Shows
Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesLaunching and Scaling Subscriptions as a Solopreneur with Mike Morrison of Membership GeeksMany of my guests on the podcast have built and skilled large membership and subscription businesses with big teams of specialists and sophisticated software to support their efforts.
But what if the team is just you?
Mike Morrison, launched the Membership Geeks Podcast 9 years ago to help solopreneurs build online membership businesses. You can drive a meaningful subscription without a team and totally online, and that's what Mike teaches at his Membership Academy.
In our conversation, we talk about how the membership economy has evolved since we first met 9 years ago, some of...2025-07-2340 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSubscription Intrapreneurship with Bosch BlueMovement’s E-Lin TanWhat do you do when powerful tailwinds change to headwinds as you're growing your business?Many Membership Economy businesses have struggled to keep up momentum in the past few years as the golden era of growth has evolved to a bottom line era.
Today's guest, E-Lin Tan, took the helm at BlueMovement offering subscriptions to Bosch Appliances in Europe during the bottom line era.
In our conversation, we discussed how they balance circularity and sustainability with profitability.
Listen to learn how they've built support across the organization, developed the...2025-07-0939 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesIs the Future of Subscriptions Circular? A Conversation with Patrick Hypscher of Circularity.fmToday we're talking about sustainability.
Where do the circular economy and the membership economy intersect, and how can both be applied to tread more lightly and produce less waste?
These questions have been at the center of the work of my guest, Patrick Hypscher. Patrick is a consultant and advisor and the host of Circularity.fm, a podcast about circular business models and Product-as-a-Service (PaaS).
With experience running PaaS businesses, both at Bosch BSH and at Bertelsmann, as well as at his own SaaS startup, Patrick has developed some really helpful models for...2025-06-2531 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow Zumba Balances Instructor and Consumer Subscriptions with Yael Dornbusch, Zumba’s Chief Subscription OfficerZumba is a phenomenon. Since its founding in 2001, the addictive fitness dance program with a Latin beat has taken the world by storm.
As of 2022, the company claimed 15 million people taking Zumba classes weekly at 200,000 locations in over 180 countries. At its core is the Zumba Instructor Network, a monthly membership program created to give instructors ongoing support and tools for success. It includes an unlimited, never-expiring teaching license, as well as monthly music and choreography marketing tools and access to the community.
Today's guest, Yael Dornbusch is the Chief Subscription Officer at Zumba, responsible for...2025-06-0432 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe One Medical Story with Dr. Joseph Michelli, the Author of All Business is Personal: One Medical’s Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement If you've ever had to wait for your doctor first in the waiting room and then in the examining room, or struggled to get an appointment or had trouble getting a prescription filled while on the road, you know why primary care in the United States is in such desperate need of disruption.
One Medical has been transforming primary care through the power of membership and customer centricity since 2007. In 2023, One Medical was acquired by Amazon for nearly $4 billion. Dr. Joseph Michelli has written a well-researched book on One Medical's journey and what enabled such rapid growth and...2025-05-2132 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesBuilding Evergreen Companies with Dave Whorton, Founder of the Tugboat Institute and Author of Another Way: Building Companies that Last…and Last…and LastSomething I've noticed over the years is that there's a natural membership economy mindset among many family-owned businesses and organizations, not on the venture-backed IPO acquisition path. Companies that aren't on a tight timeline to an exit have the ability to invest in long-term, trusted relationships with customers and with employees.
After a career as both a founder of multiple successful companies and a venture investor with Kleiner Perkins, Dave Whorton decided he wanted to work specifically with what he came to call Evergreen leaders, the ones who combined sound business principles, extraordinary purpose, and a desire...2025-05-0740 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesA Behind-The-Scenes Look at Adobe’s Journey to Subscriptions with Mark Garrett, the CFO Who Architected That Transformation In today's episode, we're exploring one of the most ambitious and successful business model transformations in modern corporate history, the shift of Adobe from a traditional software company selling packaged products to a thriving subscription powerhouse. And who better to walk us through this journey than Mark Garrett, Adobe's former chief financial officer and the architect behind this transition?
When Adobe first announced its move to a subscription-based model in 2011, there was plenty of skepticism. Analysts questioned the financial impact, customers worried about cost increases, and internal teams faced the daunting task of restructuring their enti...2025-03-0540 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow to Build a Strong Subscription Business While Maintaining a Compelling Free Tier with Chess.com CRO Adam MayerChess.com is one of the most popular freemium platforms in the world, offering millions of users free access to an engaging online chess experience. But how do you encourage players to upgrade to a paid tier when the free version is already so compelling?
Adam, with his extensive background in revenue strategy and subscription growth, has played a critical role in designing and optimizing Chess.com's premium offerings.
In this conversation, we'll dive into the challenges and opportunities of building a successful paid tier within a thriving freemium ecosystem, how chess.com balances free...2025-02-1940 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesControversial Topics in Subscription Pricing with Mather CEO Matt Lindsay Pricing is probably the trickiest, most stressful part of managing a subscription business.
How do you balance revenue and profitability? How can you keep your pricing simple to communicate and execute while personalizing it to optimize for elasticity of demand and value created? If these questions plague your organization, you'll want to take notes today.
Matt Lindsay, founding partner of Mather Economics is a subscription pricing expert who's helped hundreds of publishers build and evolve robust pricing models.
In today's conversation, we're taking on pricing controversies, including the role of introductory offers, how to...2025-02-0539 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches2025 Trends in Subscription Businesses with Recurly CEO Joe Rohrlich When I wrote The Membership Economy, I knew that nearly every organization could build trusted recurring revenue relationships with their customers just by focusing on a forever promise. I really saw a huge future and hoped that companies would follow this path. But what I didn't realize was just how quickly and broadly they would heed my words and invest in subscriptions.
It can be hard to predict what will happen next, but in this episode, we're going to do just that. Today, my guest, Joe Rohrlich, CEO of Recurly, and I will talk about trends for 2025. We...2025-01-2239 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSeason Six Wrap-Up and Season Seven Sneak Peek with Robbie Kellman BaxterSeason 7 is launching soon, but while you wait, catch up on our most recent season. Some of Season 6's most popular episodes include Best Practices in Subscription Funnel Management with Ken Houseman of the New York Times, Subscription Pricing, Metrics and the Changing Role of the CFO with Maxio’s Randy Wootton and How a Subscription can “Smooth the Lumps” in B2B Services with DDI’s Dr. Tacy Byham.
And you don't want to miss out on our most loved episodes of all time, Product-Led Growth for Subscriptions, Using Examples from Medium, LinkedIn and The Athletic with Cai...2025-01-0801 min
My Blog » lowe9-download Pdf Summary, Analysis & Review of Robbie Kellman Baxter’s The Membership Economy by Instaread By Instaread Summaries OnlineLink To Download : https://recomendedbook.com/?book=1683786254 To Download or Read Summary, Analysis & Review of Robbie Kellman Baxter’s The Membership Economy by Instaread by Instaread Summaries Available versions: EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DOC, Kindle, Audiobook, etc. Reading Summary, Analysis & Review of Robbie Kellman Baxter’s The Membership Economy by Instaread Download Summary, Analysis & Review of Robbie Kellman […]2024-10-0500 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow to Price for Both B2B and B2C Subscriptions with American Home Shield’s Braeden RussellMaking pricing simple can be really complicated, especially in the world of subscriptions, where every pricing change can affect how much your members trust you. How do you manage different pricing for different segments? And how do you change that pricing over time?
