Before the Launch with Brenna McGowan

It's summertime, which means I'm taking a little break from recording new episodes. As an '80s kid, I grew up looking forward to reruns of my favorite TV shows, so I thought we'd do the same thing here on the podcast. Throughout July, I'm bringing back some of the most downloaded episodes from the show. Whether you're listening for the first time or giving this episode another spin, I hope you hea...

I've made a big decision in my business: After nine cohorts, I'm transitioning the Pre-Launch Plan Program from a cohort-based program to an evergreen offer. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on why I'm making the change, what I'm gaining, what I'm giving up, and the questions you should ask yourself if you're deciding between a cohort model and an evergreen program.  In this epis...

Every June, I start thinking I hate my marketing. Then I remember it’s not my business—it’s summer. In this episode, I’m sharing the pattern I’ve noticed over the last few years and the questions I ask myself whenever summer rolls around. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, or simply craving more time away from your screen, this conversation will help you simplify your marketing without sac...

Have you ever created something in your business that some clients absolutely love while others aren't quite as enthusiastic? In this episode, I'm sharing my complicated relationship with one of the most-used tools inside the Pre-Launch Plan program and the reasons why I have a love-hate relationship with it. Today we’re talking about: Why I created the Pre-Launch Plan master calendar How students...

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the systems, workflows, and SOPs that help me prepare every launch inside my business. From updating sales pages and affiliate dashboards to organizing email automations and onboarding experiences, I'm sharing the exact backend process that keeps launches running smoothly. In This Episode You'll Learn: The launch assets I update before every promoti...

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the systems, admin tasks, onboarding processes, and team support that keep my launches running smoothly. From payment tracking and onboarding emails to private podcasts and implementation weeks, I’m sharing the surprisingly unglamorous — but incredibly important — details that make a group program work. Inside this episode, we talk about: The three...

I’m doing something that I’ve never really done before in my business: saying NO.  Why am I telling you about it? Because I think this conversation will help you understand why your dream collaborators may not be saying yes, even when your event or opportunity is genuinely good. If you’ve ever wanted more podcast interviews, bigger partnerships, or stronger visibility opportunities, this epis...

I recently wrapped a launch that brought in a 94% increase in sales compared to my previous one, and I made one simple change that I think made a massive difference. In this episode, I’m breaking down the fast-action bonus strategy I tested for the first time, why it worked so well, and how it created urgency without making people feel pressured into buying.   If you’ve been wondering ho...

How should you approach a pre-launch if you’re selling something on evergreen? That’s what I’m breaking down in this episode!  Listen in to find out: Why most people are not ready to buy the first time they see your offer What to do with the people who say “not yet” in your funnel How pre-launch principles work inside evergreen marketing Why you should still do a “launch” even if you’re selli...

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about why pre-launch works so well—and honestly, it’s not just about strategy or content.  It comes down to something much simpler (and more human): autonomy. In this episode, I’m breaking down why giving your audience space to make their own decisions actually leads to more sales, better clients, and way less stress in your launches. Inside this episode: Why...

If you’ve ever been in the middle of a pre-launch and thought, “Is anyone even paying attention?” — this episode is for you.  I’m sharing why quiet doesn’t mean your launch isn’t working, and what’s actually happening behind the scenes when your audience isn’t engaging. Hint: Your best buyers might be the ones saying nothing at all. In this episode, I cover: Why 70–90% of buyers are “silent l...

If you’ve ever launched something and thought, “Why aren’t more people buying?”— this episode is going to hit home. I’m breaking down the real reason your audience might be engaging with everything you post, but still not converting.  Spoiler: it’s probably not your sales page. We’re talking about the 3 beliefs every buyer needs before they say yes — and why most people are trying to build th...

I want to talk about one of the most overlooked (but powerful) parts of your pre-launch strategy: your why . In this episode, I’m breaking down why your story matters so much before you sell — and how to use it in a way that builds trust, creates connection, and makes people want to buy without feeling like you’re convincing them. In this episode, I cover: Why your “why” is essential in your pre-l...

