Let’s Talk About Why I’m Using a Challenge for This Launch
You know what’s kind of meta? I’m writing a blog post about why I’m using a challenge to launch my next intensive… while actively running that challenge.
So if you’re reading this thinking, “Wait, is Rachel trying to convince me to join something by explaining why she’s convincing me to join something?” — yeah. That’s exactly what’s happening.
And look, I could’ve just posted about it on Instagram a few times and called it a day. But I wanted to talk about this because challenges are one of the most misunderstood tools in the online business world.
People either think they’re gimmicky and salesy, or they think they’re this huge, complicated thing that requires a massive audience and a tech stack that costs more than their mortgage.
Neither of those things is true.
So I’m pulling back the curtain on why I chose to use a challenge to launch my next Society intensive, what makes a challenge actually work, and why this format might be one of the smartest moves you could make in your business this year — whether you’re launching something new, validating an idea, or just trying to get people to actually engage with your work.
And yes, at the end of this post, I’m going to invite you to join the free 5-day Challenge Creator Lab that kicks off January 26th. But I promise, even if you don’t join, you’re going to walk away understanding why challenges work, when they don’t, and what makes them different from every other launch strategy you’ve tried.
What Even Is a Challenge?
Before I talk about why I’m using a challenge for this specific launch, let’s just level-set on what a challenge even is.
Because I think a lot of people hear the word “challenge” and immediately picture something overly produced, with daily videos, workbooks, Facebook groups full of people posting selfies with their coffee, and some kind of countdown timer ticking toward a big launch.
And sure, that’s one version of a challenge. But that’s not the only version, and honestly, it’s not even the best version for most businesses.
At its core, a challenge is just a short, focused experience where you help people make progress on a specific outcome. That’s it.
It’s usually 3 to 5 days. It’s usually free or low cost. And the goal is to give people a taste of what it’s like to work with you while helping them solve a real problem or gain real clarity on something they’ve been stuck on.
Why Challenges Actually Work
The reason challenges work so well is because they do a few things at once:
First, they lower the barrier to entry. Someone who’s been following you for months but hasn’t bought anything yet? A free 5-day challenge feels way less risky than a $500 course or a $2,000 intensive. They can dip their toe in, see if your teaching style resonates, and decide if they want to go deeper.
Second, challenges create momentum. When you give people a structured experience with clear daily outcomes, they actually show up. They engage. They do the work. And by the end, they feel different than they did at the start. That shift — that’s what makes people want to keep going with you.
And third, challenges give you insight. You get to see who’s engaged, what questions people are asking, what’s landing, what’s confusing. You’re basically doing live market research while also delivering value. It’s the ultimate win-win.
The Bad Rap Challenges Get
Now, here’s where challenges get a bad rap. People think they’re manipulative. They think the whole point is to give people just enough to get them hooked and then pressure them into buying something at the end.
And look, I’m not going to pretend that doesn’t happen. There are plenty of challenges out there that are basically 5-day sales pitches disguised as education.
But that’s not what a good challenge does.
A good challenge delivers real value. People should walk away with something tangible, whether they buy from you or not.
If someone goes through your challenge and thinks, “Wow, that was actually helpful. I learned something. I made progress” — even if they don’t buy — that’s a win. Because they’ll remember you. They’ll trust you. And when they’re ready, they’ll come back.
So that’s the foundation. A challenge is a short, focused, high-value experience that helps people make progress while giving you a chance to build trust and show them what it’s like to work with you.
It’s not a trick. It’s not a gimmick. It’s just smart business.
Why I Chose a Challenge for This Launch
Alright, so now let’s talk about why I chose to use a challenge for this specific launch.
Because I could’ve done a webinar. I could’ve just opened the doors to the intensive and promoted it through emails and posts. I could’ve done a workshop or a masterclass or any number of other things.
But I chose a challenge. And this is actually my second time running this exact challenge, so I’m not guessing here. I’ve already seen what happens when you run a challenge the right way.
It Shows What I’m Teaching
Here’s why it made sense for this launch: The intensive I’m launching is called The Challenge Creator System. It’s a 6-week intensive inside the Society where we help members build a strategic, aligned challenge from the ground up.
And the best way to sell a challenge-building intensive? Let people experience a challenge.
I wanted people to see what a well-structured challenge feels like. I wanted them to go through the process of clarifying an idea, refining their focus, and mapping out a clear direction.
