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Matt Stone in studio for Iconic Conversations
A different kind of room

Iconic Conversations.

With Matt Stone

Once a month. Twenty seats. Ninety minutes with someone making the shift from operator to icon — and a working room of founders ready to do something with what was said.

Next Session Thu, May 28, 2026
Time 12:00–1:30 PM ET
Venue Zoom
Seats 20, by application
Apply for a seat Applications close Mon, May 25
The Premise

Less noise.
More room.

Founders and operators keep telling me the same thing. They're tired. Not of the work. Of the noise around it. They want to reach the people who actually matter to them. They want to deliver something valuable. They want connection that doesn't require posting through a content treadmill.

The options usually feel binary: contribute to the noise, or sit it out.

Iconic Conversations is the third option. A real room, a real conversation, a real working session — built for the people doing the work, not the people performing it.

What Happens

Ninety minutes.
Three movements.

01

The Conversation

A single in-depth interview with one guest who is actively making the shift from operator to icon. Not a panel. Not a Q&A. A real conversation, on the record.

02

The Breakouts

Structured small-group rooms where we actually do something with what was just said — apply it, pressure-test it, translate it to your own work.

03

The Room

Twenty-one people, including me. Approved in advance. Camera on. Phones away. The whole point is the people you'd want next to you in a room like this.

M. Shannon Hernandez
May 28 · The First Conversation

M. Shannon
Hernandez

The messaging strategist for businesses whose work is stronger than their marketing.

Shannon is the messaging strategist experienced business owners turn to when their marketing is no longer working — even though their work is strong. She helps them create messaging that makes the right clients instantly recognize themselves in what they do, so they can attract better-fit buyers, shorten sales cycles, and stop relying on constant visibility and content to generate demand.

As the creator of the Profit-Driven Messaging Ecosystem™ and author of Practical Joy, she helps businesses right-size and rebuild in a way that is both sustainable and deeply aligned through her JoyFueled™ Business Growth approach.

Featured in: CBS · ABC · Forbes · Psychology Today · NBC
Who This Is For

Built for a specific kind of operator.

Seats are approved one by one. The room is small on purpose, and curated so the conversations during breakouts are worth the time.

  1. Founders & Co-Founders

    Building companies past the early operator phase, ready to step into a more recognizable role in their category.

  2. CEOs & Senior Executives

    Leading companies through transitions — M&A, succession, hypergrowth, or a public-facing identity shift.

  3. Chiefs of Staff & Executive Partners

    Directly supporting a founder or CEO and shaping how they show up in the market.

  4. Marketing & PR Professionals

    Whose work centers on founders or senior leaders, and who want a sharper read on how authority actually gets built.

Your Host
The difference between an operator and an icon isn't talent or vision. It's the ability to make other people feel what you already know. This room is where that work gets done.
Matt Stone · Founder, The Bigger Stage
Apply

Twenty seats.
One conversation that matters.

Registration is by approval. We'll review your submission and email you within two business days to confirm your spot. The Zoom link goes only to approved registrants.

Applications close Mon, May 25
Apply for a seat Opens in a new tab · Takes about two minutes · Questions? Email Matt