Shows
Build With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Design Problems Blocking Your Membership GrowthThis week I’m sharing the 3 problems that show up right before you scaleIf growth has plateaued and selling feels harder than it should, engagement is inconsistent, or you’re feeling burned out because everything depends on you, these are not marketing or motivation problems. They’re design problems. I walk through how stalled growth is usually tied to member progress, why engagement drops when there’s no clear path forward, and how burnout shows up when the system relies too heavily on the founder.Whether you’re just getting started or running a large, est...
2026-01-3009 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe 3 Components Of A Sticky MembershipIn this episode, I’m breaking down the three core components every sticky membership needs in 2026. By sticky, I mean the kind of membership people naturally return to again and again because it feels like part of their routine.I’m sharing what I’m seeing across dozens of membership strategy sessions at Affinity, and why personalization, quick time to value, and human connection are the real drivers of engagement and retention right now. We talk about why onboarding matters more than ever, how to design for fast wins without overwhelming your members, and what it looks like t...
2026-01-2411 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessPodfest Recap + The Community Opportunity For PodcastersPodcasting is one of the most powerful relationship-building tools we have. Listeners feel deeply connected to hosts, but the relationship is still mostly one-to-many. In this episode, I talk about the opportunity podcasters are missing when they stop at downloads and ads, and why community and membership models can turn listeners into connected, supported groups working toward shared goals.I also share why so many podcast memberships fall flat, what makes a transformational membership different from bonus content or a Patreon-style model, and how podcasters can create recurring revenue and deeper impact without burning themselves out or...
2026-01-1808 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven Business2026 Membership PredictionsEvery year, my predictions issue is one of the most shared pieces I publish, and this year I wanted to bring it to the podcast with more context, examples, and real-world nuance. In this episode, I break down my five predictions for how memberships, programs, and community-driven businesses need to evolve in 2026. I talk about why shorter, more personalized programs are replacing long courses, why unique frameworks matter more than ever in an AI-heavy world, why innovation is no longer optional, and why retention and trust are the real growth levers moving forward. I also dig into...
2026-01-0815 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessUse The IKEA Effect To Scale Your CommunityI was reminded this week of one of my favorite cognitive biases: the IKEA effect. It’s the idea that we place a disproportionately high value on anything we helped create. And in community, this explains everything. When your members shape the programming, contribute ideas, share feedback, or help build the experience, they stay longer. They feel ownership& they feel belonging. And those two things drive retention more than any piece of content ever will.In this episode, I break down how the IKEA effect shows up inside community products, why co-creation is the ultimate retention strategy, an...
2025-12-2307 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessWhy Rituals Matter in MembershipsIn this episode, I’m diving into the idea of your membership becoming a true third space for your people. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the concept to describe the places we gather outside of home and work. Today, community builders have the opportunity to create those spaces online and in-person. I share a personal story about a Denver dive bar that became my own third place, plus an example from my friend Ellen Frost, whose members start their day with “bloom scrolling.” We talk through why some members naturally log in every day, how to identify those daily active users...
2025-12-1707 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Two Types Of MembershipsI have been seeing the same pattern across so many memberships this year. Community builders are trying to offer everything at once and accidentally blend two very different product types. It always leads to overwhelm, both for the members and the people running the program. In this episode, I break down the two core membership models I see most often, how to tell which one you are actually building, and why mixing them almost always creates retention and engagement challenges. If your membership feels heavy, complicated, or hard to maintain, this framework will help you get clarity...
2025-12-1109 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessYour 2026 Community Glow-Up Starts With ThisJanuary is always the strongest growth month for memberships, programs, and community-driven offers. People come in with fresh momentum, new goals, and a desire to recommit to the things they said they would do in the fall. The best thing you can do to capture that momentum is walk into the new year with a refreshed, data-backed plan. In this episode, I share the exact research process I use with my clients and how I applied it to the CreativeMornings Baltimore volunteer retreat. I break down how I structure year-end surveys, what metrics I review, and the “quick, scrappy” rese...
