Enzo asked me whether he should restructure his large software courses into smaller trainings inside a membership. I love this direction, and in this episode I share why. If you’re teaching something that evolves quickly, like software, AI, or social media, a membership model creates space for live teaching, troubleshooting in real time, and faster wins for your students.

I also share how to avoid overwhelm with too much content, the gym-style free trial model that can drive long-term retention, and what to prioritize in onboarding.

Let's be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

Checkout Circle App with a free trial here (using this link supports my business, thank you!)

This week’s listener question came from Vidy, who asked how to get back into community building and networking to grow her design business. I share my favorite ways to find “the right rooms” — whether that’s free local events, intentional coffee chats, or bigger conferences worth investing in.

I also talk about the difference between peer communities and client-facing communities, why volunteering has been such a powerful way for me to connect, and how to make networking a consistent priority instead of an afterthought.

Let's be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

Today I’m answering a question from Leslie: how do you decide what to charge, and do you use sliding scales? Pricing is never one-size-fits-all, so in this episode I share the key factors I consider when setting prices. We’ll talk about experience value, product purpose, your customer’s budget, street credibility, and audience size. I also share real examples of how different models — from memberships to masterminds — can shape your pricing decisions, plus how I think about scholarships and sliding scale options.

Let's be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

This episode kicks off my new listener Q series, where I answer your real questions about building community-driven businesses. Audrey asked: if you’re running a three-tier membership, should onboarding live in one central place or be separated by tier?

I share why onboarding is the most important driver of retention, how to design quick wins that actually match the promise of each offer, and why I always recommend customizing the onboarding journey for each tier. You’ll also hear how I use Circle’s features to make this simple for clients, and why onboarding is not just a welcome email — it’s a long-term strategy for engagement and success.

Checkout Circle App with a free trial here (using this link supports my business, thank you!)

Let's be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

A Slack group isn’t a community. Just opening a forum and inviting people to “connect” doesn’t create meaningful results. In this episode, I’m breaking down why people don’t buy for community — they buy for transformation. I’ll walk you through how programming, onboarding, and carefully designed touch points create the conditions for connection, and why community is the thing that keeps people sticking around, not the reason they join. If you’ve ever wondered why “like-minded individuals” isn’t enough of a promise, this one will give you a new lens on how to design your member journey.

Let's be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

I was in a mastermind call last week when someone shared their goal to grow their community by a significant number of new members within one month. That opened up a deeper discussion: what happens to culture when you bring in a big wave of new members at once?

If you’ve ever wrestled with whether to go all-in on open-cart campaigns or lean into evergreen trickle-in growth… this episode will help you think more clearly about how those choices shape the member experience.

Let’s be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

Need help with your evergreen marketing funnel? I highly recommend Cheyenne Buttrey (aka CopyGirl)

This episode started as a voice note for my friend Cheyenne, who asked a great question: How do I make sure my program doesn’t just become a fan club for me?

If your community is built entirely around you, your time, and your personal brand, you’re going to hit a growth ceiling... and burn out in the process. In this episode, I break down why you shouldn’t build a “fan club” and how to design a community that thrives without you being in the center of every interaction.

You’ll hear:

• Why personal brand–driven communities stall at scale
• How service-based memberships can transition away from being fully founder-led
• Real examples of programs that have successfully replaced the founder in key roles
• Why naming and branding your program matters for future growth
• The role of connection facilitation in building sustainable communities

Whether you’re running a service membership, program, or transformational community product, this episode will help you start thinking about growth beyond you – while keeping members happy and engaged.

Let’s be friends:

• Learn about Cheyenne & The Funnel Method
• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

If you’ve built your community around your own presence, what happens when you want to step out of the hot seat? In this episode, I share lessons from my time at Bossbabe and from client work on how to successfully transition leadership to coaches, facilitators, and other community members ... without sacrificing member satisfaction.

We’ll cover:

• Why members often resist leadership changes (and how to address it)
• How to set expectations in your sales process and marketing
• Metrics to track during the transition to ensure quality stays high
• Training, feedback, and support your new leaders need to succeed
• How this shift can unlock scale without burning you out

If scaling your community is the goal, letting go of the reins is a must. Here’s how to do it without losing the magic.

Let’s be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

In this episode, I’m answering a question from a longtime newsletter reader who asked, “Should I move my community to Facebook? It feels dead where it is now.”

She’s not alone in wondering this so I recorded this voice note for Tina, and for anyone trying to breathe life into a quiet group.

We cover:

• Whether Facebook Groups are ever a good idea in 2025
• What to do when your forum isn’t buzzing (especially with <50 members)
• Why real connection doesn’t always look like daily posts
• Tactical ways to drive engagement through onboarding, intros, small groups, and in-person moments
• When a real-time chat tool like WhatsApp can make sense (and how to avoid letting it compete with your forum)

If you’re running a smaller community and wondering how to create more meaningful connection, this one’s for you.

Let’s be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective

Interested in Circle App? Try it here!

What’s working right now to grow a membership? And how do you avoid growing in the wrong direction?

In this episode, I share one of the biggest lessons I learned while leading community and product at Bossbabe — the mistake that led to our best growth month ever and a wave of churn the very next.

This is a story about good growth vs. bad growth, why urgency-based campaigns work only when they’re aligned with your membership’s transformation, and what to do instead if you want both new and long-term members to thrive.

Whether you’re gearing up for your next community campaign or building your marketing strategy from scratch, you’ll walk away with clear guidance for sustainable growth.

Let’s be friends:

• Connect with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Read the newsletter at beckypierson.com
• Learn more about Affinity Collective
• Follow Austin L Church on LinkedIn