Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan

Let’s get this out of the way: Million Dollar Weekend is a book with a title that makes you want to roll your eyes so hard you see your past life. It sounds like one of those “I made a million dollars in two days and you can too!” bro-marketing scams we usually avoid like the plague.

But that’s not what it is. Not exactly.

In this episode of Success Through Community, we took a hard look at Noah Kagan’s book—equal parts challenge and contradiction—and walked away with a few surprising insights.
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The biggest surprise being: It’s not about actually making a million bucks in 48 hours. It’s about validating your business ideas quickly. And that? We’re on board with.

Why This Book Surprised Us (In a Good Way)

Kelly admitted she didn’t know much about Noah Kagan when she hit play on the audiobook. But as it turns out, he’s the brain behind AppSumo and was once early staff at both Facebook and Google.

But what Million Dollar Weekend really teaches is this: You can validate a business idea—heck, even test its potential to become a million-dollar one—over a weekend. Not by manifesting or “getting in alignment” (though, you know we’re here for that too), but by talking to real people and asking if they’ll actually buy what you are selling.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much.

Validation Without the Vultures

One of the standout messages for both of us was this idea: Just because you know your audience doesn’t mean you know what they want right now. We talk a lot in soul-aligned business circles about tuning in, listening deeply, and showing up with intention. But that doesn’t mean we’re mind readers. And it definitely doesn’t mean we’re off the hook from doing real market research.

And by market research, Noah doesn’t mean posting a poll on Instagram and hoping someone clicks a heart emoji. He means talking to your actual people. Asking them. Testing your idea. Seeing if anyone is willing to not just say “I’d buy it,” but actually pay for it before you build it.

Yeah… that part? We had mixed feelings.

When “Pre-Selling” Feels Gross

Noah suggests getting a commitment—and preferably payment—up front. And while we both get the logic (especially if your offer requires financial investment to produce), we couldn’t help but cringe a bit.

Why? Because we’ve been burned by hustle culture. Because “selling it before you’ve made it” can feel like writing checks your energy can’t cash. It’s easy to get caught up in urgency and overpromise when you’re still figuring things out behind the scenes. Because, like Kelly said, “a couple hours of my life might feel easy to give away, but they still have value.”

If you love what you do, it’s easy to undervalue it. Especially when it’s conceptual. Courses, coaching programs, memberships—those aren’t physical products with a per-unit cost. So we tell ourselves, “What’s the harm?” But that mindset is exactly why we burn out and under-earn.

So while we’re not fully on board with the cold DM hustle and last-minute launch energy, we do support the idea of small, intentional pre-validation. Talk to your people. Ask real questions. Gauge interest before building an offer on hope and Pinterest pins.

The Shift We Didn’t See Coming

Something interesting happened while Kelly was reflecting on this book. She realized that calling her Tech Savvy Academy a “membership” felt… off. Too impersonal. So she ditched “members” and started calling them “students.” Not because it changes the deliverables. But because it deepens the connection.

Words matter. And in a heart-lead business, language can either pull people in or keep them at arm’s length.

This wasn’t a strategy Noah taught. But reading his book made space for that realization to rise up. Sometimes, books teach us what we need to remember—not because they align perfectly, but because they don’t.

Not Everything Has to Apply to You

Kelly summed it up perfectly: You don’t have to follow anyone’s strategy to the letter. In fact, you shouldn’t. Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t. Let what irritates you illuminate what matters most to you.

If you’re a serial entrepreneur looking for your next quick win, this book is for you. If you’re a heart-led entrepreneur building something deep, lasting, and maybe slower, there’s still gold in these pages. Just sift it with care.

You’re allowed to learn from people you don’t fully agree with. Sometimes that’s where the real growth is.

And if nothing else? It might just remind you who you really are. That alone is worth the weekend.

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Episode 404: Million Dollar... May 6 · The Success Through Comm... 32:12   ​