2025-12-0707 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessFuture Of Community Summit – My Take On Circle's Trends ReportToday I’m breaking down the trends Circle shared at the Future of Community Summit and what they signal for community-driven businesses in 2026. After listening to hours of presentations and digging through their new report, I pulled together the themes that matter most to your work: why member transformation is becoming the number one growth strategy, how retention-first communities are winning, what flexible participation models mean for your programming, and why emotional safety is emerging as a non-negotiable design choice. I also share small but powerful examples you can apply right away, from personalized onboarding to identity-based milestones and su...
2025-11-1814 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessMaybe Don't Call It A Course?Courses are getting harder to sell, not because people do not want to learn, but because they want results faster than ever. I talk about recent conversations with clients, why even leaders like Amy Porterfield are shifting away from traditional courses, and how the market now expects fast track systems, short actionable lessons, and coaching experiences that prioritize time to value. I also share how we are redesigning onboarding, personalizing member journeys, and rethinking the word course entirely. If your course sales have slowed or your completion rates are stalling, this episode will help you rethink your positioning.
2025-11-1407 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessHow I Design A Community StrategyEvery client we work with at Affinity starts with a Community Strategy Intensive. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what actually goes into that process and how we design strategies that drive both engagement and business results.I’ll walk you through the core questions we ask to uncover the right focus, how we collect member data to inform decisions, and why every great community strategy needs to connect member goals with business goals. You’ll hear exactly what happens inside our 90-minute strategy session, what you walk away with, and how it become...
2025-11-0609 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Future Of The Membership ModelMemberships are shifting — and the old evergreen sales model isn’t converting like it used to.In this episode, I share what’s actually working right now: blending cohort-style programs with ongoing community memberships. This hybrid model gives you the best of both worlds — urgency for conversions and momentum for retention. I break down why this approach works, examples from client strategies, and how to layer a short program or challenge into your own member journey to create stronger activation and long-term engagement.Interested in working with my team? Book a discovery call hereLet's...
2025-10-3107 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Launch Strategy Behind A 1000+ Member CommunityThis week I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how we recently migrated more than 1,000 members into a new custom Circle app for a client.If you’re getting ready to launch a new community or move your existing customers onto a new platform, this episode walks you through exactly what to plan for. I share the full list of what we did to make this migration a success — from member interviews and beta testing, to communication plans, onboarding emails, DM automations, and how we used ambassadors to model engagement.Whether you’re scaling an existing...
2025-10-2410 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessA New Way To Think About Community EngagementWe talk a lot about increasing engagement, but not enough about defining what meaningful engagement actually looks like. In this episode, I break down a smarter way to think about engagement beyond likes, posts, and comments.You’ll learn how to:Identify what meaningful engagement looks like for your communityUse live calls, events, and curriculum prompts to model and reinforce those behaviorsBuild flywheels that make engagement easy, intentional, and measurableIf you’ve been wondering how to move your members from passive to active participation, this episode will help you rethink your approach to enga...
2025-10-0909 min
PodCraft by Alitu: Honing the Craft of PodcastingThe "Voice Note From a Friend" Format: A 15-Minute Podcast WorkflowDo you think launching a podcast means buying lights, cameras, and spending hours editing? In this episode, Becky Pierson Davidson (Build With Becky) shows why none of that is necessary. Her short, audio-only episodes feel like voice notes from a smart friend, each one sharing a single tip to help community-driven businesses thrive.Becky explains how she keeps her process simple and sustainable, from idea to published episode in under 15 minutes. She shares why this straightforward style resonates with her audience, how it has led to new clients, and the role of storytelling, newsletters, and small conversations...
2025-10-0335 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Simple Survey Question That Can Boost EngagementWhen I’m working with a client on engagement and retention, one of the first things I like to do is run a member survey. There’s one deceptively simple question I always include: What’s your favorite part of the membership?In this episode, I share why this question is so powerful, a story from my time at Bossbabe when it completely changed our retention strategy, and how you can use the answers to shape both your short-term programming and your long-term membership design. Sometimes the insights point to easy wins... and sometimes they reveal that it’s t...
