Starting your subscription box? Or maybe you’ve already launched—and now you’re realizing there’s a lot more to it than you expected?

You’re not alone.

In this quick, 10-minute Friday Fuel episode, I’m sharing five lessons I wish I could go back and tell myself before launching my own subscription box. These are the things that catch new box owners off guard—and if you know them early, they’ll save you stress, money, and momentum down the road.

This episode isn’t about perfection. It’s about being intentional—making smart choices that set your business up for long-term success instead of early burnout.

One of the biggest mindset shifts new subscription box owners need to make? Your box isn’t about you.

You might be curating products you love (and that’s great!), but your box has to be about your subscriber. What does she need? What makes her smile? What problem are you helping her solve?

When you build your subscription box with your customer in mind, everything else—from your messaging to your retention strategy—becomes so much easier.

A strong, engaged waitlist is what makes a successful launch possible. If you skip the relationship-building part and jump straight to selling, you’re likely to be disappointed.

Most new box owners focus almost entirely on getting subscribers—and forget about keeping them. But if you want your subscription box to be profitable, retention matters just as much as growth.

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple mindset shift that will help you boost retention without spending more on product. You’ll be surprised at how small touches can make a big impact.

It happens every time—new box owners underestimate how much that first box will cost. Between product, packaging, shipping, and all the little things (like tissue paper and filler!), the expenses add up fast.

That’s why it’s so important to budget with margin—and expect the unexpected.

The subscription box business isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. 

When you give yourself permission to grow steadily and build a strong foundation, you set yourself up for long-term success.

This week, I want you to take 10 quiet minutes and ask yourself:“Am I building my subscription box for me… or for my ideal customer?”

Look at your product selection, your messaging, and your social posts. Are they focused on you, or are they truly speaking to the person you want to serve?

Refocus your energy—and you’ll see a big difference.

Want to keep your subscribers longer?

Grab my free guide: 10 Ways to Surprise & Delight Your Subscriber

Or just text SURPRISE to 940-204-0023

Grab your Box Budget Calculator! 

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Launch Your Box with Sarah Website 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Struggling to grow your subscription box on Instagram? You’re not alone.

In this episode of the Launch Your Box Podcast, I’m joined by Instagram strategist Michelle Gifford to break down exactly how to grow on Instagram right now—even if you're starting from scratch or feeling stuck.

I first connected with Michelle after seeing my friend Heidi’s Instagram take off. When I asked what changed, Heidi said, “Just do what Michelle says.” So I invited her on the podcast to share her expertise with us.

Michelle shared that Instagram recently shifted from a follower-based algorithm to a content-based one—meaning quality content is what drives growth, not your follower count. That’s a huge win for subscription box owners trying to get more eyes on their offers.

The foundation of her Instagram strategy is what she calls the Attract, Nurture, Sell Method:

Attraction content (50%): reels, trending sounds, quick wins—content designed to reach non-followers and get shared

Nurture content (30%): carousels, Stories, Lives—more in-depth content that builds connection and trust

Selling content (20%): simple, direct posts that show up and sell your box

If you post 6 days a week, think: 3 attraction posts, 2 nurture posts, and 1 sales post. That’s your 3:2:1 formula.

Michelle’s advice:

Post attraction content that makes people think, “I know exactly who to send this to.”

Use nurture content to deepen the relationship—think saves, not shares.

Don’t skip the selling posts! They matter just as much as the rest.

We also talked about:

Why b-roll video is your best friend for attraction content.

How to repurpose one activity—like an unboxing—into multiple content types.

Why hashtags still matter (yes, really!)

Before we wrapped up, I asked Michelle to brainstorm with me one thing every subscription box owner could post today to boost their Instagram reach. Her answer was so simple and actionable:

Record a b-roll clip of you packing or unpacking your box.

Add a bold, shareable caption like: “Fashion advice I’d give you if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings.”

That’s it. That’s attraction content.

Ready to grow your Instagram with confidence and strategy? This episode is packed with practical tips, simple frameworks, and the encouragement to just start.

Listen now and tag me @howtostartasubbox when you post your reel—I can’t wait to see it!

