Subscription Heroes

Scott Hurff
Subscription Heroes

Subscriptions are eating the world. Join us as we spotlight the heroes behind the world's most successful subscription businesses. Brought to you by Churnkey.

  1. Why Listening to Customers Isn’t Enough to Build Great Products — with Yan Grinshtein

    JUN 16

    Why Listening to Customers Isn’t Enough to Build Great Products — with Yan Grinshtein

    In this episode, Yan Grinshtein walks us through his journey from design leader to founder, and the problems in product development that led him to build Nsight. Yan shares how a frustrating experience in a fast-paced startup exposed how siloed data and anecdotal decision-making derail product strategy. The conversation dives deep into how Nsight unifies cross-functional data to align company priorities, improve product direction, and prevent missteps caused by isolated feedback or founder instinct. About Yan Grinshtein: Yan Grinshtein is a veteran designer and product leader with over 20 years of experience crafting successful products, leading high-performing teams, and collaborating with global brands like Microsoft, Volkswagen, Taboola, and Sony BMG. After a long career spanning agency, freelance, and startup environments, he’s now on sabbatical from hands-on design to build Nsight—a company focused on helping design and product teams overcome decision-making bottlenecks, align priorities, and access the holistic data they need to do their best work. Here is what we cover: Origin of Nsight: Born from Yan’s experience with chaotic roadmap planning in a hyper-growth startup. Customer Feedback ≠ Solution: Product teams must identify underlying problems, not just build what customers ask for. Unified Data Strategy: Nsight pulls from tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and support tickets to triangulate real customer needs. Misaligned Roles: Design is too often disconnected from business strategy, treated like a service agency. Trend-Based Prioritization: Product decisions should be driven by overlapping signals from market trends, user research, and internal data. Fast Validation: Use low-fidelity prototypes to validate ideas quickly—don’t waste time building before learning. Avoid Loudest Voice Wins: Relying on visionary instinct without data leads to flawed decisions. Underpromise, Overdeliver: Always pad timelines; product work is unpredictable. Centralized Intelligence: Nsight’s mission is to eliminate data silos and help teams act on actionable, validated intelligence. Industry-Wide Challenge: Billions of hours are wasted searching for information—Nsight aims to fix that. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    29 min
  2. Can AI Really Help Raise Kids? – The Story of a Solo Female Founder

    JUN 2

    Can AI Really Help Raise Kids? – The Story of a Solo Female Founder

    In this episode, Amanda shares how her postpartum struggles and tech background led her to build Riley—a tool designed to reduce the mental load of parenting through personalized, science-backed guidance. The conversation covers product vision, AI trust, marketing strategy, and Amanda’s journey as a solo female founder. About Amanda DeLuca: Amanda DeLuca is a seasoned product leader with over 7 years of experience driving growth, engagement, and AI innovation. Currently the founder and CEO of Riley, an AI-powered parenting assistant, she previously led product teams at Etsy, NerdWallet, and Eventbrite. Amanda is passionate about building user-centric products that create real impact and delight. Her global perspective—shaped by living and working in the U.S., England, and France—is complemented by her academic background in French from Amherst College and NYU Paris. Here is what we cover: Founding Story: Inspired by Amanda’s own postpartum experience and frustration with unreliable parenting advice. Product Vision: Riley delivers real-time, personalized support that’s evidence-based and context-aware. AI Approach: Uses LLMs + human oversight (e.g., pediatricians) to ensure safe, trusted advice. Marketing Strategy: SEO-first with strong performance from Meta, Google, and email; Reddit shows promise in niche parenting communities. Privacy & Trust: Strong stance on user data privacy; Riley doesn’t train models on user data. Design & UX: Exceptional design is a key differentiator—Amanda’s first hire was a top designer. Founder Perspective: As a solo female founder, Amanda draws on her lived experience to build with deep empathy and product-market fit. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    37 min
  3. AI Works Best With Humans – Vinay Patankar on Smart Automation

