Levels Podcast - presented by Trophy
Most B2C startups approach creator partnerships with a simple playbook: offer affiliate commissions and hope for the best. But according to Tim Johnson, who's managed creator communities at three major consumer apps including Wattpad (acquired for $600M), this approach is fundamentally flawed.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Tim recently joined the Levels Podcast to share insights from his unique journey across multiple B2C platforms, and his perspective on creator partnerships challenges conventional wisdom.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
On the latest episode of the Levels Podcast, Tim shared his contrarian approach to B2B sales that prioritizes human connection over automation, quality over quantity, and genuine relationship building over transactional interactions.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
In the world of B2C startups, data is often viewed through the lens of user engagement, retention metrics, and conversion rates. But what if your app's data could predict the next cultural phenomenon before it breaks into the mainstream?
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Not every startup needs to become a unicorn to be successful. Sometimes the most valuable lesson an entrepreneur can learn is when to pivot from venture-scale ambitions to building a sustainable, profitable business.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
One of the most fundamental challenges facing B2C startups is understanding whether users are actively searching for your solution or if they need to discover it organically. This distinction shapes everything, and getting it wrong can waste months of precious runway.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
In a recent episode of the Levels Podcast, Tim shared insights from his unique journey across three very different B2C platforms: Wattpad, Couply, and Blossom. His perspective on app culture offers a compelling framework for founders looking to build sticky, memorable products.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
In a recent episode of the Levels Podcast, Tim shared how he generated $2 million in revenue for seed-stage Blossom, where an impressive 70% of revenue comes from brand partnerships rather than subscriptions. His methodology completely reframes how consumer apps should approach B2B sales.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
When Wattpad was acquired by Naver for $600 million, Tim Johnson faced a crossroads that many startup veterans know all too well. Stay with the acquired company and transition into a larger organization, or venture back into the chaotic world of early-stage startups?
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Building a consumer app that users genuinely love should be the golden ticket to sustainable growth, right? Unfortunately, the reality is far more complex. Even when your product delivers real value and users actively enjoy the experience, they can still churn at alarming rates.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Most consumer app founders assume subscriptions are the holy grail of monetization. After all, recurring revenue is predictable, scalable, and the foundation of many successful SaaS businesses. But what if there's a better way?
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Building a creator community that actually drives growth is one of the most challenging aspects of scaling a B2C app. While most founders understand the potential power of creator partnerships, few know how to execute them effectively at scale.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Most B2C app founders assume subscriptions are their golden ticket to revenue. But what if we told you that 70% of a successful social investing app's revenue comes from brand partnerships, not subscriptions?
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Building a consumer app that scales isn't just about great UX or smart marketing—it's about creating network effects that make your product more valuable as more people use it. But how do you actually design and execute a network effects strategy that works?
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
When you’re building a two-sided marketplace, you face a chicken-and-egg problem: you need supply to get demand, but you need demand to convince supply to join. Read how one founder solved this problem with a lot of cold outreach and lowballing commissions.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
Most B2C startups think of themselves as platforms, marketplaces, or products. But the best ones evolve into something much deeper: a community.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
In the B2C startup world, there’s still a lingering myth: if you’re not technical, you can’t build a tech company. Max, the founder of Adventuro, didn’t buy that. Learn how Max built his startup in 11 weeks and landed his first 50 customers a couple of months later.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
When you’re building a B2C startup, the hardest problems aren’t always product, pricing, or even growth. Sometimes, the biggest threat is… the weather. Read how one founder used gift cards to solve this problem.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
If you're building a B2C startup and thinking, “Maybe I’ll just run some Google Ads to get early traction” — read this first.
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe
If you’re launching a B2C startup, there’s a moment that lives in your head before it ever happens: the first real customer. In your imagination, it's a perfect stranger. Someone discovering your product, loving it and pulling out their credit card In reality? It might just be your brother…
Charlie Hopkins-Brinicombe