Thinking About Starting an Online Membership? Read This First

What’s up, y’all? If you’re thinking about starting an online membership, a community, or some type of recurring revenue model, let me give you some real talk before you go down that road.

Now, I get it—membership sites sound like the dream. Recurring revenue, passive income, build it once and watch the dollars roll in. That’s what a lot of people think. But most of them end up creating a community that nobody actually wants to be in.

So before you make the same mistake, let me give you a few lessons I’ve learned from running my Inner Circle—a high-level, $50K-per-year mastermind with some of the smartest, most successful healthcare entrepreneurs out there.

The Big Mistake People Make with Memberships

Here’s where most people go wrong: they start a membership without a clear end goal. They think, "I just need to get a bunch of people paying me every month, and I’ll be set!" But guess what?

If people don’t see a clear reason for being in your community—if they’re not getting value, results, or connections—they’re gone. And no, slapping a Facebook group together and doing a couple of live Q&As isn’t enough.

Why My Membership Works (And Most Don’t)pirits

Let me break it down. My Inner Circle isn’t for everyone. It’s small (only 10 people max), it’s expensive, and it’s not just about me teaching them stuff. The value comes from the people inside the group.

Let me give you a few examples of the types of people in Inner Circle right now:

• A pediatric OT with a multi-million dollar insurance-based practice who has integrated cash-based services using my framework.

• A pelvic health therapist with 4 locations in 3 states who has built a business around solution-based offers.

• A registered dietitian who makes passive income from a blog that brings in $5K-$10K/month and teaches others how to do the same.

• A physical therapist who works with skiers, who has grown a membership of 200+ people paying $50/month.

• Two aquatic therapy clinic owners from Canada, who are launching an online membership for people who want aquatic therapy programs at home.

Now, look at that list again. Notice something?

None of them do the same thing.

That’s intentional. I didn’t build a group that’s just “cash-based PTs” or “OT bloggers”—I built a room where everyone is different so that the innovation flows. Because when you hear how someone in a completely different business model is making money, you start getting ideas that you never would have thought of in your little bubble.

And that, my friends, is how real growth happens.

The Takeaway: Begin with the End in Mind

Before you start a membership, ask yourself:

• What’s the end goal for your members? What result are you helping them achieve?

• What’s your unique value proposition? Why would someone join your group over another?

• Who should (and shouldn’t) be in your community? Are you just taking anyone, or are you curating a specific type of person?

If you can’t answer those questions, you’re not ready.

But if you get this right? A membership is one of the most powerful ways to create impact, revenue, and long-term relationships that will grow your business for years to come.

So before you start, begin with the end in mind. Otherwise, you’re just building another Facebook group that nobody really cares about.

Much love,
Greg

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