Launching Paid Slack: The Journey from Free to Paid

In this episode, James Sherrett shares the story of how Slack transitioned from a free to a paid product. From the early planning stages, the company knew its business model would be a B2B SaaS offering. The script details the use of credits to ease the transition for customers, and the data-driven approach that helped identify key patterns in user growth and retention. As Slack prepared for its February 12, 2014 launch, the team used customer feedback, analytics, and strategic PR to ensure a successful rollout. The episode also touches on the company's early struggles and the pivotal role of customer stories in achieving long-term success.

00:00 Introduction: Launching Paid Slack

00:23 Defining the Business Model

00:51 Customer Engagement and Feedback

02:41 Analyzing User Data

04:08 Preparing for Launch

10:14 The Launch Day

13:17 Post-Launch Reflections

18:29 Continued Growth and Customer Relations

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