• 27 minutes 46 seconds
    252: Growing from 47 to 1000 Subscribers By Using a Fulfillment Center

    What happens when you combine creativity, recurring revenue, and the courage to let go of control?


    You get a story like Joanne’s.


    On this episode of the Launch Your Box Podcast, I sat down with Launch Your Box and Scale Your Box member Joanne, founder of Down Memory Lane, to talk about how she grew her scrapbooking subscription box from 47 subscribers to 1,000 subscribers and the big decision that made that growth possible.


    Joanne started her business back in 2007 as a brick-and-mortar scrapbook store.


    Her customers loved scrapbooking, but many of them struggled with the same things:

    • They didn’t have enough time.

    • They didn’t feel creative.

    • They bought supplies but never used them.

    So Joanne created a solution. She designed ready-to-assemble scrapbook kits with everything customers needed to complete a two-page scrapbook layout.


    And customers loved them.


    In 2021, Joanne came across an ad for Subscription Box Week and decided to check it out.


    At the time, subscription boxes weren’t even on her radar, but one thing caught her attention immediately: Recurring revenue.


    She joined Launch Your Box during Subscription Box Week, mapped out six months of box ideas using the 6 in 60 framework, and launched her subscription in June 2021.


    Her original goal? Twenty-five subscribers.


    She sold those in two days.


    And after scrambling to increase inventory, she shipped 47 boxes her very first month.


    Over the next year and a half, Joanne steadily grew her subscription to 500 monthly subscribers.


    But growth came with challenges.


    Joanne was operating out of a small facility in Wisconsin with five employees and no loading dock. Every month, pallets of heavy scrapbook paper and supplies arrived outside the building and had to be carried in by hand, even during freezing Wisconsin winters.


    Joanne realized she had reached a capacity ceiling. She couldn’t grow any further without changing something.


    Inside Scale Your Box, Joanne heard an interview with Ryan from Lessgistics, a third-party logistics company that specializes in subscription box fulfillment.


    At first, the idea of handing over fulfillment to strangers felt scary.


    But once she ran the numbers, everything changed. She realized:

    • The cost of fulfillment was less than the combined cost of payroll, rent, and labor required to pack the boxes herself.

    • Her employees could spend more time creating products instead of unloading pallets and packing shipments.

    • Most importantly she could finally grow again.

    So she made the leap.


    In January, her fulfillment center officially began shipping her subscription boxes.


    And while there were a few small bumps in the beginning, Joanne says it was one of the best decisions she’s ever made for her business.


    And within six months she doubled her subscription from 500 subscribers to 1,000 subscribers.


    No huge launch.No complicated funnel.No massive promotion strategy.


    She focused primarily on Facebook ads and steady, intentional monthly growth.


    Her goal was simple: Add 100 subscribers each month.


    And month after month, she hit that goal.


    Joanne’s story is such a powerful reminder that growth often requires a different version of you.


    The systems that get you to 50 subscribers won’t necessarily get you to 500.And the systems that get you to 500 may not support 1,000.


    At some point, scaling requires:

    • better systems,

    • stronger support,

    • and the willingness to let go of doing everything yourself.

    And while outsourcing fulfillment felt terrifying at first, it ultimately gave Joanne:

    • more freedom,

    • more time,

    • less physical stress on her team,

    • and the ability to continue growing her business.


    Join me for this episode as Joanne shares how she turned a longtime creative business into a thriving subscription box, grew from 47 to 1,000 subscribers, and made the scary-but-game-changing decision to move to a fulfillment center so she could finally scale without burning out. 


    Where to find Joanne: 

    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! 

    27 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 20 minutes 46 seconds
    Generating Over $20K a Month with a Digital Subscription

    “Lean into what your people are loving and asking for. And if there’s a digital option, go for it!” - Stacey Collins


    Subscriptions aren’t always physical items showing up on your doorstep. Think Netflix, Disney +, or an online newspaper. After today’s episode, you’ll also think about Stacey Collins and her Printable Club. 


    Stacey is a member of Launch Your Box and a self-proclaimed lover of all things decorating, crafting, and shopping. She has spent years building a wildly loyal audience through her blog and social media. Stacey is creative, energetic, and FUN! She’s also a very smart businesswoman. 


