Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches

Robbie Kellman Baxter
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Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches

Subscription models are crazy powerful. Savvy small companies can easily deploy them to knock huge Goliaths off kilter. We’ve seen it in entertainment, software, hardware, news, retail, hospitality—the list goes on. In her podcast series, Robbie Kellman Baxter interviews the leaders of this revolution about how they’re using subscription pricing and membership models to redefine the biggest industries and generate predictable recurring revenue along the way.

  1. 4 JUN

    How Zumba Balances Instructor and Consumer Subscriptions with Yael Dornbusch, Zumba’s Chief Subscription Officer

    Zumba is a phenomenon since its founding in 2001. The addictive fitness dance program with a Latin beat has taken the world by storm. As of 2022, the company claimed 15 million people taking Zumba classes weekly at 200,000 locations in over 180 countries. At its core is the Zumba Instructor Network, a monthly membership program created to give instructors ongoing support and tools for success. It includes an unlimited, never-expiring teaching license, as well as monthly music and choreography marketing tools and access to the community. Today's guest, Yael Dornbusch is the Chief Subscription Officer at Zumba, responsible for managing what she calls a prosumer subscription. In our conversation, she explains why Zumba built their first subscription around instructors rather than students, why they launched a second subscription specifically for students, and the principles they use to balance the needs of these two constituencies.   Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:    robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    33 min

  2. 21 MAY

    The One Medical Story with Dr. Joseph Michelli, the Author of All Business is Personal: One Medical’s Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement

    If you've ever had to wait for your doctor first in the waiting room and then in the examining room, or struggled to get an appointment or had trouble getting a prescription filled while on the road, you know why primary care in the United States is in such desperate need of disruption.  One Medical has been transforming primary care through the power of membership and customer centricity since 2007. In 2023, One Medical was acquired by Amazon for nearly $4 billion. Dr. Joseph Michelli has written a well-researched book on One Medical's journey and what enabled such rapid growth and such strong customer engagement. The book is called “All Business is Personal: One Medical Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement.” In today's conversation, Joseph and I talk about how the company reimagined every step of the patient journey, One Medical's three key success drivers, and what the future of healthcare might hold.     Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:  robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    33 min

  3. 7 MAY

    Building Evergreen Companies with Dave Whorton, Founder of the Tugboat Institute and Author of Another Way: Building Companies that Last…and Last…and Last

    Something I've noticed over the years is that there's a natural membership economy mindset among many family-owned businesses and organizations, not on the venture-backed IPO acquisition path. Companies that aren't on a tight timeline to an exit have the ability to invest in long-term, trusted relationships with customers and with employees. After a career as both a founder of multiple successful companies and a venture investor with Kleiner Perkins, Dave Whorton decided he wanted to work specifically with what he came to call Evergreen leaders, the ones who combined sound business principles, extraordinary purpose, and a desire to share their success with their employees. His Tugboat Institute researches these organizations to identify best practices, and then he brings together these leaders to teach and support one another. Now, he's written a book, “Another Way: Building Companies That Last…and Last…and Last”. It's a playbook for entrepreneurs seeking an alternate path to success. In my conversation with Dave, we discussed how venture capital has changed the face of entrepreneurship, what it means for founders, the 7Ps that are the guiding principles of Evergreen companies, and the two key constituencies that matter most to your organization's long-term success.   Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:     robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    40 min

  4. 5 MAR

    A Behind-The-Scenes Look at Adobe’s Journey to Subscriptions with Mark Garrett, the CFO Who Architected That Transformation

    In today's episode, we're exploring one of the most ambitious and successful business model transformations in modern corporate history, the shift of Adobe from a traditional software company selling packaged products to a thriving subscription powerhouse. And who better to walk us through this journey than Mark Garrett, Adobe's former chief financial officer and the architect behind this transition?    When Adobe first announced its move to a subscription-based model in 2011, there was plenty of skepticism. Analysts questioned the financial impact, customers worried about cost increases, and internal teams faced the daunting task of restructuring their entire go-to-market strategy. Mark and his team remained steadfast, not just in their belief that subscriptions would create more predictable revenue, but also that they would allow Adobe to serve customers better with continuous innovation and improved accessibility. Since those early days, Adobe's market cap has skyrocketed from around 16 billion before the transition to well over 200 billion, proving just how powerful a well-executed subscription strategy can be. In this conversation, Mark shares the behind-the-scenes story of how Adobe made the leap as a public company, maintaining exceptional financial performance while also enhancing customer satisfaction. We'll discuss the key strategies behind their transition, the biggest challenges they faced both internally and externally, and what other companies can learn from Adobe's playbook. If you've ever wondered how to execute a high-stakes business model transformation, how to balance Wall Street expectations with long-term customer loyalty, or how to design a subscription offering that truly delivers ongoing value, this episode is for you.     Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:   robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    41 min

