138: How collaborations helped me grow my business without social media

In this episode, Jules White is joined by virtual summit strategist and coach Julie C Butler, who helps women entrepreneurs grow their email lists, visibility, and income through summits, bundles, and collaborations - without relying on social media or paid ads. Jules and Julie explore how collaborating with others can be one of the most powerful (and underrated) ways to grow your business. Whether you are ready to host your own event or simply want to start getting in front of other people's audiences, this conversation is full of practical insight and genuine inspiration. **Key Takeaways:** **What a virtual summit actually is:** Julie explains how a virtual summit works - a free, multi-day event where guest speakers contribute pre-recorded trainings, and in return share it with their own audiences. You get in front of new people without paid ads or social media. **Summits vs bundles:** Understand the difference between the two formats and how each can help you grow your email list. Bundles can be a lower-lift starting point, while summits offer significant authority-building opportunities. **You do not need a big audience to get started:** Even contributors with no email list at all can participate and begin building visibility. The value you bring matters more than your numbers. **The relationship-building power of collaboration:** Every event you are part of - whether as host or contributor - builds genuine connections with other business owners. Jules shares how a member of the Website Growth Club found her through a bundle two years before joining, and how those long-tail relationships quietly compound over time. **Why collaborations work for local businesses too:** Julie shares how even location-based service businesses can benefit, both for attracting clients and for building referral partnerships with other local business owners. **Authority and online visibility:** Being featured as a speaker or host across event pages, sign-up pages, and community spaces builds your authority and creates backlinks - increasingly valuable as AI search evolves. **Community outside of social media:** Jules and Julie discuss why intentional online communities - such as Julie's Skool group - offer the kind of genuine connection and focused engagement that social media never quite delivers. **Resources mentioned in this episode:** - Join Julie's Event and Collab Growth Co community on Skool - Get Julie's free AI Assistant to help you decide whether a summit or bundle is right for your business - Join Jules' Website Growth Club If you have been wondering how to grow your business and visibility without relying on social media or paid ads, this episode will open your eyes to the possibilities that collaboration can bring. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Ever feel like your business should be easier to find on Google & in AI search? You’re not imagining it - most local businesses already have a Google Business Profile, but it’s sitting there, half-filled and hidden. That means people searching for your exact services might be finding your competitors instead. The good news is you don’t need to spend hours posting on social media to fix it. A few intentional updates to your Google Business Profile can make a big difference in how often you show up in Maps and local searches. That’s where my Local Google Visibility Checklist comes in. It gives you a clear, practical list of things to review and update - all the small changes that help Google trust your business and make it easier for nearby clients to find and book you. It’s free, simple to follow, and designed for local businesses who want to grow in a sustainable way (without having to rely on social media). Download your free checklist now https://thewebsitesuccesshub.com/google-profile-checklist