Today's guest, Braeden Russell, is the Director of Pricing for American Home Shield, a home warranty provider with over 2 million members. He needs to optimize the price for the realtors, who often gift the first year of coverage to new homeowners, with the pricing needs of the homeowners themselves, who will eventually be responsible...2024-10-0244 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow Membership is Transforming Magazines with Katie Vanneck-Smith, CEO of Hearst UKThe subscription stories of publications like The Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Tortoise Media have one person in common, Katie Vanneck-Smith.
In her latest role, Katie is going beyond subscriptions. She's leading Hearst UK's efforts to create deep, valuable memberships around each of their 16 specialty magazines, titles ranging from Elle to Men's Health to Good Housekeeping.
In this episode, you'll learn how to build a platform that allows for rapid launches of multiple brand memberships, while still incorporating unique features and pricing bundles. You'll also gain insights on how generative AI will...2024-09-1843 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesLearn How to Bring Membership to the Mass Market with Venessa Yates, SVP & GM of Walmart+With over 4,600 stores and nearly 1.6 million associates in the United States alone, Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart+, their membership program, is redefining the contours of paid memberships.
I recently had the chance to interview Venessa Yates, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Walmart+, on the main stage at the SubSummit Conference in Dallas, Texas. And I'm delighted to be able to share a recording of our conversation with all of you on the podcast.
In this episode, we'll uncover the key elements behind Walmart+’s success and the st...2024-09-0429 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesUsing Behavioral Data in Subscriptions with Nancy Harhut of HBT MarketingBudgets are tight and competition to get and keep subscribers has never been more fierce. But what if I told you that there was a way to nudge your prospects and subscribers to help them engage more deeply and rapidly? It's possible.
Today's guest, Nancy Harhut, has a wealth of easy and inexpensive tactics that can motivate your members to do the right thing at the right time. Nancy is the author of Using Behavioral Science in Marketing and Chief Creative Officer at HBT Marketing.
In this special live episode, which was recorded at the...2024-07-1033 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow SaaS & Subscriptions are Transforming Farming with John Deere's Justin RoseOne of the hottest growth areas for subscriptions is farming. Surprising? Maybe. But with small margins and big numbers, efficiency matters. And farming has become an increasingly high tech, high stakes business. Justin Rose is the President of Lifecycle Solutions, Supply Management, and Customer Success at John Deere, a 187 year old company with revenues in 2023 of over 61 billion dollars.
You probably know them for their tractors, but they're investing heavily in subscriptions.
In today's conversation, Justin and I talk candidly about why this manufacturing company has committed to reaching 10% of annual revenue in software subscriptions...2024-06-1939 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesScaling a Bootstrapped Membership with James SchramkoMany subscription entrepreneurs lament their lack of fancy software and dashboards to allow them to better manage their business. But if you know your ideal member and understand their pain points, and if you're always tinkering and adjusting your offering to better align with the needs of those members, you can build a powerful recurring revenue business.
Even as a solopreneur, this week's guest, James Schramko has developed a unique model to help consultants and experts earn more while working less. And while he has been an early adopter of technology, many of the tools and tactics...2024-05-1542 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesEverything You Wanted to Know About Involuntary Churn with Butter Payments’ Vijay MenonOne of the great mysteries for me is why so many otherwise sophisticated companies don’t focus on involuntary churn. Also known as passive churn or accidental churn, involuntary churn happens when a payment issue raises a flag that causes a merchant to cancel a customer’s subscription. In 70% of these cases, there is no fraud, so the company is literally turning away excellent customers.
Involuntary churn routinely impacts about 10% of Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR), according to some estimates. In today’s episode, Vijay Menon, founder and CEO of Butter Payments, and I discuss what drives involuntary churn...2024-04-2437 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesLoyalty 3.0 with Euromonitor International’s Nadejda Popova, PhDLoyalty programs seem to be at a crossroads. Industries including hospitality, financial services, and retail are going beyond the points-based programs we're so familiar with and exploring more personalized, emotionally engaging programs. Some, like CVS, Inspirato, and of course Amazon with Amazon Prime have even incorporated paid loyalty subscriptions which provide benefits in exchange for an annual fee instead of requiring customers to earn benefits through their spending and behaviors.
Today's guest, Nadia Popova of Euromonitor International, follows the loyalty trends and provides insights across industries regarding best practices in building long-term relationships with customers.
...2024-03-2036 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe Future of Loyalty Programs for Retail & CPG with Amazon Web Services’ Justin HonamanLoyalty programs have been around forever. Points, cashback, branded credit cards, and now increasingly, we're seeing paid subscription loyalty programs, like Amazon Prime or CVS Care Pass. The goal is the same, to smooth out the lumpy buying behavior common in consumer packaged goods, retail, and hospitality, and to drive habits and engagement.
Today's guest, Justin Honaman, leads the worldwide retail and CPG go-to-market team at Amazon Web Services. He also hosts the popular podcast, ContenderCast, where I was a guest a few years ago.
In this conversation, Justin and I talk about the changing...2024-03-0638 min
Purpose & Profit PodcastUnlocking Subscriptions with Robbie Kellman Baxter: Strategies for Sustainable Revenue and Customer EngagementToday's first episode of Season 4 is about understanding the subscription economy and how companies have changed over the years.
Join Dave and Carly as they welcome guest Robbie Kellman Baxter, the author of two books, including “The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave” and “The Membership Economy.”
Robbie has worked on subscription programs with renowned organizations like Netflix, the NBA, Microsoft, and The Wall Street Journal.
Kellman Baxter is the host of “Subscription Stories,” where she interviews business leaders about how they’re using subsc...2024-02-2747 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesLessons in “Service-First Product Leadership” from Ford, PlayStation and Beyond with Ross McGregorBuilding a new subscription model in a large, successful company is hard enough, but when your company's core competency is manufacturing and the subscription involves content and software, you have to do more than build the new business model. You have to change the way the organization thinks about product management.
With experience, both at PlayStation and at Ford, today's guest, Ross McGregor, will shed light on how to build a service orientation across a product team. Something critically necessary if you're going to build a forever transaction with your customers. In this conversation, he talks about...2024-02-2141 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHow a Subscription can “Smooth the Lumps” in B2B Services with DDI’s Dr. Tacy ByhamYou're in for a special treat today. My guest, Dr. Tacy Byham, is the CEO of Development Dimensions International, or DDI, a global leadership consulting firm that helps organizations hire, promote, and develop exceptional leaders. A few years ago, I worked with Tacy and her team as they incorporated subscriptions into their business model. The results have been extraordinary. Three years into the launch, over 50 percent of DDI's revenue comes from subscription clients. I've been asking Tacy to share her journey for quite some time, and I'm thrilled that she finally agreed. In today's conversation, we'll talk...2024-02-0740 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSubscription Pricing, Metrics and the Changing Role of the CFO with Maxio’s Randy WoottonThe world of B2B subscriptions has changed a lot since companies like Salesforce first paved the way for what would become known as Software-as-a-Service. And while there are hundreds of marketing and sales-oriented SaaS products, it's taken a lot longer for the subscription model to be fully embraced in the CFO's office.
