#234: Look Into My Brain As I Take You Behind The Scenes Of My First LIVE Curiosity Island™ Event Hosted In A $5.5 Million Dollar Curiosity Mansion

Beyond Curious ®

Episode • Apr 8 • 1h 39m

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 passport and observe that person all day through a 4% lens, preparing to share their reflections later in a meaningful surprise ceremony.

00:32:32 - Improv Play and Emotional Discovery at Mockingbird Improv

The castaways dive into a private improv session, learning to say “Yes, and…” and embracing spontaneity. Games like “Mission Impossible Heist” and group storytelling exercises offer insight into how each person plays and shows up in the world.

00:35:08 - Mini-Golf, Bumper Cars, and Escape Rooms: Observing the 4% in Action

Fun continues with mini-golf, bumper cars, and escape rooms, all designed to create varied contexts for attendees to observe how others problem-solve, compete, and collaborate—fueling the ultimate secret mirror exercise.

00:38:19 - Secret Mirror Reveal: A Night of Letters, Tears, and Deep Appreciation

Facilitated by surprise guest Blake Fly, the secret mirror ceremony is a blindfolded, heartwarming reveal where each castaway receives a personalized letter celebrating their essence. The emotional responses underscore the depth of connection formed.

00:41:01 - Architect vs. Player: Designing Worlds for Your Best Self

Brandon introduces the life-changing concept of separating your “Player” (the doer) from your “Architect” (the designer). Attendees are guided to craft a world where their 4% thrives, using glue, scissors, and poster board to prototype their future.

00:46:08 - Wander & Wonder Walk with Custom Questions

Partners head to Sunset Cliffs with folders of 35 AI-generated questions custom-crafted for each person. The goal: catalyze introspection and mirror-worthy conversations amidst crashing waves and natural beauty.

00:48:20 - A Visit to the Naming Wizard: Alexandra Watkins’ Whimsical World

In a surprise visit, the castaways meet Alexandra Watkins—the naming expert behind "Beyond Curious." Her eccentric home, filled with flamingos, skeleton surfers, and fridge-bookshelves, becomes an embodied lesson in unapologetic world-building.

00:52:43 - Ben’s Finale Dinner: A Six-Course I Ching Culinary Journey

Chef Ben orchestrates a multi-sensory dinner inspired by the I Ching, with courses themed around fire, water, earth, and more. Laughter flows with Albie’s Tom Brady Super Bowl story and Jem Fuller’s Indian accent storytelling.

00:54:14 - Final Reflections and Custom Coins: “Worlds Embrace”

As the retreat winds down, castaways stamp their custom challenge coins with a word representing their experience. Brandon chooses “Worlds Embrace,” honoring the merging of his business and family lives—and his vision to build nourishing, intentional worlds for both.

01:01:37 - BONUS: Blake Fly’s Debrief and Time Capsule Reflection

Blake Fly initiates a surprise post-retreat call with Brandon to document immediate reflections. They touch on the surreal integration of family, community, and creativity, and the power of immersive experiences to generate lifelong clarity and momentum.

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