    Stacey serves her audience. She served them for a long time before selling to them. When 2020 hit and we were all stuck at home, looking for things to do and people to connect with, Stacey went online and served her audience by crafting with them a LOT. She was coming up with new ideas for crafts to meet the demand and got the idea to craft using her custom-designed printables. Her audience LOVED it and asked for more. And more. And more. 


    Stacey’s Printable Club was born. The first launch brought in 800 subscribers! And it has continued to grow. Now, two years in, Stacey has more than 2,000 monthly subscribers. And the best part - other than more than $20,000 in monthly recurring revenue - is this subscription requires no packing or shipping. It’s 100% digital. She’s not sending anything physical. Instead, her subscribers use digital items to create something physical. 


    Stacey’s subscription came out of a desire to serve her audience by offering them what they wanted in a way that saved them money. 


    Join me for this episode as we dive into digital subscriptions. We’ll talk about the ways they’re different from physical subscriptions and the ways they’re the same. You might even discover a digital subscription would work for your business! 


    Important Links: 

    Find and follow Stacey: 

     

    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! 

    20 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 32 minutes 3 seconds
    251: From Selling a Few Kits to 400+ Subscribers in Months with Kelli Blouin

    What happens when you combine creativity, consistency, and the courage to start before you feel ready?


    This week on the Launch Your Box podcast, I sat down with Kelli Blouin, founder of Minutes of Zen, to talk about her incredible journey from elementary school teacher to subscription box owner with more than 425 subscribers, all in just a few short months.


    But what makes Kelli’s story especially powerful is how she got there.


    If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “ready” to launch your subscription box, this episode is one you need to hear.


    How a Cancer Diagnosis Changed Everything

    Kelli spent 25 years as an elementary school teacher, balancing work, family life, and all the responsibilities that come with both. But after a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to slow down and reevaluate what mattered most, she began leaning into creativity and calming activities that helped her heal and reconnect with herself.


    That journey eventually led her to become certified in the Zentangle Method, a meditative style of drawing designed to promote relaxation and mindfulness.


    Like so many people during COVID, Kelli started sharing what she loved online. She taught calming drawing sessions virtually, created YouTube videos at her audience’s request, and slowly built a community of people who connected with both her creativity and her calming presence.


    At first, she wasn’t trying to build a business.


    She was simply serving people.


    And that’s exactly where so many successful subscription box businesses begin.


    The “Accidental” Business That Wasn’t Really an Accident

    As Kelli’s audience grew, people started asking questions.


    So Kelli began putting together small seasonal kits a few times a year, selling 20 or 30 at a time to her growing audience.


    Without realizing it, Kelli was listening to her audience and creating offers based on what they were already asking for.


    The Moment Everything Shifted

    Then Kelli discovered Launch Your Box.


    After listening to this podcast, reading my book, One Box at a Time, and attending Subscription Box Week, Kelli started asking herself a question she’d never seriously considered before:

    What if this could become more than a side hustle?


    Eventually, with support from her husband, she decided to take a year and truly treat Minutes of Zen like a business instead of a hobby.


    Why “Do It Messy” Matters

    One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is Kelli’s honesty about how imperfect everything still is.


    And yet, she has over 425 subscribers.


    That’s the reminder so many aspiring subscription box owners need.


    You do not have to have everything perfectly figured out before you launch.


    Building a Subscription Box Around Experience

    Kelli intentionally wanted the box to feel calming, supportive, and immersive, not just like another box of “stuff.”


    That experience-first mindset helped her create something subscribers genuinely connect with.


    It’s also a great reminder that your subscription box doesn’t have to be complicated to be valuable.


    Sometimes the simplest ideas become the most meaningful.


    Her First Launch Brought in 300 Subscribers

    Kelli originally hoped for 100 subscribers during her first launch.


    She ended up with 300.


    She focused on:

    • Building an email list

    • Growing a waitlist

    • Showing up consistently

    • Talking about the box repeatedly

    • Serving her audience long before selling to them

    And perhaps most importantly, she stopped worrying about “bothering” people by talking about her offer too much.


    A Business That’s Changing Her Life

    Kelli shared that her early side-hustle income paid for an Alaskan cruise for her and her husband’s 30th anniversary.


    Now, her business is helping support her family even more.


    And perhaps most importantly, she’s created something that gives her freedom.


