This is the first episode I'm recording post-Scalable Freedom Retreat, and I'm still riding high. Here's an overview of what we did that you can steal for your own events, from the intake form to a dinner in a rustic old shed, plus how we landed a 9 out of 10 average feedback score.

— Why it took seven years of running masterminds to host my first retreat
— Why in-person events are a fantastic move for 2027, if they're bespoke to your community
— The intake form that let me personalise pairings, topics and the whole experience (and how to use AI to find patterns)
— The attendee directory I shared before the retreat, and why it helps people connect faster
— The premium first-night touches: a local sparkling wine partnership, personalised caps, journals and handwritten notes
— How a rustic old shed and a live meadow table became the moment everyone remembered
— Why "great energy" isn't enough, and how I briefed my team on the exact energy I wanted

LINKS:

FREE GUIDE: Sell Out & Retain Mastermind Clients in 2026: https://ellieswift.com/mastermind2026

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/ceomoves

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+: The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/mastermind

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

Group programme strategist and Meta ads specialist Sophie Griffiths flew 25 hours to sit down with me in the studio in Western Australia. Pen and paper at the ready: this is a masterclass on filling your group the right way.

— Sophie's journey from British Airways, to redundancy on maternity leave, to becoming a group programme strategist and Meta ads specialist
— How filling a group with ads has changed since the COVID-era "whack an ad out" days
— Why you start with your offer, not your ads, and Sophie's Goldilocks exercise for finding your just-right client
— How trigger points shape your lead magnet, and the three types of lead magnet (mini, middle and maxi)
— The Messaging Bridge: how to nurture leads with proof, process and a signature system
— Why you don't need 50,000 followers or a mega email list to fill a high-ticket mastermind, but you do need to be growing all the time
— Sophie's top three priorities for growing your group, plus her SuperFans Sprint

LINKS:
Connect with Sophie Griffiths on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiegriffithsco
Sophie's website: https://sophiegriffiths.co
Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-l-griffiths/
The Lionhearted CEO Podcast: https://sophiegriffiths.co/podcast
SuperFans Sprint: https://sophiegriffiths.co/superfans-sprint

FREE GUIDE: Sell Out & Retain Mastermind Clients in 2026: https://ellieswift.com/mastermind2026

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliehswift
Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/ceomoves
Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+: The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/mastermind

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

Thinking about how to create the most cash before the end of the year, with a tired voice in the back of your head? In this short, sharp episode, I'm sharing what to focus on right now so you finish the year strong and set yourself up for 2027.

— Why everyone talks about the end-of-year cash injection but very few people set themselves up for next year
— Why short-term quickie launches (two-week sprints, four-week bootcamps) often lead to self-sabotage in Q1
— How a mastermind-first business lets you see recurring revenue and cash flow months into the future
— The renewal and retention plan to build now, including an early re-sign bonus for clients coming up for annual
— Why I've never done Black Friday deals, and how to use a short burst (like a few special-rate spots) to bring in long-term clients
— The perspective shift for finishing the year strong without adding to your to-do list

Want more support? Comment "revenue" on Instagram to join my free weekly training.

FREE GUIDE: Sell Out & Retain Mastermind Clients in 2026: https://ellieswift.com/mastermind2026
Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/ceomoves

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+: The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/mastermind

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

Where exactly are you the bottleneck inside your mastermind? Before you add more AI or another team member, here are the four biggest ways I see people holding their mastermind back, plus the questions to sit with so you can start to shift each one.

— Bottleneck #1: you're the only coach, and why handing over delivery doesn't have to mean hiring a full support coach
— Why the best support coach hires complement your skillset instead of copying it
— Bottleneck #2: your delivery lives inside your head, and why every system needs to be documented and shared
— Bottleneck #3: no clear marketing and sales process, and why a scrappy ManyChat-and-DMs-only approach keeps you stuck
— Bottleneck #4: a mastermind you can't take a holiday from, and how we bake two weeks completely off into ours
— How to model the type of business you want your clients to build

Want to scale your mastermind to 20, 50 or even 100+ people? Comment "revenue" on Instagram to join my free weekly training.

LINKS:
FREE GUIDE: Sell Out & Retain Mastermind Clients in 2026: https://ellieswift.com/mastermind2026

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliehswift
Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/ceomoves
Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+: The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/mastermind

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

Ever wondered how a mastermind hot seat call actually runs behind the scenes? I'm taking you inside the exact process I use to keep 90%+ attendance on our group hot seat calls, from how I prepare to how I use the room.

— Why our hot seat calls are consistently people's favorite part of the mastermind
— The structure: two 90+ minute calls per month, with hot seat groups of 7–9 people (8 is my sweet spot)
— How I prepare before every call by reviewing client notes, so I'm not holding everyone in my head
— Why I don't try to be in "peak energy," and the 10-minute process I use to meet myself where I'm at
— How I open the call: grounding breaths and a question that sets the tone
— How I run each hot seat: asking "What is your ask?", coaching as a coach, mentor or consultant, then throwing to the room
— Why using your room is key in a mastermind, and how to do it

LINKS:

FREE GUIDE: Sell Out & Retain Mastermind Clients in 2026: https://ellieswift.com/mastermind2026

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/ceomoves

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+: The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/mastermind

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

I just tested an upgraded content framework with my mastermind clients for the last 30 days — the results have been incredible, including multiple mastermind signups attributed directly to organic content. Here's the exact four-part framework behind it.

