Selective Paid Communities

Sam shares his experience building a new exclusive paid community business that's generating 6-figures in revenue through a highly selective membership model and direct phone sales approach.

Key Points:

• Community Structure:

  • Highly selective membership - only accepting ~50 people initially
  • Members must provide value to each other
  • Exclusive, private, paid community model

• Sales Approach:

  • No website, just TypeForm and phone calls
  • Positions calls as interviews to assess fit
  • Focus on exclusivity: "I don't know if we have space for you"
  • Uses qualification approach: "Here to interview to see if this will be a good fit"

• Revenue Model:

  • Already generated 6-figures in revenue
  • All sales done through direct phone calls
  • Payment processed through Stripe links

• Key Success Factor:

  • Quality control through selective membership
  • Each new member needs to add value for existing members
  • Limited spots creates natural scarcity
  • Personal vetting process ensures community quality

The model relies on maintaining exclusivity and ensuring each member adds value, rather than focusing on growth at all costs.