    The Advice Every Aspiring Subscription Box Owner Needs to Hear

    At the end of the episode, Kelli shares the advice she would give anyone feeling stuck or afraid to start:


    “Show up. And then show up again.”


    That consistency is what changed everything for her.


    Not perfection, expensive tools, or having it all figured out.


    Just continuing to show up, serve people, and keep going.


    Kelli’s story is proof that you don’t need a perfect website, perfect branding, or perfect confidence to begin.


    You just need the willingness to start.


    Listen to this week’s episode of the Launch Your Box podcast and get inspired by Kelli’s incredible journey from teacher to thriving subscription box owner.


    Where to find Kelli:

    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!

    13 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 20 minutes 18 seconds
    30 Days to Launch

    What if you were launching your subscription box in 30 days? 


    Maybe you’re launching for the first time or you could be operating under a closed model and you’re launching to new subscribers. In order to be ready to launch - and for your audience to be ready for you to launch - there are five things you need to be doing or start doing right now. 


    Before I go through those five things, I do want to say I’m recommending you launch in 30 days only if you’ve already spent time building an audience and you’ve got your tech figured out and in place. If not, you’ll need longer than 30 days. But if you’ve been audience building and you’ve got your tech ready to go, I want you to plan to launch in the next 30 days. 


    Will it be perfect? No. Will it seem messy? Yes. Will putting it off make your launch more perfect or less messy when it finally does happen? No. Putting it off will simply delay you from taking the next step toward subscription box success. 


    Back to those five things I want you to start doing right now: 

    • Set the date - be specific.
    • Email your list more frequently. 
    • Unboxings
    • Subscriber shares
    • Different ways to use items in your box
    • Sneak peeks for your upcoming launch 
    • Behind the scenes
    • Talk about your why
    • Increase video views.
    • Drive people to your waitlist and start emailing them right away. 
    • Generate leads with opt-ins.

    The truth is you should be doing all of these things all year long in order to continuously feed the top of your funnel. So even if you’re not launching in 30 days, start focusing on these five areas now. That way, the next time you plan a launch - whether it’s your first or your fifth - you’ll be ready! 


    Join me for this episode as I talk about why you should consider launching in the next 30 days and the five things you need to start doing right now to help make your launch a success. 


    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! 

    6 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 33 minutes 6 seconds
    250: How to Start a Subscription Box (8 Steps to Launch Successfully)

    If you’ve been sitting on a subscription box idea but feel overwhelmed about where to start, this episode is your roadmap.


    “I have an idea, but I don’t know what to do next.”

    “I feel stuck.”

    “I don’t want to do it wrong.”


    Most people aren’t stuck because they’re not capable. They’re stuck because they’re doing the steps out of order.


    So in this episode, I’m walking you through the exact 8 steps to go from idea to shipping your first box with clarity and confidence.


    Step 1: Start With the Person, Not the Product

    Your subscription box is not about the products inside. It’s about the person you’re serving. Instead of asking, “What should I put in my box?” Start with:


    Who is this for?

    What problem am I solving?


    Because even if it doesn’t feel like a “problem,” it is. People don’t buy products. They buy how those products make them feel: organized, relaxed, confident, seen. If you can clearly describe your ideal customer in one sentence and she immediately feels like, “That’s for me,” you’re on the right track.


    Step 2: Build Your Audience Before You Launch

    Don’t wait until your box is ready to find customers. You need people before you have something to sell. Your job right now isn’t to sell, it’s to invite people into the journey.


    Share behind-the-scenes moments

    Ask for input (polls, naming, product ideas)

    Let people watch you build


    And remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be real.


    Step 3: Plan Your First 3–6 Months of Boxes

    Before you buy anything, map out your themes and product ideas for the first few months. Planning ahead:

    • Makes sourcing easier

    • Simplifies your content

    • Creates a more consistent experience for your customers

    It also keeps you from scrambling every single month. When you know what’s coming next, you make better decisions and you move with more confidence.


    Step 4: Price for Profit (Not Just Sales)

    This is a business, not a hobby. Once you’ve planned your boxes, then you start sourcing and you price with intention. A good starting goal is at least a 40% profit margin, with room to grow from there.


    And don’t forget the hidden costs:

    • Shipping

    • Packaging

    • Fees

    • Replacements

    Because making sales doesn’t always mean making money. This step is about building something sustainable that supports you long-term.