    MAY 19

    AI Works Best With Humans – Vinay Patankar on Smart Automation

    In this episode, Vinay Patankar unpack the company’s founding story, evolution from a horizontal SaaS product to a compliance-focused automation platform, and the growing role of AI in business workflows. The conversation highlights key learnings from building a product in the process management space, the challenges of product-led growth (PLG), and how AI is best used as a supportive tool rather than a human replacement. About Vinay Patankar: Vinay Patankar is the CEO and founder of Process Street, a leading platform for workflow automation and compliance. With a background in scaling remote teams and a passion for operational efficiency, Vinay built Process Street to streamline recurring work and help businesses automate complex processes. Under his leadership, the company has evolved from a PLG-focused startup to an AI-powered solution serving compliance-heavy industries like HR, IT, and finance. Here is what we cover: Founding & Early Vision Built to solve quality control in remote teams. Started as a broad, PLG-driven workflow tool. PLG Challenges Limited virality and single-user value hindered growth. Complex setup made quick wins difficult. Strategic Pivot Compliance-heavy teams (HR, IT, legal) showed higher retention. Repositioned as an AI-powered compliance automation platform. AI in Business AI works best as a copilot, not a replacement. Helps automate content, support, and code tasks. Tools like Superhuman are redefining inbox and workflow management. Barriers & Adoption Founders often resist automation due to uncertainty. Education and expert guidance ease the transition. Looking Ahead AI voice assistants with LLMs could drive mass adoption. SMB tools are rapidly improving and closing the gap with enterprise tech. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    32 min
  4. This Founder Solved Her Own Problem and Turned It Into a Business | Cristina Flaschen

    MAY 13

    This Founder Solved Her Own Problem and Turned It Into a Business | Cristina Flaschen

    In this episode, Cristina Flaschen shares how she turned her deep frustration with software integrations into a scalable B2B SaaS business. She discusses falling in love with the problem, identifying the right customers, and competing with bigger players by staying focused on product quality and authenticity. Cristina also opens up about her journey as a non-technical female founder in a technical space, and how empathy and humility have shaped her leadership. About Cristina Flaschen: Cristina Flaschen is the co-founder and CEO of Pandium, a platform that helps B2B SaaS companies build and manage integrations at scale. With over 15 years of experience in enterprise software, she launched Pandium to give developers a faster, more flexible integration experience. Cristina is known for her empathetic leadership style and advocacy for diversity in tech. Here is what we cover: Pandium’s Origin: Built from Cristina’s own pain managing integrations—focused on simplicity and scale. Problem Obsession: True product-market fit came from constant ideation and passion for solving integration complexity. ICP Discovery: Mid-market SaaS companies (1,000+ customers) were the best fit—not small startups or open-source-focused devs. Revenue-First GTM: Prioritized paying customers early, guiding pricing and product strategy. Integration Complexity: Hard part isn’t APIs—it’s handling third-party systems, data issues, and reliability at scale. Leadership & Gender Dynamics: Cristina shares her experience navigating tech as a non-technical female founder. Empathy & Humility: Emphasizes listening, asking questions, and caring deeply about people as leadership strengths. Customer-Centric Culture: All employees engage with customers, driving better products and insights. Competing with Giants: Wins by leaning into product depth, authenticity, and not mimicking bigger competitors. Content-Led Growth: Grows through high-quality, founder-led content that reflects the brand’s voice. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    40 min
  5. Adapting Your Business for an AI-Dominated Future with Liam Martin