  5. 19 FEB

    How to Build a Strong Subscription Business While Maintaining a Compelling Free Tier with Chess.com CRO Adam Mayer

    Chess.com is one of the most popular freemium platforms in the world, offering millions of users free access to an engaging online chess experience. But how do you encourage players to upgrade to a paid tier when the free version is already so compelling? Adam, with his extensive background in revenue strategy and subscription growth, has played a critical role in designing and optimizing Chess.com's premium offerings. In this conversation, we'll dive into the challenges and opportunities of building a successful paid tier within a thriving freemium ecosystem, how chess.com balances free and premium value, the strategies they've used to convert free users into loyal subscribers., and the key lessons Adam has learned from his experience leading revenue at a fast-growing digital platform. If you're interested in learning how to drive revenue without alienating your free user base, how to craft subscription tiers that meet diverse customer needs, and how to foster long-term loyalty in a competitive market, then  you won't want to miss this episode.   Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:   robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    40 min

  6. 5 FEB

    Controversial Topics in Subscription Pricing with Mather CEO Matt Lindsay

    Pricing is probably the trickiest, most stressful part of managing a subscription business. How do you balance revenue and profitability? How can you keep your pricing simple to communicate and execute while personalizing it to optimize for elasticity of demand and value created? If these questions plague your organization, you'll want to take notes today. Matt Lindsay, founding partner of Mather Economics is a subscription pricing expert who's helped hundreds of publishers build and evolve robust pricing models. In today's conversation, we're taking on pricing controversies, including the role of introductory offers, how to raise prices and how to respond to a subscriber threatening to cancel.   Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today:   robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    40 min

  7. 22 ENE

    2025 Trends in Subscription Businesses with Recurly CEO Joe Rohrlich

    When I wrote The Membership Economy, I knew that nearly every organization could build trusted recurring revenue relationships with their customers just by focusing on a forever promise. I really saw a huge future and hoped that companies would follow this path. But what I didn't realize was just how quickly and broadly they would heed my words and invest in subscriptions. It can be hard to predict what will happen next, but in this episode, we're going to do just that. Today, my guest, Joe Rohrlich, CEO of Recurly, and I will talk about trends for 2025. We'll explore what's ahead, both for digital natives and large companies just dipping their toe into the world of recurring revenue. You'll learn best practices of the most successful household names, as well as how to manage challenges relating to speed to market and scaling without losing your secret sauce.   Love the show? Rate us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today: robbiekellmanbaxter.com Twitter Facebook Robbie Kellman Baxter on Instagram Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches on Apple Podcasts

    40 min

  8. 8 ENE

    Season Six Wrap-Up and Season Seven Sneak Peek with Robbie Kellman Baxter

    Season 7 is launching soon, but while you wait, catch up on our most recent season. Some of Season 6's most popular episodes include Best Practices in Subscription Funnel Management with Ken Houseman of the New York Times, Subscription Pricing, Metrics and the Changing Role of the CFO with Maxio’s Randy Wootton and How a Subscription can “Smooth the Lumps” in B2B Services with DDI’s Dr. Tacy Byham. And you don't want to miss out on our most loved episodes of all time, Product-Led Growth for Subscriptions, Using Examples from Medium, LinkedIn and The Athletic with Caitlin Roman, Midi Health’s Joanna Strober on the Ultimate Forever Transaction—Healthcare, and Mighty Network's Gina Bianchini on How to Create a Community Worth Subscribing to. If you haven't listened to these episodes, I encourage you to check them out. And if you like them, please take a minute right now to rate and review them on Apple iTunes or Apple Podcasts. I always ask because it really helps us get the word out. Guests for Season 7 will include Joe Rohrlich, CEO of Recurly, Adam Mayer, Chief Revenue Officer at chess.com, and Mather Economics’ Matt Lindsay, talking about best practices in subscription pricing. To make sure you don't miss a thing, follow Subscription Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Just tap on the follow or subscribe button. And if you like what you hear, please do give us a review and a rating. Thanks for your support, and thanks for listening to Subscription Stories.      Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Subscription Stories Community today: robbiekellmanbaxter.com

    2 min
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Subscription models are crazy powerful. Savvy small companies can easily deploy them to knock huge Goliaths off kilter. We’ve seen it in entertainment, software, hardware, news, retail, hospitality—the list goes on. In her podcast series, Robbie Kellman Baxter interviews the leaders of this revolution about how they’re using subscription pricing and membership models to redefine the biggest industries and generate predictable recurring revenue along the way.

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