On the podcast we talk with Ravi about subscriptions as a force multiplier for consumables, why narratives matter more than metrics in goal-setting, and why you might want to try a longer onboarding, or a shorter one.

📊 Stack the demand curve
Tinder didn’t just offer one price—it built a staircase of value. Low-tier subs, premium upgrades, and microtransactions filled in the gaps of user willingness to pay. The result? More people paid something, and some paid a lot. Don’t pick one price point. Map the whole curve.

🎯 Create value before monetization
The fastest way to expand your TAM? Get users to the “aha” moment faster. Tinder made onboarding nearly instant to tap into a new, younger audience. In contrast, Sesame Care increased conversions with a 25-step flow by increasing user confidence. Friction isn’t the enemy—poor timing is.

💰 Free is a monetization strategy
At Tinder, 85–90% of users never paid. But their presence was the product—fueling demand and justifying spend for the other 10–15%. Don’t underestimate free users. Sometimes, they’re the reason someone else is willing to pay.

🧪 Price is product
Tinder didn’t guess what users would pay. It ran hundreds of localized price tests across SKUs to learn what users valued. Pricing isn’t a spreadsheet exercise—it’s part of the product experience and should be tested like one.

📐 Narrative beats metrics
OKRs fail when they skip the why. Ravi’s NCTs framework, which stands for Narratives, Commitments, Tasks, anchors goals in story and context. If your team is hitting the numbers but drifting on focus, it’s probably time to start with the story—not the spreadsheet.

🪞 Monetization reveals product market fit
Most apps undercharge. A scanner app might seem basic, but if it powers daily workflows, it’s worth real money. Set your price high enough to test willingness, not just conversion. If no one bites, you don’t have a monetization problem—you have a product one.

About Ravi Mehta:
🔥 Former Chief Product Officer at Tinder and product leader at Meta, TripAdvisor, and Microsoft.

📈 Ravi helps companies turn behavioral insights into scalable monetization systems — from multi-tier subscriptions to habit-forming onboarding flows.

🗣 “If you have a product that’s solving an important need for someone, there’s a system around that that fits into the problem you’re solving, and you should think about the value of that system rather than just the price.”

👋 LinkedIn

Follow us on X:

• David Barnard - @drbarnard
• Jacob Eiting - @jeiting
• RevenueCat - @RevenueCat
• SubClub - @SubClubHQ

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Subscriptions as a force multiplier for consumables

[3:03] Filling the demand curve with tiers and microtransactions

[6:47] Why free-to-play was Tinder’s breakthrough innovation

[10:26] Matching monetization to different user behaviors

[13:09] Creating value for whales without breaking the game

[17:22] Experimenting your way into the perfect pricing model

[20:03] When free, trial, or paid onboarding makes the most sense

[23:47] Why apps are undermonetized and how to fix it

[28:43] Why a longer onboarding boosted conversion 40%

[35:20] How shorter onboarding expanded Tinder’s total market

[43:03] Narratives, commitments, and tasks: a better goal framework

[01:02:49] Growth is easier when you own your audience

On the podcast, we talk with Eric about the opportunities and challenges of AI for consumer apps, what you can learn from Strava acquiring Runna, and the flawed thinking around ‘subscription fatigue’.

Top Takeaways:

💸 Value Overcomes Fatigue

Consumers would rather not pay for anything, but when a product delivers real value, they are happy to pay, even via subscriptions. Whether it’s training for a race, protecting memories, or learning something new, utility drives retention. Building long-term value wins every time.

🧠 Build a ‘Category Killer’

Eric identified ‘Strava for Pets’ and ‘Managing screen time and digital focus’ are opportunities for future ‘category killer’ apps. What do those two opportunities have in common? They are in categories where people are already spending a lot of money or have the opportunity to save a lot of time or money.

🤝 Build to be loved, not acquired

The best M&A strategy? Build something consumers truly love. Runna didn’t sell to Strava because they planned for it, building cool features Strava didn’t have. They sold because Runna was a fantastic product that personalized running in a way that expanded the market Strava couldn’t.

⚙️ Growth requires tough choices

Conglomerates like Bending Spoons win through ruthless efficiency. They acquire apps, cut costs, and apply repeatable growth playbooks at scale. It can be controversial, but sometimes it takes an outsider to spot that the team that took an app to 1,000 users may not be the team to take it to 100,000 and beyond.