    Step 5: Build a Warm, Ready-to-Buy Waitlist

    Before you launch, you need people who are already excited to buy. That’s what your waitlist is for. Think of it as warming up the room before you make the offer. Use social media to grow your list, and email to nurture it:

    • Share your story

    • Show sneak peeks

    • Reveal themes

    • Take them behind the scenes

    People don’t just buy the box, they buy into you and connection is what turns interest into action.


    Step 6: Keep Packaging Simple (At First)

    Packaging matters but not as much as you think in the beginning. Choose packaging based on what’s going inside the box, and keep it simple and cost-effective. You can always upgrade later.


    In the early days, your customers care more about what’s inside than the box it came in. Let your product lead, and let your packaging grow with your business.


    Step 7: Plan Your Launch Before Launch Day

    A successful launch doesn’t start on launch day. It starts weeks before. Give yourself 2–4 weeks to build excitement:

    • Talk about your box consistently

    • Share sneak peeks and progress

    • Repeat your message (more than you think you need to)

    Your energy and consistency are what build momentum.


    Step 8: Pack and Ship Your First Box

    This is the moment where it all becomes real. Your first shipment will likely be a mix of excitement, chaos, and pride. 


    Keep things simple:

    • Batch your packing

    • Create a basic workflow

    • Do quality checks

    And document everything. Photos, videos, behind-the-scenes moments all make up the kind of content that fuels your future marketing.


    Most importantly, celebrate it. Because this is a big deal. Success comes from doing the steps in the right order. Not skipping ahead. Not rushing. Not trying to do everything at once. Just taking the next step.


    So ask yourself, “What step am I skipping right now?” Because you don’t need everything figured out. You just need to move forward.


    If you want help mapping out your first six months of boxes, I’d love for you to join me inside my 6 in 60 Workshop.


    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!

    29 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 19 minutes 32 seconds
    249: Being YOU Is Your Subscription Box Superpower

    If you’ve ever found yourself wondering…

    “Am I different enough?”

    “Is my idea good enough?”

    “Is this niche too saturated?”“

    Why would someone choose me?”


    You’re not alone.


    I hear these questions all the time, and today I want to shift the way you’re thinking about all of it.


    Because the truth is:

    • You don’t need a better idea.

    • You don’t need a more unique niche.

    • You don’t need to be more like someone else.

    You need to be more you. Because being you? That’s your superpower. And the best part is it’s free.


    Here’s what I see happening behind the scenes. You’re building your subscription box, but you’re also watching everyone else. Their websites, their branding, their content. And instead of getting clarity, you start second-guessing yourself. You pull back and decide to play it safe. You start watering things down. And before you know it, your box starts to feel like it could belong to anyone. And if it could belong to anyone, it won’t stand out to anyone.


    Subscription boxes aren’t just about products. They’re about experience.


    People don’t stay subscribed month after month just because of what’s inside the box. They stay because of how it makes them feel and how it connects to their life.


    And that experience comes from you.


    When you try to remove yourself from your brand, you remove the very thing that makes it stand out.


    Your niche isn’t just “self-care” or “books” or “gifts for moms.” That’s just the starting point. Your real niche is that category plus you.


    There could be ten boxes in the same category, but they each feel completely different depending on the person behind them.


    So when you think, “Someone is already doing this,” you’re right.


    But they’re not doing it like you would. And that difference is exactly what your people are looking for.


    Choose a niche you actually care about.If you’re not excited about it, it will show. And if you are? That will show too.


    Let people see you. Show up on stories. Share your thoughts. Let your audience hear your voice. People don’t follow products, they follow people.


    Use your real voice. You don’t need to sound polished or “professional,” you need to sound like you. That’s what creates connection.


    Think beyond the product. Your box is an experience and that experience should feel like your energy, your style, your perspective.


    What’s Really Holding You Back? It’s not strategy or time or lack of resources. It’s fear.

    • Fear of being seen.

    • Fear of being judged.

    • Fear of not being “enough.”

    But you don’t need to be for everyone. You just need to be for the right people. Because the right people aren’t looking for the “best” box. They’re looking for the one that feels like it was made for them.


    You don’t need to be louder or more polished. And you don’t need to be more like anyone else. You just need to be more you.


