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Why Hosting a Virtual Summit Could Be the Best Growth Move for Your Business

When it comes to growing your business, there’s no shortage of advice out there—funnels, email lists, social media strategies, collaborations—the list goes on. But one growth tool that often gets overlooked is also one of the most powerful: hosting a virtual summit.

In this episode of the Redefine Business Podcast, Brittni Schroeder sits down with Rachel Starr, a Summit and Community Strategist who has mastered the art of using summits to build thriving, profitable communities. Rachel is also the founder of CoCreator Society, a curated community for creative service providers, and the host of the annual CoCreator Growth Summit.

Together, Brittni and Rachel talk about the real work behind hosting a summit, what makes them so valuable, and why community should be at the heart of every successful business.

From Single Mom to Summit Strategist

Before she became the go-to expert for community-centered summits, Rachel’s story looked a lot like that of many entrepreneurs. About 15 years ago, she was a single mom trying to figure out how to balance motherhood and a career. She started her first business as a branding and website designer—work that matched her creative eye but didn’t quite spark her passion.

Then she discovered Circle, a platform designed for creating private, noise-free online communities.

“When I found Circle, I loved it,” Rachel shares. “It’s a space where you can show up for your people without all the distractions of social media.”

That discovery changed everything. As a former event planner, Rachel saw the potential to blend her love for bringing people together with the powerful connection-building features of Circle. The result? A business that helps entrepreneurs host online summits and cultivate communities that thrive long after the event ends.

Today, Rachel is a Circle Certified Partner, Summit Strategist, and the founder of the CoCreator Society—where she helps freelancers and creative business owners move beyond the “solo grind” and into a more connected, collaborative way of growing their businesses.

The Summit Advantage: Why They’re Worth the Work

If you’ve ever attended or hosted a summit, you know they’re a massive undertaking. Between the tech, speaker coordination, marketing, and managing attendees—it’s no small project. But Rachel says when done right, the payoff is absolutely worth it.

“A summit is a lead magnet on steroids,” she explains. “Yes, the lift is heavy, but the reward is there.”

Summits allow you to reach new audiences, position yourself as an authority, and grow your email list quickly—all while generating real revenue. They can also lead to long-term benefits like increased visibility, stronger partnerships, and community engagement that lasts long after the event wraps up.

But perhaps the biggest advantage of a summit is the opportunity to build community. When attendees can connect with one another, the event becomes more than just a learning experience—it becomes a shared moment of growth.

Why Community Is the Secret Ingredient

During their conversation, both Brittni and Rachel agreed that community is what transforms a good summit into a great one.

When business owners collaborate with others who share a similar audience, they’re not competing—they’re co-creating.

Rachel shared that one of her favorite parts of summit strategy is helping business owners build community both during and after their event. She encourages her clients to think about what happens after the summit ends—how can attendees stay connected, continue learning, and eventually become customers or members?

“The summit shouldn’t just end on the last day,” she says. “It should lead into something else—a next step, a community, a membership, or an offer that keeps the relationship going.”

In other words, the summit is just the beginning.

The First Step: Map It Out

So how do you start planning a summit? Rachel’s advice: get out a whiteboard—or her favorite, a Miro board—and start mapping.

Rachel recommends giving each day a specific focus or track, which helps both attendees and speakers stay engaged and organized. It also makes marketing the summit easier, since each day can appeal to a slightly different segment of your audience.

Once the structure is in place, she moves on to identifying potential speakers—people whose expertise fits naturally with each track—and setting the event timeline.

Timing Is Everything

One of the biggest mistakes new summit hosts make is poor timing. Rachel emphasized that the time of year can make or break your event.

Her rule of thumb? Plan your event for times of year when your audience has bandwidth to participate and engage. For most entrepreneurs, October is a sweet spot for fall summits, and mid-January tends to be perfect after the holidays, when people are refreshed and ready to invest in growth.

The Ideal Summit Timeline: Why You Need 8–9 Months

When Brittni asked Rachel how much time to plan a summit, Rachel didn’t hesitate: “At least eight months—minimum,” she said.

That may sound like a lot, but between recruiting speakers, designing the website, organizing tech, and planning marketing, every step takes time. Rachel’s own team starts working nine months before launch day.

Rushing the process often leads to unnecessary stress and missed opportunities. Plus, the best speakers are usually booked months in advance—so giving yourself plenty of runway ensures you can curate a lineup that delivers real value.

Brittni agreed, sharing that after her last summit, she and her assistant immediately started planning the next one.

What Makes a Summit Successful

Rachel believes that a great summit experience is all about intentionality—from the way it’s planned to the way it feels.

While many people focus solely on logistics, Rachel pays close attention to the attendee experience. She wants every participant to feel valued, seen, and excited to engage.

“Even though it’s virtual, I want it to feel luxurious,” she says. “Like, ‘Ooh, this is nice.’ That’s what makes people want to come back or work with you further.”

And that experience doesn’t have to end when the summit does. With the right systems and follow-up workflows, attendees can easily transition into a paid program, membership, or ongoing community.

The result? More impact, more connection, and more consistent revenue.

Rachel’s Upcoming Event: The CoCreator Growth Summit

Rachel is putting her own strategies into action with her next big event—the CoCreator Growth Summit.

The summit kicks off October 21–23, hosted entirely inside the CoCreator Society App (available for iOS and Android). Attendees can enjoy live panels, networking sessions, and pre-recorded expert presentations—all from the convenience of their phones.

There’s even a scavenger hunt with big prizes, replacing the typical summit “bingo” with something more fun and interactive.

If you’re ready to grow your business alongside other creative entrepreneurs, you can grab your free ticket here.

About Rachel Starr

Rachel Starr is the founder of CoCreator Society, a curated community where creative service providers connect, collaborate, and land the right clients at the right rates. She’s also the host of the annual CoCreator Growth Summit, a virtual event designed to help creators scale their businesses through smart strategies, powerful connections, and a dose of collaboration magic.

As a Circle Certified Partner and Summit Strategist, Rachel has spent more than 20 years helping creators build communities and businesses that actually work for people. She’s also the host of the podcast Your Community Strategist, where she shares practical insights and behind-the-scenes strategies for building sustainable, human-centered communities.

When she’s not designing new ways for creators to shine, you’ll find her caffeinating enthusiastically, skiing down mountains, or wrangling her two teenagers.

Find Rachel online:
🌐 rachelbusinesscoach.com
🌐 cocreatorsociety.com
📱 Instagram: @yourcommunitystrategist
🎁 Grab Rachel’s Freebie: Challenge Creator Starter Kit