Épisodes

  • The Fastest Way to Grow Subscriptions Isn’t Retention (Here’s Why)

    The Fastest Way to Grow Subscriptions Isn’t Retention (Here’s Why)
    Jan 27 2026
    In this episode of Subscription Prescription, I break down a question that comes up constantly when auditing subscription brands. Most teams instinctively focus on retention, trying to squeeze incremental gains out of month-to-month renewal rates. But what if the biggest lever is actually before the first order ever happens?

    Using a simple, real-world math example, I walk through:
    • Why cutting churn in half is often harder than it sounds
    • How small improvements to conversion rate and subscription opt-in can drive the same growth as major retention overhauls
    • The tradeoffs between retention optimization and offer testing
    • Why acquisition and retention cannot be treated as separate strategies in subscriptions
    • How things like default subscribe-and-save, bulk subscriptions, and offer positioning can make retention easier downstream
    If you’re trying to grow subscription LTV, improve renewal rates, or decide where to invest your time this year, this episode will help you think about subscriptions more holistically.

    For visuals and the full math breakdown, check out the newsletter or watch the episode on YouTube. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe to stay notified.

    Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://thesubscriptiondoc.com
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    9 min
  • How Wellbell Got to 87% Subscription (Offer, Education, and Retention Playbook)

    How Wellbell Got to 87% Subscription (Offer, Education, and Retention Playbook)
    Jan 20 2026
    In this episode of Subscription Prescription, I’m joined by Hattie Gilpin, Director of Operations at Wellbel (a hair, skin, and nail supplement brand that’s ~87% subscription) and a founder of HAM, a new analytics platform built for subscription operators.

    We dig into the real problems subscription brands face when their data is split across tools (or disappears after platform migrations), and how operators can get clarity without staring at 50 reports.

    Hattie also shares what’s helped Wellbel build a subscription-heavy business: education-first onboarding, community-driven insights, and an intentional retention strategy that actually matches how customers consume the product.

    What we cover:
    • Why subscription brands lose critical history during migrations — and how to prevent it
    • How Wellbell drives subscription adoption without forcing subscription-only
    • The onboarding + education playbook to reduce “it’s not working” cancellations
    • Using post-purchase + support data to find holes in the customer journey
    • How to think about cohort performance: offers, billing cycles, variants, and seasonality
    • A simple “crash course” on subscription analytics (what to look at first)
    For more insights like these, subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.thesubscriptiondoc.com

    Connect with Hattie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-gilpin/

    Learn more about HAM: https://goham.io
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    46 min
  • How to Use Discounts, Gifts, and Promotions Without Killing Your LTV

    How to Use Discounts, Gifts, and Promotions Without Killing Your LTV
    Jan 13 2026
    In this solo episode of Subscription Prescription, I dig into one of the biggest headaches in DTC subscriptions: offer strategy. Should you run a discount, add a gift, or push a limited-time promotion? I break down the good, bad, and overlooked strategies behind each of these tools—and how they impact your conversion, margin, and long-term retention. We’ll cover:
    • When discounts work—and when they actually hurt your LTV
    • How to use gifts to drive value without overspending
    • Smarter ways to run promotions that don't trigger churn
    Whether you're planning your Q1 campaign or trying to optimize an evergreen flow, this episode gives you tactical ideas to use right away. Learn more at https://thesubscriptiondoc.com
    Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewholman
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    16 min
  • CRO for Subscription Brands: Fix Your Funnel and Boost Subscription Take Rate

    CRO for Subscription Brands: Fix Your Funnel and Boost Subscription Take Rate
    Jan 6 2026
    Most brands think CRO = button colors and checkout tweaks. It’s not.

    In this episode of Subscription Prescription, I’m joined by Anthony Morgan (CEO & Founder of Enavi) to break down what real conversion rate optimization looks like for ecommerce subscription brands and where the biggest wins actually hide (hint: it’s usually not checkout).

    We cover how growing brands diagnose funnel bottlenecks, why product discovery is breaking your growth, the “inside funnel” metrics Anthony uses, and the simplest subscription unlock we see brands miss: communicating clear subscription value props directly in the buy box.

    What you’ll learn:
    • What CRO actually is (influencing behavior + validating with experiments)
    • The 4 “inside funnel” metrics (and where most Shopify brands struggle)
    • Why checkout optimization is often a time-waster
    • How to improve product page performance when paid traffic lands on PDPs
    • The North Star metric Anthony likes: Revenue per User (ARPU) — and why segmentation matters
    • The fastest subscription lift: subscription value props in the buy box (and how one brand saw a 51% increase)
    Tools Anthony recommends: GA4, Hotjar, Heatmap.com, Microsoft Clarity, Intelligems, Convert

    Connect with Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonycmorgan/
    Learn more at Enavi: https://www.enavi.co/

    If you’re trying to increase conversion, improve subscription take rate, and make more money from the traffic you already have — this episode is for you.