    MAY 6

    Adapting Your Business for an AI-Dominated Future with Liam Martin

    In this episode, Liam Martin breaks down the evolving landscape of AI, marketing, and business strategy. The conversation explores the coming disruption from AI, the decline of traditional marketing channels like SEO, and the rising value of product marketing, community, and brand equity. Liam outlines where he sees the most defensible business strategies forming as AI reshapes the SaaS and tech world. About Liam Martin: Liam Martin is the co-founder and CMO of Time Doctor and Staff.com, popular time tracking platforms used by top brands. He is also a co-organizer of the Running Remote Conference and an advocate for remote work. With expertise in outsourcing and process design, Liam consults on optimizing work operations. His mission is to empower workers to work from anywhere, anytime. Featured in top publications like Forbes and Inc., Liam travels frequently, promoting remote work and flexibility. Here is what we cover: AI’s Impact on Jobs: By 2027, AI could replace up to 50% of jobs. Liam recommends spending 2 hours daily on AI learning and focusing on tasks that require multitasking, where humans still excel. SEO Decline: Traditional SEO is losing effectiveness, with big companies like HubSpot seeing major traffic declines. AI-powered tools are making traditional content generation and search methods less relevant. Role of Product Marketers: Product marketers will thrive as AI tools allow them to build and market products without engineers, enabling smaller teams to scale quickly. AI in Paid Ads: AI is automating ad creation and optimization. While creative direction remains human-driven, ad management will increasingly be AI-driven. Brand Equity: Brand equity will become a major competitive advantage as search and paid ads lose relevance. Acquiring valuable domains or trusted brands can help companies stand out. Community Building: Building a community and creating emotional connections with customers will be crucial for long-term growth and customer loyalty. Upcoming Focus: Liam stresses the importance of attending events like Running Remote to build strong communities and personal connections with customers. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    50 min
  6. Why Brands Must Think Like Creators (Or Get Left Behind) - with Akshay Maharaj

    APR 28

    Why Brands Must Think Like Creators (Or Get Left Behind) - with Akshay Maharaj

    In this episode, Akshay Maharaj explore his journey from helping YouTubers like Logan Paul globalize content at 17 to building a streamlined, AI-driven platform for creators and brands. He discuss how brands must now act like creators, the risks of creator partnerships, handling global content adaptation, and why a "business-to-people" (B2P) approach beats traditional B2B/B2C thinking. Akshay also shares insights on balancing custom client needs without slipping into consultancy work. About Akshay Maharaj: Akshay Maharaj is the co-founder and CEO of Aview International, a Toronto-based startup that helps creators and brands expand their global reach through multilingual content. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in high school, Akshay paused to attend Queen’s University before relaunching Aview with a focus on simplicity, scalability, and the evolving creator economy. Under his leadership, Aview has localized content for major creators like Logan Paul. Here is what we cover: Early Entrepreneurship: Started subtitling/dubbing for creators like Logan Paul while still in high school. Pivot and Growth: Took a strategic pause for university, returned post-pandemic with deeper startup, AI, and scaling knowledge. Product Design Philosophy: Simplified a once-overloaded platform to just three core options; constant customer-driven iteration. Workflow with Designers/Developers: Research-first approach, flexible design briefs, custom UI library for faster changes and testing. Creator Economy Trends: Brands must behave like creators to stay relevant — focus on entertainment, education, and authenticity. Corporate vs. Creator Communication: Human, humorous content (e.g., Ryanair) often outperforms polished corporate messaging. Creator Partnerships and Risk: Partnering with creators is impactful but comes with brand safety challenges. Global Content Adaptation: Tailoring content culturally and regionally is key for international success. B2P (Business-to-People) Mindset: Effective marketing is about solving real people’s problems, not rigidly thinking B2B/B2C. Enterprise vs. SMB Dynamics: Enterprises add complexity; staying product-focused avoids the trap of becoming a custom consultancy. Balancing Customization: New features must align with the core mission to ensure long-term scalability. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    38 min
  7. Content That Converts: Real Talk from a LinkedIn Pro ft. Alex Boyd