Because when they do that work inside the free 5-day lab, they’re going to realize one of two things:
Either they’re going to think, “Okay, I’ve got this. I can take what I learned here and run with it.” Great. They got value.
Or they’re going to think, “This is helpful, but I need more support. I need someone to help me actually build this thing.” And that’s when the 6-week intensive becomes the obvious next step.
See, the challenge isn’t a teaser. It’s not a trailer for the intensive. It’s a real, standalone experience that delivers real value.
But it also naturally leads into the deeper work. And that’s the key. The challenge and the intensive are aligned. They’re not two separate things. They’re part of the same journey.
Alignment Is Everything
And this is something I see people get wrong all the time. They’ll run a challenge on one topic and then pitch an offer on a completely different topic. Or they’ll give people surface-level tips in the challenge and then expect them to pay for “the real stuff.”
But if the challenge doesn’t actually connect to the offer, people aren’t going to see the value. They’re just going to feel bait-and-switched.
So for me, the challenge had to be about challenges. And the intensive had to be the natural continuation of what we start in the challenge. That alignment is what makes this work.
It Filters the Right People In
Another reason I chose a challenge? It filters the right people in.
Not everyone who joins the challenge is going to be a good fit for the intensive. And that’s fine. In fact, that’s ideal.
Because I’d rather have 10 engaged people in the intensive who are ready to do the work than 50 people who signed up on a whim and ghost after week one.
The challenge gives people a chance to self-select. If they show up, do the work, engage in the chat, and ask questions, I know they’re serious. I know they’re the kind of person who’s going to get value from the intensive.
And if they don’t show up, or they lurk but don’t engage, that’s fine too. They’re telling me they’re not ready yet. And I’d rather know that now than after they’ve paid for something they’re not going to use.
It Creates Community and Momentum
Challenges also create a sense of momentum and community. When you have a group of people all working through the same thing at the same time, there’s energy.
People start supporting each other. They share wins. They ask questions. They realize they’re not the only ones struggling with this thing.
And that shared experience? That’s what makes people want to stay connected. That’s what makes them want to keep going.
It Removes Uncertainty
And here’s the thing — I could’ve just opened the doors to the intensive and hoped people would sign up. But without the challenge, I’d be asking people to make a decision based on a sales page and maybe a few emails.
They wouldn’t really know what it’s like to work with me. They wouldn’t have experienced my teaching style or my approach to building challenges. They’d be buying based on assumption, not experience.
The challenge removes that uncertainty.
By the time someone finishes the 5-day lab, they know exactly what they’re getting into. They know how I teach. They know what kind of support they’ll get. They know if they vibe with the community.
And that makes the decision to join the intensive so much easier.
But Why Not Just Do a Webinar?
I know what some of you might be thinking. “Rachel, this sounds like a lot of work. Why not just do a webinar? Wouldn’t that be easier?”
And sure, a webinar is less work upfront. You record one thing, you show up live for an hour, and you’re done.
But here’s the problem with webinars: Most people don’t show up live. They register, they get the replay, and then they never watch it. Or they watch the first 10 minutes and click away.
And even if they do watch the whole thing, they’re passively consuming. They’re not doing anything. They’re not engaging. They’re just listening.
Challenges Require Participation
A challenge is different. A challenge requires participation.
People have to show up. They have to do the work. And because they’re actively involved, they’re way more invested.
They’re not just hearing about the thing. They’re experiencing it.
And from a business perspective, that engagement is everything. When someone goes through your challenge and does the work, they’re already halfway to being a client.
They’ve already invested time and energy. They’ve already seen results. The decision to go deeper isn’t a big leap anymore. It’s just the next step.
So yes, a challenge is more work than a webinar. But it’s also way more effective.
And honestly, once you’ve built a challenge once, you can run it again. And again. And again. This is my second time running this exact challenge, and it’s so much easier this time around because the content already exists. I just had to update a few things and show up.
What Makes a Challenge Actually Work
Alright, so let’s talk about what makes a challenge actually work. Because I’ve seen a lot of challenges that flop. And it’s usually not because the idea was bad. It’s because the execution was off.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Your Challenge Needs a Clear, Specific Outcome
Not “learn about marketing” or “get clarity on your business.” That’s too vague.
It needs to be something like “define your challenge idea and map out the 5-day structure.” Specific. Tangible. Achievable in 5 days.