2025-10-0208 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: Pricing Models and Churn Rates for MembershipsCheyenne asked me two questions: what’s a normal churn rate for a membership, and do I recommend monthly, quarterly, or annual pricing? In this episode, I walk through how to decide on pricing models based on the transformation your program delivers, why quarterly pricing can sometimes backfire, and what red flags to look for in your retention charts. I also share the churn benchmarks I use with clients and examples of when monthly, annual, or seasonal pricing makes the most sense.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at...
2025-09-2510 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: How to Get Members to Share KnowledgeToday I’m answering a question from Cepee, founder of She Hit Refresh. She asked how to encourage members to share knowledge with each other beyond the community chat. In this episode, I walk through practical examples of peer-to-peer events like Lunch & Learns, roundtables, and member-led AMAs. I also share ways to incentivize participation using social currency, recognition, and rewards. If you’ve ever wondered how to get members contributing more actively, this episode is for you.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beckypierson.comLearn more about Affi...
2025-09-2307 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: Using AI In Your ProgramsIn this episode, I answer Amanda’s question about how to use AI inside your programs. I share real examples I’ve seen like surprise and delight GPTs, prompts that support programming, and creative tools that make content stronger, as well as the risks and caveats you need to consider. As community builders, our job is to help members reach their goals as quickly and safely as possible, and AI can play a powerful role in that if we design it with care.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beck...
2025-09-1808 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: How do you put your health first AND build your community?In this episode I’m answering a listener question from Leslie, who asked how I prioritize my health while running a business. Over the past 18 months, I’ve been on a major health journey that’s transformed not only my body but also my energy, confidence, and ultimately my business growth.I share my personal routines, the boundaries I’ve set with my calendar, and the tactical practices that keep me regulated and focused. This isn’t medical advice – I’m not a health coach – but I walk you through what’s worked for me, from movement and meal prep to ner...
2025-09-1613 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: Restructuring Courses Into a Membership ModelEnzo asked me whether he should restructure his large software courses into smaller trainings inside a membership. I love this direction, and in this episode I share why. If you’re teaching something that evolves quickly, like software, AI, or social media, a membership model creates space for live teaching, troubleshooting in real time, and faster wins for your students. I also share how to avoid overwhelm with too much content, the gym-style free trial model that can drive long-term retention, and what to prioritize in onboarding.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on In...
2025-09-1108 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: Community Strategies to Grow Your Service BusinessThis week’s listener question came from Vidy, who asked how to get back into community building and networking to grow her design business. I share my favorite ways to find “the right rooms” — whether that’s free local events, intentional coffee chats, or bigger conferences worth investing in. I also talk about the difference between peer communities and client-facing communities, why volunteering has been such a powerful way for me to connect, and how to make networking a consistent priority instead of an afterthought.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRe...
2025-09-0907 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: How Do You Price Your Community Offers?Today I’m answering a question from Leslie: how do you decide what to charge, and do you use sliding scales? Pricing is never one-size-fits-all, so in this episode I share the key factors I consider when setting prices. We’ll talk about experience value, product purpose, your customer’s budget, street credibility, and audience size. I also share real examples of how different models — from memberships to masterminds — can shape your pricing decisions, plus how I think about scholarships and sliding scale options.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beckypi...
2025-09-0411 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: How to Structure Onboarding for 3 Paid LevelsThis episode kicks off my new listener Q series, where I answer your real questions about building community-driven businesses. Audrey asked: if you’re running a three-tier membership, should onboarding live in one central place or be separated by tier?I share why onboarding is the most important driver of retention, how to design quick wins that actually match the promise of each offer, and why I always recommend customizing the onboarding journey for each tier. You’ll also hear how I use Circle’s features to make this simple for clients, and why onboarding is not just a...
2025-09-0206 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessPeople Don't Buy For CommunityA Slack group isn’t a community. Just opening a forum and inviting people to “connect” doesn’t create meaningful results. In this episode, I’m breaking down why people don’t buy for community — they buy for transformation. I’ll walk you through how programming, onboarding, and carefully designed touch points create the conditions for connection, and why community is the thing that keeps people sticking around, not the reason they join. If you’ve ever wondered why “like-minded individuals” isn’t enough of a promise, this one will give you a new lens on how to design your member journey....
