Jeremy, along with Aaron Wall and a couple others, has put together something called the “Elite Retreat.” Dave Taylor (one of the organizers) wrote a bit about the why of the conference:
Between Lee, Jeremy, Aaron, Andrea and myself, I bet that the average size of an event we attend is about 150 people. I know that with the dozen odd events I have attended this year, I’ve frequently been overwhelmed by the size of the group attending. 200? 300? 400 people? Yup. Done that. Even as a speaker it’s tough to stand out, to meet and talk with all the people you want to meet, and to have the discussions needed to really mind-meld and learn from each other…
…I’m absolutely convinced that small groups of like-minded entrepreneurs are the very best type of event to attend for solid hands-on information and the ability to take the leap with your business to the next level, whether it be of traffic, exposure, fame or revenues.
It sounds like a great idea and certainly something I’d agree could provide incredible value. Small-knit groups will undoubtedly provide the individual attention that many folks don’t get at the larger conferences, but naturally, this comes at a price. The two day workshop is $4,850 – several times the price of Pubcon, SES or AdTech (details here). Apparently, they’re only accepting 35 members and to help make it more exclusive, you can also buy VIP status for $500, giving you access to a dinner with the organizers the night before.
I have to admit, this isn’t really my style. That said, as a business model, I respect it. I’m even a bit envious. And, from an attendee perspective, I’d be willing to bet that the two days are, unequivocally, worth the $4,850. I know firsthand that Aaron and Jeremy, individually, will out-earn SEOmoz (the entire company) by 2-3X this year. They’re managing this on the strength of their website monetization strategies, which go far beyond the world of organic listings and client consulting.
If anyone goes, please do drop us a line and share your experiences.