    Because that’s what builds connection. That’s what makes your box stand out.  And that’s what keeps subscribers coming back month after month.


    Join me for this episode of the Launch Your Box Podcast as I break down why being YOU is your biggest advantage, how it shows up in your brand, and what to do this week to start leaning into it.


    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!

    22 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 21 minutes 44 seconds
    Spring Sales: How to Generate Extra Revenue with One-Time Boxes

    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:

    • Easy to market–seasonal urgency or limited quantities
    • A great way to re-engage and re-energize your email list
    • Perfect for testing new themes or audiences
    • A low-commitment way for new customers to try your brand


    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: 

    • Self-care for moms
    • Mom’s Night In


    “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:

    • Start promoting in mid-late April
    • Build a waitlist and create urgency
    • Offer themed packaging and gift notes
    • Ship in early May– make order deadlines clear
    • Price one-time boxes similar to your subscription price or average order value (AOV)

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

    • Create FOMO and excitement
    • Let you surprise and delight customers
    • Help clear shelves of inventory and bring a revenue boost to  your bottom line


    Spring Mystery Boxes Pro Tips:

    • Curate using past box items or extra stock
    • Offer 1–2 price points
    • Include at least one high-value item in each box
    • Make value messaging very clear: e.g., “$100 worth of products for $50”

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

    • Go LIVE on social media to build excitement and show sneak peeks
    • Email your list—your list is your best sales tool
    • Social media content: unboxings, packing videos, behind-the-scenes
    • Paid ads to warm audiences for last-minute sales


    Pick one of these seasonal box ideas and::

    • Set a launch date
    • Build a waitlist
    • Start planning your promo schedule


    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! 


    15 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 54 minutes 38 seconds
    248: I Almost Sold My Subscription Box… Until the Numbers Changed Everything with Ciara Stockeland

    In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my business. How I got to the point of wanting to sell, what changed, and how understanding my numbers completely shifted the direction I was headed.


    I invited Ciara Stockeland, founder of Inventory Genius, onto the podcast and into my business to help me take a real look at my numbers. Ciara works with product-based business owners to help them understand inventory, cash flow, and profit in a way that actually makes sense.


    If you haven’t heard my earlier conversation with Ciara, you can listen to that HERE. 


    For years, my business looked successful. And like a lot of entrepreneurs, I believed if there’s money in the bank, everything must be fine.

    But I wasn’t paying close attention to profit margins, inventory value, or cash flow. I knew enough to run the business, but not enough to make strategic decisions about its future.


    When Ciara and I started working together, we went straight into the numbers. (We joked about it feeling like she was digging through my “panty drawer,” but honestly, that’s exactly what it was.) And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t guessing anymore.


    One of the biggest shifts was finally understanding my profit margins.

    Before this, I wasn’t consistently tracking cost of goods, product level profitability, or subscription box margins.


    So we added cost of goods to every product in Shopify. We built a monthly subscription box profit spreadsheet. And here’s what surprised me: We didn’t start by raising prices.


    We started by asking:

    • Where are we overspending?

    • Can we reduce packaging costs?

    • Can we make better buying decisions?


    At one point, I had about $80,000 in inventory sitting on my shelves. That’s not just inventory. That’s cash, just not in the bank.


    So I made some big changes: I stopped overbuying inventory. I shifted to just-in-time inventory. I started selling what I already had. And my sales didn’t drop, but my margins improved.


    When we separated out my revenue streams, something became very clear:

    • Subscription boxes = majority of revenue

    • One-time products = more work, less profit

    And yet, I was spending most of my time on the part of the business that wasn’t driving the most return.


    At one point, I thought, “I think I want to sell this business.” We cleaned up the financials, worked with a broker, and got multiple offers. It felt like the right next step. Until it didn’t.


    During a pause in the selling process, I had space to think. And I realized I didn’t necessarily need to sell the business. I needed to change how it operated.


    So I made a plan to move to a fulfillment center, simplify my operations, and focus on subscription-based revenue. And when I ran the numbers I discovered I could increase my profit significantly without growing sales.


    A year ago, I didn’t have the information I needed to make that decision. Now I do. And that’s the difference.


    If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, focus here:

    • Get a bookkeeper

    • Track your profit margins

    • Add cost of goods to every product

    • Reduce excess inventory

    • Make decisions based on real data

    You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. But small, intentional changes can completely shift your business. Sometimes you just need to look at the numbers and let them show you a better way forward.