Find and follow Michelle: 

Michelle on Instagram

Michelle’s Podcast

Michelle’s Website

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Launch Your Box with Sarah Website 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! 

Instagram Strategy That Works for Subscription Box OwnersWhat to Post on Instagram to Grow Your Subscription BoxA Quick Instagram Content Idea You Can Use Today

Welcome to Friday Fuel—a brand-new mini-episode series designed to give you quick, actionable insights to move your subscription box business forward. These episodes are short, sharp, and packed with practical takeaways—all in under 10 minutes.

In this very first Friday Fuel, I’m breaking down five common website mistakes I see subscription box owners and online product sellers make over and over again. Mistakes that might be costing you sales right now.

Whether your website is brand new or several years old, this episode will help you clean up your first impression and start turning more visitors into customers and subscribers.

What your homepage must include above the fold

How to use your visuals to sell, not just decorate

Why too many checkout options can scare buyers away

A smarter way to use pop-ups without driving people off

Where and how to add social proof that builds trust quickly

Your Action Step

Pick one of the five areas I shared and make a small update to your website.You don’t need to fix everything at once—just keep moving forward.

Join me in all the places:    

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Launch Your Box with Sarah Website 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! 

Have you launched your subscription box but found yourself struggling to grow? Launching your subscription box is a HUGE milestone. Celebrate that! The next HUGE milestone for so many of my members is reaching 100 subscribers. Some - those with large, engaged audiences - do this during their first launch. Most don’t. I didn’t. 

Growing your subscription box to 100 subscribers and beyond takes time. It’s important to give yourself grace and time to get there while still staying focused and holding yourself accountable.

Inside Launch Your Box, I walk my members through what it takes to get their subscription boxes launched. But the launch is not the end. There is more work to do to keep it going - and growing - each month. Which is why we talk about much more than just launching inside LYB. 

Focusing on these three things should drive your business and create long-term recurring revenue. 

So, what got me to my first 100 subscribers and what should you do to get to yours? 

Everyone can do these simple things to grow their subscriptions. Your launch is only the beginning.

When you’re ready to take your subscription box to the next level, when you’re ready to go deeper… you’re ready for my ⁠Scale Your Box⁠ course. There’s so much to scaling your box - so many things you can do to grow your business in a manageable, profitable way. 

Join me for this episode where I talk you through what it takes to get you to your first 100 subscribers and beyond!

Join me in all the places: 

Are you ready for ⁠ Launch Your Box⁠? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. ⁠ Join the waitlist⁠ today! 

Are you 30 days away from launching your subscription box?

Whether you’re launching for the very first time or opening up to new subscribers again, these steps will help you build momentum, stay focused, and launch with confidence.

When you commit to a specific date—and announce it to your audience—everything shifts.

You create urgency.

You focus your content.

You hold yourself accountable.

So go ahead—circle it on the calendar and tell your people what’s coming.

Email matters. Even if your list is small.

Building know/like/trust happens in the inbox.

Here’s what to do:

And in every single email?

Make your call-to-action: Join the waitlist.

Haven’t started building your email list yet? Prioritize it now.

Video builds trust fast—and gives you a powerful tool for retargeting.

Go LIVE on Facebook. Post reels on Instagram. Share behind-the-scenes stories. Show packing day, talk about your why, or just let people see you.

You can repurpose what you’re emailing or posting and bring it to life through video. When people view even 3 seconds, you can retarget them with ads later. So the more you show up, the more your future customers get to know you.

And again—make your call-to-action: Join the waitlist.

Your waitlist is not just a page. It’s the heartbeat of your launch.

These are your warmest leads—your future VIPs. So treat it like the powerful tool it is.

Make it the one thing you're asking people to do every day.

And if you’re planning a bonus or early access offer? Use that to create urgency and get more people signed up.

Getting people to join your waitlist is only step one. You’ve got to keep the energy going.

Send a short email sequence that makes your future subscribers feel seen, excited, and ready to buy when you open the doors.

Here’s a simple plan:

Even with a small budget, running the right kinds of ads can help you grow faster.

