In this episode, I share the real lessons I’ve learned about running a business and a community in midlife—after corporate leadership, burnout, reinvention, perimenopause, and building multiple communities on Skool.If you’re a midlife woman entrepreneur who:• Is tired of chasing algorithms• Wants recurring income instead of constant launches• Needs systems that work on low-energy days• Wants her business to support her life (not drain it)This episode is for you.I walk through the 10 biggest shifts that changed everything for me—from monetizing lived experience to building community instead of content chaos—and why Skool became the container that finally fit this season of life.👇 Want to go deeper? Join me inside my FREE Skool communities:✨ AI-Driven Business Summit Communityhttps://www.skool.com/ai-driven-business-summit/about✨ Aligned AF Camp (for midlife women building smarter businesses)https://www.skool.com/aligned-af-camp/aboutMidlife isn’t about pushing harder.It’s about building smarter—with what you already have.👍 Like💬 Comment🔔 SubscribeAnd share this with a woman who needs permission to build differently.

In this special episode, I’m doing something a little different — sharing an interview I did with the brilliant Kim Kiel on her podcast, Ill Communication.

Kim is a seasoned copywriter and the host of Ill Communication (that’s I-L-L Communication), where she shares practical copywriting tips and soulful sales strategies for small businesses. She especially loves working with midlife women business owners — and honestly, who doesn’t?

In this episode, she flips the mic and puts me in the hot seat to talk about:

• My pivot from corporate to coaching and community-building

• Why I chose Skool over other platforms (like Facebook or Instagram)

• How I’m running innovative bundles and summits with thousands of participants

• My strategy for creating low-ticket, high-value offers that actually generate real revenue

✨ If you're curious about building a sustainable business in midlife — with more spaciousness, more connection, and more income — this one’s for you.

🎧 And don’t miss the invite to my upcoming AI-Driven Business Summit happening February 9–11, 2026, hosted inside Skool! https://www.skool.com/ai-driven-business-summit/about

🔗 Hit play now — and be sure to check out Kim’s show, Ill Communication, for more smart and soulful conversations on messaging that moves and strategies that sell. https://open.spotify.com/show/1vlJ6wOiD6NIXp4DpoSCLg?si=746701d66b4349c0

In this episode, I’m sharing something special.I was invited as a guest expert inside Dan Harrison’s Quantum 100 Mastermind on School to walk his members through exactly how I built and monetized the AI-Driven Business Summit — a summit that brought in 4,600+ participants, fully paid for its own ad spend, and grew a highly engaged community on School.This is the full behind-the-scenes breakdown of my summit framework — from idea to execution to monetization.Whether you’re a coach, course creator, community host, or service provider… if you’ve been thinking about launching a summit, THIS conversation will show you the exact path I follow (and teach).💡 In this episode, I break down:Here are the big takeaways you’ll hear:00:00 — How this conversation happened (and why Dan invited me in)04:10 — My background + why summits became a core growth strategy10:20 — The #1 reason most summits flop (topic + timing mistakes)14:40 — My 90-day timeline: idea → speaker outreach → launch20:15 — How I choose speakers + get yeses without a huge audience25:00 — Sponsorship tiers that paid for my entire $10K ad spend30:10 — What it cost to acquire a lead + what actually converted best35:22 — How I used School to run the whole summit seamlessly42:05 — What I’d change next time + the systems I’ll always repeat🚀 Ready to host your own summit?Inside The AI-Driven Business Summit, I walk you through the exact strategy I teach for creating, filling, and monetizing high-impact summits on School — including my reusable frameworks, AI workflows, and real examples.You can also get my Summit Debrief Session, where I break down:✔ what worked✔ what didn’t✔ what I’d do differently✔ and the full playbook behind the 4,600-person AI Summit👉 Join the AI-Driven Business Summit: https://www.skool.com/ai-driven-business-summit/about👉 Get the Summit Debrief Session: https://www.skool.com/ai-driven-business-summit/classroom/9487f0a1?md=824aada9d5b4427e8051e4ada6ca44a6

Inside today’s conversation, I’m breaking down the 5 content shifts that are creating higher conversions in my business — without dancing, pointing, or burning myself out on social media.Over the last year, I’ve rebuilt my ecosystem around intentional content, my Skool communities, and simple systems that actually move people from follower → member → client.And today I’m walking you through all of it.In this episode, you’ll learn:1️⃣ Why I now post inside Skool first — not social mediaI’m sharing how comments, conversations, and visibility are exponentially higher on Skool than IG or LinkedIn… and why this is the #1 contributor to conversions in my business right now.2️⃣ The About Page mistake most Skool owners makePlus what to add (and remove) to turn your About Page into a high-performing landing page that matches your social content + ads.3️⃣ How carousel posts are outperforming Reels for conversionsAnd how I use carousels + Instagram traffic ads to move cold audiences into YouTube and my free Skool communities.4️⃣ The classroom layout that converts new members instantlyYou’ll hear exactly how I set up my Start Here tab, free offer, and $7–$9 low-ticket offer so new members know where to go and what to do next.5️⃣ Why every influx of new members needs a live workshop within 5–10 daysAnd how this creates the human connection + trust that accelerates purchases without relying on extra ads or emails.If you're building a community, creating educational content, or wanting to increase conversions in 2025/2026 — this episode will give you the full roadmap.🔗 Join My Free CommunitiesAI-Driven Business Summit CommunityLearn to build, market, and future-proof your business using AI and smart systems. https://www.skool.com/ai-driven-business-summit/aboutAligned AF Camp (Black Friday Bundle Access)80+ contributors, fireside chats, workshops, freebies, and low-ticket offers designed to help you transition powerfully into 2026. https://www.skool.com/aligned-af-community/about

Hey friends, it’s Brenda here 👋 — welcome back to The X Podcast!

