Welcome to the Subscription League podcast hosted by Purchasely, a world-class no-code Growth Platform for Subscription Apps. Drawing on the industry experience of Purchasely’s three award-winning founders, we sit down with CEOs, innovators, and experts to discuss hands-on experiences, pitfalls, and actionable insights and strategies for success. This podcast aims to guide you through your app subscription business journey.
Felix takes us through his creation of Fastlane, which began as a college project to solve his own frustrations with app deployment and grew into a major tool used by developers worldwide, eventually being acquired by Twitter and Google. He also introduces us to ContextSDK, his latest venture designed to make apps smarter by understanding the user's context. Felix offers a peek behind the curtain at the differing work cultures of Twitter and Google, shares his insights on the changing landscape of the European tech scene, and discusses the shift towards remote work. Additionally, Felix speaks on the importance of security, privacy, and putting the user first in app development.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Inside the tech evolution: Insights from Fastlane and ContextSDK founder Felix KrauseEpisode Topics at a GlanceThe origins and impact of FastlaneTransitioning from developer tools to context-aware technologies with ContextSDKSecurity, privacy, and enhanced user engagementInsights into corporate cultures at Twitter and GoogleThe evolution of the European tech ecosystem and remote work trendsFelix's personal journey and contributions to the tech communityMore about FelixFelix Krause is known for his significant contributions to the mobile development community, notably as the creator of Fastlane and ContextSDK. His work on Fastlane led to acquisitions by Twitter and then Google, highlighting the impact of his innovations in streamlining app deployment processes. Besides his developmental achievements, Felix is an active security and privacy researcher, offering his insights through talks and as the author of "iOS-Factor." For those interested in a more personal look at his life, Felix maintains howisFelix.today, a website that showcases a quantified view of his daily activities and experiences.Felix’s LinksFelix’s Linkedin profileContextSDK websitehowisFelix.todayTimestamps[00:01:19.700] - Fastlane: From University Project to Big Success[00:06:22.940] - Introduction to ContextSDK[00:09:41.990] - Use Cases for ContextSDK[00:13:26.900] - Initial Success with ContextSDK[00:16:54.770] - Privacy and Data Processing in ContextSDK[00:19:22.650] - Potential User Concerns about ContextSDK[00:22:10.550] - Importance of Lightweight SDKs[00:24:51.400] - Exploring Felix Krause's WebsitesEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
09/09/2024 • 27:50
All about scaling an app by leveraging both web and app subscriptions!In this exciting episode, we chat with Yeva Koldovska, the product manager at Headway, the world's most downloaded book summary app with over 18 million downloads. Yeva shares valuable insights into Headway's journey and its strategic decision to offer web and in-app subscriptions. Listen to the episode to uncover the profound impact of subscription variations on revenue and audience diversification, along with the behavioral differences and revenue advantages of web subscriptions. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Unlocking growth and diversification: the power of web and in-app subscriptions with Yeva Koldovska (Headway)Episode Topics at a GlanceHeadway and its growthOffering subscriptions through web and in-app channelsReasons for including web subscriptions and diversifying revenue streamsImpact of privacy updates on user tracking and attribution qualityDifferences in user behavior and preferences between web and app subscribersHigher lifetime value (LTV) of web subscribers compared to app subscribersAdvantages of the web funnelMore about YevaYeva Koldovska is a Product Manager at Headway, a company specializing in subscription-based services. With her expertise in product management, Yeva plays a crucial role in overseeing the development and enhancement of Headway's subscription offerings. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, enabling her to effectively identify and address the needs of Headway's diverse user base. Yeva is known for her strategic thinking, analytical skills, and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive product success. Yeva’s LinksYeva’s Linkedin profileHeadway websiteNibble websiteTimestamps[00:00:37]: Growth of Headway [00:01:04]: Discussion about Headway's global team [00:01:21]: Headway's book summary app and Nibble [00:02:09]: Why offer subscriptions through both web and in-app [00:03:51]: The impact of iOS 14.5 privacy updates on Headway's strategy [00:05:14]: Differences in user behavior between web and app subscriptions [00:07:00]: Benefits of web subscriptions in terms of user commitment and retention [00:08:27]: Targeting different audiences with web and app subscriptions [00:09:54]: User behavior and content preferences on web subscriptionsEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
28/06/2023 • 27:27
In this episode, we sit down with Thomas Clavelloux, Chief Data Officer at Molotov TV, a groundbreaking French TV streaming platform. Thomas shares captivating insights into how Molotov TV is redefining the way we consume television in the digital age. From seamless cross-device viewing to innovative features, Molotov TV brings the charm of traditional TV-watching to the modern world. Join us as we explore the fascinating journey of Molotov TV and its unique approach to the TV landscape.Takeaways and the episode summary are available here: Unveiling the streaming revolution: a conversation with Thomas Clavelloux (Molotov)Episode Topics at a GlanceMolotov's unique product model!Impact of content quality on revenue models.Utilizing add-ons like DVR hours and previews.How data helps enhance the product experience.Apple Vision Pro's potential impact on streaming.Content differentiation for subscriptions and ad support.Timestamps:[00:00:43]: Overview of Molotov TV [00:01:27]: Thomas' Experience in the TV Landscape [00:04:21]: The Role of a Chief Data Officer [00:06:07]: Creating a Data Culture in the Company [00:08:28]: Platform Approach vs. Doing Everything for Teams [00:10:11]: Challenges of Handling Multiple Platforms [00:12:26]: Key Metrics for Subscription Management [00:14:04]: Differences Between Molotov and Fubo around subscriptions[00:16:45]: Content Quality and Subscription vs. Ad-Supported [00:18:43]: Add-Ons to Enhance Subscription Value [00:21:40]: Potential Impact of Apple Vision Pro [00:24:55]: How to Connect with Thomas Clavelloux [00:25:33]: ConclusionEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
21/06/2023 • 26:00
These are examples of successful apps in Kovalee’s portfolio. Bend, the #1 stretching app worldwide: 9x User LTV, 150x MRR PepTalk, a 5-star motivational companion: 22x MRR, 5x User LTV, 10x active subscriptionsWeBurn, a workout app for women: 4x User LTV, 10x monthly recurring profits PLAW, a phone customization app: 5x User LTC, 20x monthlyThe secret sauce for such remarkable growth?In short:Kovalee’s unique in-house tech & expertiseApps with high potential (the hidden gems)The test-and-learn methodologyListen to the full episode to hear from Kovalee’s CEO and Co-founder, Vincent, about his journey of turning ordinary apps into world leaders, the company’s value proposition, and the 6 pillars of an app’s success.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Turning ordinary apps into worldwide leaders with Vincent Hart de Keating (Kovalee)Episode Topics at a GlanceThe role of a publisher in app development Examples of successful app partnerships with Kovalee Onboarding and A/B testing Forecasting and automation technologies User acquisition with smart technologies Monetization tips: personalization and segmentationMore about VincentAfter successfully founding one of the largest publishers of mobile gaming apps, Homa Games, Vincent is now the CEO & Co-founder of Kovalee - a company that brings the publishing model to non-gaming apps. Since it was founded in 2021, Kovalee has helped several apps reach #1 worldwide through its team of experts and in-house technologies. Vincent has over 10 years of experience working with apps and is passionate about empowering small teams of app creators to become resounding successes worldwide.Vincent's LinkedInTimestamps[00:05:12]: The role of a publisher in app development[00:09:01]: Examples of successful app partnerships with Kovalee[00:13:29]: Onboarding and A/B testing[00:20:00]: Forecasting and automation technologies[00:22:00]: User acquisition with smart technologies[00:23:58]: Monetization tips: personalization and segmentationEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
14/06/2023 • 25:54
