The Startup Ideas Podcast
Episode: The 2026 Anti-Trend That Will Make Millions
Host: Greg Isenberg
Guest: Jonathan Courtney
Date: October 20, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives deeply into the "anti-trend" of 2026: building million-dollar businesses by doing the opposite of what’s dominating today—specifically, not following AI or hyper-digital trends, but instead creating real-world, in-person products and experiences. Greg Isenberg welcomes Jonathan Courtney, who shares his success playbook for launching and scaling offline ventures, including retreats, hands-on courses, and physical products, in a landscape overrun by AI and digital solutions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Anti-AI and In-Person Opportunity
- Main Idea: While the world rushes toward AI tools, digital content, and virtual communities, a huge, underserved market craves real-life, tactile, and in-person experiences.
- Quoting Jonathan:
"There’s a massive opportunity...to take a look at what’s happening in the AI space, the social media space, the content space—just go the opposite way and you’re going to find that a lot of people want exactly that." [01:33]
Supporting Trends:
- Social media use has peaked and is declining among young people.
- Even digital-first entrepreneurs are craving unplugged, real connections.
2. The Shift Back to IRL (In Real Life)
- Jonathan's Pivot: Outlines how his companies started digital, but are shifting more offerings offline.
- Pricing & Demand: IRL events and certifications, though far more expensive to run, sell out faster and more easily than digital equivalents.
- Online certification: $6,000
- IRL version: $14,300 — sells out despite higher price.
- Quote:
"It's so much more enjoyable to market these things because people are craving these in-person experiences..." [04:44]
3. Tactical Framework for Building Anti-Trend Startups
a. Identify Digital-First Offerings
- Observe what’s working in digital—communities, masterminds, certification courses.
- Reimagine them as memorable, immersive, in-person events or experiences.
b. The Summer Camp Example
- Jonathan created "Summer Camp"—an in-person digital marketing event (no recordings, no virtual tickets, themed with nostalgia—not "bro" culture).
- Sold $6,800 tickets, 30 spots, easiest sales ever.
- Quote:
"We stripped out all of the virtual elements...made it an in-person only event, charged $6,800 per ticket and sold 30 tickets...the easiest 30 tickets I’ve ever sold." [10:19]
c. True Scarcity & Urgency
- Real-life events have natural limits (seats, space)—drives authentic urgency, unlike artificial scarcity tricks in software/digital.
- Campaigns can be brief and focused.
d. IRL Events as Brand Builders
- In-person events foster organic word-of-mouth, create aspirational FOMO, and serve as “proof” that your community/company is real.
- Quote:
"It feels more legit…like, these people are obviously up to some real, real-life shit. This is not some cave dweller who's going to steal all my money." [28:58]
e. Land and Expand Strategy
- Use IRL events to upsell digital products, consulting, or SaaS tools to a motivated, high-trust segment.
- Example: ClickFunnels and Tony Robbins both use in-person events to sell (and create) loyal customers for their digital offerings.
4. How to Actually Launch an IRL Event Business
Jonathan’s Step-by-Step Playbook:
- Pick Dates – Sets an unbreakable goal and starts momentum.
- Find a Great Location – Prioritize places with wow factor, not standard hotel conference rooms.
- Start Direct Outreach – DM individuals personally to secure early commitments.
- Sell Before You Commit – "Pre-sell" by securing commitments before booking/renting major spaces (optional: get a preliminary hold).
- Leverage Free or Low-Cost Venues – Many companies are happy to let you use their offices/space if your event is cool or aligned (WeWork, other startups, etc.).
- Direct Message & Community Seeding – You don’t need an audience of thousands; start with your core network and their referrals.
- Quote:
"I post something on X and I maybe get two likes or three likes and I can still get one of these events filled up..." [29:18]
5. Why Physical Products Are Back
- Physical info products (like Alex Hormozi’s $100M playbook binder, priced at $5,800) create tangible value and stand out in a world of instantly accessible but disposable digital PDFs.
- Quote:
"Why would he print out and create a physical folder? And why would someone be stupid enough to buy it?...People crave the physical thing." [30:30]
6. It's Not About What People Want, It's About What They Need
- Most people say they want digital for convenience, but real transformation, learning, and networking happens better IRL.
- There’s an “inefficient,” inconvenient, but more valuable way—and people will pay for it.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On anti-trend timing:
"The anti trend doesn’t work until it works." — Jonathan, [08:52]
-
On filling high-ticket retreats:
"We didn’t have any speakers, I didn’t have anything to show besides the location...and it sold out in like two days." — Jonathan, [20:49]
-
On needing an audience:
"If you’re wondering, like, do you have to have a large audience? And I am the perfect example...I have...the 100 true fans. And that’s all you need." — Jonathan, [29:18]
-
On guaranteeing value:
"We offer a full refund if you are unsatisfied by the end of your training...Never once." — Jonathan, [39:34]
-
On IRL as a moat:
"It’s not easy. And it’s a moat where, where it’s hard to, you know, come up with a moat. Now. I think IRL certainly is a moat." — Greg, [41:26]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|---------------| | 01:06 | Jonathan introduces the anti-AI "anti-trend" opportunity | | 04:44 | Profitable shift from digital to in-person events and higher pricing | | 10:19 | "Summer Camp" event example (high-ticket, easy sales) | | 13:10 | Genuine scarcity & urgency with physical events | | 17:30 | Real-life case: Rented an Italian village for a retreat | | 20:54 | Overcoming “I need an audience”—filling events with small, loyal base | | 28:58 | Why IRL events make brands more legit and aspirational | | 30:30 | Power of physical products (Hormozi example) | | 36:22 | IRL as a career-defining opportunity—“I’m sold” moment | | 39:34 | Event guarantee—promises refund, never needed |
Actionable Takeaways
- If you want an unfair advantage in 2026, look for what’s overdone digitally and build its ambitious, in-person counterpart.
- Start with small, high-value gatherings and use them as launchpads for wider offerings.
- Don’t be deterred by lack of a huge audience—focus on true fans and personal outreach.
- In-person events and physical products can command premium prices and convert easier—because real-world scarcity, legitimacy, and immersion are differentiators digital can’t fake.
- IRL is a competitive moat because it’s logistically hard—most won’t do it at scale.
Closing Thoughts
This episode delivers a concrete, passionate case for the "anti-AI" startup path: serve the growing market segment burned out on digital everything. IRL events, communities, and tangible products are where scrappy, creative entrepreneurs will make (and already are making) millions—even as the rest of the world automates and optimizes itself into sameness.
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For more actionable startup ideas, check out Greg’s database:
https://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas