1 March 2026

Building a $12,000,000 Business for a Stranger in 25 Minutes: A Summary

In a recent video, Alex Hormozi, founder of acquisition.com, takes on the challenge of helping Joel McDonald, the founder of Just Get Out of Town (Joot), scale his travel coaching business. The video, titled "Building a $12,000,000 Business for a Stranger in 25 Minutes," dives deep into the intricacies of Joel's business model and the strategies that can be employed to enhance its growth.

Who is Joel McDonald?

Joel McDonald runs a coaching and course business that teaches people how to maximize their travel experiences using credit cards. His unique approach, termed "travel hedging," allows travelers to stretch their vacation budgets significantly further than traditional travel hacking methods. Joel's target audience primarily consists of retirees, empty nesters, and business owners, and he aims to help them turn everyday expenses into memorable vacations.

Current Business Landscape

As of now, Joel's business generates an average of $6.4 million annually with a profit margin of about 30%. However, he faces several challenges, including a heavy reliance on a single advertising channel (Meta), which accounts for 85% of his customer acquisition. This dependency poses a risk, as any changes to the platform could severely impact his business.

Joel's goal is to diversify his advertising channels, increase his customer base by 10,000 clients in the next year, and donate $1 million through partnerships with charities. He currently has around 12,000 clients, with most of his sales coming from a book funnel.

Key Challenges Identified

1. Single Channel Advertising: Joel's business is heavily reliant on Meta for customer acquisition, which limits growth potential.
2. Skepticism in the Industry: Many potential customers associate travel coaching with travel hacking, which can lead to skepticism about the value of the service.
3. Creative Limitations: The current advertising creative is not engaging enough to attract a broader audience.

Actionable Steps and Key Takeaways

Hormozi outlines several strategies to help Joel overcome these challenges and scale his business:

1. Diversify Advertising Channels: Explore new platforms and methods for customer acquisition to reduce reliance on Meta.
2. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage satisfied customers to share their travel experiences, which can be used as authentic marketing material.
3. Enhance Creative Quality: Invest in better creative content that resonates with the target audience. This includes using engaging visuals and storytelling techniques.
4. Implement Lead Scoring: Prioritize leads based on their spending habits to improve conversion rates.
5. Frontload Damaging Admissions: Address potential objections upfront during sales calls to build trust and credibility with prospects.

By focusing on these strategies, Joel can not only enhance his customer acquisition efforts but also improve the overall profitability and sustainability of his business.

In conclusion, Alex Hormozi's insights provide a roadmap for Joel McDonald to scale his travel coaching business effectively. With a clear understanding of the challenges and actionable steps outlined in the video, Joel is well-positioned to achieve his ambitious goals. If you're interested in learning more about scaling businesses, be sure to check out the full video for a deeper dive into the strategies discussed.