https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Ep 147 - How to Hire a Rockstar Community Manager with Paula Maidens https://www.shanalynn.com/podcast/how-to-hire-a-rockstar-community-manager-with-paula-maidens

In today’s episode, Shana shares a powerful clip from her recent interview with hiring and leadership expert Paula Maidens, diving into the most common hiring mistakes and—most importantly—how to avoid them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why hiring based on referrals or familiarity—without vetting—can lead to costly misalignment
• The most common assumptions that sabotage your hiring process (and how to avoid them)
• How to design interviews that test real skills and bring candidates into your business reality
• A simple mindset shift to stay confident when hiring and managing team members
• Why clear communication and role expectations from the start lead to better retention

As your team grows, hiring well becomes one of the most critical (and costly) skills you need to master. Paula breaks down the missteps she sees over and over, and offers actionable advice to help you build your dream team with confidence and clarity.

Additional Resources:

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Thinking about changing your membership’s billing cycle? Should you offer monthly, quarterly, or annual options? What about weekly? Every billing cycle has trade-offs, and choosing the wrong one could hurt your conversions, increase churn, or complicate operations.

In this episode, we’re breaking down:

• What the data says about different billing cycles and their impact on conversions, engagement, and retention
• The operational complexity of offering multiple billing options and why every new choice needs a clear ROI
• How pricing psychology impacts member perception of value and commitment
• Why annual renewals require a completely different retention strategy than monthly renewals
• The truth about upfront investment fees—do they actually reduce churn, or do they just lower conversions?

If you’ve ever wondered whether adding or changing your billing cycle could help your membership grow, this episode will give you the clarity you need.

Additional Resources:

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Ep 69 - How to Develop a Winning Framework with Mel Abraham

https://www.shanalynn.com/podcast/how-to-develop-a-winning-framework-with-mel-abraham

You’ve probably heard people talk about frameworks in business. You’ve heard me talk about my frameworks—like the Progress Wheel, Community Cultivated, and the Retention Accelerator. But what is a framework really, and how do you use one effectively?

In this highlight from a longer conversation, I’m joined by my friend Mel Abraham, a brilliant business strategist, to break down what a strong framework actually looks like in practice. You’ll hear how Mel builds one of his signature frameworks and why these tools are essential for simplifying your message, structuring your offer, and elevating your sales and strategy.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What a business framework really is (and isn’t)
• Why frameworks help you communicate and connect better
• How to use a framework in a speech or sales conversation
• A sneak peek into Mel Abraham’s powerful framework process

If you’re ready to turn your knowledge into influence and income, this episode is your invitation to start thinking in frameworks.

Additional Resources:

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Ep 45 - Two Types of Member Outreach: https://www.shanalynn.com/podcast/two-types-of-member-outreach

In this insightful episode, Shana was invited by the incredible Heartbeat Community as a guest expert to share her signature Retention Accelerator Framework—a game-changing approach for anyone managing an established membership and ready to scale sustainably.

This episode is perfect for you if:

• You manage an established membership or community
• You're seeing churn and want practical solutions
• You’re looking to build long-term value with your members

If you’re serious about growth, focusing on retention is key. In this clip, Shana offers a deep dive into how to keep members engaged, reduce churn, and build a thriving, loyal community.

Additional Resources:

Discover 77+ Connection Ideas for a Stronger Community with our free guide: connectionideas.com

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies: Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Check out the full episode: Ep 60: How to Have Raving Fans and Lead a Meaningful Community with Lauren Golden

Most membership owners use webinars to sell but what happens to the people who don’t buy right away?

Lauren Golden, founder of The Free Mama Movement, has built a powerful strategy that connects her webinar funnel directly to a free Facebook group turning cold leads into warm, connected community members who often convert later.

In this episode, I’ll break down:

• How Lauren uses her webinar funnel to drive Facebook group growth
• Why she keeps paying customers inside the free group (and how that boosts conversions)
• Her strategy for using weekly Facebook Lives to nurture non-buyers
• How identity-driven messaging fuels long-term engagement
• Why “building the movement first” is the secret to her success

If you run a free group, host webinars, or want to create a loyal audience that buys without pressure, this episode will help you build connection, trust, and long-term value before and after the sale.