Randy Wootton has seen the evolution of SaaS and understands the changing role of the CFO better than most. He's led businesses focused on sales and marketing solutions at companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, and Rocketfuel, but more recently took over the CEO role...2024-01-2436 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesBest Practices in Subscription Funnel Management with Ken Houseman, VP, Product at The New York TimesIf your subscription uses a freemium model, it can be tricky to decide what’s always free, what’s free for a while, and what’s always behind the paywall. Knowing how to manage people at each stage of the funnel can be really challenging.
Today’s guest, Ken Houseman, is an expert on both the strategy and the technology required to monetize the funnel for acquisition, upsell, and retention. Today’s conversation isn’t based purely on Ken’s work as VP of Product for The New York Times, and in no way represents the editorial perspective of...2024-01-1028 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSeason Five Wrap-Up and Season Six Sneak Peek with Robbie Kellman BaxterSeason 6 is launching soon, but while you wait, catch up on our most recent season. Some of Season 5’s most popular episodes include Mighty Network’s Gina Bianchini returning to subscription stories for a second time to share her wisdom about building purpose-driven communities, as well as Dan Zavorotny of Nutrisense talking about blending hardware, software, and services into a single subscription, and Anne Janzer on subscription marketing.
We went deep on customer success with Rod Cherkas, author of the Chief Customer Officer Playbook, and about scaling membership with Pavilion Founder, Sam Jacobs. We talked a lot about subscr...2023-12-0602 min
Dear TwentysomethingMembership Economy EXPLAINED ft. Robbie Kellman Baxter: Author of The Membership Economy and The Forever TransactionThis week we’re talking the membership economy with the knowledgable expert, Robbie Kellman Baxter. In this explained episode, Erica and Robbie chat through what exactly the membership economy is, why Robbie thinks those companies are best set up for success in the coming decade, and how Robbie coins terminology that the industry adopts. She has a fascinating path starting off in consulting and carving her niche as the world's expert on the membership economy.Robbie Kellman Baxter helps companies leverage subscription pricing, digital communities, and fr...2023-09-2646 min
Subscription Prescription | Weekly Doses to Boost Ecommerce RevenueThe Art of Subscriber Onboarding and Retention | Author Robbie Kellman Baxter's Proven TacticsOn this episode of Subscription Prescription, Matt meets with an absolute legend in the subscription space: Robbie Kellman Baxter. She's an accomplished author and is widely praised for her successful approach to e-comm strategy, helping people build better business models across the industry. They talk about onboarding new subscribers vs retaining current subscribers and how you need to create some sort of unique benefit for new signups as well as benefits for those who remain loyal to your program. Kelly shares valuable insights to qualitative and quantitative research and how much you can learn by speaking directly with your customers...2023-09-1241 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSubscription Pricing for Value with Mark StivingPricing is one of the trickiest elements of good subscription strategy and one that most practitioners feel unprepared to tackle. Coming up with a simple and clear pricing strategy is really complicated. That's why I invited Mark Stiving to the podcast. Mark is an educator at heart as well as a pricing expert, and in this episode, I ask him all kinds of questions about how to determine, test, communicate, and adjust pricing.
In this conversation, we talk about:
The difference between a ‘Will I’ decision, and a ‘Which one’ decision.
How to raise prices.
Why so many...2023-08-1640 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe Legal Side of Subscriptions with Davis+Gilbert Partner Paavana KumarIf you haven’t been focused on subscription compliance before, you definitely need to start paying attention now.
The Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) is getting serious about cracking down on “dark patterns” in the world of subscriptions. They recently filed a lawsuit against Amazon for enrolling consumers in Amazon Prime without consent and for what they call “cancellation trickery. They’ve also announced plans to increase stringency around subscription rules.
Today’s guest on the podcast, Davis + Gilbert partner Paavana Kumar, is a legal expert on eCommerce, with an emphasis on subscriptions...2023-07-1939 min
d'Skills in ActionThe Inception of Netflix’s Subscription Model, with the Woman Behind It All, Robbie Kellman Baxter, Best-Selling Author of The Forever TransactionThe Inception of Netflix’s Subscription Model, with the Woman Behind It All, Robbie Kellman Baxter, Best-Selling Author of The Forever TransactionSubscriptions are the norm in 2023.But it wasn’t always that way.Behind every genius model is someone. Someone who made things the way they are by changing the way they were.And in the case of the brilliant shift to a membership economy that Netflix led, and millions of others followed, the “someone” behind that move was our guest today, Robbie Kellman Baxter.It was such an honor...2023-07-111h 04Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesBuilding a DaaS Subscription Business in Europe With Acer's Mailin Jappé The Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) Market is expected to Surpass $190 Billion by 2026, according to Market Research Future. That’s a compound annual growth rate,of of 55.8%. Acer is at the forefront of that wave, and today’s guest, Mailin Jappé, launched and now runs Acer’s DaaS business for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). It’s hard enough to launch a subscription startup on your own—doing it inside a large manufacturer adds a whole level of complexity.
In today’s conversation, Mailin shares the challenges she faced in launching the business, how she’s transformed the culture to one...2023-07-0632 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesMastering the "Subscription Marketing" Mindset with Anne Janzer In the world of subscriptions, the role of a marketer is rapidly evolving. It’s not enough to acquire subscribers—you have to acquire the right subscribers. But how do you market with an eye toward retention? Today’s guest, Anne Janzer, is the author of Subscription Marketing, now in its third edition. In this episode, we focus on the right mindset for marketers and how to establish the right voice to connect with your subscribers. Anne also shares some clever ways to get the biggest return on your marketing spend, as well as who and how to hire for yo...2023-06-2133 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe 16-Year Evolution of a Global Subscription Pioneer with Babbel’s CRO and US CEO Julie HansenBased in Germany, and a global leader in digital language learning, 16-year-old Babbel was part of the early wave of online subscriptions. When they launched, subscription pricing was unusual and controversial. The early team even had to develop their own Subscription Engine to support the business. My guest today, Julie Hansen, has led the company’s expansion to North America, as well as their evolving overall business strategy. In our conversation, we discuss the differences between European and US-Based Subscription best practices; how to make the case for investing in features that drive engagement, rather than just acquisition; and ho...2023-05-2434 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe Secret to Building Great Subscriptions with Leading Silicon Valley Product Builder, Tom Willerer Before you start building your subscription product, make sure you really, really understand the ongoing problem you are solving. So says product leader Tom Willerer. Tom, my guest today, has worked with some of Silicon Valley’s most renowned companies, like Netflix, Opendoor and Coursera. He’s also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Reforge and a Venture Advisor at VC firm NEA. Today we’re talking about how to define your forever problem so you can build a forever transaction. In our discussion, we share the secrets to building subscription products, how to build conviction you’re on the right pa...2023-05-1042 min
Impact PricingRevolutionizing Your Price Segmentation Strategies in Subscription Pricing with Robbie Kellman BaxterRobbie Kellman Baxter is an Advisor to the world's leading subscription-based companies, a Keynote Speaker and Author of The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction. She is also the Host of Subscription Stories Podcast. In this episode, Robbie discusses the significance of upholding ethical standards when implementing a subscription business model, as it greatly affects the company's long-term viability. Why you have to check out today’s podcast: Learn about the unethical practices in subscription pricing and their long-term implications for your business Find out effective price segmentation strategies that can be app...2023-05-0830 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSeason Four Wrap-Up and Season Five Sneak Peek with Robbie Kellman BaxterHey it’s Robbie Kellman Baxter, host of the Subscription Stories podcast. Season 5 is launching soon, but while you wait, catch up on our most recent season. Season 4 has some of our listener’s favorite episodes ever.
