​​Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton (Create & Cultivate) on How To Sell Out a Live Event, the Future of Community, and Whether Virtual Events Are Dead

Today, Sammi sits down with Jaclyn Johnson and Marina Middleton—the
powerhouse duo behind Create & Cultivate. Long before every
brand wanted a “community,” Jaclyn and Marina built one that
actually mattered: a movement where founders, Fortune 500 leaders,
and creators came together to build what’s next. After selling the
company in 2021, Jaclyn stunned the industry when she bought it
back—this time with Marina stepping in as CEO. In this episode,
they share what it’s really like to sell and then reclaim your
life’s work, how they divide power and make decisions as
co-leaders, and the tightrope walk of balancing exclusivity at
scale. They also get candid about the future of community, what
makes people actually show up in a post-pandemic world, and whether
virtual events are officially over.  Follow Sammi on
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Explore all Create & Cultivate events like their Supper Clubs
(ATX on 3/13/2026 and LA 9/17/2026), ATX ATX Future Summit on
3/15/26 The World's Largest Festival for Women in Business 9/19/26
& 9/20/26 Here’s what Sammi covers with Jacyln and Marina:
00:00 Jaclyn and Marina’s Social Currency 02:25 The Evolution of
Create & Cultivate Events 03:22 The Importance of Providing
Value 06:05 How to Scale Intimacy  09:29 Monetization
Strategies and Balancing Accessibility and Profitability 13:55
Marina’s Secret Sauce for Pitching Brands 18:30 BTS of the Create
and Cultivate Sale 23:09 Reacquiring Create and Cultivate 25:29
Marina's Origin Story as CEO  27:04 The Secret Weapon of Being
the Face of Your Brand 33:10 How Marina and Jaclyn Lead Together
37:20 Social Currency Corner 40:33 How to Show Social Currency Some
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