Ready to boost connection in your community?

Get 77+ actionable ways to build engagement and loyalty at connectionideas.com

Additional Resources:

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Most membership owners track churn and retention rates, but by the time those numbers start changing, it’s already too late.

Retention and churn are lagging metrics and they tell you what has already happened, but they don’t tell you why members are leaving or what you can do to keep them longer.

If you wait until churn increases to take action, you’re already behind.

In this episode, I’ll break down:

• The difference between leading and lagging retention metrics and why both matter
• Key early indicators that predict churn so you can act before members cancel
• How to track member engagement, progress, and activation metrics
• Why failed payment tracking is one of the most overlooked retention metrics
• How to move from reactive to proactive retention strategies

If you’re not tracking the right data, you’re guessing when it comes to retention. This episode will show you how to stop relying only on churn numbers and start using leading metrics to improve retention and keep members longer.

Additional Resources:

Get Instant Access to the Membership Retention & Lifetime Value Calculator: https://www.memberltv.com/

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies: Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Check out the full episode: https://www.shanalynn.com/podcast/preparing-your-business-for-scale-with-alex-charfen

Scaling a business is an exciting goal, but it comes with challenges. In a recent conversation with Alex Charfen shared the biggest red flag entrepreneurs should watch for when growing their business. Speaking from personal experience, he knows firsthand the pain of ignoring this warning. 

Consider this your heads-up - don’t overlook this crucial insight!

Additional Resources:

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Watch on YouTube :https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

If you feel like your community manager is creating more work for you instead of solving problems, you’re not alone. Many membership owners hire a community manager expecting them to drive engagement and improve retention—but instead, they end up micromanaging every decision.

The problem isn’t your community manager. The problem is that they’re working reactively instead of proactively.

In this episode, I’ll break down:

• The difference between a Community Manager and a Community Moderator (and why most membership owners accidentally turn their manager into a moderator)
• How a reactive community manager adds work instead of solving problems
• What a proactive community manager actually does to drive retention and engagement
• Best practices for training your community manager to be more strategic

If you’re ready to shift your community manager from reactive to proactive, this episode will show you how.

Additional Resources:

Want to train your community manager to drive engagement and retention? Learn more about my Cultivate Community Training Course at shanalynn.com/cultivate.

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Ep 132 - Unlock your Full Potential in Life and Business with Tracy Harris: https://www.shanalynn.com/podcast/unlock-your-full-potential-in-life-and-business-with-tracy-harris

Authenticity online is often discussed, but what does it really mean for your business? 

In this highlight, Shana shares insights from Tracy Harris, known for embracing her true self online and attracting incredible clients because of it. Tracy reveals how showing up authentically has impacted her success and why you shouldn’t fear being yourself. 

Don’t miss this valuable lesson in building a genuine and thriving online presence!

Additional Resources:

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Watch on YouTube :https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

https://www.retainguide.com/ - Get Instant Access to The Membership Retention Roadmap: 5 Systems You Need to Keep More Members

Thinking about raising your membership price but worried about losing members? Or wondering if your price is too high and hurting conversions?

Pricing adjustments can feel risky—but they don’t have to be. The truth is, pricing isn’t permanent. You can test, analyze, and optimize your pricing without guessing or hurting retention.

In this episode, I’m walking you through smart pricing adjustments based on data, not fear. I’ll also share a real-life example of a membership owner who raised his prices based on advice from a mastermind—but after testing different price points, he actually made more revenue by lowering his price.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The biggest pricing mistakes membership owners make
• Four smart ways to adjust pricing without hurting retention
• The psychology of pricing and how it affects conversions
• Why pricing alone won’t fix retention or sales problems if your value isn’t clear

If you’re making pricing decisions based on what feels right instead of real data, this episode is for you.

Additional Resources:

Want to see how a pricing change could impact your membership’s lifetime value and revenue? Grab my free Membership LTV calculator here: memberltv.com

Want expert help mapping out your member journey and setting up feedback loops that actually work? Apply for my high-level membership consulting program, Retain: https://joinretain.com

Listen on the go? Subscribe to the podcast for more membership retention strategies:

Apple, or Spotify

Make sure to subscribe for more strategies on keeping members engaged and growing your recurring revenue!

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@communitycultivated