We opened the season with two thought leaders, Nir Eyal, author of Hooked and Indistractible, and Tiffani Bova, Salesforce Global Evangelist. If you’re interested in the technical side of building forever transactions, you’ll love hearing from, Piano’s Travor Kaufman and Optimized Payment’s Paul Larsen, experts in operationalizing online subscriptions and billing. And there were some great practitioner...2023-03-0801 min
The Big Success PodcastRobbie Kellman Baxter: How to Succeed in Membership and Subscription SuccessDiscover customer-centric insights in this episode with Robbie Kellman Baxter, renowned for her expertise in the membership economy. Delve into her definition of success, pivotal moments that shifted her perspective, and her theory on success. As the author of bestselling books "The Forever Transaction" and "The Membership Economy," she has consulted for industry giants like Netflix, Fitbit, and Microsoft, offering valuable advice on building prosperous membership and subscription models. Robbie's journey emphasizes understanding the customer's journey, embracing failure as a teacher, and achieving success through consistency and focus. "Think about where you're going and then work your way backward,"...2022-12-1537 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesProduct-Led Growth for Subscriptions, Using Examples from Medium, LinkedIn and The Athletic with Caitlin RomanEveryone’s talking about “product-led growth” in the subscription world right now. Companies are seeing the connection between the way the product is designed and how effective the company is at acquiring, engaging and retaining customers—and even driving referrals.
To do product-led growth well, product managers need to think like business leaders, as well as thinking like product builders.
It isn’t easy and not everyone has the right skills. My guest today, Caitlin Roman, has led product teams at three great subscription-first organizations, LinkedIn, Medium and most recently The Athletic, which was acquired in January...2022-11-3035 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesScaling a Telehealth Pet Subscription, by Starting in Person. With Zubin Bhettay, CEO of FuzzySometimes the best way to launch a digital subscription is to launch a physical subscription. Even if you plan to scale with a virtual business model, you can learn so much more about your customer, value proposition and messaging by starting the old fashioned way—in person. That’s the approach Zubin Bhettay used in launching Fuzzy. Today, Fuzzy’s Pet Parents get round the clock access to exceptional virtual veterinary care, as well as wellness products for their pets' health needs. But when Zubin and his cofounder launched the company in 2016, they recruited and served their Pet Parents in person...2022-11-1635 min
Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSeason Three Wrap-Up and Season Four Sneak Peek with Robbie Kellman BaxterHey, it’s Robbie Kellman Baxter, host of the Subscription Stories Podcast.
I wanted to just reflect on some of my favorite moments of season 3 and also share a sneak peek at Season 4.
We packed a lot into this season, truly something for everyone. We opened the season with David Lorsch, the Chief Revenue Officer of Strava, the world’s largest athletic community, talking about how to upgrade freemium subscribers to premium.
If you’re interested in how the membership economy is transforming Health & Wellbeing, you’ll also enjoy my conversations with Ben Foster of W...2022-06-1503 min
The Mobile User Acquisition Show💵How to optimize products for forever: growth strategies to win with subscription apps, with Robbie Kellman Baxter (Founder, Peninsula Strategies)🪁Subscriptions are ubiquitous today. From streaming services to wellness to F&B and productivity, most of us have subscriptions to match our lifestyles. But have you ever wondered just how much thought goes into the layers of subscription apps - from pricing to marketing, to early user experience to ongoing personalization?In today’s episode, we’re in conversation with Robbie Kellman Baxter, author of the books "The Membership Economy” and “The Forever Transaction,” and founder of Peninsula Strategies. What’s fascinating is that Robbie has worked with offline and non-digital subscription services as well as SaaS and c...2022-04-2935 min
Sub Club by RevenueCatThe 4 Foundational Frameworks of Consumer SaaS — Robbie Kellman Baxter, Peninsula StrategiesOn the podcast we talk with Robbie about finding your super users, the real reasons for subscription fatigue, and why pricing isn’t as important as you might think, especially early on.Our guest today is Robbie Kellman Baxter, consultant, keynote speaker, and author. She’s advised many of the world’s leading subscription-based companies, including serving on the advisory board of Strava. Her most recent book, “The Forever Transaction” is a deep dive into everything consumer subscription, and a must read for anyone in the space.In this episode, you’ll learn:Id...2021-12-1352 min
Subscriptions: Scaled - Online subscription services, Subscription business, SaaS subscriptionsOn the Growth of the Subscription Industry with Robbie Kellman Baxter, Founder of Peninsula Strategies LLCIn this week’s episode of Subscriptions: Scaled, we discuss the subscription industry with Robbie Kellman Baxter, founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC and author of The Membership Economy.Robbie is an industry expert and is a speaker, author, and consultant on subscriptions. Throughout the episode, we learn about Robbie’s experience in the sector and her advice for brands that are currently using or hoping to use a subscription model.The episode begins with Robbie sharing why she believes subscriptions are so relevant today. She also discusses why many businesses are deciding to turn to subs...2021-11-1544 min
Remarkable RetailThe Membership Economy with the World's Leading Expert on Subscription Pricing Robbie Kellman BaxterThis week we welcome special guest Robbie Kellman Baxter, the world's leading expert on subscription pricing and membership models--and bestselling author--for a robust discussion of "The Membership Economy." We delve into what's been behind the phenomenal success of brands like Netflix and other disruptors that employ deep insight and the latest technology to build enduring long-term customer relationships. We also unpack how companies can re-imagine their business models to create a "forever promise" by leveraging commerce, content and community. Lastly, we discuss the cultural benefits of adopting a membership mindset. But first we open up the episode w...2021-10-1242 min
Fearless Growth with Amanda SetiliRobbie Kellman Baxter on Making the Transition to a Subscription ModelRobbie Kellman Baxter is author of The Forever Transaction and The Membership Economy, two books which have sealed her place as the number one expert in the world on subscription and membership-based businesses. Nearly every company is at least thinking about moving to a subscription model, or incorporating subscription models into their business strategy. The benefits are clear - recurring revenue, disruption-proofing customer loyalty, and more. But taking the leap can be scary. How do you move forward quickly but mitigate risk to your core business even as you change, well, everything? Baxter stresses the impo...2021-09-2130 min
Outthinkers#19—Robbie Kellman Baxter: Transitioning to a Membership EconomyRobbie Kellman Baxter is a consultant, author and speaker. She is also the author of The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction, and hosts the podcast Subscription Stories. Robbie has more than 20 years of experience providing strategic business advice to major organizations, including Netflix, Fitbit, Microsoft and Consumer Reports and has worked in or consulted to clients in more than twenty industries. She has been focused on subscription and growth strategies for the past decade and coined the popular business term “Membership Economy," which is now being used by organizations and journalists around the country and beyond. Robbie...2021-09-1018 min
The Subscription Box ShowEpisode 171 - Robbie Kellman Baxter - Advisor To The World's Leading Subscription Based Companies!Send us a textIn this episode, I have the honor and pleasure of talking with a foremost expert in the subscription industry. She is an author, keynote speaker, podcast host, Consultant, the co-founder of the D2C Summit, and advisor to the world’s leading subscription based companies, the one and only Robbie Kellman Baxter!Robbie Kellman Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as the author of the bestselling book, The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction & Build Recurring Revenue. Her new...2021-07-211h 01Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSeason 2 Wrap-Up with Robbie Kellman BaxterAs we wrap up Season 2, we’re reflecting on the amazing guests we had, and all of the wisdom that was shared.