I got a listener question that hits on something so many people overthink: when should you actually run your launch event? In this episode, I’m walking through how to decide between list-building events, pre-launch content, and your actual launch timing (without defaulting to a one-size-fits-all strategy). Because the truth is, your audience (and how ready they are to buy) should be driving your d...

Sometimes I hear: “People aren’t buying high-ticket offers anymore.” So naturally, the response is to create something new – or cheaper. But what if that’s not actually the problem? In this episode, I’m breaking down why your offer likely isn’t the issue, and what to focus on instead if you want more sales without adding more complexity. In this episode, I share: Why lowering your price doesn’t ma...

What should your next business investment be?  In this episode, I’m breaking down how to decide what to invest in next without falling into the cycle of buying things that don’t actually move your business forward. We’re getting real about what actually drives growth –  and what just keeps you busy. In this episode, we cover: The difference between needing information vs. needing impleme...

In this episode, I chat with Paddy Johnson the founder of Network—a membership for mid-career visual artists—to talk about what happened when she added a pre-launch strategy to her marketing. At the time, Paddy’s business was facing a serious slowdown. Revenue had dropped by nearly 50%, launches weren’t performing the same way they once had, and buyer hesitancy was showing up everywhere. But after...

In this episode, I’m joined by Tess Masters, author of The Blender Girl cookbooks and founder of the Skinny 60 program. We talk about messaging, pre-launch planning, and the surprising mindset shifts that helped her double webinar conversions and create her best launch in 4 years while spending less on ads! In this episode we cover: The most important part of your next launch The power of a pre-la...

What’s the actual difference between your everyday marketing, the content you should be creating before a launch, and your actual launch content.  In this episode, I break down the three phases of marketing — regular marketing, consideration (pre-launch), and launch — and why skipping the middle stage is the reason so many launches underperform and don’t reach goals.  Inside this episode...

When should you launch after hosting a summit or big list-building event? In this episode, I’m breaking down how I think about launch timing — and why I don’t sell directly off the back of my summit. I walk you through the phases of launching (including what I call the “pre-pre-launch” phase) and how to decide what makes sense for your audience. Because just because you can launch right away doesn...

I’m pulling back the curtain on what it really looks like to host a summit. In this episode, I’m sharing the parts I love (hello, list growth and collaboration energy) and the parts I don’t love (spoiler: it’s a lot of work). If you’ve ever wondered whether a summit is worth it—or you’re romanticizing the idea a little bit—this episode will give you the full picture. Here’s what we’re diving into:...

I get asked all the time about summits. “Should I host one?” “Should it be video or audio” “Are they still even worth it?” In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on Behind the Launch , my audio-first Voxer summit, and giving you the real talk on why I created it, what I did differently, and what I learned the hard way. This is part one of a two-part deep dive where I break down what works,...

In this episode, I’m sharing a major realization that’s reshaping how I (and my clients) approach launches in 2026. And that’s getting people in the room with you. From real-time coaching to live connection, there’s no better way to build trust in this skeptical buyer climate. I’ll walk you through what this can look like (spoiler: it doesn’t need to be complicated or perfectly scripted) and how y...

This week, we’re breaking down more launch trends for online businesses, and the great news is that “simplicity” is a common theme! The people getting the best results right now aren’t the ones adding more funnel steps, more platforms, or more emails. So what are they doing? In this episode, we’re unpacking: The “simpler than you think” launch setups that are converting right now (and why the extr...

My 2026 Launch Predictions (Part 1) In this episode, I’m sharing my top 5 launch predictions for 2026 based on 20+ behind-the-scenes conversations I recorded for Behind the Launch . This is Part 1 — and it’s basically a shortcut to what I think you should tweak before your next launch so you’re not relying on outdated strategies (or random marketing advice from 2020). In this episode, I’m breaking...