Who could have imagined that walking could become a source of income? It may sound unbelievable, but Sweatcoin makes it possible.Back in 2015, Sweatcoin burst onto the scene with an impressive $6.3 million in funding. Since then, it has experienced exponential growth, boasting an astounding user base of over 120 million people worldwide.So, how does Sweatcoin work? The app, available for free, tracks users' daily steps. For every 1,000 steps, users earn one Sweatcoin, which can be exchanged also for Bitcoin. But how does the app generate revenue to pay its users? In a nutshell, Sweatcoin has three primary revenue streams: advertising revenue, brand affiliations, and premium memberships.As we delve deeper into Sweatcoin's business model, curiosity arises. That's precisely why we invited Rowan Pereira, the group product manager at Sweatcoin, for this episode. Join us and listen to the full conversation to discover the app's effective growth strategies, user retention techniques, revenue generation channels, and the value of its premium subscription. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Redefining motivation and user retention in the fitness app landscape with Rowan Pereira (Sweatcoin)Episode Topics at a GlanceRowan's experience working with Multiply and Lingumi Overview of Sweatcoin and its growth strategy Reasons for habit formation Metrics for measuring user engagement and retention Focusing on early user experience and A/B testing for growth engine The impact of premium upsells on retention Competing with bigger brandsMore about RowanRowan is a dynamic growth-oriented professional with seven years of experience in product management. Currently serving as a Group Product Manager at Sweatcoin, she is fueled by a high-energy personality and a strong passion for promoting gender equity. Beyond her tech career, Rowan enjoys drawing portraits and seeks creative outlets whenever possible. Inspired by her father's tech background, she embarked on a similar path, finding fulfillment in making a positive impact. Notable achievements include spearheading an impartial campaign during the 2016 referendum and launching the UK's first regulated financial advice app, Multiply. In her current role, Rowan played a pivotal role in the unparalleled growth of Sweatcoin, acquiring 60 million new customers worldwide and topping the charts as the most downloaded health and fitness app globally.Rowan’s LinksRowan’s LinkedInSweatcoin on App StoreSweatcoin on Google PlayTimestamps[00:00:01]: Introduction to Subscription League podcast [00:02:35]: Rowan's experience working with Multiply and Lingumi [00:04:35]: Overview of Sweatcoin and its growth strategy [00:11:39]: Reasons for habit formation [00:13:20]: Metrics for measuring user engagement and retention [00:18:57]: Focusing on early user experience and A/B testing for growth engine [00:22:54]: The impact of premium upsells on retention [00:23:35]: Competing with bigger brands Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
02/06/2023 • 29:11
In this podcast episode with Michael Ribero, Chief Subscriptions Officer at The Washington Post, we talk about challenges and opportunities that arise when transitioning from print to digital.Michael shares his experience on how the new brand is succeeding through some time-sensitive challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and privacy policy changes.Listen to the full episode to learn about The Washington Post’s success secrets including: Running paper and digital subscriptions on distinctive strategiesAccommodating and understanding changes in technologyOptimizing the payment process for readers on Apple devicesPersonalizing with ethical considerationsFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Transitioning to Digital: Insights from Michael Ribero of The Washington PostEpisode Topics at a GlanceMichael Ribero's transition to the media industry Washington Post's strategy for transitioning to digital and personalization efforts. Delivering personalized experiences Using data to inform monetization strategies Experimenting with pricing and cross-selling strategies AI in Journalism Reducing Friction for Subscriptions.More about MichaelMichael Ribero is the Chief Subscriptions Officer for The Washington Post. In this role, Michael oversees The Post’s digital subscriptions business and plays a vital role in The Post’s international growth. Michael works across marketing, product, analytics, finance, and news.Michael Ribero joins The Washington Post from Paramount+, where he was Vice President of Global Marketing. Previously, he was General Manager of Brand and Media at Sling TV. Prior to Sling, Michael worked at Visa, and, earlier in his career, he was a technology investment banker, advising emerging technology companies on key growth initiatives.Michael graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Engineering modified by Economics and an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Business at Northwestern University. He is happiest with his wife and 4 children either wearing cowboys or skiing in Colorado.Michael’s LinksMichael’s LinkedInThe Washington Post on App StoreThe Washington Post on GoogleTimestamps[00:01:07]: Michael Ribero's transition to media industry[00:03:16]: Washington Post's strategy for transitioning to digital and personalization efforts. [00:10:34]: Delivering personalized experiences[00:13:27]: Using data to inform monetization strategies[00:16:09]: Experimenting with pricing and cross-selling strategies[00:21:15]: AI in Journalism[00:23:39]: Reducing Friction for Subscriptions.Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
10/05/2023 • 28:53
Education apps for children have become increasingly popular in recent years with growing competition in the market. In a recent podcast, We sat down with Gonzalo Rodriguez, CEO of Papumba, to discuss the app’s growth secrets. Papumba is a digital safe playground designed specifically for kids aged 2-7, offering a variety of educational games, books, videos, and audio stories that engage and educate young minds.Creating a trustworthy and safe app for kidsBeing Featured in Apple App StoreGenerating 40% of additional revenue by localizing the content improving the adoption of annual plans to increase the lifetime valueFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Making a trustworthy and user-friendly language learning app with Gonzalo Rodriguez (Papumba)Episode Topics at a GlanceIntroduction to PapumbaChallenges of approaching the Kid's categoryKeeping a close relationship with AppleGetting featured by AppleBoosting credibility and appealing to the parentsOptimizing the content for young children who can’t readLocalizing the content to increase revenueImproving the Adoption of Annual PlansMore about GonzaloGonzalo Rodriguez is an accomplished Argentinian entrepreneur and passionate CEO with a deep love for parenting and education. As a two-time startup founder, he currently leads Papumba, a VC-backed Edtech platform focused on helping families around the world raise confident and ready-for-school children. As a devoted father to a 2-year-old toddler, Gonzalo understands the importance of providing high-quality, expert-curated content to support children's development.Gonzalo’s LinksGonzalo’s LinkedInPapumba on the AppstorePapumba on Google PlayPapumba on InstagramPapumba’s websiteTimestamps[00:01:01]: Creating a parenting app[00:03:19]: Papumba's deployment and top markets [00:14:05]: Increasing Annual Plan Adoption [00:17:07]: Failed Experiments and Lessons Learned [00:20:57]: Building Habits and Expanding Content OfferingEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
26/04/2023 • 23:52
For episode 23 of the Subscription League Podcast, we had the pleasure of discussing tips and frameworks with a behavioral science expert and the founder of a product growth agency, Applica Sviat Hnizdovskyi. Sviat shared valuable insights on how companies can improve their app subscription, LTV (customer’s lifetime value), and monetization. Listen to learn more about his tips for optimization subscriptions, Applica’s experiment history review framework, Sviat’s passion for behavioral science, and other key takeaways from the episode. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Framework for subscription optimization: tips from behavioral science expert Sviat Hnizdovskyi (Applica)Episode Topics at a GlanceSviat’s Passion for Behavioural Science. Strategy to increase ARPU Tips for subscription optimizationExperiment categoriesApplica’s experiment history review frameworkPre-requisites to run Sviat’s framework. Type of companies Sviat is working with to build this framework. More about SviatSviat is currently the founder of Applica, a London based product growth agency. Sviat has years of experience in behavioral economics, social & cognitive psychology, and data-driven digital product analytics. During his time at Applica, Sviat has helped companies like Loona, FitMind, Fabulous, Drops, and Freeletics increase significantly their app ARR. Recently, he founded the Open Minds Institute - an international think & do tank that cultivates open-mindedness and behavioral change for peace & freedom.Sviat’s LinksSviat’s Linkedin ProfileSviat’s Twitter Open Minds InstitudeApplica’s Experiment History Review FrameworkTimestamps00:37 - Sviat’s Passion for Behavioural Science. 01:53 - Strategy to increase ARPU 03:57 - Making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. 05:33 - Creating steps of Framework. 08:05 - Categories of experiments. 11:50 - Recategorizing the experiments. 12:31 - Next step after having category 13:42 - Does this framework differs for different countries? 16:29 - How to start experimenting after getting the data. 19:08 - Tracking multiple metrics with the same framework. 20:33 - How do you deal with long running tests? 22:33 - Minimum setup required to run Sviat’s framework. 24:58 - Type of companies Sviat is working with to build this framework. 26:36 - Experiment that surprised Sviat. Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
12/04/2023 • 30:27
