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The lifeline for founders of the world’s leading studios and production companies.
Studio founders in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, and sound each building a Studio On Purpose™.
Clarity. Confidence. An ever-evolving business winning better clients, commanding higher fees, and growing on your terms.
Two paths to mastery. Live = Roundtables, accelerators, circles, Forum AI™. On-Demand = DIY, self-paced, plus full replay access.
“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn
In Forum, you keep company with the best: founders running top studios worldwide. Together we share, challenge, and grow—turning clarity into action, every single week.
Every accelerator now includes a dedicated GPT copilot to speed thinking, polish output, and strengthen client calls. Think: you, only faster and more decisive. Available in Forum Live and up.
Elite courses for studios, and production companies. Learn the latest methods in sales, lead generation, competitive pitching/RFPs, managing production/finance, working with big brands, and more.
Weekly Roundtables and Office Hours deliver straight talk, real examples, and decisions—not theory. Bring pricing, pipeline, positioning; leave with next steps. Plus Forum AI™ tools to research, iterate, and act with confidence.
Small, peer-led groups (~10) where legends and peers push you further—focused themes, real accountability, and compounding connections. Application required.
Every session lands in the Replay Library with a private podcast feed. Search, skim clips, and binge whenever, wherever.
Your journey from order-taker to expert starts here. Master the foundations of top studios—focus, positioning, qualifying, pricing, leading.
Live includes Jumpstart Copilot and Positioning Copilot GPTs.
Skip the middleman and claim your seat at the table with brands.. Speak their language and sell outcomes to build long-term, high-value accounts. Co-led by Kevin Rapp.
Live includes Brand Direct Copilot GPT.
Attract high-quality leads, without losing the human touch. Run a system that fills your pipeline consistently and authentically. Co-led by Ryan Summers.
Live includes Lead Flow Generator Copilot GPT.
Stop pitching like a peasant. Take control of the pitch process—and never again be the dreaded third bid.
Live includes Derail the Pitch Copilot GPT.
Replace the feast-or-famine cycle with sales consistency. Learn the simple system that makes biz dev feel as natural as bookkeeping. Co-led by Carolyn Hill.
Live includes Saleskeeping® Copilot GPT.
Delegate day-to-day to your team while you pilot your studio with confidence. Control your costs, monitor your projects, and keep an eye on your cash runway.
Live includes Studio Flight Deck Copilot GPT.
1. Apply to Join Forum
2. Attend an Initiation Session with Joel
3. Complete the 7-day Quick Win Sprint
4. Unlock your 14-day Forum Live trial
5. Choose your lane: On-Demand or Live
On-Demand ($995/quarter): Self-paced accelerators (incl. Jumpstart®), Replay Library + private podcast, Forum AI™, and async discussions/DMs.
Live ($1995/quarter): Everything in On-Demand plus Weekly Roundtables with Joel & special guests, Office Hours with Joel, a Quarterly Live Accelerator, and peer-led Circles. Seats are limited.
Reserve (from $12K/quarter, invite-only): Joel’s 1:1 advisory incubator; includes Live benefits plus seats for your leadership team.
For serious founders and owners, the return on investment is absurd. A simple +5% price lift on a $100K project nets $5,000; redirecting a pair of scope creep asks saves $2K–$10K in margin; landing one brand-direct client can add $50–250K+ in revenue. We price to keep access open (especially for smaller and international studios) while still delivering outsized returns.
Yes. Forum runs on a quarterly rhythm to match our accelerators. For founders ready to commit annually, reduced rates are available. Just ask about this benefit during your application.
Yes—upgrade or downgrade between On-Demand and Live any time (changes start next billing cycle). Circles require a brief application; waitlists may occur.
The free Lite tier has been retired. Free accounts can still access our Free Resources space.
Yes, three. We offer annual pricing, discounted additional partner seats for the same studio, and international adjustments for founders outside the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia. Note this on your application (or DM us) and we’ll confirm what applies.
Ambitious founders of studios & production companies in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, and sound—typically 2–40+ people, ~$300K–$20M+ revenue. (Members include names like BIEN, Cream, MAKE, Panoply, Polyester, Spillt, VERSUS, and many more.)
Reserve is Joel’s invite-only incubator for founders ready to go beyond work-for-hire and co-create ventures—IP, products, influence plays—often with Joel participating as an investor, advisor, or partner. It includes Forum Live benefits for you and your partners.
Yes. Reserve includes seats for partners. For Live, purchase additional memberships as needed (discounts apply).
Cancel any time; your access continues through the end of your current term.
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