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April 8, 2025 99 mins

I feel…

Full. Whole. Grateful. Awe. Inspired. Excited. Elevated. Loved. Seen.

Why?

March 12th - 16th I was with some of my favorite humans on the planet during the first LIVE Curiosity Island™ event.

For those that may not be familiar, Curiosity Island™ is an invite-only community that is comprised of many of the podcast guests you hear on the show.

My website is in need of a major update on describing Curiosity Island, but you can check it out here for deets.

Anywho…

I spent ~2 months designing this experience, and it felt like a true masterpiece the way it unfolded.

The only thing attendees were told was:

“Show up and on the agenda is magic.”

Behind the scenes, I was weaving together that involved…

  • A private chef cooking in our “Curiosity Mansion” (a $5.5 million dollar home we rented as the venue)
  • A twist on secret santa that I called “Secret Mirror”
  • An improv class, mini golf, bumper cars, escape rooms
  • Weaving together the “superpowers” (we call it the 4% on the island) of attendees into the event
  • A surprise visit to a friend’s house that turned her place into essentially a magical Willy Wonka museum

… and SO much more.

It’s essentially the event I’ve always dreamed of having… that didn’t exist… so I created it.

Today’s episode is a FULL breakdown of what happened, and a “peek into my brain” as to how I designed this wild thing.

Enjoy 🙂

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!

00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, the Castaways of Curiosity Island Live in San Diego

Brandon Fong opens the episode with overflowing gratitude and joy, fresh off the first-ever in-person gathering of the Curiosity Island community. He introduces this behind-the-scenes solo recap to unpack the magic, community design insights, and personal takeaways from the event.

00:04:20 - Setting the Foundation: Citizenship, Passports, and the 4% Framework

Brandon lays down the foundational concepts of Curiosity Island, including the metaphor of earning citizenship and the deeply personal "Find Your Four Percent" framework—a fractal breakdown of actions, environments, and beliefs that yield disproportionate results in life.

00:13:20 - Beach Arrival and Gem Fuller’s Grounding Ritual

The castaways meet for the first time on a San Diego beach. Jem Fuller, a seasoned facilitator, leads a grounding eye-gazing ritual where attendees exchange the words “I see you. I let you see me. You are safe,” fostering psychological safety and connection right from the start.

00:19:05 - Curiosity Island Customs: Passport Control & Leah + Kya's Special Role

At the mansion entrance, attendees pass through a custom "Curiosity Island Customs & Border Patrol" station where Brandon’s wife, Leah, and 17-month-old daughter, Kya, greet them and stamp their passports. A QR code leads to a custom welcome video and sets the stage for a magical weekend.

00:24:04 - Cooking a Story: Five-Course Collaborative Dinner

Brandon introduces Ben Gorelick, the community's live-in chef, who organizes a five-course meal that everyone cooks together in pairs. This shared culinary journey becomes a powerful bonding and storytelling experience, with laughter, minor chaos, and intentional pairings.

00:28:08 - The Mirror Mystery: Secret Santa with a Reflective Twist

Day two begins with a twist on Secret Santa called “Secret Mirror.” Participants draw someone else’s...

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