Mimo is an app that teaches coding through a gamified learning process. The company runs experiments to enhance its product by introducing new features and improving existing ones. In the Subscription League podcast episode 22, Ekaterina Gamsriegler, Head of Growth and Marketing at Mimo, shares her experience overseeing the development of the experimentation culture in the company and other valuable app growth tips on full funnel optimizationgrowth metrics and their trade-offsimportance of segmentation For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - How Mimo Builds an Experimentation Culture with Ekaterina GamsrieglerEpisode Topics at a GlanceWhat is the Mimo appEkaterina's motivation for her app course Ekaterina's takeaways from launching the app Challenges in building the experimentation culture at MimoDifferent frameworks to nurture the experimentation cultureCommon mistakes made by app foundersImportance of user segmentationThe importance of retention and measuring it More about EkaterinaEkaterina is a seasoned marketer with 13+ years of experience in various growth and marketing roles. She started her career in SEO and later shifted to digital marketing and mobile, gaining experience across all parts of the funnel. She has worked at both big and small companies, including dotDigital Group, IG, SEO PowerSuite, Runtastic, Storebox, and Mimo, where she currently leads the Marketing department. In addition to her work, Ekaterina also teaches digital marketing at an online bootcamp, mentors on various platforms, and consults startups and scaleups on growth. She recently launched a course on growing B2C mobile apps, which has an average rating of 9.7 and 20 happy students. Ekaterina LinksEkaterina’s LinkedIn Ekaterina’s TwitterEkaterina’s online course to launch a marketing strategy for your app in 10 days. Special offer for our podcast listeners: Use the promo code 'League20' for a 20% discount! Timestamps0:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 0:21 Ekaterina Gamsriegler and MIMO introduction 1:42 Ekaterina's motivation for her app course 4:36 The challenges Ekaterina faced with MIMO 6:51 Difference between current vs old audience 8:56 Ekaterina's takeaways from launching the app 10:41 The expected user journey for the new offer 13:06 Were you surprised by users' reasons to learn code? 14:06 MIMO's experimentation culture and development 20:22 How did you choose your course tagline? 23:32 What are some common mistakes founders make? 29:30 The importance of retention and measuring it 35:14 Where to learn more about Ekaterina 36:59 Thank you for listening!Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
28/03/2023 • 37:27
App monetization is a hot topic in nearly any industry. While creating an app can be a lucrative business, it can be difficult to stand out and generate revenue with so many apps available. In the Subscription League podcast episode 21, Steve P. Young, an app marketing expert and founder and CEO of App Masters, shared his top tips for app monetization including the followings:target 100% paywall viewsadd the paywall to the onboarding processstop building more featuresfocus on improving the rate of trials to subscriptionscarefully consider the length of the app’s trialsuse data as social proofFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - How to Monetize Your App: Expert tips from Steve P. Young (App Masters)Episode Topics at a GlanceThe story behind App MastersSteve’s youtube content initiativeApp monetization tipsWhy onboarding works and the proofsWhy trial works and the proofsShowing a paywall early on to 100% of the usersPaywall content tips (long vs short, pricing table)Feature led vs value-ledUsing data as social proofMore about SteveSteve P. Young is the founder of App Masters the app marketing agency that helps grow apps faster, better & cheaper.From top-charting apps to the world’s biggest brands to small indie app startups, App Masters guides you through our successes and failures to ensure that you have a proven framework to ultimately find your success.He is an author, speaker, and host of the #1 app marketing YouTube channel. He has interviewed the biggest names including the co-founder of Shazam, Crossy Road, Mafia Wars, Color Switch, and more!Steve’s LinksSteve’s LinkedinSteve’s TwitterApp Master Youtube ChannelPodcast - App Marketing by App MastersTimestamps0:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 0:21 Steve P. Young introduction and name explanation 1:13 How Steve founded App Masters 3:38 App Masters' brand partnerships 6:31 Steve's advice for CEOs for app monetization 9:34 What pushed you to get so involved with data? 11:28 How to incorporate paywalls during onboarding 13:11 The importance of showing a paywall early 15:50 What to include in a paywall 19:52 What is your experience with win-back offers? 23:20 Is a hard paywall a good idea? 28:31 Where to learn more about Steve 29:11 Thank you for listening!Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
15/03/2023 • 29:39
With over 50 million installs and a growing number of paying subscribers, PhotoRoom is scaling quickly across multiple markets across the globe. In our conversation, Olivier shares his insights on growth strategies in gaming and utilities, the challenges of scaling across markets, and the importance of experimentation and community-building.We discuss how subscription-based utility apps like PhotoRoom defer from gaming apps that rely on one-time in-app purchases and user acquisition.We also explore the challenges of scaling a business across multiple markets and how PhotoRoom is applying agile testing and learnings from one market to another.Olivier also shares how PhotoRoom leverages TikTok content creators for user acquisition and emphasizes the importance of giving team members strong ownership and trust, making experimentation easy, and understanding the culture and needs of different markets.Tuen in to learn more about PhotoRoom’s journey to grow its global footprint.Episode Topics at a GlanceWhat is PhotoRoomMarket targeting and business strategies when growing an app internationallyTV apps vs. Photo editing and utility appsPhotoRoom’s challenges aheadLeveraging TikTok content for user acquisitionGrowth tips for utility appsBalancing ownership in a team More about OlivierCurrently VP Growth at PhotoRoom, the leading AI photo-editing app for resellers, small businesses, and marketplaces, Olivier has been leading revenue and user base growth since 2020. Recently, PhotoRoom has reached 50 million installs, has millions of active users and several hundred thousand paying subscribers. Prior to joining PhotoRoom, Olivier was heading Molotov marketing operations, a TV streaming app used by millions of french households and recently acquired by Fubo and he led the monetization strategy of Wooga, the Berlin-based mobile gaming studio.Olivier’s LinksPhotoRoom websiteOlivier's TwitterOlivier's LinkedinTimestamps0:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 0:20 Olivier Lemarié introduction 0:50 The PhotoRoom editing app 2:59 Olivier's background and journey 3:44 Growth for utility vs gaming apps 4:49 Olivier's experience at Molotov vs Photo Room 8:04 Core challenges at PhotoRoom 9:30 PhotoRoom's test culture 11:32 PhotoRoom's value and retention with users 13:15 How PhotoRoom leverages TikTok content 18:07 Olivier's advice for growth 22:23 Balancing ownership in a team 23:20 What is PhotoRoom's North Star Metric? 24:20 Where to learn more about Olivier and PhotoRoom 25:15 Wrap Up 25:26 Thank you for listening!Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
01/03/2023 • 25:52
In this episode of the Subscription League, we explore the crucial balance between maximizing revenue and preserving subscriber satisfaction. Our guest, Vahe Baghdasaryan, a seasoned Growth Marketing Manager and 5-star Growth Marketing Mentor at CoinStats, offers invaluable insights into effective pricing strategies and monetization models for subscription apps.Join us as Vahe highlights the importance of considering all aspects of monetization and emphasizes the significance of paywall optimization as just one piece of the puzzle. You'll learn about:1)the most commonly used pricing strategy2)valuing features using Max-Diff Analysis3)how to understand the willingness to pay using the drop principle4)what to test when experimenting with pricing (subscription length, location, price)Tune in for valuable tips and expert advice on optimizing your subscription app's monetization strategy.Episode Topics at a GlanceCoinStats’ approach to monetization Why understanding customers is importantWhat is a banded model in subscription pricingHow to value subscription features, How to measure the willingness to payThe drop principle - a commonly used product pricing strategiesPrice Experimentation - Big Testing for Big ResultsThe impact of subscription lengthLocation-based pricing More about VaheVahe is a highly accomplished growth product and marketing professional with a wealth of experience in consumer startups across various industries, including education and fintech. He currently holds the position of Senior Growth Marketing Manager at CoinStats, where he is responsible for driving subscription optimization, user retention, and activation and leads the lifecycle marketing team. He has spoken internationally on engagement strategies, user activation, and onboarding optimization strategies. He’s also a 5-star rating mentor on GrowthMentor. Vahe has recently released his on-demand courses on subscription optimization & pricing strategy. More information can be found here.Vahe’s LinksVahe’s Subscription Optimization & Pricing Strategy CourseVahe’s Twitter Vahe’s LinkedInTimestamps00:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 00:21 Welcoming Vahe Baghdasaryan 00:48 Vahe's transition from edtech to fintech 01:25 What have you learned from startup founders? 02:41 How has the FTX collapse impacted CoinStats? 03:53 Subscription optimization at CoinStats 10:04 Why pricing experimentation is important 15:02 What countries are driving most of CoinStats' revenue? 15:55 How do you set prices per region? 18:19 How to be careful about price discrimination 20:53 What is next for CoinStats? 23:00 Thoughts on the sunk cost fallacy 23:54 Where to learn more 25:00 Thank you for listening!TranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
15/02/2023 • 25:28