    Subscribe for weekly episodes every Tuesday: https://newsletter.thesubscriptiondoc.com
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    36 min
  • Happy Holidays! Last Episode of the Year

    Happy Holidays! Last Episode of the Year
    Dec 9 2025
    Wishing you and your team the best end to 2025 you can have. We're off until January. See you soon!

    For more info, visit https://thesubscriptiondoc.com
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    2 min
  • Subscription Armageddon: 4 Experts Break Down What’s Broken (And How to Fix It)

    Subscription Armageddon: 4 Experts Break Down What’s Broken (And How to Fix It)
    Dec 2 2025
    In this special roundtable edition of Subscription Prescription, I sat down with three of the sharpest minds in the DTC subscription space:

    👉 Bryan Starck – Founder of 100 Degree Celsius
    👉 Jordan Narducci – Founder of DTCPG
    👉 Andriy Rudnyk – Founder of Good Subscription Agency

    Together, we unpacked what’s really broken in subscription software and strategy - and what is changing in 2026. 💥

    Topics we cover:
    • Why your subscription opt-in rate might be hurting your LTV
    • The dirty secret behind second-order churn
    • The real reason subscription analytics suck
    • How to personalize cancel flows and retention messaging by subscriber journey
    • The future of Subscription 3.0 (AI, SMS, customer-led experiences)
    • Why most brands are failing at org-wide subscription alignment
    • The truth about CAC-to-Payback vs CAC-to-LTV
    • What we’d build if we burned all the subscription apps down and started over

    Plus: a bonus discussion on the future of DTC subscription conferences and what format would actually serve brands best.

    This isn’t theory. These are real-world insights from people who are deep in the trenches with top-performing brands every day.

    📩 Subscribe for more episodes every Tuesday
    🎧 See past newsletter and podcast episodes: https://newsletter.thesubscriptiondoc.com

    👥 Connect with the guests:
    • Bryan Starck - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanstarck/
    • Jordan Narducci - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-narducci/
    • Andriy Rudnyk - https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%A6-andriy-rudnyk-77111399/

    #subscriptions #dtc #ecommerce #retention #subscriptionapps #LTV #churn #SubscriptionPrescription
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    1 h et 29 min
  • Stop Forcing Subscriptions: What Actually Drives LTV

    Stop Forcing Subscriptions: What Actually Drives LTV
    Nov 25 2025
    Most brands think they have a subscription business. The truth is, most of them just have a product with a subscribe button. In this episode of Subscription Prescription, I break down the real reason subscriptions succeed or fail and what you should be evaluating before you decide to push a subscription-first model. We cover:
    • Why subscriptions are only one way to drive repeat revenue
    • How customer buying behavior determines whether subscriptions make sense
    • The hidden risk of subscription-only offers
    • When high AOV upfront beats subscription LTV
    • Why bulk buying, usage patterns, and consumption cycles matter more than cadence
    • How to test conversion, AOV, and LTV to find your best model
    • The segment most brands overlook: repeat buyers who subscribe later
    • Why memberships often outperform subscriptions in LTV
    • How to pressure-test your subscription program before scaling it
    If you're wondering whether your product is truly a subscription product, this episode will give you the clarity and the testing framework you need.

    👉 Get weekly subscription insights: https://newsletter.thesubscriptiondoc.com
    👉 Want an audit or strategy review? Reach out anytime.
    🎧 New episodes every Tuesday.
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    17 min
  • Retention Is Built on the Basics: Email, Empathy, and Effort | Alyssa Wallace Interview

    Retention Is Built on the Basics: Email, Empathy, and Effort | Alyssa Wallace Interview
    Nov 18 2025
    In this episode of Subscription Prescription, I sat down with Alyssa Wallace, a retention expert who knows how to turn plain text emails and founder videos into real subscription revenue.

    We talk about what actually moves the needle for subscription brands, including:


    Why most welcome flows fail (and how to fix them)
    The power of plain text emails and real founder messaging
    What “on brand” is costing you if you’re under $100M
    How simple video responses can double your cancellation save rates
    Why most post-cancel flows are missing the mark — and what to do instead
    How to work with (not against) acquisition teams when it comes to offers and retention

    This conversation is full of real talk and tactical advice. Whether you're running email flows, managing churn, or just trying to keep subscribers happy, this one will give you plenty to think about.

    💌 Get weekly retention insights: https://newsletter.thesubscriptiondoc.com
    Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn or Twitter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xalyssajeanx/ https://x.com/xalyssajeanx
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    31 min