We covered best practices in pricing, scaling and supporting your subscription offering, and did deep dives on what membership means at organizations including CrossFit, Nike and YPO.
Take a listen to this 5 minute short, to hear about them all. We’ll be back with new episodes this fall!
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2021-06-0405 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesFreemium, Free Trial and Free Surprises with Elena Verna of Reforge. When Does It Make Sense to Give It Away, and When Doesn't It? Some businesses today give products and services for free to entice customers to purchase more. However, a huge number of entrepreneurs distance themselves from giving away a freemium offering because of the risks of decreased revenue. But for Elena Verna, Reforge EIR and Partner, this must not be the mindset. Sharing her work in Survey Monkey and Malwarebytes, she explains to Robbie how every business strategy can benefit from freemium offers and impact customer relationships. Elena also dives deep into the real process involved in achieving genuine growth in a business, and why every team must invest in having t...2021-04-0738 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesBuilding a Content Machine to Support Your Subscribers with EntrepreneurOnFire's John Lee DumasHow much content is too much? If you have really honed down to your ideal audience, the answer is there will never be enough. Indeed, you have to practically create a content machine to support the needs of your avatar because they would simply love it! With an uncanny stroke of genius, John Lee Dumas solved this problem early in his podcasting career. An avid podcast consumer himself, he identified an unmet need for a daily podcast to punctuate entrepreneurs’ long days with bouts of gainful learning. John started EntrepeneurOnFire out of that need. Since launching in 2012, the podcast has...2021-03-3127 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesWhen & How to Scale Your eCommerce Subscription Operations with Matt Fiedler of Vinyl Me, PleaseNow that you have launched your subscription model, it’s time to operationalize your business. For this, you will need a real team, systems to support your processes, and metrics to let you know how the business is doing. This episode’s guest, Matt Fiedler, is the co-founder and chairman at Vinyl Me, Please, a record of the month club and online record store. After launching in 2013, Matt successfully scaled VMP to more than $15M in revenue, while establishing the brand as one of the largest DTC vinyl retailers, and one of the most admired and respected brands in musi...2021-03-2436 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesUsing an eCommerce Subscription to Change the World with OurShelves' Alli HarperMost subscription entrepreneurs initially are attracted to the model for its predictable recurring revenue, but there are other benefits to having an ongoing relationship with members. Alli Harper works at the intersection of subscription eCommerce and social impact. Dedicated to the advocacy of promoting diversity in the picture book industry, Alli is building OurShelves, a scalable enterprise that serves the underestimated audience for diverse children's books. Trained as a lawyer and community organizer, Alli launched the business from her kitchen table in the home she shares with her wife Jenn and their two children. Host Robbie Kellman Baxter featured Alli’s...2021-03-1732 min
Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesMembership as a Flywheel for Tomorrow's Growth With Hagerty's McKeel Hagerty
McKeel Hagerty is the CEO of Hagerty, a specialty provider of classic car insurance and lifestyle company headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. The company has become well-known for the tremendous loyalty of their policyholders, who feel a kinship with the brand and its forever promise of helping classic car enthusiasts get the most enjoyment from their passion.
Host Robbie Kellman Baxter met McKeel when she was helping the company as they prepared to launch the Hagerty Drivers Club. In this episode, they talk about how this insurance company has transformed into a lifestyle organization with a powerful memb...2021-03-1034 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesTinder's Renate Nyborg On Going Global With Your Subscription ModelAs subscription organizations scale, one of the trickiest challenges they face is entering international markets. While they often focus first on things like managing local currency, translating copy into local languages, and ensuring compliance with local regulations around privacy, securities and recurring billing, these tactical steps are only table stakes. It takes much more than that to truly localize the subscription experience for a particular region.
Today, host Robbie Kellman Baxter and her guest talk about what it really takes to grow your subscription rapidly outside of your home country. Renate Nyborg is an expert on globalization st...2021-03-0334 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesWhy Customer Success Matters For Subscriptions With Gainsight CEO Nick MehtaWith subscription models, acquisition is only the starting line. Organizations need to develop competence around onboarding new members, driving engagement, and expanding the relationship to maximize customer lifetime value. A whole new discipline has grown around this idea of "customer success," often replacing customer support, and with a radically different focus. Customer success is about proactively ensuring that subscribers get the value they're paying for. On this episode, Robbie speaks to Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, often called The Customer Success Company. Nick is both an expert on the emerging discipline of customer success and the leader of a S...2021-02-2434 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesCrossFit's Eric Roza on Taking Over a Beloved Membership Organization After a Crisis, and Keeping the MagicIn mid-2020, Eric Roza bought CrossFit, Inc. from CrossFit Founder and former CEO, Greg Glassman. The sale was first announced on June 24, 2020, just a few weeks after Glassman had resigned as CEO amidst a swirl of controversy. Eric took over as CEO at a critical time for a membership organization known for its cult-like following and devoted members. He brings tremendous experience and passion to CrossFit. Robbie Kellman Baxter invited Eric to the show because she's been fascinated by CrossFit since her sister and brother-in-law discovered it in 2010. She wrote about how CrossFit develops superusers, members so committed and pass...2021-02-1734 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesSteve Cakebread, Author Of "The IPO Playbook," On Taking Your Subscription Business PublicToday’s guest, Steve Cakebread, knows a great deal about subscription pricing models and IPOs. Steve has brought three notable subscription-based companies—Salesforce, Pandora, and Yext—to successful initial public offerings, or IPOs, and served on the board of three other subscription-based companies - eHealth, SolarWinds, and Bill.com - as those companies went public. Steve is frequently sought-out for his advice on IPOs, often fielding three or more requests in a single week. He decided to put his advice on the subject into a new book, The IPO Playbook: An Insider’s Perspective on Taking Your Company Public and How to...2021-02-1035 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesYPO's Scott Mordell on a Subscription that Makes CEOs into SuperusersScott Mordell was CEO of the Young Presidents Organization, or YPO, from 2011 through 2020. What is fascinating about YPO is how intensely engaged their community is. Members will move mountains to make sure they can attend their regular meetings, despite the fact that they’re among the busiest people in the world. Many of them even qualify as “Superusers”—host Robbie Kellman Baxter's word to describe members who go beyond just being good paying members, and actually contribute significant time and money of their own to benefit the organization. In this conversation, Robbie and Scott discuss the processes YPO has developed...2021-02-0334 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThe Value Of Subscription Businesses And How To Sell Them For More With John Warrillow, Author Of The Art of Selling your BusinessGrowing a business takes a lot of effort and time investment. So when the time comes to exit, it would be a waste not to harvest the value you’ve created. So how do you get the ultimate reward for selling your business? Today, host Robbie Kellman Baxter sits down with John Warrillow, the founder of The Value Builder System™. John and Robbie first met when John published The Automatic Customer around the same time as Robbie released her bestseller, The Membership Economy. They bonded over a shared belief in the value of businesses that were optimized around recurring revenue and...2021-01-2739 min
The Orbit Shift PodcastS01E11: Robbie Kellman Baxter on how the membership model can help scale startupsStartups that have a subscription model are valued a lot more than startups that have to repeatedly sell to their customers. This is why publicly-listed Netflix or privately held Notion, and many others are valued at a premium. Even traditional businesses have started to see this trend and are now building their own subscription businesses. But what is it that makes them successful? Why do they tend to do better than traditional companies? In this episode of The Orbit Shift Podcast, we bring you a conversation with Robbie Kellman Baxter, one of the most prominent thinkers in th...2020-11-1739 min
Work Pod | Work 2.0 & Future Of Work UpgradesRobbie Kellman Baxter(@robbiebax) on The Forever TransactionsIn this podcast with Robbie, we discussed various topics of increasing importance on the changing landscape of business models and what all it entails. Lots of businesses are struggling to get their business model right. Robbie went into details on some pitfalls and some challenges. In this book, she lays out a clear and actionable summary with stories and playbooks that are easy to follow for the readers. It's a great watch for anyone who cares to learn about forever transactions.