When it comes to funding a young app venture, folks often seek out angel investors, venture capital, or equity investors. But in this episode, we sit down with Martin Macmillan, CEO of Pollen VC, to talk about a totally new way to finance an app business. It's called "revolving line of credit" funding and it's fast, flexible, and data-driven. Tune in to hear Martin share insights on How this financing method worksHow Pollen VC’s funding model differs from the othersWho can benefit from it How "Clean Room Accounting" strategy can help apps better manage their financesFinancial forecasting for subscription apps: Pollen's calculatorJoin us for a fresh perspective on app financing with Martin Macmillan.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - A guide to financing your user acquisition with Martin Macmillan (Pollen VC)Episode Topics at a GlanceFixed-income trading Funding options for startupsHow Pollen VC invests in the UA stage The ideal investee profile for Pollen VCHow do you work and compete with your contenders? Clean room accounting for UA/monetization Why Pollen VC is moving toward subscription appsPollen’s online calculator: ROAS, LTV, and cash flow More about MartinMartin Macmillan is Founder and CEO of Pollen VC. He has 20 years of experience in launching and building technology businesses in financial services and media sectors and a prior career as an investment banker.Having directly experienced the growth challenges facing tech start-ups and the lack of debt financing options open to early-stage technology businesses, he saw the opportunity to marry his traditional financial markets and technology experience to create a new financing model for the app and gaming economy.Prior to founding Pollen VC, Martin was CEO at Soniqplay, CEO at Level Four (acquired by clear2pay), and a Director of UBS in London and New York, where he ran the Eurocommercial paper (ECP) trading group and conceived and delivered UBS’ first client-facing electronic debt trading platform.Pollen VC’s LinksSubscription app calculatorThe Definitive Guide to Selecting a UA Financing PartnerClean Room Accounting for UA/Monetization blog postRIP Mobile Games Publishing blog postTimestamps00:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 00:20 What is fixed-income trading? 01:20 Martin's journey to founding Pollen VC 02:28 Ways a founder can fund their start-up 04:48 How Pollen VC pushes user acquisition later into the cycle 09:05 When should start-up founders get a revolving line of credit? 10:13 How do you work and compete with your contenders? 13:35 Clean room accounting for UA/monetization 15:58 Why are you moving towards subscription apps? 18:12 Where to learn more 22:49 Wrap Up 23:06 Thank you for listening!TranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
01/02/2023 • 23:33
Despite a lot of doom and gloom out there about the slowdown of VC investment and how start-ups need to brace for the impact, smart and well-disciplined investors are still looking for home runs, and funding opportunities are still available for the best subscription app companies. In this episode with Eric Crowley, partner at GP Bullhound, we talk about Consumer Subscription Software Flywheel, the investment north star that defines the main attributes of a successful CSS.Then we talk about how subscription apps can maximize investors’ attention by Building a paradigm-shifting Consumer Subscription Business Paring UX and UI with high-quality content and proprietary dataTargeting a nicheThinking as a third-partyListen to the episode to find out more about the investor’s inside scoop.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - What venture investors look for in subscription apps with Eric Crowley (GP Bullhound).Episode Topics at a GlanceConsumer Subscription FlywheelWhat GP Bullhound look for in a companyUX and UKThe role of premium content and proprietary dataSuccess examplesHow to be the king of a niche GP Bullhound’s eventsMore about Eric CrowleyEric is a Partner at GP Bullhound, focusing primarily on M&A, Capital Raises, and Advisory transactions with expertise in consumer subscription software, tech-enabled agencies and ad-tech. Over his career, he has completed transactions totaling over $3 billion in enterprise value. Prior to GP Bullhound, Eric served as an executive at a software start-up where he focused on financial management and driving growth. In addition, Eric worked at Lazard and Antares Capital focusing on middle market transactions.In addition to his CPA, Eric has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.S. degree from Xavier University.Eric Crowley’s LinksEric Crowley’s LinkedIn profileCSS Spinning the CSS flywheel to delight consumers.Medium.com articles by Eric CrowleyTechcrunch article - Taking consumer subscription software to the great outdoorsTimestamps00:20 Introducing Eric Crowley and GP Bullhound01:08 Consumer subscription flywheel03:35 What GP Bullhound looks for to invest in companies05:13 The importance of UX and UI06:55 The role proprietary data takes in building a business mode08:41 Transitioning from founder-backed to venture-backed companies11:20 Post-pandemic subscription net businesses12:59 Examples of creative ways to engage consumers15:01 Will the Winner-Take-All trend continue?16:56 Best success stories18:24 The digital to analogue transition19:28 Should funders worry about reaching specific APIs?21:03 Consumer subscription software conference23:10 Where to learn more about GP BullhoundTrancriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
19/01/2023 • 24:28
With his background as a software engineer and app productization expert, Sunny Dulay was inspired by his personal journey with Headspace, a meditation app, and founded an app development and management studio, Breakthrough apps. Breakthrough is dedicated to helping fitness coaches to productize their coaching into an app. Since its birth, the company has been growing exponentially, with a one-of-a-kind business model that sets itself apart from app aggregators.Breakthrough and its clients come together on a mission to productize fitness activities by bringing in complementary assets: coaches bring in their brand and community, and Breakthrough provides the technology and app business know-how.Breakthrough is a business enablement platform similar to Shopify. Instead of presenting multiple services/coaches in a single place, it provides an infrastructure for coaches to monetize and productize their service within their unshared and exclusively branded digital space.Listen to hear about The founder’s vision and lessons learned from the world of health and fitness appsHow the company was founded and where it is goingTips on how to onboard an existing community onto an appImportance of brand awareness and communityFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Company Spotlight: Health and Fitness App Productization Platform, with Sunny Dulay (Breakthough)Episode Topics at a GlanceSunny Dulay's background and introductionBreakthrough Apps founding journeyBreakthrough’s business modelWhat Breakthrough looks for when partnering with a new coach/influencerDifference between Breakthrough’s offerings and an aggregatorSunny’s learning from the fitness spaceCommunity onboarding tacticsMore about Sunny DulaySunny Dulay is the Co-founder and CEO of Breakthrough, an App Builder for Wellness Coaches. He is an experienced software engineer, product manager & sales manager. Based on his personal life-changing experience with a single coach-based app, Sunny is a believer in on-demand personality-based coaching through an app. His mission is to help coaches around the world productize and scale their coaching business with an app. The Breakthrough team helps coaches in wellness niches like Yoga, Meditation, Fitness, Nutrition & Sports launch & grow their apps. The Breakthrough platform has generated $2M+ for coaching apps. Sunny lives in NYC!Sunny’s LinksAbout BreakthroughStretch App Launched by BreakthroughWellness coach and want to launch or grow your app? Get in touch to make your appContact SunnySunny’s LinkedInTimestamps00:21 Sunny Dulay background and introduction 02:40 The journey of founding Breakthrough Apps 06:36 Breakthrough Apps business model and money flow 07:31 Do you have examples of similar businesses? 08:13 Advantages of a brand and community before launching 10:43 Coaches' communities: engagement and retention 12:30 Sunny's strategy for the revenue split 13:28 What criteria are you looking for in coaches? 15:14 How can you shine compared to an aggregator? 18:47 Sunny's tactics to connect coaches and their community 22:10 App store fees vs self-store investment 24:09 Sunny's learnings frEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
04/01/2023 • 32:35
Named to TIME‘s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2022, Together Labs is a Silicon Valley-based 3D social networking company that innovates technologies empowering people worldwide to connect, create and earn in virtual worlds. Jenny Pollock, Lead Subscription Monetization Manager at Together Labs, is involved in every aspect of interlocking subscriptions and revenue optimization, driving IMVU, the emblematic brand of the company, to the world’s largest friendship discovery and social metaverse platform with more than 7M MAU.In this episode of Subscription League Podcast, we sit down with Jenny to talk about her advice on how app developers and marketers can leverage quantitative and qualitative user research to guide the product roadmap and monetization strategy. Listen to the full episode to find out about her 4-step user research framework and all her pro tips on user research. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Leveraging user research to maximize subscription app monetization with Jenny Pollock (Together Labs).Episode Topics at a GlanceWhat does Together Labs do? Day in the life of a lead subscription monetization manager at Together LabsSubscription tiers and user personas of IMVU explainedThe value of listening to your community User research: qualitative vs quantitative Jenny's four-part framework for user research Advice to start-ups for managing data How to have great user interviews More about Jenny Kay PollockJenny Kay Pollock leads monetization at Together Labs, where she focuses on strategies that help keep IMVU a top 5 social app by spending in the US. Jenny routinely speaks on mobile monetization, women in the workplace, and building a tech career. She has published on these topics in outlets like Forbes and Ellevate. Find her discussing all things tech on Twitter at @Jennykaypollock. Jenny’s LinksUser Research Worksheet Jenny's personal website Jenny's LinkedinJenny's Twitter Together LabsTimestamps00:18 We're in a bedroom today! 00:50 Jenny Pollock background and introduction 01:16 What does Together Labs do? 02:12 What are your day-to-day responsibilities? 03:09 Subscription tiers of IMVU 04:20 How did IMVUA get into the top 5 social apps? 05:40 The difference between creators and regular users 07:03 Sharing revenue with the IMVU creator community 09:00 The value of listening to your community 10:05 User research: qualitative vs quantitative 11:40 Jenny's four-part framework for user research 13:00 Advice to start ups for managing data 15:21 How to have great user interviews 17:13 User research framework step #2: experiment 18:55 User research framework step #3: get creative 21:46 User research framework step #4: product roadmap 25:32 The motivation behind IMVU's VIP offering 27:27 Benefits of using this tiered model 29:00 Routing users to the right subscriptions 30:05 The value of Purchase League30:57 Wrap UpEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
