Lighting Up the World, One Connection at a Time: A Conversation with Giovanni Marsico
By Jonathan Carroll | Editor-in-Chief, The Coaches' Chronicle
When I first met Giovanni Marsico, I felt instantly at ease. Maybe it's his signature blend of big vision and grounded presence, or maybe it's that rare mix of intention and imagination he brings into every room he enters. Giovanni is the founder of Archangel and creator of DestinyFest, two of the most beloved gatherings for mission-driven entrepreneurs. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about purpose, play, belief, and what it means to truly belong. From producing teen dance parties to earning Emmys, this man lives his mission, and if you've ever felt like an underdog with a dream, his words might just shift something in you.
From Teen Dance Parties to Big Dreams
Jonathan: Is it true your nickname is Angel? How did that come about?
Giovanni: Yes! When I was 16, my best friend and I started throwing teen dance parties in Toronto, safe, alcohol- and drug-free alternatives to the rave scene. I was producing these events, never drank, never did drugs, and people started calling me "Johnny Angel." It stuck as my DJ name.
Jonathan: You've set some massive goals: 1 million attendees, 1 million books sold, even a Nobel Peace Prize. What inner shift allowed you to believe in that scale?
Giovanni: I've always loved the challenge of "impossible" goals. It started with people telling me I couldn't do things, and I just kept proving them wrong. Now, the goals are less about achievement and more about who I become in pursuit of them. That's where the real transformation is.
Finding Purpose Through Play
Jonathan: You’ve said it’s not about accolades, but about doing work that deserves them. What does that work look like day-to-day for you?
Giovanni: I live by this quote I heard from Naval Ravikant: “Find something that feels like play to you and looks like work to everyone else.” For me, it’s bringing people together. That’s been my play since I was 16. It doesn’t feel like work. It feels like purpose.
Jonathan: So what do you think stops most people from accessing that flow or creative zone?
Giovanni: It gets programmed out of us. School trains us for security, not curiosity. But with AI and technology shifting things, we’re being given a window to rediscover what makes us uniquely human: our imagination, our creativity, and our ability to connect.
The Truth About Human Connection
Jonathan: You’ve called connection your greatest gift. What’s the deepest truth you’ve learned about human connection?
Giovanni: That we’re already connected. The illusion of separation is taught. I believe we all come from the same source: God, universe, love, whatever language you choose. My work is about helping people remember that truth.
Jonathan: After welcoming over 250,000 people to your events, what surprised you the most about hosting that many purpose-driven souls?
Giovanni: I used to think people came for content, but what they truly come for is connection with others who think like them. When curation is intentional, even thousands of people can create magic together.
Customized Experiences and Shared Futures
Jonathan: Your Top Secret events are completely customized. What inspired you to redesign the mastermind experience?
Giovanni: I can’t sit in conference rooms listening to speakers all day. It doesn’t light me up. I thought, what if I built the event I’d die to attend? So I curate the whole thing, down to the minute, based on each attendee’s desires, goals, and energy. It’s like writing a personal movie script for every guest.
Jonathan: You’ve described your secret sauce as matching people based on shared futures, not just shared pasts. Can you elaborate?
Giovanni: Yes! When people say “we have so much in common,” they usually mean the past. But I’m interested in people with a future in common. My gift is sensing that before it’s obvious and helping create collisions that spark new possibilities.
The Inspiration
"I can't sit in conference rooms listening to speakers all day. It doesn't light me up. I thought, what if I built the event I'd die to attend?"
The Customization
"I curate the whole thing, down to the minute, based on each attendee's desires, goals, and energy."
The Experience
"It's like writing a personal movie script for every guest."
The Secret Sauce
"My gift is sensing shared futures before it's obvious and helping create collisions that spark new possibilities."
Events as Episodic TV Shows
Jonathan: You’ve said great events are like episodic TV shows. What do you mean by that?
Giovanni: Think of a show that leaves you hanging at the end of every episode and you can’t wait for the next one. I do the same with events. I design for reunion. If people know something even better is coming, they stay connected and want to return.
Jonathan: You’re writing a book called Don’t Quit Your Daydream. How do you plan to reach 1 million readers in an unconventional way?
Giovanni: I don’t have a massive following, which is what excites me. I’m reverse-engineering what it takes, studying launches like Mel Robbins’, and I’m sharing the process publicly. It’s not just about selling a book. It’s about transforming a million lives.
Design for Reunion
"Think of a show that leaves you hanging at the end of every episode and you can't wait for the next one. I do the same with events."
Keep People Connected
"If people know something even better is coming, they stay connected and want to return."
Book: Don't Quit Your Daydream
Giovanni is writing a book with the goal of reaching 1 million readers in an unconventional way.
Beyond Book Sales
"It's not just about selling a book. It's about transforming a million lives."
A Message to Coaches and Spiritual Bridges
Jonathan: If you could whisper one thing to every coach on the planet, what would it be?
Giovanni: The world needs you more than ever. Step up. Most coaches feel blocked because they link their self-worth to their net worth. But confidence comes from developing your craft. Your worth is already there. You just need to build your capability.
Jonathan: You’re far more spiritual than people might realize. Do you identify as a spiritual person or do you approach things more through intuition?
Giovanni: I love hiding spiritual truth in plain sight, what I call Easter eggs. I’m the ampersand: science and spirit. My mission is to bridge those worlds, eliminate “them,” and replace it with “us.” There is no them, just we.
The World Needs You
"The world needs you more than ever. Step up."
Worth vs. Capability
"Most coaches feel blocked because they link their self-worth to their net worth. But confidence comes from developing your craft."
Bridging Worlds
"I love hiding spiritual truth in plain sight, what I call Easter eggs. I'm the ampersand: science and spirit."
Eliminating "Them"
"My mission is to bridge those worlds, eliminate 'them,' and replace it with 'us.' There is no them, just we."
Reimagining Anxiety as Imagination
One of my favourite parts of this conversation was Giovanni’s reminder that we haven’t stopped imagining, we just started calling it anxiety. That perspective alone could change how we relate to our fears. Giovanni’s clarity, creativity, and deep commitment to connection is contagious. If you’ve been holding back from your mission, this is your invitation to dream bigger and begin now. Because, as Gio reminds us, the world needs you more than ever.
Watch the full interview with Jonathan Carroll and Giovanni Marsico below (40 min).
About the Author, Jonathan Carroll
Jonathan Carroll is a visionary leader, masterful facilitator, coach, mentor, retreat host, author, and the Editor-In-Chief of The Coaches’ Chronicle, a premier publication for conscious, heart-centered coaches, healers, and visionary leaders. With decades of experience guiding transformational leaders toward authentic alignment and full expression, Jonathan curates The Coaches’ Chronicle to be more than just a magazine. It is a movement, amplifying the voices of those redefining success through purpose, integrity, and deep inner work.
As the founder of The Dragonfly Club™, Jonathan has built a global community dedicated to conscious evolution, blending spiritual wisdom with real-world impact. His expertise in intuitive business leadership, energetic alignment, and authentic expression makes him a sought-after mentor for those ready to embrace their soul’s highest calling.
At The Coaches’ Chronicle, Jonathan continues his mission of elevating the coaching industry beyond fleeting trends, fostering a space where depth, wisdom, and transformation take center stage. Click on Jonathan's photo to follow him on Facebook.
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