1:50 Robbie's journey.
6:25 Consumer experience with the subscription economy.
10:55 Businesses that aren't suitable for membership.
12:23 Evolution of the membership space.
15:23...2020-11-1158 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesMighty Network’s Gina Bianchini on How to Create a Community Worth Subscribing toGina Bianchini brings her community-building and subscription expertise to this episode. She joins Robbie to discuss the role of community in building a broader Forever Transaction, why some communities go off the rails, and how to use community as a starting point for membership, before layering in other elements of value, like content, digital courses and subscription commerce.
Highlights from this episode:
1:57 - Why Gina decided to create another online community platform after leaving Ning
5:40 - The distinction between launching a subscription company, and an ad-based one
8:20 - The Myth of More - why content is...2020-10-2138 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesVena’s Hunter Madeley on Driving Engagement in a B2B Subscription Business Vena CEO Hunter Madeley joins Robbie to share best practices learned working at multiple B2B SaaS success stories. They discuss when it does and doesn’t make sense to pull out another company’s playbook, how to onboard for engagement and loyalty in a complex B2B environment, and his concept of “methodology before technology”.
Highlights from this episode:
2:12 - Vena’s Forever Promise and business model
5:00 - The role community plays at Vena
8:29 - PlanToGrow.com - Vena’s hub for community engagement
10:09 - Using a “methodology before technology” mindset to improve the cus...2020-10-1434 min
Predictable Prospecting's PodcastEpisode 151: The Membership Mindset - Robbie Kellman BaxterOver the years, it’s become more and more obvious that the subscription model is a viable business model for any number of products and services. How can you develop a membership mindset? What can successful subscription models teach you about sales? Today’s guest is the expert on the subject. Listen in to hear from Robbie Kellman Baxter, author of The Membership Economy and the new book The Forever Transaction. In today’s episode, Robbie discusses her background and qualification, what she knows about cultivating good customers, and what listeners can do to get started on a membership mindse...2020-10-1339 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesEA’s Mike Blank on Keeping a “Player First” Mindset within a Subscription BusinessElectronic Arts’ Mike Blank joins Robbie to talk about his journey bringing subscription to the world of gaming. They discuss the challenges of subscriptions in the gaming industry, how to encourage consumers to discover new content within the subscription, and how EA offers multiple consumer models to support their “player first” promise.
Highlights from this episode:
2:15 - EA’s journey to subscription and why subscription models are particularly challenging in the gaming industry
8:00 - How EA used their “player first” mindset to create a subscription that would not cannibalize their business
11:29 - The importance of giving subscribers...2020-10-0740 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesImpossible Foods’ Jessie Teitz Becker on Creating a New Eating Habit to Save the PlanetJessie Teitz Becker, the SVP Marketing at Impossible Foods, brings her impressive marketing knowledge and expertise in forming long term recurring revenue relationships to Subscription Stories. She joins Robbie to discuss how Impossible is applying principles learned at subscription companies like Netflix, YouTube and Optimizely, best practices in introducing & building habits with a new product category, and why they launched an “every day” product at special occasion restaurant Momofuku.
Highlights from this episode:
2:17 - The birth of Impossible Foods
4:24 - How Impossible earned its credibility through the famous restaurant empire, Momofuku
6:21 - Why the produ...2020-09-3041 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesBain’s Stuart Berman on the Power of The NPS Loyalty Forum in Deepening Client Relationships Between EngagementsBain and Company’s Stu Berman joins Robbie to talk about what makes the Net Promoter System (NPS) Loyalty Forum itself so powerful for the members and for Bain. They also explore how the best organizations build customer-centricity into the fabric of their businesses, a core value of NPS. They discuss the value of creating a private community for senior executives across different companies to meet and discuss, how a subscription can be used to deepen relationships with key customers, and the importance of always listening to your customers first.
Highlights from this episode:
4:10 - How th...2020-09-2336 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenchescharity: water’s MZ Goodman on Bringing Subscriptions to the Nonprofit World Charity: water’s MZ Goodman joins Robbie to share how she is applying subscription model best practices to a nonprofit. They discuss how MZ leverages content marketing and digital community strategies developed in her work at The New York Times, Glossier and goop to build a donation-based subscription model, how they’ve leveraged a single 20-minute video to raise millions, and how to think about a Forever Promise in the context of engaging donors.
Highlights from this episode:
2:00 - The birth of The Spring, charity: water’s subscription program
5:44 - Why a mission is the most importan...2020-09-1629 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesEmory University’s Dan McCarthy on a New Approach to Valuing CompaniesDan McCarthy, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business, joins Robbie to share his expertise on the intersection of marketing and finance. They discuss why customer lifetime value is such an important and misunderstood metric, how to rethink the way companies are valued by the public markets, and what all of this means for subscription businesses.
Highlights from this episode:
2:50 - Dan introduces Customer Based Corporate Valuation (CBCV)
4:08 - The importance of knowing your customer data
8:46 - Dan’s time working with CBCV at Blue Apron
12:17 - The importance of focusing on t...2020-09-0933 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesINMA’s Greg Piechota on the News Industry’s Big Bet on Reader RevenueGreg Piechota, Researcher-In-Residence at the International News Media Association, joins Robbie to discuss the increasing importance of subscriptions and reader revenue in a world of declining ad sales. They talk about the value of studying one industry to gain insight for another, new models for advertisers, and the importance of customer-centricity in any subscription business.
Highlights from this episode:
2:20 -- How Greg’s career took him from Poland to Massachusetts to Oxford
3:40 -- The importance of looking across industries to develop insights
6:13 -- How data causes companies from different industries to st...2020-09-0234 min
Groundswell Origins PodcastRobbie Kellman Baxter | Master the Forever Transaction with Subscription Business ModelThis is one exciting episode as we dive into one of my favourite business models Subscriptions! Meet top expert who coined the term "Membership Economy" Robbie Kellman Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as the author of the bestselling book "The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction & Build Recurring Revenue." Her new book "The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave" was released in April 2020. Robbie is also the host of the podcast "Subscription Stories: True T...2020-08-281h 13Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesHP Instant Ink’s Anthony Napolitano: Reinventing the Razor & Razorblades Model by Focusing on Subscriber OutcomesAnthony Napolitano, VP and General Manager of HP’s Instant Ink Subscription Service, joins Robbie to discuss his role as an intrapreneur, and what it’s like to be the subscription guy in a transactional business. They cover running a physical subscription business, ensuring customers get full value from their subscriptions, and managing a business in times of change.
