Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Building the ‘ClassPass for Private Members’ Clubs | Melissa Dewar
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Building the ‘ClassPass for Private Members’ Clubs | Melissa Dewar
In episode 21, Mario sits down with Melissa Dewar, founder & CEO of The Modernist, a tech‑enabled membership platform connecting premium venues with “modern members” across cities like London, Paris and New York.
Melissa explains how she’s building a kind of “ClassPass for private members’ clubs” a global operating system that aggregates social clubs, co‑working and wellness spaces into one platform for members and venues. She shares the origin story, the two‑sided marketplace model, and why post‑COVID demand for curated, in‑person experiences is exploding.
We talk about growing The Modernist to 1,000+ members and 20+ venues, the challenges of a two‑sided marketplace, using AI to streamline operations and curation, and what it’s really like fundraising as a female founder in today’s market.
About Startup Scaleup People
Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages, we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, governance, AI, fintech, SaaS, and business transformation.
New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.
Chapters
00:00 The Startup Behind “ClassPass for Private Members Clubs”
03:00 The Problem With Multiple Memberships Across Cities
06:00 The Modernist Business Model Explained
09:00 Building a Curated Community & Application Process
12:00 Scaling to 1,000 Members & 20 Venues
16:00 Fundraising Challenges for Non-AI Startups
20:00 Expanding to New York & Paris
24:00 Lessons From Building a Community-Driven Platform
https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/
https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416
https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/
#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신
View all episodes
By Mario RivasIn episode 21, Mario sits down with Melissa Dewar, founder & CEO of The Modernist, a tech‑enabled membership platform connecting premium venues with “modern members” across cities like London, Paris and New York.
Melissa explains how she’s building a kind of “ClassPass for private members’ clubs” a global operating system that aggregates social clubs, co‑working and wellness spaces into one platform for members and venues. She shares the origin story, the two‑sided marketplace model, and why post‑COVID demand for curated, in‑person experiences is exploding.
We talk about growing The Modernist to 1,000+ members and 20+ venues, the challenges of a two‑sided marketplace, using AI to streamline operations and curation, and what it’s really like fundraising as a female founder in today’s market.
About Startup Scaleup People
Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages, we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, governance, AI, fintech, SaaS, and business transformation.
New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.
Chapters
00:00 The Startup Behind “ClassPass for Private Members Clubs”
03:00 The Problem With Multiple Memberships Across Cities
06:00 The Modernist Business Model Explained
09:00 Building a Curated Community & Application Process
12:00 Scaling to 1,000 Members & 20 Venues
16:00 Fundraising Challenges for Non-AI Startups
20:00 Expanding to New York & Paris
24:00 Lessons From Building a Community-Driven Platform
https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/
https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416
https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/
#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신