2025-08-2906 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessDo Big Launches Harm Community Culture?I was in a mastermind call last week when someone shared their goal to grow their community by a significant number of new members within one month. That opened up a deeper discussion: what happens to culture when you bring in a big wave of new members at once?If you’ve ever wrestled with whether to go all-in on open-cart campaigns or lean into evergreen trickle-in growth… this episode will help you think more clearly about how those choices shape the member experience.Let’s be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or Linked...
2025-08-2209 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessDon’t Build A Fan Club, Build A CommunityThis episode started as a voice note for my friend Cheyenne, who asked a great question: How do I make sure my program doesn’t just become a fan club for me?If your community is built entirely around you, your time, and your personal brand, you’re going to hit a growth ceiling... and burn out in the process. In this episode, I break down why you shouldn’t build a “fan club” and how to design a community that thrives without you being in the center of every interaction.You’ll hear:Why personal...
2025-08-1308 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessChanging Community Leadership From YouIf you’ve built your community around your own presence, what happens when you want to step out of the hot seat? In this episode, I share lessons from my time at Bossbabe and from client work on how to successfully transition leadership to coaches, facilitators, and other community members ... without sacrificing member satisfaction.We’ll cover:Why members often resist leadership changes (and how to address it)How to set expectations in your sales process and marketingMetrics to track during the transition to ensure quality stays highTraining, feedback, and support your new leaders need to succ...
2025-08-0710 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessListener Q: "My Community Is Dead – Should I Move It To Facebook?"In this episode, I’m answering a question from a longtime newsletter reader who asked, “Should I move my community to Facebook? It feels dead where it is now.”She’s not alone in wondering this so I recorded this voice note for Tina, and for anyone trying to breathe life into a quiet group.We cover:Whether Facebook Groups are ever a good idea in 2025What to do when your forum isn’t buzzing (especially with
2025-07-3009 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe Membership Growth Strategy That BackfiredWhat’s working right now to grow a membership? And how do you avoid growing in the wrong direction?In this episode, I share one of the biggest lessons I learned while leading community and product at Bossbabe — the mistake that led to our best growth month ever and a wave of churn the very next.This is a story about good growth vs. bad growth, why urgency-based campaigns work only when they’re aligned with your membership’s transformation, and what to do instead if you want both new and long-term members to thrive.Whe...
2025-07-2306 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessThe 5 Reasons Most Communities FailThinking about starting a community? Or wondering why yours isn’t working the way you hoped? In this episode, I break down the top five reasons I see communities fail, based on real conversations with founders and the patterns I’ve seen across dozens of clients. From pricing mistakes to missing transformation, these are the lessons I wish every creator and coach knew before launching a membership.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beckypierson.comLearn more about Affinity Collective
2025-07-1611 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessHow To Have Your Europe Summer & Still Serve Your CommunityCommunity leaders deserve a vacation too. In this episode, I’m sharing real strategies for stepping back without sacrificing connection. From member-led calls to pivoting your programming, you’ll learn how to build a culture where the community supports each other, not just you. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or just ready to take a summer break, this one will help you lead your people while protecting your energy.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beckypierson.comLearn more about Affinity Collective
2025-07-1010 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessHow Primary Persona Development Can Skyrocket Your BusinessAt a retreat earlier this year, I got to meet Ayman Al-Abdullah, former CEO of AppSumo. He shared the growth strategy that took their business from $3M to $84M in six years. And it all started with a Persona. In this episode, I’m breaking down what that actually means, why your “best” customer isn’t always your biggest, and how to build products, programs, and communities in true partnership with the people you most want to serve.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedInRead the newsletter at beckypierson.comLearn more about Affinity Collecti
2025-07-0207 minBuild With Becky: Smart Strategies To Grow Your Community-Driven BusinessSmart Ways Community Builders Are Using AII haven’t talked much about AI publicly — until now. In this episode, I’m sharing the creative ways I’ve seen community builders use AI to improve member retention, automate high-touch experiences, and connect people in more meaningful ways. From custom renewal reports to member matchmaking and searchable private content libraries, I’m walking through real ideas you can borrow or build. If you feel overwhelmed... same here. But I’m finding a lot of potential here, and this episode is a peek at where things are headed.Let's be friends:Connect with Becky on Instagram or...
2025-06-2508 min