— The real reason content isn't converting (hint: it's not your lighting, hook, or graphics — it's your thinking)
 — Mirror content: how to make your ideal client feel instantly seen using specific language, not summarised vibes
 — Map content: how a single polarising perspective-shift post generated 28,000 views and a mastermind sign-up for one client
 — Mantle content: why authority isn't bragging, and how to weave your credibility into everything you post
 — Move content: how to actually make the ask once you've built trust
 — A real story from last week — how 1 email and total transparency turned into 5 sales calls and 4 new clients

LINKS
 Free Guide: https://bit.ly/46jaUcd
The Mastermind Model: http://ellieswift.com/tmm2026
The Scalable Freedom Mastermind: https://ellieswift.com/sfm
Instagram: @elliehswift

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

Heading into Q4? Here's the exact mindset hack I gave a client on a two-minute hot-seat call this week — the one that had her message me hours later saying she felt completely shifted and clear on her next level.

— Why it's so easy to get pulled off course by everyone else's marketing right when you need clarity most
 — How to acclimatise to your Q4 revenue goal by getting specific and normalising the number (the neuroscience behind it)
 — How to identify the person who's already achieved the goal you want, and what needs to shift to close the gap
 — Why "be, do, have" — not the other way around — is the order that actually works
 — A personal example from my own journey to conceive my daughter Sunny, using this same normalisation principle

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

At the time of recording, I've reviewed 540 funnels this year — and across all of them, the same handful of mistakes keep showing up. Here are the three biggest patterns I see holding people back from a profitable funnel.

— Why your feelings about your funnel's performance can mislead you, and why you need to track data week-to-week instead of reacting to one bad week or one bad call
 — Why cost per lead isn't the determinant of success — quality of lead is — and how Hormozi's "back-end economics beat front-end tactics" idea changes how you should think about ad spend
 — Why most funnels are leaking in exactly one place, and the three reasons that leak is so hard to spot (optimising what's comfortable, not measuring stage by stage, and chasing new tactics instead of going deeper)
 — What return on ad spend (ROAS) benchmark to aim for, and real examples from clients generating 10x–26x ROAS

Want to fill your mastermind before the end of the year? DM me "revenue" @elliehswift and I'll send you the link to join my free weekly training.

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

I've read almost every major business book out there — here are the six that actually moved the needle for me in 2026, and why I can't stop recommending them.

— Holy Fuck by Amanda Frances — an unexpectedly spiritual read that reconnected me to something I'd lost touch with this year
 — Brain First Business by Amanda Perry — finally explains why standard business advice doesn't stick for a neurodivergent brain
 — The Creative Act by Rick Rubin — a manifesto for creative living (plus the wild LA story that got me rereading it)
 — The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg — my most highlighted book of the year, and the one that made me rethink my relationship with outcomes vs process
 — Wealthy and Well-Known by Rory and AJ Vaden — essential if you're building any kind of personal brand
 — Start With Yourself by Emma Grede — a masterclass in what it actually takes to build something big

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

If a client isn't getting results in your programme, it's not always on you — and today I'm sharing the exact framework to work out why it's happening, shame-free.

— The two moves that never actually solve an unhappy-client situation (panic-refunding and over-giving until you're burnt out)
 — The five real reasons a client ends up unhappy or under-results: wrong fit at the point of sale, timing and capacity, the implementation gap, expectation mismatch, and a genuine gap in delivery
 — The 50/50 line — what's actually yours to hold as the coach, versus what belongs to your client
 — When you genuinely don't need to have a hard conversation at all, versus when it's time to check in on whether you're the right coach for them
 — How to know when it's time to let a client go, and why you'll never regret it
 — Why watertight contracts and protecting your group's integrity matter more than you think

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

We hit 300 episodes!

In this milestone episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of the last six years — the business wins, the life seasons, and everything it took to build this podcast into what it is today.

— How this podcast started back in August 2020 as Shine Online with Ellie Swift
— Our first $250K launch from just four emails, and the milestones that followed: our first $100K month, our first seven-figure year, and trademarking Scalable Freedom
— The personal seasons running underneath the business ones — buying our first home, IVF, becoming a mum to Sunny, getting married, and now running a business as a mother
— Why long-form content (not AI-generated soundbites) is what actually builds real thought leadership and trust
— Our best-performing episodes ever, including the one with my husband Che that people still message me about
— Why our three-part series on IVF and loss remains the most meaningful thing I've ever shared here
— What the next 300 episodes look like, and my commitment to you going forward

The 3-Part IVG Series:
Part 1: https://ellieswift.com/part-1-im-pregnant-behind-the-scenes-of-the-hardest-2-5-years-of-my-life-2/
Part 2: https://ellieswift.com/part-1-im-pregnant-behind-the-scenes-of-the-hardest-2-5-years-of-my-life/
Part 3: https://ellieswift.com/part-3-first-trimester-what-it-means-for-business-in-2024/

LINKS
Free Guide: https://bit.ly/46jaUcd
The Mastermind Model: http://ellieswift.com/tmm2026
The Scalable Freedom Mastermind: https://ellieswift.com/sfm
Instagram: @elliehswift

Keen to work together?
Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom

LINKS:

FREE TRAINING: The Most Efficient Strategy to Fill Your Mastermind in 2026 ellieswift.com/training

Connect with Ellie on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elliehswift

Subscribe to Inside The Mastermind Newsletter: https://ellieswift.com/newsletter

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elliehswift

Keen to work together?

1. Sell Out Your Mastermind: The Mastermind Model - https://ellieswift.com/model
2. Be Coached By Ellie to $500k+ : The Scalable Freedom Mastermind - https://ellieswift.com/scalablefreedom