Highlights from this episode:
1:40 -- Anthony’s journey at HP
4:13 -- The birth of Instant Ink
6:42 -- Additional challenges of being a physical product subscription
10:57 -- The metrics used to diagno...2020-08-2640 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesA+E Networks' Piper Rosenshein on Standing Out as a Niche Player in the Streaming WarsPiper Rosenshein, VP Subscription Video Services at A+E Networks, shares her tips for creating a customer-centric approach and a lasting digital subscription model. Join Robbie and Piper as they discuss how to operationalize a digital subscription businesses, how to minimize cannibalization in a business that already has a successful model, and how to manage a recurring revenue business in a time of change.
Piper's Bio:
Piper Rosenshein is Vice President, Subscription Video Services (SVOD) at A+E Networks. In this role, she is the general manager of A&E Crime Central, Lifetime Movie Club...2020-08-1929 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesPeak Prosperity’s Adam Taggart“Everybody gets the free. But if you want the really good stuff, you cross the velvet rope and subscribe.” Adam Taggart, President and Co-Founder of Peak Prosperity, joins Robbie to talk about his tips for building a community of subscribers that will grow into superusers who generate content of their own. They discuss how to handle a spike in acquisition, building a lifestyle subscription business with no outside capital, and how to create a “tribe” of highly engaged members.
Adam's Bio:
Adam Taggart is the President and Co-Founder of Peak Prosperity, a website that helps millions...2020-08-1229 min
Onward NationBuilding a compelling subscription model, with Robbie Kellman BaxterRobbie Kellman Baxter has been advising entrepreneurs on business strategy for 20 years. Her clients have included solopreneurs and venture-backed startups as well as industry leaders such as ASICS, Netflix, Electronic Arts, and The Wall Street Journal. She has worked with nearly 100 organizations in over 20 industries on growth initiatives. A sought-after writer and keynote speaker, Robbie has presented at top universities, associations and corporations, as well as to corporate boards and leadership teams around the world. Robbie has created and starred in 10 video courses in collaboration with LinkedIn Learning on business topics ranging from innovation to customer success...2020-08-0700 min
The Jason & Scot Show - E-Commerce And Retail NewsThe Forever Transaction author Robbie Kellman BaxterEP231 - The Forever Transaction author Robbie Kellman Baxter Robbie Kellman Baxter (@robbiebax) is the best selling author of “The Forever Transaction” and “The Membership Economy.” She has become a well known subject mater expert on subscription and loyalty programs. In this broad ranging interview, we discuss well known subscription based brands including Dollar Shave Club, Blue Apron, Stichfix, BirchBox, and Netflix. We also cover issues including subscription fatigue, cancelation friction, and Rundles. You can find out more about Robbie’s consulting work and her podcast at her website. Disclosure: links to Amazon are...2020-08-051h 00Subscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesThrive Global’s Jennifer Mazzon: Building a Forever Transaction through Subscription ProductsA good product manager “meets customer needs and solves customer problems and fuels the business”. Jennifer Mazzon, Chief Product Officer at Thrive Global, joins Robbie to discuss her experience as a product expert. They cover finding the right team, how to build digital subscription products, and the importance of customer-centricity and knowing who your superusers are.
Jennifer’s Bio:
Jennifer Mazzon is a product management expert who specializes in subscription-based products. Throughout her career she has led product teams for organizations including Google Docs, Coursera for Business, Apigee, Colibri Group, Education.com, and Rocket Lawyer. Jen re...2020-08-0533 min
On Brand with Nick WestergaardHow to Be a Forever Brand with Robbie Kellman Baxter“Any subscription brand needs to know—what problem am I solving for my customers? What’s our forever promise?” With a career building subscriptions for brands like Netflix and Electronic Arts, Robbie Kellman Baxter knows what it takes to build lasting customer relationships. That’s been the focus of her books including her latest, The Forever Transaction. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.About Robbie Kellman BaxterRobbie Kellman Baxter is a bestselling author, speaker, and consultant with more than 20 years of experience providing strategic busin...2020-08-0329 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesKurbo’s Joanna Strober on a Digital Program to Make Kids Healthier“Our goal is to teach forever habits.” Joanna Strober has reimagined the youth weight loss industry through her wellness program, Kurbo. Tune in to hear Joanna talk with Robbie about the role of a human coach in a digital program, how to communicate with both parents and kids, and instilling habits in customers for the long term.
Highlights from this episode:
7:00 – Joanna talks about what triggers people to enroll in subscriptions and what motivates people to make subscription a habit
9:52 – Robbie and Joanna talk about the 7 key areas of competence in a subscription business...2020-07-2742 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesInspirato’s Brad Handler on Revamping a Thousand-Year-Old Industry“Life is too short to play vacation roulette”. Brad Handler and his brother Brent are vacation entrepreneurs who incorporate membership and subscription into their luxury travel service, Inspirato. Brad joins Robbie to discuss the importance of “celebrating failure” when innovating, how a strategic approach to real estate and data give Inspirato a unique advantage, and the power of a “people-as-a-service” structure to create strong member relationships.
Highlights from this episode:
2:08 – Brad introduces Inspirato’s affordable business model
5: 49 – Brad explains the two travel products and services offered: Inspirato Membership, and Inspirato Pass
10:04 – Hospitality vs. real...2020-07-2744 minSubscription Stories: True Tales from the TrenchesAbout Subscription StoriesSubscription models are crazy powerful. Savvy small companies can easily deploy them to knock huge Goliaths off kilter. We’ve seen it in entertainment, software, hardware, news, retail, hospitality—the list goes on. In her podcast series, Robbie Kellman Baxter interviews the leaders of this revolution about how they’re using subscription pricing and membership models to redefine the biggest industries and generate predictable recurring revenue along the way.2020-07-2002 min
Podcast | Write Your Book in a Flash Podcast with Dan Janal#051 – Robbie Kellman Baxter, Author of The Forever TransactionRobbie Kellman Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as the author of the bestselling The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction & Build Recurring Revenue.
Her new book The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave was released in April of this year.
Her clients have included large organizations like Netflix, the Wall Street Journal, and Microsoft, as well as dozens of smaller venture-backed companies.
Tips:
How to choose your topic: What...2020-06-2125 minTop Business Leaders | Write Your Book in a Flash Podcast with Dan Janal#051 – Robbie Kellman Baxter, Author of The Forever TransactionRobbie Kellman Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as the author of the bestselling The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction & Build Recurring Revenue.
Her new book The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave was released in April of this year.
Her clients have included large organizations like Netflix, the Wall Street Journal, and Microsoft, as well as dozens of smaller venture-backed companies.