    APR 21

    Content That Converts: Real Talk from a LinkedIn Pro ft. Alex Boyd

    In this episode, Alex Boyd shares his journey from sales and agency work to building a product that helps users grow on LinkedIn. He contrasts the high-stress nature of agency life with the scalability and stability of SaaS, highlighting why LinkedIn was the natural platform for Aware. The conversation explores how he builds features based on both user feedback and vision, LinkedIn’s evolving landscape, and tactical strategies for founders to drive growth through the platform. About Alex Boyd: Alex Boyd is a seasoned B2B marketing expert and the Co-founder of Aware, focused on helping SaaS and tech companies drive growth through content and thought leadership. He specializes in LinkedIn strategy, demand generation, and leveraging personal branding to build pipeline. Known for his clear, tactical advice and deep understanding of how social platforms fuel business growth, Alex regularly advises founders and marketers on how to turn attention into revenue—especially in crowded, competitive markets. Here is what we cover: From Agency to SaaS: Alex sold his multi-phase agency to build Aware — SaaS offers more stability, scale, and long-term value than services. Why LinkedIn?: He built his agency using LinkedIn, so he knew the pain points and what tools were missing for serious users. Feature Development: 50% comes from user feedback (e.g., tagging), 50% from vision (e.g., influencer discovery). Platform Durability: LinkedIn changes slowly (3–4/10 volatility). SEO is riskier; YouTube is more stable. Sustainable Strategy: Long-term wins come from clear messaging, real engagement, and aligning content with your product — not short-term hacks. Lead Gen on LinkedIn: Being active can dramatically impact pipeline. Founders using LinkedIn well often outperform similar peers who don’t. Content That Converts: Clarity and credibility matter more than design. A solid message beats flashy posts. Engagement is Required: Commenting and outbound interaction now drive more growth than just posting. Smart Time Use: With 3 hrs/week — post once, spend the rest engaging in your niche. Top creators spend most of their time interacting. Fit Matters: LinkedIn works best if your audience is active there. Not all industries (e.g., blue-collar) are a good match. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    35 min
  8. Inside Freemius: Building Connections, Not Just Software – with Vova Feldman, Founder of Freemius

    APR 14

    Inside Freemius: Building Connections, Not Just Software – with Vova Feldman, Founder of Freemius

    In this episode, Vova Feldman dives into his story about scaling a side project into a successful SaaS platform supporting indie software creators. Vova shares how Freemius evolved from an MVP to a WordPress-centric monetization engine, eventually expanding into broader software markets. He discuss how community-building, product strategy, and a focus on small dev teams help Freemius stand out in a competitive landscape dominated by Stripe and Paddle. About Vova Feldman: Vova Feldman is a developer-turned-entrepreneur with a deep background in distributed systems, AI, and startup growth. A Technion graduate and former captain in Israel’s elite intelligence unit, he’s founded multiple tech ventures, including Senexx (acquired by Gartner). Today, he’s the founder and CEO of Freemius, a SaaS platform helping software developers monetize and scale their products. Here is what we cover: Startup Origins: Launched post-exit as a weekend MVP; became a SaaS platform within a year. WordPress Focus: Chosen for rapid growth and low monetization maturity; built a reusable SDK. Monetization Platform: Acts as a Merchant of Record; includes licensing, billing, and user lifecycle tools. Target Market: Built for solo devs and small teams; simplifies monetization so they can focus on building. Community-Led Growth: 1,700+ member Slack group; user input directly shapes product development. Strategic Branding: Builds long-term relationships through content, events, and founder support. Founder Evolution: Vova moved from coding to focus on product, ops, and team-building. Competing with Giants: Offers deeper software-specific tools and agile execution against larger players. Content-Driven Marketing: Scaled without a sales team via educational content and community engagement. To lower your churn, visit https://churnkey.co -------------------------- About Churnkey -------------------------- Churnkey is the retention automation platform that lowers your churn, boosts your MRR, speeds your growth, and launches your enterprise value to the moon. We help companies stop churn at the point of cancellation, recover failed payments, learn why customers are cancelling, and fix it. We don't just provide data. We take action.

    27 min
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

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Subscriptions are eating the world. Join us as we spotlight the heroes behind the world's most successful subscription businesses. Brought to you by Churnkey.

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