    Where to find Ciara: 

    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!

    8 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 25 minutes 35 seconds
    5 Ways to Build Your Audience Consistently

    Audience building is the key to a successful subscription box launch. It’s also the key to the growth and sustainability of your subscription box business. In today’s episode, we’re talking about 5 ways to build an audience for each stage of the subscription box journey. 


    A reality of a subscription box is that each month will also bring cancellations. They’re simply a part of doing business. And the only way to continue to grow your subscription box business is to continue to grow your audience, to get in front of new people and convert some of those people into subscribers. 


    Focusing on these 5 things consistently is going to help you grow your audience – and you need to grow your audience to grow your business. 


    5 Audience Building Steps for New Subscription Box Businesses

    If you’re brand new and don’t have an audience yet, you need to spend time building an audience. I say it all the time. You can’t have a successful launch if you’re launching to no one! 


    Building social media content - get your social pages going and build content on those pages. Get a minimum of 10 posts up right away. See ⁠10 Post Ideas When Starting Your Business⁠  Get super consistent. Post daily and work up to twice a day. 

    Share on your personal profile - share from your business page onto your personal page. People in your personal network are part of the audience you’ve already built. Let them help you expand your reach. 

    Set up a page like ad - these ads are simply an introduction to you and what you do. People simply click the thumbs up and then they’re following your business page. This pushes you in front of people you’d never get in front of. Launch Your Box members, find the training inside the “Building Your Audience” module. 

    Video - short video and LIVEs - Let your audience get to know you.  Listen to ⁠episode 170⁠ to learn how Tracey Phillips built an amazing audience of over 100,000 people by consistently doing LIVE videos. 

    Set up your email CRM - part of building your audience is building your email list. Our favorite email CRM is ⁠Klaviyo⁠. 


    5 Audience Building Steps for Established Subscription Box Businesses

    If you are selling products, actively building an audience, or already have a subscription box, these 5 steps are for you. Make these a habit. You should be doing them all year round.


    • Run a subscription giveaway - do one at least once a year. Launch Your Box members, find the training inside the “Building Your Audience” module.
    • Create a lead magnet for your ideal customer - build your email list with a lead magnet! This is typically a digital item you give away for free in exchange for someone’s email. Every business needs a lead magnet and should be running one year-round. ⁠Get ideas for email opt-in freebies⁠.  
    • Run ads - run three types of ads year-round: lead magnet ads, page like ads, product ads. Every legit business needs a marketing budget. You need to run ads. Ads are the best way to get in front of cold audiences. 
    • Go LIVE and connect with your audience regularly - get consistent and put it on your calendar so your audience knows when to find you and you are held accountable. 
    • Create a consistent social media plan - create a template for posts, a plan for video, and a schedule for switching out ads. 


    ⁠10 Post Ideas When Starting Your Business⁠⁠ ⁠

    ⁠Episode 170 of The Launch Your Box Podcast⁠

    ⁠Downloadable Email Opt-In Freebie Ideas⁠


    * These show notes contain affiliate/referral links. I could make a commission at no charge to you if you purchase my recommended products.  ⁠Please read my disclosure and privacy policy HERE.⁠


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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!

    1 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 25 minutes 48 seconds
    The Costs of Starting a Subscription Box

    Do you get excited thinking about starting a subscription box but worry about what it will cost to get started? A subscription box is an eCommerce business which means there are start-up costs involved just like with any other online business. These costs can vary depending on what you want to do. 

    You can be profitable from month one, but you have to understand your costs. Understanding them helps you: 

    • Price your subscription box
    • Market your subscription box
    • Stay on budget
    • Stay profitable from 

    What are these costs? 

    There are five categories of costs you need to consider. 

    1 - Product Costs -  Product cost is the actual expense of goods for each item you will put in your subscription box each month. Whether you make the items yourself, buy them wholesale, or source them from overseas, these costs will make up the highest percentage of your box costs. 

    When calculating product costs, make sure to include the shipping costs to you. This can have a big impact on your overall product cost and needs to be tracked and planned for.

    2 - Packaging Costs - There are so many variables when it comes to packaging costs. You can ship your subscription box in a basic box, custom box, or go without a box and use a poly mailer.

