This is one of the biggest strategic decisions you'll make as a coach: do you build an evergreen funnel that runs 24/7, or do you focus on live events, launches, and cohorts? The answer depends on where you are in your business — and the honest truth is, you'll probably need both eventually.
Evergreen Funnels: The "Always On" Revenue Machine
An evergreen funnel is a sales system that runs continuously without you actively launching. Someone can discover you on a Tuesday at 2am, go through your funnel, and buy your offer — all while you're sleeping.
My evergreen funnel:
- Facebook/Instagram ad → $4.95 class
- Class delivers massive value → introduces WCA membership
- Automated email sequence nurtures for 7-14 days
- Membership offer with clear CTA
This runs every single day. I wake up to new members regularly. That's the power of an evergreen system.
Evergreen pros:
- Revenue happens 24/7 without active launches
- Scalable — add more ad spend to grow
- Predictable once optimized
- Less emotionally exhausting than constant launching
Evergreen cons:
- Takes time and testing to optimize (expect 2-3 months)
- Requires ad budget to drive traffic
- Less urgency than live events (can mean lower conversion rates initially)
- Content needs regular refreshing
Live Events: The "Energy Burst" Revenue Model
Live launches, webinars, challenges, and cohort openings create concentrated bursts of revenue. The energy and urgency of "this is happening NOW" drives higher conversion rates than evergreen alone.
Live event formats that work in 2026:
- Live webinars: 60-90 minute teaching sessions that end with an offer
- 5-day challenges: Free challenge building momentum toward paid offer
- Cohort launches: Open enrollment periods with clear start dates
- Virtual summits: Multi-speaker events with all-access pass upsell
Live event pros:
- Higher conversion rates due to real-time urgency
- Build incredible community energy and momentum
- Cheaper to test (no ongoing ad spend between launches)
- Create social proof in real-time
Live event cons:
- Revenue is lumpy (feast-or-famine)
- Emotionally exhausting to launch repeatedly
- Between launches, no revenue is coming in
- Burnout risk is real if you're launching every 6-8 weeks
Which One Should You Choose?
Making $0-$5K/month: Start with live events. You need the energy, urgency, and direct feedback that live launches provide. Plus, you don't need an ad budget — you can launch to your existing audience.
Making $5K-$15K/month: Build your evergreen funnel while doing quarterly live launches. The evergreen provides baseline revenue; the live launches create spikes.
Making $15K+/month: Your evergreen should be your primary revenue driver. Live events become growth accelerators rather than survival necessities.
Read the full evergreen funnel blueprint for the exact system I use.
The Hybrid Approach (What I Actually Do)
In practice, I run both. Evergreen funnel runs 365 days a year. Live events happen 3-4 times annually for major pushes.
The live events feed the evergreen by creating content, testimonials, and case studies that improve the automated system. The evergreen provides consistent baseline revenue between live pushes. They complement each other perfectly.
Build Your Revenue System
The best time to build your funnel was last year. The second best time is today. Whether you start with live events or jump straight to evergreen, the key is building a SYSTEM that generates revenue — not just hustling for one-off sales.
Inside Wealthy Coach Academy, I walk you through building both evergreen funnels and live launch strategies. We build YOUR system together in live weekly coaching. $197/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to set up an evergreen funnel?
Initial setup: $200-$500 for tech tools (landing page builder, email service). Ongoing: $500-$2,000/month in ad spend during testing. Once optimized, scale ad spend as revenue allows. Total break-even typically within 60-90 days.
How often should I do live launches?
3-4 times per year is sustainable for most coaches. More than that risks burnout. Less than that loses the momentum benefit. Time them around natural energy peaks (New Year, September back-to-school, etc.).
Can I start with just evergreen and skip live events?
Technically yes, but I don't recommend it. Live events generate the testimonials, case studies, and audience data that make your evergreen funnel work better. Start live, then build evergreen from the learnings.
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About Jeremiah Krakowski
Jeremiah Krakowski is a coaching business mentor who helps coaches, course creators, and consultants scale from $3k/mo to $40k+/mo using direct response marketing, AI systems, and proven frameworks. He runs Wealthy Coach Academy and has 23+ years of experience in digital marketing. Learn more →