If you’re a midlife woman entrepreneur who’s tired of hustling for leads, juggling too many tech tools, or talking to a passive audience that never converts, this episode is for you.

I’m pulling back the curtain on my AI-Driven Business Summit — how we brought in 4,400 attendees, 9,000 page views, and a 54% conversion rate — and why I’ll never host a summit or bundle off Skool again.

In this episode, I share what truly worked, what didn’t, and why Skool’s all-in-one community model is such a game changer for women like us who are ready to grow without burning out.

✨ Here’s what I talk about in this episode:

• The behind-the-scenes story of my 4,400-person Skool summit

• Why traditional summit tech (landing pages, email systems, affiliates) is a total time drain

• How Skool makes it easier to connect, convert, and create momentum

• The five biggest lessons I’ve learned from running two major summits

• Why midlife women entrepreneurs deserve freedom, not more funnels

💡 My favorite takeaway:

“You don’t need a bigger hustle — you just need a stronger foundation for your audience.”

If you’re ready to create your next summit or bundle on Skool and build real engagement — not just followers — I’d love to support you.

💬 Join me inside the Aligned AF Community on Skool → https://www.skool.com/aligned-af-community/about

→
→ https://www.skool.com/aligned-af-camp/about

The coaching world is changing fast.The ones who’ll win aren’t the earliest adopters — they’re the ones who stay curious enough to evolve.In this episode, I’ll show you how adaptability — not algorithms — is your real edge in 2026.The coaching landscape is evolving — fast. The loudest voices won’t win this next chapter… the most adaptable ones will.I recently joined Ellyn Schinke, burnout coach and host of the Burnout-Proof Podcast, at her Systems Summit — and our conversation took a powerful turn.We started talking about how coaches and online business owners are feeling this massive shift — the sense that the rules of the game are changing fast… but no one’s quite sure how to keep up.In this episode, we unpack what that shift really means, and why adaptability — not volume — is what’s going to define success in 2026 and beyond.🚀 Join the conversation inside the AI-Driven Business Summit community on Skool → https://www.skool.com/ai-driven-busin...Follow Brenda on Instagram and DM me about this episode: / itsbrendarigney Check out Ellyn on Instagram too! / coachellyn

We’re officially 100 days away from the end of 2025 — and in this episode, I’m getting real about what that means for your business, your health, your wealth, and your energy.

I’ll walk you through the 4 big focus areas I’m prioritizing to finish the year strong — plus a few vulnerable lessons I’ve learned along the way. If you’ve felt scattered or behind, this episode is your gentle (but firm!) nudge to refocus with intention and momentum.

🌀 Grab your journal and circle diagram — we’re planning a powerful Q4 together.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Why the final 100 days matter more than you think
02:15 – Lead gen & audience growth using summits and bundles
04:30 – AI-Driven Business Summit sneak peek: 62 speakers!
06:45 – How I’m using AI like a “mini Brenda”
07:55 – The cost of burnout + my tendonitis wake-up call
10:00 – The rest, recharge & recovery plan (finally!)
11:20 – A real talk on wealth strategy + new board seat
13:00 – Planning revenue with intention for 2026
14:30 – What’s next for the Aligned AF Community
16:00 – Circle exercise: what you love vs. what’s draining you
17:45 – Boundaries, priorities, and the “calendar detox” you need
19:30 – How to get involved and work with me

✨ Want in on the action?
If you’re serious about ending 2025 in alignment and momentum, you’ve got two powerful ways to work with me:

🔥 Join the AI-Driven Business Summit (Oct 6–8, 2025) — 3 days, 62 speakers, and everything you need to level up with AI without burning out.
👉 Register now

🌱 Become a member of the Aligned AF Community — get coaching, support, and high-level implementation strategies with a crew of growth-minded founders.
👉 Join now

Running a business shouldn’t feel like a grind—or rely only on referrals and networking events. In this episode, I share the four lead generation strategies I teach inside the Aligned AF Community that help midlife women entrepreneurs attract clients consistently without burning out:

✅ Short-form content that builds visibility
✅ Long-form content that nurtures trust
✅ Communities & collaborations that expand your reach
✅ Ads that work while you rest

I also talk about lessons from my summer abroad as a digital nomad-in-training, and why the last 100 days of 2025 are the perfect time to get serious about your lead generation plan.

✨ If you’re ready to design a business that supports your life—and not the other way around—this episode is for you.

🔗 Sign up for my List Building Workshop: https://www.brendarigney.com/your-list-building-blueprint
🔔 Subscribe for weekly strategies on list building, visibility, and sustainable growth.