21/12/2022 • 32:07
Tobias Boerner, now Chief Marketing Officer & Co-founder of a Luxembourg-based app aggregation company, Appic, has been laying a series of remarkable stepping stones in his career. The most noticeable are his achievements at LOVOO, one of the biggest dating apps in Europe which he made an exit for about $70 million, and Fastic, a five-star intermittent fasting app used by over 26M users worldwide, 92% of whom are happy customers. The Fastic app is also looked upon by many subscription apps and marketers for its exemplary onboarding process and its approach to building users’ trust and satisfaction with consistent delivery of personalized experiences. For the Subscription League Podcast episode 15, we sat down with Tobias to discuss the nitty-gritty of how the Fastic app differentiates itself from other fasting apps with its extraordinary onboarding strategy.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - All about subscription app onboarding with Tobias Boerner (Appic)Episode Topics at a GlanceWhat is Fastic app AboutFastic app’s onboarding explainedWhat is the ideal onboarding experienceDos and Don’ts for onboardingOnboarding strugglesKey numbers to benchmarkPaywall or no paywall during the onboardingMore about Tobias BoernerTobias is a serial entrepreneur and Angel Investor. His passion is growth, product marketing and UX/UI. In his previous roles as a CMO and Co-Founder of LOVOO, Tobias was part of 2 exits worth 70M$ and 500M$.After this almost 10-year journey in the dating environment, he started a new chapter as co-founder and growth officer for Fastic and helped them grow into one of the leading brands for well-being. Besides his passion for marketing, Tobi has made it his mission to be ahead of the times in market developments in the tech environment. With Admiral Studio he founded a collective in the NFT & Web3 space. Tobi is the CMO & Co-founder of App Aggregator Appic since 2022 where he is building a powerhouse for global mobile apps.Tobias Boerner’s LinksTobias’ LinkedinAppic’s official websiteFastic - world's leading fasting appWorld's first web3 marketing platformTimestamps00:21 Welcoming Tobias Börner 00:52 LOVOO: dating app 01:19 Fastic: fasting and health app 02:57 Epic.io: investment and benefits 03:40 Why is there a long onboarding process for Fastic? 05:39 Purpose of the onboarding categories 08:02 What is the ideal onboarding experience? 08:35 Response to very heavy onboarding flow 09:20 Other apps that inspired Tobias 09:54 Absolute don'ts for onboarding 11:28 Advice and tips for onboarding 12:45 Tobias' main struggles with designing onboarding 13:55 Onboarding without A/B testing 14:59 At what point do you not invest much effort anymore? 16:01 The expected effect of good onboarding 16:52 What % does good onboarding convert at? 17:25 The uplifting effect of good onboarding 19:30 Do you recommend a paywall in onboarding? 22:21 Did you run into bugs that helped? 24:01 Counterintuitive learning from TobiasTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
07/12/2022 • 25:08
We are steering down the barrel of recession, but consumers’ appetite for subscriptions will likely continue to develop, and an increasing number of subscription businesses will share the pleasure. Subscriptions account for 82% of revenue regenerated on average by non-gaming apps. In the U.S., the annual spending on top subscription apps in the Apple App Store increased by ⅓ over a year, reaching 6 billion in 2021. Revenues on Google Play also rose a massive 78% to reach 2.5 billion the same year. What’s driving the rise of Subscription models?For consumers, it promises lower barriers to entry, convenience to purchase, and access to novel and curated content.For app businesses, it promises monetization and security.Despite the proven benefits, there are still many challenges that apps struggle with such as the notorious “subscription fatigue.”Listen to the full episode to learn about the state of the subscription economy, and success strategy recommendations by Peggy Anne Salz, a leading mobile marketer, and the chief analyst and founder of MobileGroove.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - The Subscription Model - the state, benefits, and success tips by Peggy Anne Salz (MobileGroove)Episode Topics at a GlanceThe state of the Subscription EconomyDealing with Subscription fatigueBenefits of Subscriptions How Subscription Apps can rise above challengesExample of SpotifyMore about Peggy Anne Salz As the chief analyst and founder of MobileGroove — a top 50 ranked destination providing analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to the global mobile industry, and mentoring and consulting to tech startups — Peggy Anne Salz is recognized as one of the leading experts shaping the mobile world. Peggy is also a nine-time author, a frequent Forbes contributor and guest contributor for a variety of leading media outlets — including Harvard Business Review — where she shares her insights on mobile marketing, mobile apps, customer engagement, and business innovation.Peggy produces podcasts, videos, webinars, and blogs to equip mobile marketers with best practices and growth strategies to power campaigns, brand storytelling, and user engagement. She is also the Chief Content Officer of MMA Germany.Peggy Anne Salz’s LinksPeggy’s Linkedin ProfilePeggy’s Twitter Peggy’s YouTube ChannelMobile Presence PodcastPeggy’s Author page on ForbesOther social media and contentMMA GermanyTimestamp00:22 Peggy Ann introduction01:11 Potential upcoming subscription trends02:12 Key points about the subscription economy05:20 Good examples of subscription apps07:51 How to connect with your customers10:42 Dealing with subscription fatigue13:24 What are psychographics?17:40 What's the power behind value graphics?20:10 Why are subscriptions so successful?22:00 Benefits to subscription apps26:24 Must-haves for subscriptions28:52 Your brand and retaining subscribers32:55 Peggy's book Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
23/11/2022 • 36:22
In today's technology-led world, new companies are taking off faster than ever. In 2010, the number of new business applications was 2.5 million. Fast forward 11 years to 2021, and the number jumped 116 percent to 5.4 million. But they are also failing faster. According to the latest data, 10% of new businesses don't survive the first year, and 90% of startups fail over the long run.One of the culprits, other than the bad product or lack of proper product-market fit, is that some companies expand so quickly that they outrun the process of putting in place a holistic growth strategy that's based on adaptability, ongoing learning, and customer understanding.For Subscription League Podcast Episode 13, we invited Hannah Parvaz, an award-winning app marketer and the Co-founder of a London-based growth agency, Aperture, to talk about some of the most valuable growth lessons she learned throughout years of research and experience in growing numerous brands to ten-figure yearly revenues. In this episode, you will learn about:What is a growth mindset and why it's importantHow companies can shift to a growth mindsetFinding the right North Star MetricHow to understand customers the right wayFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Tips for Creating the Right Mindset for Business Growth by Hannah Parvaz (Aperture) Episode Topics at a GlanceWhat is a growth mindset and why it's important How companies can shift to a growth mindsetHow to balance ideas and prioritize themAdvice on setting the right North Star metrics User interview vs. conversationRecommendation for jobs to be done framework Lessons that Hannah learned More about Hannah ParvazHannah Parvaz is the Co-Founder of Aperture. A multi-award-winning marketer, coach and mentor, Hannah was named App Marketer of the Year in 2019 and has spoken internationally on the future of app growth, privacy, and leveraging data analytics.Having worked with more than 200 companies, Hannah is passionate about supporting & lifting others within the industry; mentoring on Google Launchpad, coaching for Startup Core Strengths, and gaining a 5-star rating on GrowthMentor.Hannah Parvaz’s LinksAperture’s Linkedin pageHanna’s Linkedin profile Timestamps0:22 Hannah Parvaz background 1:32 Hannah’s take on growth and why it's important 4:30 Core values to embrace a growth mindset 5:36 How do you balance work in the backlog? 6:52 Hanna's #1 advice for startup subscription businesses 8:17 North Star metrics explanation and advice 11:31 The experimental process and growth mindset 16:28 How Hannah reached success with an app 19:03 Why doesn't like the term "user interview" 23:07 Understanding the "why behind the why" 23:47 What's the alternative to personas? 25:08 Recommendation for jobs to be done framework 26:46 An important lesson that Hannah learned 29:13 Wrap up 29:39 Thank you for listeningTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
