In this special episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, I open up about the toughest moments, biggest challenges, and real struggles I’ve faced over a decade of running a membership business.
As we kick off a month of anniversary-focused content, I dive deep into pivotal decisions, unexpected setbacks, and the realities that most membership owners rarely talk about publicly. In fact, these are the kinds of behind-the-scenes struggles that don’t often get shared, but are crucial to understand.
Whether you’re just starting out or have been running your own membership for years, my honest reflections are here to shed light on what it really takes to keep going – especially when membership struggles arise and things get tough.
In this episode:
- What were the most difficult decisions I had to make in the early days of launching and shifting my business model?
- How did I handle sudden competition from a well-funded, well-connected industry player – and what impact did it have on my mindset and business?
- In what ways did external crises like COVID-19 test my resilience and force me to adapt my membership offer and team structure?
- What was it like to experience internal challenges, such as letting my first team member go and navigating the unexpected departure of a cofounder – and how did these affect my business moving forward?
Key Quotes & Takeaways:
“We couldn't compete with the black book, the huge financial backing, and the fact that they could incentivize others to portray them as this all knowing guru, and fast track them to their place in the industry by paying them a thousand dollars for every customer that they referred.”
“A lot of people revealed what their true motivation was. And I've got to be honest, that made me a lot more cynical about the online business world and the kind of people who were influential within it”
“You can never go wrong just refocusing on your people. Right? Refocusing on your members. Why you're doing it for them? What they need from you? How you can best serve them?”
You might also find useful:
- 6 Things Membership Owners Need To Stop Worrying About
- Tackling the 6 Biggest Challenges Every New Membership Owner Faces
- Becoming Less Hands On In Your Membership Business
- Dealing With the Ugly Side of Running a Membership Website
Thank You For Listening
We really appreciate you chosing to listen to us and for supporting the Membership Geeks podcast! If you enjoyed today's show, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
We would also be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!
Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode
