if this works, it's going to be great. We can do more. We can have local MCs. You know, we had all these plans, but the interest wasn't there. So I don't regret it. It's not a mistake, but we did struggle and we agonized. I agonized over whether to keep doing them because these are hard decisions, right? Strategic decisions are big and difficult.

And it's like, how do you make hard decisions, right? This is a question, how do you know when to quit? How often do you hear this question asked of anyone, right? It comes into this podcast. People ask Seth Godin all the time because he wrote that book, The Dip. But how do you know when to quit? And it was like, because I knew when it was time.

And it's like, how do you make hard decisions, right? This is a question, how do you know when to quit? How often do you hear this question asked of anyone, right? It comes into this podcast. People ask Seth Godin all the time because he wrote that book, The Dip. But how do you know when to quit? And it was like, because I knew when it was time.

Maybe I waited a little too long, but I was out of ideas and it wasn't working. And I was like, I just want this to be done. And that's how we knew when it was time to quit. Another effort that certainly is not a failure, it was the YouTube channel. And the YouTube channel is still doing really well. It grew very quickly over about 18 months.

Maybe I waited a little too long, but I was out of ideas and it wasn't working. And I was like, I just want this to be done. And that's how we knew when it was time to quit. Another effort that certainly is not a failure, it was the YouTube channel. And the YouTube channel is still doing really well. It grew very quickly over about 18 months.

I think it went from like 10,000 to maybe 80,000 subscribers. And then it plateaued. And, you know, the worldwide audience of entrepreneurs who want to build SaaS companies isn't that big. It's maybe, I don't know, 100, 150,000. Like it's, you know, it's not millions of people. And so to plateau at 80-ish is not the end of the world, right? But the question was, so do we keep doing this?

I think it went from like 10,000 to maybe 80,000 subscribers. And then it plateaued. And, you know, the worldwide audience of entrepreneurs who want to build SaaS companies isn't that big. It's maybe, I don't know, 100, 150,000. Like it's, you know, it's not millions of people. And so to plateau at 80-ish is not the end of the world, right? But the question was, so do we keep doing this?

Like we were shipping a video a week. It was an absolute grind. And the grind was worth it when it was successful. The grind was worth it when we were adding 1,000 to 1,500 subscribers every week. Love it. You see that number going up into the right? I can grind for a very long time when that's happening. But when it starts being 300 or 400 a week,

Like we were shipping a video a week. It was an absolute grind. And the grind was worth it when it was successful. The grind was worth it when we were adding 1,000 to 1,500 subscribers every week. Love it. You see that number going up into the right? I can grind for a very long time when that's happening. But when it starts being 300 or 400 a week,