Tips:
How to choose your topic: What...2020-06-2125 min
Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs InvitesThe Forever Transaction with Robbie Kellman BaxterNetflix, The Dollar Shave Club, Amazon Prime—these are just some of the businesses that come to mind when we think about subscriptions. But there's more to it than just a monthly fee. More and more companies are using technology to shift from a customer to a membership model. One that deepens their understanding of customer needs while at the same time building loyalty—and improving revenue and cash flow. Here to discuss these trends, and her latest book, is Robbie Kellman Baxter. Robbie is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as t...2020-06-1928 min
The Marketing Book PodcastRobbie Kellman Baxter: Authors in Quarantine Getting CocktailsAuthor Robbie Kellman Baxter returns to The Marketing Book Podcast for a special episode of "Authors in Quarantine Getting Cocktails." Previously on The Marketing Book Podcast to discuss her book, "The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling," Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave, subscription marketing expert Robbie Kellman Baxter joins the (hopefully) limited time series, Authors in Quarantine Getting Cocktails to talk about being quarantined in Menlo Park, California with her husband Bob and three children, how subscription business models are weathering the pandemic, how she met her husband Bob, (a former...2020-05-1645 min
Financial Planner Marketing PlaybookBuild Recurring Revenue, with Robbie Kellman BaxterMy guest on the podcast today brings more than twenty years of strategy consulting and marketing experience. Robbie Kellman Baxter is founder of Peninsula Strategies, helping companies leverage subscription pricing, digital community and freemium to build deeper relationships with customers. Her clients have included start-ups and mid-sized venture-backed companies as well as industry leaders such as Netflix, Oracle, Electronic Arts and eBay. As the author of The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction & Build Recurring Revenue, a book that has been named a top 10 marketing book of all time by...2020-04-0700 min
Just Get StartedRobbie Kellman Baxter (Ep.99) - Founder and President of Peninsula StrategiesEpisode 99 features Robbie Kellman Baxter, Founder and President of Peninsula Strategies, strategy consulting firm focused on helping companies leverage subscription pricing, digital community and freemium to build deeper relationships with customers. Her new book, The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave, releases in March, 2020. Connect with Robbie Online:Website: robbiekellmanbaxter.comFacebook: facebook.com/robbiebaxInstagram: instagram.com/robbiebaxTwitter: twitter.com/robbiebaxLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robbiekellmanbaxter About Ro...2020-03-301h 01
The Dov Barron ShowLeadership and Loyalty - The Membership Economy with Robbie Kellman BaxterThe changing face of business and why we have to get our customers and our teams to buy into more than a single or for that matter even a repeat purchase.Business, leadership and maybe most importantly the way the economy moves have all changed. We’ve all heard of the share economy, brought into popularity with shared cars. But do you realize there's a new emerging economy that the leaders in business and entrepreneurship or already moving into called the Membership Economy?Well stay tuned because you are about to find out; our gu...2019-04-071h 00
The Dov Baron ShowRobbie Kellman Baxter: The Membership Economy [audio]The changing face of business is getting our customers and our teams to buy into more than a single, or for that matter, a repeat purchase. Business, leadership, and most importantly, the way the economy moves, have all changed. We’ve all heard of the share economy, brought into popularity with shared cars. But do you realize there's a new emerging economy that business leaders and entrepreneurship are moving into called the Membership Economy? Well stay tuned because you are about to find out; our...2019-04-0558 min
The Female Insight ZoneRobbie Kellman Baxter: Building a Business in the Membership EconomyIn recent years, we have experienced a massive transformation in the way organizations relate to the people they serve. The focus has shifted from ownership to access, from transactions to relationships, from single payment to subscription pricing, and from one-way conversation to open dialogue. In this new Membership Economy, businesses are called on to build trusted relationships with customers in order to earn their loyalty.
Robbie Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies, a consulting firm that supports solopreneurs, venture-backed startups and industry leaders in developing business strategy. She has 20 years of experience working on growth initiatives with nearly 100 organizations...2018-11-1614 min
The Female Insight ZoneRobbie Kellman Baxter: Building a Business in the Membership EconomyIn recent years, we have experienced a massive transformation in the way organizations relate to the people they serve. The focus has shifted from ownership to access, from transactions to relationships, from single payment to subscription pricing, and from one-way conversation to open dialogue. In this new Membership Economy, businesses are called on to build trusted relationships with customers in order to earn their loyalty.
Robbie Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies, a consulting firm that supports solopreneurs, venture-backed startups and industry leaders in developing business strategy. She has 20 years of experience working on growth initiatives with nearly 100 organizations...2018-11-1614 min
Manager Mojo with Steve CaldwellTreat Employees as Members, Not Transactions – a conversation on how to change the way you are interacting with people with Robbie Kellman BaxterRobbie Kellman Baxter
Treat Employees as Members, Not Transactions
Are people accepting employment at your company to add an impressive 18-24 months of experience to their resume? If that pattern is the norm, are you wanting to find serious people who view the opportunity offered as a career stop? People want to have friends at work, a sense of belonging, be held in high regard and have a chance to achieve their full potential. You can help them do those things. What if you were candid up front and told them what you promise for their challenge and fulfillment, what you expec...2017-07-1800 min
The Vincenzo Landino Show134: Best Practices of the Membership Model with Robbie Kellman BaxterIn a business world where sexy = scalable, the membership model is big talk amongst all kinds of businesses. Robbie Kellman Baxter is the author of The Membership Economy and has worked with companies such as Survey Monkey and Netflix on this type of business model. What are the best practices of a recurring revenue business and it’s offerings? More on this in this exclusive interview with Robbie. Robbie’s Book: The Membership Economy (Amazon Affiliate) Interview Notes: “Membership is a mindset.” “Acquisition is way more expensive than retention.” “Annual...2016-05-1125 min
Brand Boost Podcast: Marketing, Vlogging, Influence, Social Media, Strategy & News134: Best Practices of the Membership Model with Robbie Kellman BaxterIn a business world where sexy = scalable, the membership model is big talk amongst all kinds of businesses. Robbie Kellman Baxter is the author of The Membership Economy and has worked with companies such as Survey Monkey and Netflix on this type of business model. What are the best practices of a recurring revenue business and it’s offerings? More on this in this exclusive interview with Robbie. Robbie’s Book: The Membership Economy (Amazon Affiliate) Interview Notes: “Membership is a mindset.” “Acquisition is way more expensive than retention.” “Annual...2016-05-1125 min
The More Profitable Podcast with Stacey HarrisThe Membership Economy with Robbie Kellman BaxterSeveral months ago when I started looking at launching Hit the Mic Backstage and I went into research mode. I quickly found Robbie Kellman Baxter and her book The Membership Economy. Today I'm joined by Robbie to talk membership.A little about Robbie…Robbie Kellman Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a management consulting firm, as well as the author of the Amazon Hot New Release in Sales & Selling, The Membership Economy. She coined the popular business term “Membership Economy", which is now being used by organizations and journalists around the country and beyon...2015-09-2527 min
Social Media Business Hour with Nile Nickel105 - How to Build Forever (Evergreen) Transactions with Robbie Kellman BaxterRobbie Kellman Baxter created the popular business term "Membership Economy" and is the author of the McGraw-Hill book by the same name. She is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a strategy consulting firm. The Peninsula Strategies website is www.peninsulastrategies.com. Her clients have included large organizations like Netflix, SurveyMonkey and Yahoo!, as well as smaller venture-backed startups. Over the course of her career, Robbie has worked in or consulted to clients in more than twenty industries. Before starting Peninsula Strategies in 2001, Robbie served as a New York City Urban Fellow, a consultant at Boo...2015-07-1455 min