If people can’t clearly articulate what they’re going to get by the end of your challenge, they’re not going to sign up. And if they do sign up and they’re not sure what they’re working toward, they’re not going to engage.
2. Your Challenge Needs to Be Focused
This is where people mess up. They try to cram everything into 5 days. They try to teach their entire methodology.
And what ends up happening is people get overwhelmed and check out.
Your challenge should do one thing really well. That’s it. One transformation. One outcome. One clear shift.
If you try to do more than that, you’re going to lose people.
3. Your Challenge Needs to Feel Doable
If each day requires 2 hours of work, most people aren’t going to keep up. Life happens. People get busy.
If your challenge feels like a part-time job, they’re going to quit.
Keep the daily time commitment realistic. 15 to 30 minutes max. Give them one thing to do. One thing to think about. One thing to implement. That’s it.
4. Your Challenge Needs to Create Momentum
Each day should build on the one before. By day 3, people should feel like they’re making real progress. By day 5, they should feel like they’ve accomplished something meaningful.
If your challenge feels like 5 separate lessons that don’t connect, people aren’t going to see the value. The structure matters.
5. Your Challenge Needs to Naturally Lead Somewhere
Not in a pushy way. Not in a “buy my thing or you’ll fail” way. But in a way that makes the next step feel obvious.
If someone finishes your challenge and thinks, “Okay, that was helpful. Now what?” — you’ve missed an opportunity.
The challenge should answer a question and open up a new one. It should solve one problem and make people aware of the next problem they need to solve.
And that’s where the offer comes in. Not as a sales pitch. As a solution to the question your challenge created.
For example, in my Challenge Creator Lab, by the end of 5 days, people will have a clear challenge idea. They’ll know what their challenge should be about. They’ll have a sense of the structure.
But they won’t have built the whole thing yet. They won’t have mapped out all the details. They won’t have a launch plan.
And that’s by design. Because the 6-week intensive is where we do that deeper work.
The challenge gives them clarity. The intensive gives them execution. It’s not a bait and switch. It’s a natural progression.
The Bottom Line
Here’s what I want you to take away from this:
Challenges aren’t just for big launches or people with massive audiences. They’re for anyone who wants to build trust, create engagement, and give people a real experience of what it’s like to work with you.
- If you’re launching something new, a challenge is one of the best ways to validate your idea before you build the whole thing.
- If you’re trying to grow your email list, a challenge is way more effective than a static lead magnet.
- If you’re struggling to convert followers into clients, a challenge gives people a reason to engage with you instead of just scrolling past your posts.
- If you’re tired of launching into the void and hoping people will buy, a challenge creates momentum, connection, and a clear path to yes.
But here’s the thing: Most people don’t know how to build a challenge that actually works.
They either overcomplicate it or underthink it. They either try to teach everything or they don’t give enough value. They either make it too long or too short.
And then they wonder why nobody signed up or why nobody bought at the end.
Join the Challenge Creator Lab
And that’s exactly why I’m running the Challenge Creator Lab.
Because I want to help you figure out if a challenge even makes sense for your business. I want to help you define what your challenge should actually be about. I want to help you structure it in a way that feels doable and delivers real value.
And then, if you want to go deeper and actually build the whole thing, the 6-week Challenge Creator System intensive is there.
But even if you don’t join the intensive, the 5-day lab will give you clarity you didn’t have before.
Here’s What You Get:
The Challenge Creator Lab kicks off January 26th. It’s 5 days. It’s completely free.
By the end, you’ll know exactly what your challenge could and should be.
We’re doing this inside the Society community, and yes, there are prizes. Because why not make it fun?
- 🥇 1st place: Free quarter inside the Society ($297 value)
- 🥈 2nd place: $50 Amazon gift card
- 🥉 3rd place: $25 Amazon gift card
You earn points by showing up, engaging, and doing the work.
And even if you don’t win, you’re walking away with a clear challenge idea and a plan for what to do next.
This Is For You If:
- You’ve been thinking about running a challenge but don’t know where to start
- You’ve run a challenge before and it didn’t go the way you hoped
- You’re just curious about whether a challenge makes sense for your business
👉 Sign up here: cocreatorsociety.com/challenge-creator-lab
The lab starts January 26th, and I’d love to see you there.
Ready to build a challenge that actually fits your business?
Stop guessing. Start validating. Join us for 5 days of clarity, strategy, and momentum — completely free.
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