09/11/2022 • 30:10
Luni’s journey as an app empire started out only about four years ago as developers of utility apps such as Scanner. Their business extended to creativity and wellness apps, including Fitness Coach(wellness), Omada(social sports betting), Meditation Nest(wellness), and Photo Studio(creativity). Luni boasts all together over ¼ million daily downloads. The company’s success is essentially based on providing gratifying app content and continuous improvement through frequent testings and optimizations. Luni is also a big advocate of influencer marketing. About 60% of Luni’s users are based in the United States.Adrien's secret recipe for starting from scratch to reach success?Have a well-made application with good, fresh, and content, engaging content - it’s the basics.Kick off with paid traffic to gain the first user base. This will help generate data to leverage for future testings and optimizations.Once users start sticking around, perform frequent A/B testings on paywalls and onboardings. Use tools like Purchasley, Amplitude, and Appsflyer that allow you to achieve this efficiently.Build a branding strategy and gradually switch to targeting organic traffic. Also, leverage influencer marketing.Listen to the episode to steal all the step-by-step tips for growing small apps from scratch to success!For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Subscription Marketing 101: tips to drive acquisition and retention with Adrien Miniatti (Luni)Episode Topics at a GlanceLuni’s journey to becoming an app empireApple Search AdsUser acquisition strategy mixing organic and paid approachInfluencer marketingA/B testingUsing 3rd party tools like PurchasleyReasonable conversion rates to targetMore about Adrien MiniattiA passionate autodidact, Adrien Miniatti started coding at 13, recruited engineers at 19, and today spends more than 2.2 million euros per month on marketing to take the mobile applications of the Luni empire, a mobile app publisher and developer of a wide variety of applications, to the top. Adrien founded gaming studios and launched Luni about four years ago. Adrien is also an investor in several tech companies.Adrien Miniatti’s LinksAdrien Miniatti LinkedIn profileLuni websiteLuni apps on AppStoreTimestamps00:19 Welcome and Introduction 01:05 Adrien Miniati Background 02:55 How do you approach user acquisition? 03:50 Organic User Acquisition Good and Bad 05:31 Advice for Early Start-Up 06:45 How are you building a brand? 08:25 Influencers Impact on Culture and Awareness 10:12 Converting Users to Customers with Fitness Coach 14:58 Profit and Conversion Rate 18:20 The Effect of App-Tracking Transparency 20:57 Apple Custom Code 25:09 Fitness Coach’s Development Process 30:42 Where to Learn MoreEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
27/10/2022 • 32:15
BlueThrone, a leading app aggregator, started buying apps in 2021 and has grown considerably since then. Today, there are over 30 apps under the brand, and those developers they purchased apps from are free to do what they do best: create extraordinary apps.With BlueThrone is a culmination of experience, expertise and a proven record of changing the fortunes of apps, the company's CMO and Co-founder, Idan Waller, has some insider tips to share on what are the success factors that apply to all mobile apps and what the company looks for when acquiring a new app.Listen to the full episode to learn more about how the In-App Subscription model can help apps earn big and build extraordinary products. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Product market fit, Subscription Model, and Other Key Secrets of Success by Idan Waller (BlueThrone)Episode Topics at a GlanceBlueThrone’s app acquisition modelsWhat the company looks for in apps to invest inExample apps BlueThrone has grownWhy subscription apps get a higher valuationThe role of BlueThrone’s researchersMore about Idan WallerA die-hard digital entrepreneur. Idan Waller has rich experience in direct-response marketing, creating multi-million dollar funnels with the best direct marketers in the world. This led Idan to build Israel's biggest coaching company for digital-based SMB's. This business and marketing experience culminated in founding Bluethrone, with his brother and long-time business partner Alon. Bluethrone is like a VC for apps; it acquires and scales subscription app businesses. Idan Waller’s LinksBlueThrone’s free "App Valuation ToolBlueThrone WebsiteBlueThrone Linkedin PageIdan Waller's Linkedin Profile Timestamps00:22 Idan Waller & BlueThrone background 01:06 BlueThrone business model 01:56 Examples of apps grown by BlueThrone 03:49 How long do your developers stay? 04:49 What do you look for in apps you buy? 06:17 Origin of BlueThrone's 5k MMR rule 07:08 How to get on BlueThrone's radar 09:25 Things that stand out in evaluations for apps 12:00 Higher match in the evaluation process: subscriptions 15:07 How BlueThrone scales apps 16:27 Idan's "secret sauce ingredient" 19:22 Must-haves for apps that were initially overseen 22:32 Importance of BlueThrone's digital researchers TranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
12/10/2022 • 25:42
In the beginning, Jodel's choice of growth model was selling traditional ad spaces because it was a more effortless and quicker option to scale as a startup. With the vision to provide advertisers with a unique experience to engage with the local community, Jodel revamped the In-App Advertising experience with In-App Purchases, simplifying the payment process and diversifying ad opportunities. Today, Jodel’s primary revenue stream comes from the combination of In-App Subscription and In-App Purchase of Consumables. Listen to the full episode to learn more about Jodel’s journey to improve the app with new features, unexpected winners and losers in its optimization journey, and its most significant challenges today in increasing revenues. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Shifting from ads to In-App Subscription-led revenue generation with Tim Schmitz (Jodel)Episode Topics at a GlanceJodel's Hyperlocal Community and the challenges it represents Scaling with AdvertisementsCombining In-App Subscriptions and Consumables In-App Purchases Unexpected features: winners & losers User feedback and Being a user themselvesChallenges to increasing revenue and subscriptionsMore about Tim SchmitzTim is the COO and Co-Founder of Jodel. Over time he managed all functions of the company like Product, Growth, Community, Tech and Monetization. Prior to Jodel, Tim studied at ESADE Business School and worked in banking and consulting. Tim grew up with strong ties to software development due to his father who owns a software company. During his exchange semester at San Diego State University, Tim met Alessio Avellan Borgmeye with whom he founded Jodel together. Tim Schmitz’s LinksTwitterLinkedInTimestamps00:21 Presentation with Phiture 01:08 Welcoming Tim Schmitz and the Jodel app 01:33 Jodel's Hyperlocal Community and challenges it represents 04:08 Worldwide users for Jodel 04:48 Features and strategy behind Jodel's paywalls 09:31 How did you mix subscriptions and in-app purchases? 11:58 Strategy to determine what is free or purchasable 15:29 Unexpected features: winners & losers 17:13 Do you combine tests with user reviews to make your determinations? 20:39 Did you ever have a bug that became a feature? 23:35 How do you keep a pulse on feedback for hacking? 24:27 Challenges to increasing revenue and subscriptionsTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
28/09/2022 • 27:36
As a long-time fan and a collaborator of the consultancy, we invited Andy to Subscription League Podcast for the second time to draw tips for optimizing mobile app subscriptions.Andy is a Partner and Co-founder at Phiture, a multi-award-winning mobile growth agency and one of the top 100 fastest-growing agencies worldwide. If you are occasionally seeking advice on topics around subscription optimization and growth, you might already be familiar with Andy's expertise, often referred to by the In-App Subscription community. In the first episode of the podcast series, All about Retention, Andy shares some valuable insights on how to boost retention. This time, he focuses on paywall practice recommendations for the entire subscription journey and four escalating levels of subscriber intent. For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - How to optimize mobile app subscription with Andy Carvell (Phiture)Episode Topics at a GlanceSubscription economy reality checkAn average number of subscriptions per personThe escalating sequence of intent Is it a good idea to offer promo codes?Growth tactics: paywall Onboarding tactics of Fastic appSetting the price for the lifetime subscription Phiture & Purchasely event details (Berlin, October 5thMore about Andy CarvellAndy has over 20 years of experience in the mobile industry. His company Phiture, is a Berlin-based mobile growth consultancy and agency co-founded in 2016 with Moritz Daan with over 110 employees. Phiture consults clients around the globe on mobile growth topics, helping them develop and implement holistic mobile growth strategies.Prior to Phiture, Andy led the user retention team at SoundCloud in Berlin. Andy published the Mobile Growth Stack in 2015, widely adopted as an essential framework for mobile marketers, which he continues to develop.Andy Carvell’s LinksTwitterLinkedInMediumSoundCloudThe Mobile Growth Stack: 2022 ReduxPhiture & Purchasely event details (Berlin, October 5th) Timestamps00:22 Introducing Andy Carvell 00:43 Andy and Phiture's background 01:30 How the subscription economy is doing 02:44 How many subscriptions does an individual user have? 04:20 Questions app publishers should be able to answer 06:33 How long it takes users to go from installation to subscription 09:38 How to interact with users 11:28 How do you pick your strategic objectives? 14:28 Escalating sequence of intent 17:40 Do you offer promo codes or discounts? 18:34 Growth tactics: paywall 22:51 Free vs premium products 24:16 Setting price for the lifetime subscription 27:23 Phiture & Purchasely event details TranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