Ads aren’t just for launch week—they’re a great way to fill your funnel in the 30 days leading up to it.

These 30 days? They’re your prep time.

You’ll thank yourself when you’re in the middle of your launch and you’re not scrambling to “catch up.”

These six steps aren’t just for launch season—they’re what you should be doing year-round to build a thriving subscription box business.

Whether you're launching for the first time or re-opening your subscription, this episode will help you show up with confidence and a clear plan.

Join me in all the places:    

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Whether you’re just getting started or dreaming of your next big milestone, this conversation will encourage you, motivate you, and inspire you . We talk about how they built momentum, what they focused on (and what they let go of), and the mindset shifts that helped them scale without losing their sanity.

Kristy launched Kristy’s Craft Room in 2019 by simply doing what she loved — crafting and building community. She hosted in-person craft nights that quickly moved online just before the pandemic hit. When everyone was suddenly at home in spring 2020, Kristy’s classes exploded.

At first, she wasn’t selling anything. Her audience had to convince her to start offering craft kits — and when she did, they sold like crazy. After hearing me speak at an event, she realized she could turn this into something sustainable… and launched her subscription box.

In 2024, Kristy faced some real-life challenges — aging parents, kids leaving home, and a business that had started to take over her time. Instead of pushing harder, she pulled back. She paused one-off product launches and went deeper with her subscribers.

She offered behind-the-scenes content, created FOMO with unboxing videos, and focused on nurturing her core community. And guess what? She still hit $1 million — and had more time to spend with the people she loves most.

Stacey’s story starts even earlier — she began painting custom furniture in 2013. By 2017, she pivoted online, going LIVE with decorating tips and DIYs, and her audience grew quickly.

She launched her subscription in 2018 with just 20 subscribers. Today, 1,100+ members strong, her community is one of the most loyal I’ve ever seen.

But in 2024, Stacey hit a wall with growth. Getting new subscribers was tough. So instead of spending her time and energy chasing new subscribers, she focused on the people who already loved her.

She gave them exclusives, launched new offers just for them, and stopped trying to do all the things. She focused on growing her main thing — and it worked.

What I love most is that both Stacey and Kristy set this goal in 2023… and missed it.

But they didn’t give up. They came back in 2024 — a year full of challenges for both of them — and hit that milestone by staying focused and trusting the process.

This episode is full of those kinds of reminders — that you don’t have to do everything. That your subscribers are your most important customers. That leaning into what’s working beats chasing everything else.

Let this episode be your inspiration.

These two amazing women are proof. And I couldn’t be more proud of them.

Whether you're just getting started or dreaming of your next big milestone, this conversation will light a fire under you.  Grab your earbuds and come join us.

Past episodes featuring Kristy and Stacey: 

Find and follow Kristy: 

Find and follow Stacey: 

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Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! 

What if I told you writing six simple emails once could bring ongoing revenue into your subscription box business? 

There are three email automations (also called flows or sequences)every subscription box owner needs to have in place. Write these once and they’ll work for you for a long time. 

If you’ve listened to my podcast, seen me on social media, or read my blog, you know I like to keep things simple but effective. That’s why I recommend that each automation needs to be only two emails. 

The three types of email automations you need are: 

Each email has a purpose. Each email contains a call to action. Each email needs to connect with your audience, engage them, and encourage them to take action. 

These email automations - plus the bonus automation I tell you more about in this episode - account for a full 5% of my monthly revenue. 5%! That’s a lot of revenue coming into my business that requires no work from me. I wrote the emails once and they keep working for me… month after month. 

Join me for this episode as I share more details about each of the three types of email automations you need to put in place right now. Learn what to put in each email and how to write subject lines that get noticed. 

Important Links: 

Join me in all the places: 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! 

Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to bring in some extra revenue—even if you don’t add any new subscribers. In this episode, I’m sharing two super simple, super effective ways you can generate quick cash flow this season by creating limited-time, one-time boxes your audience will love. These strategies work, whether you want to clear out inventory or make the most of gift-giving opportunities.

