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.

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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 Love

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3202 - Beth Stelling