14/09/2022 • 28:46
Despite a lot of doom and gloom out there about the slowdown of VC investment and how start-ups need to brace for the impact, smart and well-disciplined investors are still looking for home runs, and funding opportunities are still available for the best subscription app companies. In this episode with Eric Crowley, partner at GP Bullhound, we talk about Consumer Subscription Software Flywheel, the investment north star that defines the main attributes of a successful CSS.Then we talk about how subscription apps can maximize investors’ attention by Building a paradigm-shifting Consumer Subscription Business Paring UX and UI with high-quality content and proprietary dataTargeting a nicheThinking as a third-partyListen to the episode to find out more about the investor’s inside scoop.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - What venture investors look for in subscription apps with Eric Crowley (GP Bullhound).Episode Topics at a GlanceConsumer Subscription FlywheelWhat GP Bullhound look for in a companyUX and UKThe role of premium content and proprietary dataSuccess examplesHow to be the king of a niche GP Bullhound’s eventsMore about Eric CrowleyEric is a Partner at GP Bullhound, focusing primarily on M&A, Capital Raises, and Advisory transactions with expertise in consumer subscription software, tech-enabled agencies and ad-tech. Over his career, he has completed transactions totaling over $3 billion in enterprise value. Prior to GP Bullhound, Eric served as an executive at a software start-up where he focused on financial management and driving growth. In addition, Eric worked at Lazard and Antares Capital focusing on middle market transactions.In addition to his CPA, Eric has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.S. degree from Xavier University.Eric Crowley’s LinksEric Crowley’s LinkedIn profileCSS Spinning the CSS flywheel to delight consumers.Medium.com articles by Eric CrowleyTechcrunch article - Taking consumer subscription software to the great outdoorsTimestamps00:20 Introducing Eric Crowley and GP Bullhound01:08 Consumer subscription flywheel03:35 What GP Bullhound looks for to invest in companies05:13 The importance of UX and UI06:55 The role proprietary data takes in building a business mode08:41 Transitioning from founder-backed to venture-backed companies11:20 Post-pandemic subscription net businesses12:59 Examples of creative ways to engage consumers15:01 Will the Winner-Take-All trend continue?16:56 Best success stories18:24 The digital to analogue transition19:28 Should funders worry about reaching specific APIs?21:03 Consumer subscription software conference23:10 Where to learn more about GP BullhoundTrancriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
31/08/2022 • 24:28
Uptime is built on a mission to help people to learn quickly and grasp knowledge from trusted thought leaders without spending too much time, energy and/or resources. Only launched in 2021, the app already boasts almost a five-start customer reviews on the App Store, recognized as an Apple Editor's Choice and a Google Play App of the year 2021.In episode 8, Léa Samrani, lead product manager at Uptime, talks about how the company expedited the app’s growth by Conducting heavy market and user researchLeveraging one-on-one user engagement to complement the lack of data as an early startupTracking everything with data tools once the user base has grownLeading with the product that speaks for itselfGetting users on board with the apps benefit by giving full premium access.Listen to the episode to find out more about the brand’s growth strategy.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Uptime - How to build a successful user-first app strategy with Léa Samrani.Episode Topics at a GlanceUptime’s mission and historyInitial research and consumer surveyA/B testingSetting the right KPIsPaywall strategies Educating users about the app’s valueMore about Léa SamraniLéa is a London-based product management veteran with about a decade of experience managing teams, driving product strategy, and building products ground up in fast pace environments. Currently, she’s the lead product manager at Uptime, a freemium app featuring 5-minute knowledge hacks from the world's best books, courses, and documentaries. Prior to her current position, Léa worked as a senior product manager at Bumble and Badoo. She also has years of experience as head of product management in the charity sector. Her educational background includes a public law and politics science degree and a master’s in marketing communications advertising. Léa is also a lecturer at Product School. Léa Samrani’s LinksLéa Samrani’s LinkedIn profileUptime websiteLea’s Product School lecturer profileTimestamps00:20 Introducing Lea Samrani00:43 Lea Samrani and Uptime backstory02:17 What did the research you did for your app entail?05:51 Knowing when Uptime was on the right path 07:58 Challenges of A/B testing12:00 Importance of testing the paywall15:03 Does your advice change based on the scale of the company (large vs small)?16:31 What KPIs do you optimize for today and why?18:45 Did you encounter any unexpected tests?20:31 How do you educate users on the value of the app?22:17 Where to learn more about Lea Samrani and UptimeTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
17/08/2022 • 23:30
In this episode of Subscription League, we sit down with Belen Caeiro, the VP of Product Management of Babbel Live, to talk about the bold decisions, attempts, and success along the journey of creating the latest business branch of Babbel, Babbel Live. Belen shares the logic behind the brand’s unusual approach of not offering a free trial and tips on how Babbel Live differentiates itself from its competitors in the market. Listen to the end to steal Belen’s predictions of the future of subscription apps, and her view on the benefit of pursuing product-led growth.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - How to create and launch a success in a crowded market with Belen Caeiro.Episode Topics at a GlanceThree attempts, one successProduct marketing Babbel’s unique selling propositionStart-up approach Why free-trial doesn’t work for every appSimplifying the acquisition flowMore about Belen CaeiroPrior to Babbel, Belen led the international roll-out of SoundCloud’s monetization options. She was involved in the early-stage development of other online companies in the entertainment and ticketing industries. Now based in Berlin, Belen is originally from Argentina and lived in Spain, Singapore, the Philippines, the United States, and the Netherlands. She’s a firm believer that learning new languages helps us understand each other and integrate new perspectives into our way of thinking. Belen Caeiro’s LinksBabbel LiveLinkedInTimestamps[0:36] Belen is introduced on the show[1:30] What is Babbel Live? [1:56] Belen explains product marketing and the importance of product USPs[3:19] How Babbel brought Babbel Live to market[6:28] Managing a business strategy pivot within the Babbel team[8:13] Why it was third time lucky for live language learning lessons[9:35] How Babbel positioned itself against its competitors[12:25] The strategies that Babbel deployed to roll out Babbel Live[17:33] Experimenting with the subscription app model[19:38] Ditching the free trial: An unusual way to end churn in subscription apps[21:04] Babbel’s pricing models[22:06] Belen’s tips on how to apply a subscription model to a premium price app[24:56] Why a referral program might be the way forward in user acquisition[25:33] Belen’s predictions for the future of subscription appsTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
03/08/2022 • 28:39
Luni’s journey as an app empire started out only about four years ago as developers of utility apps such as Scanner. Their business extended to creativity and wellness apps, including Fitness Coach(wellness), Omada(social sports betting), Meditation Nest(wellness), and Photo Studio(creativity). Luni boasts all together over ¼ million daily downloads. The company’s success is essentially based on providing gratifying app content and continuous improvement through frequent testings and optimizations. Luni is also a big advocate of influencer marketing. About 60% of Luni’s users are based in the United States.Adrien's secret recipe for starting from scratch to reach success?Have a well-made application with good, fresh, and content, engaging content - it’s the basics.Kick off with paid traffic to gain the first user base. This will help generate data to leverage for future testings and optimizations.Once users start sticking around, perform frequent A/B testings on paywalls and onboardings. Use tools like Purchasley, Amplitude, and Appsflyer that allow you to achieve this efficiently.Build a branding strategy and gradually switch to targeting organic traffic. Also, leverage influencer marketing.Listen to the episode to steal all the step-by-step tips for growing small apps from scratch to success!For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Subscription Marketing 101: tips to drive acquisition and retention with Adrien Miniatti (Luni)Episode Topics at a GlanceLuni’s journey to becoming an app empireApple Search AdsUser acquisition strategy mixing organic and paid approachInfluencer marketingA/B testingUsing 3rd party tools like PurchasleyReasonable conversion rates to targetMore about Adrien MiniattiA passionate autodidact, Adrien Miniatti started coding at 13, recruited engineers at 19, and today spends more than 2.2 million euros per month on marketing to take the mobile applications of the Luni empire, a mobile app publisher and developer of a wide variety of applications, to the top. Adrien founded gaming studios and launched Luni about four years ago. Adrien is also an investor in several tech companies.Adrien Miniatti’s LinksAdrien Miniatti LinkedIn profileLuni websiteLuni apps on AppStoreTimestamps00:19 Welcome and Introduction 01:05 Adrien Miniati Background 02:55 How do you approach user acquisition? 03:50 Organic User Acquisition Good and Bad 05:31 Advice for Early Start-Up 06:45 How are you building a brand? 08:25 Influencers Impact on Culture and Awareness 10:12 Converting Users to Customers with Fitness Coach 14:58 Profit and Conversion Rate 18:20 The Effect of App-Tracking Transparency 20:57 Apple Custom Code 25:09 Fitness Coach’s Development Process 30:42 Where to Learn MoreEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