Spring is the perfect time to launch limited-time boxes to bring in extra revenue and keep your audience engaged. Two of my favorite spring offers are Mother’s Day Gift Boxes and Spring Cleaning Mystery Boxes. They’re easy to curate, fun to promote, and they provide an injection of cash into my business.

One-time boxes serve a specific purpose in your business, giving you a quick revenue boost without the need for new subscribers. 

One-time boxes are:

One-time boxes require you to temporarily shift your focus from recurring subscriptions to creating hype and excitement around these one-time purchases.

Mother’s Day is like Christmas in May for your business. Make the most of this gift-giving holiday and create one-time boxes. Some examples that have worked great for me and members of Launch Your Box include: 

“Treat Yourself” boxes for moms to buy for themselves (because yes, moms will buy for themselves)

Sarah’s One-Time Mother’s Day Box Pro tips:

Turn extra inventory into profit—without running a clearance sale. Mystery boxes:

Spring Mystery Boxes Pro Tips:

Marketing these seasonal boxes doesn’t need to be complicated. Keep it simple and show up.  

Pick one of these seasonal box ideas and::

Grab your notebook and join me on this episode as we talk through Mother’s Day Boxes, Spring Cleaning Mystery Boxes, and how to use both to re-engage your audience, boost sales, and build even more excitement around your subscription box business. 

Join me in all the places:  

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! 

When Jane Wild of Jane’s Agenda first joined me on the podcast in Episode 92, we were celebrating a huge milestone: 500 subscribers to her planner subscription. That was a big deal—and one that meant Jane had to start doing things differently in her business.

Now she’s back, and her numbers have more than doubled. With 1300 active subscribers and an 85% growth rate in 2024, Jane is sharing exactly how she got here—and what she’s doing to scale intentionally in 2025.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Jane’s one-off planner sales dropped off. After all, no one had anything to plan. So Jane created a subscription box to give her customers something to look forward to—and some much-needed structure in uncertain times.

Reaching 500 subscribers was a major turning point. Jane had to shift from small-scale planning to:

Those changes laid the foundation for what came next.

The secret to Jane’s growth? Consistency and connection.

Jane committed to going LIVE 2–3 times a week, every week. Not just random LIVEs—she scheduled them in advance, gave each one a purpose, and showed up even when she felt nervous or unsure.

This consistent visibility:

Jane also ran a KingSumo giveaway, following the step-by-step training inside Launch Your Box. The result?

Giveaways aren’t just about free stuff. When done right, they build your list, generate excitement, and drive conversions.

Jane uses a closed-cart model and leans hard into:

She keeps a waitlist and creates serious FOMO with high-value, wow-worthy products her audience doesn’t want to miss. And when her box hits its anniversary each September? She celebrates BIG—with a special edition box and a major sale in her online shop.

Jane’s success didn’t come without some hard lessons. She realized:

Now she’s building out SOPs, instituting team reviews, and cultivating a culture of "Why are we doing what we’re doing?" Oh—and she’s taking weekends off.

If you’re in that 300–500 subscriber range and feeling like you’re about to outgrow your systems, Jane has some advice:

Join me for this episode as I check in with a past guest whose subscription has grown from 500 to 1300 subscribers since our last interview. Find out what’s behind that growth and why canceling is “never about the money.”

Listen to Jane’s first interview on episode 92.  

Find and follow Jane: 

Join me in all the places:    

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Audience building should always be on your to-do list. Whether you already have a subscription box or you’re just getting started, consistently work to reach and engage new people. 

One audience building strategy I teach inside Launch Your Box is to run a giveaway on social media. I use a free, easy-to-use software called Kingsumo to run my giveaways a couple of times a year. My last giveaway added 1500 people to my email list!  

When you run a giveaway, follow four simple steps 

There are rules for running giveaways on social media. You need to be aware of these rules and follow them. 

Every week inside Launch Your Box, members are setting up and running giveaways. It’s one of the best things you can do to jump-start your audience building no matter where you are in your subscription box journey. 

Join me for this episode as I talk about why you should run a giveaway as part of your audience building strategy, the steps to follow to make it a success, and the important rules you need to follow! 

Important Links: 

Join me in all the places: 

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!