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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)
Headway 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 funnel
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Yeva
Yeva 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 Links
Yeva’s Linkedin profile
Headway website
Nibble website
Timestamps
[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
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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
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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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?
Kovalee’s unique in-house tech & expertiseApps with high potential (the hidden gems)The test-and-learn methodology
In short:Listen 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.
The 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 segmentation
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 GlanceMore about Vincent
After 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 LinkedIn
Timestamps[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
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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)
Rowan'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 brands
Episode Topics at a Glance
More about Rowan
Rowan 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 LinkedIn
Sweatcoin on App Store
Sweatcoin on Google Play
Timestamps[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 brandsEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 Post
Episode Topics at a Glance
Michael 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 Michael
Michael 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 LinkedIn
The Washington Post on App Store
The Washington Post on Google
Timestamps
[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
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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 Glance
Introduction 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 Plans
More 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 LinkedIn
Papumba on the Appstore
Papumba on Google Play
Papumba on Instagram
Papumba’s website
Timestamps
[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
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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 Glance
Sviat’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 Sviat
Sviat 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 Links
Sviat’s Linkedin Profile
Sviat’s Twitter
Open Minds Institude
Applica’s Experiment History Review Framework
Timestamps
00:37 - 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
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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.
full funnel optimizationgrowth metrics and their trade-offsimportance of segmentation
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 onFor noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article -
How Mimo Builds an Experimentation Culture with Ekaterina Gamsriegler
What 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
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Ekaterina
Ekaterina 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 Twitter
Ekaterina’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!
Timestamps
0:00 Welcome to the Subscription League0:21 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
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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)
The 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 proof
Episode Topics at a Glance
More 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 Linkedin
Steve’s Twitter
App Master Youtube Channel
Podcast - App Marketing by App Masters
Timestamps0:00 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
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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.
What 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
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Olivier
Currently 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.
PhotoRoom websiteOlivier's TwitterOlivier's Linkedin
Olivier’s LinksTimestamps
0:00 Welcome to the Subscription League0:20 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
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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 Analysis
3)how to understand the willingness to pay using the drop principle
4)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.
CoinStats’ 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
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Vahe
Vahe 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 Subscription Optimization & Pricing Strategy CourseVahe’s Twitter Vahe’s LinkedIn
Vahe’s LinksTimestamps
00:00 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
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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)
Fixed-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
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Martin
Martin 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 Links
Subscription app calculatorThe Definitive Guide to Selecting a UA Financing PartnerClean Room Accounting for UA/Monetization blog postRIP Mobile Games Publishing blog post
Timestamps00:00 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
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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 Glance
Consumer 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 Crowley
Eric 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 Links
Eric 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 outdoorsTimestamps
00:20 Introducing Eric Crowley and GP Bullhound
01:08 Consumer subscription flywheel
03:35 What GP Bullhound looks for to invest in companies
05:13 The importance of UX and UI
06:55 The role proprietary data takes in building a business mode
08:41 Transitioning from founder-backed to venture-backed companies
11:20 Post-pandemic subscription net businesses
12:59 Examples of creative ways to engage consumers
15:01 Will the Winner-Take-All trend continue?
16:56 Best success stories
18:24 The digital to analogue transition
19:28 Should funders worry about reaching specific APIs?
21:03 Consumer subscription software conference
23:10 Where to learn more about GP Bullhound
TrancriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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)
Sunny 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 tactics
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Sunny Dulay
Sunny 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!
About BreakthroughStretch App Launched by BreakthroughWellness coach and want to launch or grow your app? Get in touch to make your appContact SunnySunny’s LinkedIn
Sunny’s LinksTimestamps
00:21 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 fr
Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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).
What 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
Episode Topics at a GlanceMore about Jenny Kay Pollock
Jenny 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.
User Research Worksheet Jenny's personal website Jenny's LinkedinJenny's Twitter Together Labs
Jenny’s LinksTimestamps
00:18 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 League
30:57 Wrap Up
Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 $70 million, and Fastic, a five-star intermittent fasting app used by over 26M users worldwide, 92% of whom are happy customers. The Fastic app is also looked upon by many subscription apps and marketers for its exemplary onboarding process and its approach to building users’ trust and satisfaction with consistent delivery of personalized experiences.
For the Subscription League Podcast episode 15, we sat down with Tobias to discuss the nitty-gritty of how the Fastic app differentiates itself from other fasting apps with its extraordinary onboarding strategy.
For noteworthy quotes and key takeaways from the episode, read the article -
All about subscription app onboarding with Tobias Boerner (Appic)
Episode Topics at a Glance
What is Fastic app AboutFastic app’s onboarding explainedWhat is the ideal onboarding experienceDos and Don’ts for onboardingOnboarding strugglesKey numbers to benchmarkPaywall or no paywall during the onboardingMore about Tobias Boerner
Tobias is a serial entrepreneur and Angel Investor. His passion is growth, product marketing and UX/UI. In his previous roles as a CMO and Co-Founder of LOVOO, Tobias was part of 2 exits worth 70M$ 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 Links
Tobias’ LinkedinAppic’s official websiteFastic - world's leading fasting appWorld's first web3 marketing platformTimestamps
00:21 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 Tobias
Transcript
Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 Glance
The 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 Links
Peggy’s Linkedin ProfilePeggy’s Twitter Peggy’s YouTube ChannelMobile Presence PodcastPeggy’s Author page on ForbesOther social media and contentMMA GermanyTimestamp
00:22 Peggy Ann introduction
01:11 Potential upcoming subscription trends
02:12 Key points about the subscription economy
05:20 Good examples of subscription apps
07:51 How to connect with your customers
10:42 Dealing with subscription fatigue
13:24 What are psychographics?
17:40 What's the power behind value graphics?
20:10 Why are subscriptions so successful?
22:00 Benefits to subscription apps
26:24 Must-haves for subscriptions
28:52 Your brand and retaining subscribers
32:55 Peggy's bookEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 Glance
What 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 learnedMore about Hannah Parvaz
Hannah 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 Links
Aperture’s Linkedin pageHanna’s Linkedin profileTimestamps
0:22 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 listening
TranscriptEpisode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 Glance
Luni’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 Miniatti
A 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 Links
Adrien Miniatti LinkedIn profileLuni websiteLuni apps on AppStoreTimestamps
00:19 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 More
Episode production by Mobdesign: https://podcasts.mobdesignapps.fr
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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 Glance
BlueThrone’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 Waller
A 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 Links
BlueThrone’s free "App Valuation ToolBlueThrone WebsiteBlueThrone Linkedin PageIdan Waller's Linkedin ProfileTimestamps
00:22 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
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