In this episode of Beyond the Systems podcast, I chat with Bridget James Ling, the Freedom Queen and queen of million dollar movements. Having attended her Freedom Queen Live event in November 2024, I was excited to dive deeper into what makes a movement truly work and how Bridget has built hers.
Bridget shares her journey from quitting her New York City job in 2020 and booking a one-way ticket to Costa Rica, to building a multimillion-dollar business centered around community. We explore the fundamental difference between a coaching business and a movement—where a movement has "a soul of its own" and creates a self-compounding mechanism that brings people together toward one shared vision.
We also discuss:
- How Taylor Swift has created a movement (Swifties!) while other talented artists may just have businesses
- Why in-person events like Freedom Queen Live create deeper connections and transformational results for attendees
- The exciting updates for Freedom Queen Live 2025 (November 20-23), including specialized sessions focused on ads, funnels, and even a new "Freedom King" session for men
- Bridget's business systems approach: balancing "passive channels" (like email sequences and podcast content) with "active channels" (live programs)
- How Bridget's simple, templated systems allow her to launch programs in just 20 minutes that would take others weeks
What struck me most was Bridget's emphasis on building community and belonging. As she puts it: "When someone feels like they belong, they're never going to leave. And when someone feels like they belong and they're seen and heard, they can get a transformation that is far bigger than if they just bought into someone's coaching business."
If you're building an online business and want to create something that moves beyond just transactions, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about community, connection, and creating your own movement.
Resources from this episode:
More about Bridget James Ling:
Bridget James Ling, known as the "Freedom Queen", is a business mentor and community builder who helps ambitious women create businesses with both purpose and profit.
After quitting her corporate job in New York City in 2020, Bridget booked a one-way ticket to Costa Rica where she met her now-fiancé and began building her multimillion-dollar business. Drawing from her community-centered upbringing, she created Freedom Queen—a movement rather than just a coaching business—that focuses on connection, belonging, and transformation.
Beyond her business success, Bridget is passionate about helping women step into their authentic power and build movements that move people toward shared visions, rather than simply selling coaching services. Her straight-talking, no-nonsense style resonates with entrepreneurs who want to make "a disturbing amount of money" while creating meaningful impact in their communities.
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