13/07/2022 • 32:15
Rootd is "anxiety and panic attack relief right in your pocket.” It leads the #1 rated app on both iOS and Google Play and boasts over a 1.7 million user base. The award-winning application has paved a unique path to success based on an unusual approach - bootstrapping. While raising venture funding is a celebrated practice in the startup industry today, the brand has been insisting on 100% financial and technical independence. Today, the app is trusted by users in 150+ countries and continues to grow its revenues.In this episode of Subscription League podcast, Olivier and Jeff sit down with Ania Wysocka, Founder of Rootd to talk about the story behind the app’s creation and how its strategies around onboarding, paywall, and user engagement had a catalytic impact on the app’s growth. Please listen, subscribe, share, and leave a glowing review!For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - How to bootstrap #1 health and fitness app with Ania Wysocka (Rootd) Episode Topics at a GlanceThe story behind Rootd’s creationBootstrappingAnia’s personal experience with anxietyUser reviewsOnboarding and early-stage paywall displayStory submission Next steps for Rootd More about Ania WysockaAnia is the founder of Rooted - the #1 rated mobile app for anxiety & panic attack relief. Ania designed and created Rootd’s complete content and has led the business to over 1.7 million users in over 150 countries. Her unique combination of graphic design, marketing, and subject matter expertise provides Rootd with its unmistakable personality.Previously Ania served as Program Director at Alacrity Canada, where she created and led a Digital Marketing Bootcamp to run province-wide in partnership with the BC government, helping over 6,000 individuals and small businesses, particularly those impacted by COVID-19.Entrepreneurial by nature, with a strong sense for effective design and cross-cultural communication, Ania has been selected for a Developer Spotlight by Apple, as a “30 Under 30” winner by BC Business, a "Canadian Woman in Tech you Should Know" by the Daily Hive, and one of “20 Women Entrepreneurs to Watch” by Founders Fund. Ania Wysocka’s LinksAnia Wosocka LinkedIn profileRootd websiteRootd_app Instagram Roord_app TwitterTimestamps[00:00] Welcome to the Subscription League [00:22] Ania Wysocka & Rootd background [01:39] The early days & origin of Rootd [03:26] Is Rootd in Flutter now? [03:37] What pushed you to go the self-funded route? [05:34] Benefits of Ania using Rootd [07:20] Ania’s communication with users and tone vs a larger company [08:13] The importance of positive reviews 10:45 Other methods to monetize Rootd [11:53] What are the variations you tried around your paywall? [13:10] Is the Panic Button free? [14:09] Did the paywall have an impact on the reviews? [15:38] What are some takeaways from the experiments on the paywall? [16:45] Rootd stories published by Apple and its impact [21:03] Advice for bootstrappers [23:00] The future of Rootd [24:42] Where to learn more about Rootd [25:20] Thank you for listeningTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
06/07/2022 • 25:53
On the 5th episode of The Subscription League, Olivier Destrebecq and Nicolas Tissier sit down with Eveline Moczko, Head of Product Management at Blinkist, an app offering 15-minute explainers of the most memorable insights from non-fiction books and podcasts. Eveline is passionate about A/B testing and has driven innovation at Blinkist to increase mobile app subscription and retention. The episode covers many aspects of working on a subscription app including the impact of different onboarding approaches and trial periods, and how to cope with subscription anxiety. Eveline also talks about how the brand combined big bets and extensive A/B testing to optimize the subscription flow and launch a new content type. Eveline explains how being transparent by sending a reminder of a forthcoming charge to users on a free trial can actually increase conversion. She also talks about increasing app engagement, which she describes as the biggest challenge of working with a subscription-model app. Please listen, subscribe, share, and leave a glowing review!For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Using transparency to increase your conversion rate with Eveline Moczko.Episode Topics at a GlanceLove for A/B testing and its limitationsExamples of A/B testings and big betsSimplifying onboarding processHow to cope with subscription anxietyHard paywall vs soft paywallHow to achieve long-term habits with usersMore about Eveline MoczkoCurrently Head of Product Management at Blinkist, the leading destination for lifelong learners, Eveline has been responsible for maximizing conversion and optimizing subscription funnels, playing a key role in growing the app’s user base to 20 million. Prior to joining Blinkist, Eveline launched and managed products in the e-commerce and food delivery space. She’s now dedicated to bringing to life the big vision of inspiring people to keep learning. Eveline Moczko’s LinksEveline on LinkedInBlinkist signup: Enter promo code “subscriptionleague” for a free 3-month subscription to Blinkist! This promo code can be only redeemed on this web page https://www.blinkist.com/nc/friends Timestamps[00:00 Welcome to the Subscription League[00:22] Eveline Moczko & Blinkist Background[01:18] Love for A/B Testing and Limitations[02:13] How do you measure success without A/B testing?[03:48] Examples of Proxy Metrics[04:32] The Impact of A/B Testing & Bigger Bets[06:41] Things to Avoid with Subscription Flows[08:37] Impact of Removing the Hard Sign Up[09:36] How do you adapt the subscription flow to each market today?[11:55] Addressing Subscription Fear from Users[14:15] How do you achieve long-time habits with users?[16:20] How have your personas translated into Blinkist?[17:58] Which motivation does Tim Cook fall into?[18:12] The Impact of Apple Features of Blinkist[19:03] Where to Learn More About Blinkist[19:38] Thank You for ListeningTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
22/06/2022 • 20:08
The most trusted digital-content news in the world, The Guardian’s core business mission has always been to help people understand better the world we live in by keeping journalism accessible to everyone. The model that the brand settled on to achieve this was keeping all its content free without adopting paywalls. While this is clearly a countertrend move, especially in the journalism industry, the British newspaper enjoyed the most significant rewards - an exponential increase in readership, the capacity to perform effectively A/B testings with velocity, and customer trust.The Guardian’s customer experience optimization based on routine research and A/B testing enabled the brand to see themselves as the readers saw them, hold that mirror up and speak to them in an authentic way.For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article - Growing the user base The Guardian way - with Jesse WilkinsEpisode Topics at a GlanceThe Guardian's evolution of successGuardian's mission to make journalism accessible to everyoneVoluntary donationWhy The Guardian settled on offering open access without using paywallsResearch and A/B testings More about Jesse WilkinsCurrently at the Guardian, one of the world's leading liberal newspapers. After working in a variety of e-commerce roles, Jesse has spent the last few years in the donation/subscription space, thinking about how to convert readers of the Guardian, which has a free and open model of journalism with no paywall. He was part of a small team that launched the Guardian’s voluntary donations ‘Contributions’ product in 2016 and played a key part in helping them reach 1m acts of financial support, helping to pivot the organization towards a reader funded model. He is now the senior growth manager for global reader revenues, leading a team of six. Jesse Wilkins’ LinksJesse Wilkins on LinkedinSupport The GuardianThe Guardian Digital SubscriptionSupport with a contribution of any sizeTimestamps00:00 Welcome to the Subscription League 00:22 Jesse Wilkins Introduction 01:15 Can you explain what business model The Guardian has landed on and allowed you to break even with the $1 million financial support? 02:45 Background on the Ownership Model at The Guardian 04:55 How did you approach the challenge of keeping content free? 07:38 Why is it so important to do A/B testing and experiments? 09:32 How much optimization did you put behind the current messaging on each article and subscription page? 10:21 Do you have anything to share regarding the triggering strategy and the way the messaging is adapted to the content and the way it is displayed? 12:02 Failed Experiments and Surprises in A/B Testing 14:25 Experiments Conducted on Web vs Mobile App 15:21 Your content is not hidden behind a paywall; how does that impact you? 17:06 Are your heavier readers donating the most or is there a different correlation there? 17:51 Why is the solution you picked for The Guardian working compared to others? 23:02 Where to Learn More About The Guardian 23:34 Thank You and OutroTranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
08/06/2022 • 24:15