    Packaging isn’t just about the outside of the box. You also need to consider the cost of stickers, shreds, tissue paper, inserts, tape, etc. - anything you use to get your boxes ready to ship.

    3 - Fulfillment Costs - Your fulfillment costs are made up of packing and shipping costs. Both can be difficult to figure out when you’re first starting out. Packing costs include the labor it takes to package each subscription box. Third-party fulfillment companies pack and ship your boxes for you. 

    Shipping makes up the other part of your fulfillment costs. Shipping can be VERY expensive and shipping costs vary widely depending on the destination.

    4 - Tech Costs - A subscription box is an eCommerce business. In other words, you need tech in order to run your business. Before you can even get your subscription box up and running, there are several tech pieces you need to have in place.

    • Website
    • Payment Processor
    • Shipping Software 
    • Email CRM 

    5 - Advertising Costs - I always want you to focus on generating organic traffic, but there comes a time when you’ll want to add paid advertising to your marketing plan. Advertising costs range from printed flyers to online ads. These costs need to be factored into your initial and ongoing costs for your subscription box business.

    Start simple. Scale gradually. Manage your costs. You can start a subscription box and stay profitable… from the beginning. 

    Wondering about the costs of starting a subscription box? Join me for this episode to learn about the 5 main categories so you can confidently price your box and be profitable in month one. 

    ⁠Episode 61 - What Can a Fulfillment Center Do for My Subscription Box Business?⁠


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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 ⁠today! 

    25 March 2026, 9:00 am
  • 48 minutes 41 seconds
    247: What Changed Everything in Her Subscription Box Launch with The Crafty Brick

    What happens when a creative business owner stops trying to figure everything out alone, follows a proven plan, and finally gives herself permission to show up more boldly?


    In this week’s episode of the Launch Your Box Podcast, I sat down with Courtney Brickner of The Crafty Brick to talk about the journey from one-off handmade products to recurring revenue through a subscription box. Courtney is a newer member of Launch Your Box, but in just a few short months, she has gone from exploring the idea of a subscription to launching one, gaining subscribers, and building real momentum.


    Her story is fun, honest, and incredibly encouraging, especially if you’ve ever poured your heart into launching something that didn’t sell the way you hoped.


    Courtney shares how she started her business while raising her family, how content creation unexpectedly opened new doors, and how her love of crafting and community eventually led her to create something subscribers wanted every month.


    What makes this conversation so powerful is that it doesn’t skip over the hard parts. Courtney talks openly about failed launches, the fear of emailing too much, the discomfort of trying a new approach, and what changed when she stopped relying on guesswork and started following a real launch strategy.


    Along the way, she built a subscription box experience around her audience’s love of creativity, connection, and a little bit of competition. What started as a one-time mystery craft project evolved into The Crafty Challenge Club, a subscription that gives members a monthly project, access to a private community, and a fun reason to keep coming back.


    One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that visibility matters more than most business owners think. Courtney realized that in previous launches, she wasn’t necessarily being rejected, many people simply didn’t know what she was offering because she wasn’t talking about it often enough. This time, she showed up consistently. And that consistency made all the difference.


    She also shares what it looked like to launch with a goal of 40 subscribers, hit 37 in her first launch, and then grow to 50 by month two. More importantly, she talks about what those subscribers really represent: not one-time purchases, but recurring revenue and a business model that finally gives her room to breathe.


    Courtney and I also dug into the behind-the-scenes shifts that often matter just as much as the sales. We talked about fulfillment systems, simplifying variations, planning content from one box in multiple ways, and learning to think about scalability earlier than most people do.


    If you’ve been wondering whether your idea could become a subscription, whether you’re talking about your offer enough, or whether it’s possible to recover from a disappointing launch, this conversation will give you both perspective and momentum.


    In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

    • the role content creation played in growing her audience and visibility

    • how she used a waitlist, live video, and consistent content to build demand

    • the systems and fulfillment changes that are already helping her scale

    • why “do it scared” may be exactly the advice you need right now

    Courtney’s story is proof that you do not need to have everything perfectly figured out before you begin. You need a solid idea, a willingness to stay visible, and the courage to keep going even when things feel messy.



    Where to find Courtney: 

    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!

    18 March 2026, 9:00 am
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