Should you start with a free community and convert people to paid later? Or charge from the beginning?

If you're asking this question, you're probably hoping free is the safer choice. The easier choice. The one that won't scare people away.

But here's what I need to tell you: starting with a free community and trying to convert it to paid later almost never works.

In this episode, I'm breaking down why free communities fail, why paid communities work better for everyone, and the one trial strategy that actually converts (spoiler: it's not a free trial).

Because here's the truth—when people don't pay for something, they don't value it. They don't show up. They don't engage. They don't have any skin in the game. And when it's time to convert them to paid? They ghost.

But when people pay from the start, everything changes. They commit. They show up. They engage. They get results. And you build something sustainable.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why free communities never convert to paid (and the psychology behind it)
2. The "skin in the game" problem that kills free communities
3. How to build trust WITHOUT giving your community away for free
4. Why paid communities create better members, better engagement, and better results
5. The $1 trial strategy that doubled my community conversions (and why it works when free trials don't)

Want to see what a paid community looks like? Join the coCreator Society at cocreatorsociety.com

Watch the full breakdown of the $1 trial strategy: The $1 Trial Strategy That Doubled My Circle Community Conversions

You've been researching community platforms for weeks. One person swears by Circle. Another says Kajabi does it all. Someone else told you to just use a WhatsApp group because it's free.

And you're stuck wondering: which platform is actually right for my business?

Here's the truth nobody tells you—the platform you choose shapes everything. It shapes your member experience, your retention, how sustainable your community is to run, and whether people actually show up.

In this episode, we're breaking down the most popular community platforms: WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Patreon, Kajabi, Heartbeat, Skool, and Circle. I'll tell you what each one is actually good for, where they fall short, and how to know which one makes sense for your business.

And yes, I'm biased—I'm a Circle Certified Partner and I run my own community on Circle Plus. But I'm going to be honest about all of them, because choosing the wrong platform can cost you months of momentum and member trust.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why WhatsApp and Slack aren't built for real communities (even though everyone uses them)
2. The problem with Kajabi's community features (and why course platforms don't do community well)
3. What makes Circle different from every other platform
4. How Circle is becoming a true all-in-one with email and website features
5. Why your platform choice is a strategic decision, not just a technical one

Ready to build your community the right way? Join the coCreator Society at cocreatorsociety.com or learn more about my Circle consulting at rachelbusinesscoach.com.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction: The Community Platform Dilemma

00:30 The Importance of Choosing the Right Platform

01:34 Common Pitfalls in Platform Selection

02:36 Overview of Popular Community Platforms

05:27 WhatsApp and Telegram: Messaging Apps, Not Community Platforms

08:30 Slack and Discord: Built for Teams, Not Communities

10:59 Facebook Groups: Familiar but Flawed

13:08 Patreon: Great for Creators, Limited for Communities

14:23 Kajabi: All-in-One but Lacking in Community Features

16:16 Heartbeat: Beautiful but Still Growing

17:27 School: Gamification with Limitations

18:50 Circle: The Best Choice for Serious Community Builders

24:05 Conclusion: Strategic Platform Selection for Long-Term Success

Brittni Schroeder is a business coach and marketing strategist who's built her business on automation, sales funnels, and helping entrepreneurs scale without burning out. But what caught my attention wasn't her impressive background—working with clients featured in The Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America, running a magazine, founding a nonprofit—it was the fact that she's in her third year of hosting the Fusion Collective Business Summit with 30 speakers. And she's doing it differently than most people.

I met Brittni through the Flodesk partners Slack channel, and what struck me immediately was how thoughtfully she approaches collaboration. She's not chasing big names for the sake of visibility. She's not recycling the same tired topics everyone else is covering. She's curating experiences that actually serve her audience—even if that means saying no to speakers who don't align.

What sets Brittni apart is her willingness to be honest about what works and what doesn't. She talks openly about the chaos of her first summit, the frustration of speakers who ghost, and the evolution of going from 10 speakers to 30. But she also talks about the magic that happens when you mentor people coming up behind you, the power of paying it forward, and why your closest circle matters more than your follower count.

So if you've ever thought about hosting a summit but didn't know where to start, if you're tired of surface-level collaboration and want to build something real, or if you just love conversations about community and doing business with integrity, this one's for you.

👉 Grab your free spot at the Fusion Collective Business Summit (Feb 3-5): https://courses.brittnischroeder.com/a/2147832720/Gq2kzmCT

👉 Join coCreator Society: cocreatorsociety.com

🗒️ Show Notes: https://rachelbusinesscoach.com/behind-the-scenes-of-building-a-summit-that-actually-serves-your-audience/