📈 AI changes discovery

Search behavior is shifting, and SEO is no longer the only path to discovery. AI tools are becoming the starting point for many journeys, forcing marketers to rethink how users find and engage with products. Adapting to this shift means reimagining acquisition, not just tacking on AI features.

About Eric Crowley:

👨‍💼 Partner at GP Bullhound, a global investment bank and venture capital firm.

💰 Eric leads the Consumer Subscription Software (CSS) practice, advising high-growth companies on capital raises and acquisitions—recently including AllTrails and Runna.

📊 “If you build a product that consumers truly love, strategics will come calling. It’s that emotional connection that drives outsized outcomes.”

👋 LinkedIn

Follow us on X:

• David Barnard - @drbarnard
• Jacob Eiting - @jeiting
• RevenueCat - @RevenueCat
• SubClub - @SubClubHQ

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Opportunities in subscription apps
[7:12] Consumers still pay when the product delivers lasting value
[10:41] What Strava’s acquisition of Runna reveals about building apps that get bought
[17:30] Genuine consumer love over designing for a single acquirer
[19:27] Shifts in discovery forcing app marketers to rethink SEO and acquisition
[28:56] Using AI to move faster, create better products, and deepen moats
[32:47] How loosened restrictions could return profit margins for top apps
[46:43] The next big subscription plays
[52:04] Why Bending Spoons are forcing investors to rethink consumer tech
[57:11] What makes the Bending Spoons model work
[1:00:10] The Secondary market is changing how founders think about app exits
[1:01:41] Trends, exits, and the state of the subscription app ecosystem

On the podcast, I talk with Michael about the blessing and curse of having a brand, why post-purchase is the perfect upsell moment, and why partnerships are hard to pull off but can be well worth the effort.

Top Takeaways:

🌱Growth is Built on Value
Sustainable growth comes from consistently adding value, not just short-term tactics. Success lies in constantly evolving your product to meet users' needs. By regularly introducing new features and improving the user experience, premium products remain relevant and compelling. That value is continuous, with acquisition and retention working together to drive long-term growth.

🎯 Personalize for Retention
Different users have different goals, and understanding this is key to retention. Tailor offerings to specific user needs, whether it is job seekers, hobbyists, or niche audiences. By tailoring plans and features to user intent, brands can keep their products relevant. Without this personalization, users may disengage and churn.

📊 Test to Optimize
With hundreds of A/B tests each year, Condé Nast learns what works quickly. Data replaces debate, helping the team iterate faster. The goal is not just to optimize, it is to foster a culture of constant learning and growth.

🔄 Retention Is a Journey
Churn does not always mean goodbye. Many users return later when their needs change. Offering win-back deals, fresh trials, and adding new value helps bring users back and turn them into long-term subscribers. Retention is a process, not a straight line.

🤖 AI Supports, Not Leads
AI should enhance the user experience, not overshadow it. AI’s role is to solve problems, helping users find content or personalize their experience, while staying behind the scenes. The real value is in solving the user’s needs, not in the technology itself.

About Michael Ribero:

👨‍💻 SVP, Global Consumer Revenue at Condé Nast.

📈 Michael leads the subscription and growth strategies for some of the world’s most iconic media brands, including Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, and Wired. He focuses on optimizing user engagement, experimenting with monetization strategies, and evolving the digital experiences that drive both free and paid subscriptions.

💡 "We’ve learned that true growth comes from continually adding value. Our approach isn’t just about scaling; it’s about providing lasting benefits that evolve with our users’ needs."

👋 LinkedIn

Follow us on X:

• David Barnard - @drbarnard
• Jacob Eiting - @jeiting
• RevenueCat - @RevenueCat
• SubClub - @SubClubHQ

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Why launching a premium tier isn’t always the right move
[2:51] Competing with AI-native upstarts and influencer content
[5:39] Media's frenemy dynamic with platforms like Meta
[8:25] Balancing free vs. paid content without eroding brand trust
[11:46] How to recover from a failed paywall experiment
[13:23] What bundling and post-purchase upsells look like at Condé Nast
[19:41] Real-world LTV boosts from zero-CAC upsell moments
[22:30] Lessons from low-priced tiers like the Washington Post’s Starter Pack
[26:07] Tiering vs. focus: when a premium plan is actually a distraction