• 207: A Launch Date Isn’t a Plan
    Jul 18 2025
    You picked a date to launch your subscription box. You told your audience. But are you actually ready to launch? Here’s the hard truth: a launch date without a plan is just a number on the calendar. And hope is not a marketing strategy. In this episode of Friday Fuel, I break down the biggest mistakes subscription box owners make when it comes to launching and what you need to do instead. Because a successful launch is about so much more than just the day your cart opens. It’s about everything you do before that to warm up your audience, build momentum, and create excitement. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why picking a date isn’t the same as planning a launch. The one month I always avoid launching in — and why. What a real launch runway includes (and when to start). Five signs you’re not ready to launch yet. How to check if your launch is on track – or if you need to delay with purpose. Take Action Don’t launch to crickets. This week, audit your launch plan and ask yourself: Do I have a waitlist? Is my audience warm and engaged? Is my sales page ready? Do I feel confident – or rushed? If you’re missing pieces, take the time to fix them now. You only get one chance to make a strong first impression. Make sure you’re ready. And if you want the full roadmap to launching your subscription box the right way? It’s all inside Launch Your Box. Join me, and let’s build your launch plan together. Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!
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    11 min
  • 206: 100 Monthly Boxes Later: Lessons, Laughs, and What It Really Takes to Keep Showing Up Month After Month
    Jul 16 2025
    One hundred months of subscription boxes. It feels almost unreal to say that out loud. That I’ve curated 100 different subscription boxes over the past 8 ½ years. And yet… here we are. When I look back at where it started, I can still picture myself stressing over every tiny detail of that very first box. My “Lilly Pulitzer-inspired” box, packed in a plain brown craft box I stamped by hand. During the early days of my subscription box, more always felt better, so I just kept adding things, forgetting all about profit margins, and hoping my customers would be happy. Fast forward to today? My process, my confidence, and my profit margins look completely different. That first year, I thought adding more products would make the box feel more valuable. But over time, I learned the magic is in the experience. The way the boxes make my subscribers feel. Instead of thinking that more is better, I choose one wow-worthy item and curate the rest of the box around it. And the packaging? Let’s just say we’ve come a long way from those stamped boxes and logo tape. When I reached 100 subscribers, I finally ordered my first custom boxes in my signature turquoise. A few years later, we gave The Monogram Box™ packaging the full glow-up it deserved. Out of those 100 boxes, some stand out more than others, for better and for worse. There was the box where FedEx left their truck door open, and my boxes ended up all over a busy road in my town (yes, really). The “Oh My Gourd” box that I thought was funny, but many of my subscribers didn’t. Lesson learned - give them what they want! And the custom-designed green Christmas sweatshirt that subscribers still talk about – and still wear – years later. Every one of those moments taught me something. How to plan further ahead. How to problem solve and pivot. How to listen (really listen) to what my subscribers wanted, even when it wasn’t what I expected. Today, we plan boxes 6–8 months in advance. I still start with one main item and build the rest of the box around it. And yes , I stopped packing boxes myself after about 45 of them when we moved into the Warehouse (the team kindly told me I was… in the way). And my favorite hack? An automatic paper folder for packing slips. A little thing, but it saves so much time every month. You’d think by our 100th box I could predict exactly what my subscribers will love. But they still surprise me. Sometimes it’s the smallest detail that gets the biggest reaction. So what keeps them coming back month after month? The seasonality. Their style needs change, so the box does too. The surprise. That feeling of opening something unexpected every month. The connection. They know I care about their feedback and use it to make each box better. If you’re sitting at box #3 or #33 right now and wondering if you’re on the right track, let me tell you: you are. And if you haven’t launched yet, this advice is for you, too! Consistency matters more than perfection. Growth happens when you keep showing up, even when no one’s cheering you on yet. And more than anything, remember: building a sustainable subscription box business is a long game. One box at a time, you’re building something bigger than you can see right now. So keep going. Your 100th box is closer than you think. Join me for this episode as I share the story of my first 100 subscription boxes and how the lessons they’ve taught me can help you reach your 100th box and beyond. Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!
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    28 min
  • 205: You're Not Failing—You're Just Not Being Seen
    Jul 11 2025
    Feeling stuck in your subscription box business, even though you’re doing all the things? This episode is your wake-up call—and your pep talk. Sarah breaks down why your lack of growth likely isn’t about your product or your effort… it’s about visibility. Most box owners aren’t failing—they’re just not being seen by enough of the right people. She’ll walk you through the math behind your conversion rate, share a powerful example from a Launch Your Box member, and give you 5 clear steps to get out of the shadows and in front of the people who are ready to buy. In this episode: Why 1–3% conversion means you need a bigger audience A behind-the-scenes story from a frustrated member—and what Sarah told her What to do instead of launching to crickets 5 visibility actions you can take in the next 30 days 💡 If you’re ready to launch—or re-launch—with a full plan in place, join Launch Your Box. Inside, you'll get the step-by-step strategy and support you need to grow a subscription box business that lasts.
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    10 min
  • From 0 to 400 Subscribers: Turning One-Time Sales into Recurring Revenue
    Jul 9 2025
    “Start with what you have and build up to what you want.” Welcome to my first on-location podcast episode! Launch Your Box member Rachel Duguay joined me live onstage at SubSummit, the first and only conference exclusively for the subscription box industry. Rachel and I met at last year’s SubSummit and she quickly became a member of Launch Your Box. At that time, Rachel and her husband’s business, MicroPuzzles, sold miniature puzzles as one-time purchases. In business since 2018, MicroPuzzles took off in 2020 when the entire world turned to puzzles as a way to pass the time together. MicroPuzzles are 4”x6” when complete and are adorably packaged in test tubes. Demand for their puzzles went through the roof and customers clamored for more designs. Rachel decided adding a subscription box to the business was the answer to giving her customers what they wanted. They launched what Rachel calls the 1.0 version and continued to improve and grow. A year later, they have 425 monthly subscribers and both she and her husband have turned a part-time side hustle into a full-time career. Rachel doesn’t just put MicroPuzzles in her own subscription boxes, she partners with other subscription box owners, too. Many members of Launch Your Box have featured Rachel’s tiny puzzles in their own subscription boxes, customized to their themes and their audiences! Part of Rachel’s success is due to her creative marketing, including an emphasis on product seeding. You’ll rarely find her without a stash of tiny puzzles on hand to use as “business cards.” She also does a fantastic job of building genuine connections with her audience which has contributed to her success. Join me for this episode as Rachel and I talk about the importance of doing something before it’s perfect, the rapid growth of her subscription box, and what led to a cross-country move that included getting the keys to a 3,000-square-foot warehouse. Find out, too, what makes Brian in shipping their most talked about employee. Important Links: Find and follow Rachel: ⁠MicroPuzzles on Facebook⁠ ⁠MicroPuzzles on Instagram⁠ ⁠MicroPuzzles Website⁠ Join me in all the places: ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Launch Your Box with Sarah Website⁠ Are you ready for ⁠ Launch Your Box⁠? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. ⁠ Join the waitlist⁠ today!
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    22 min
  • 204: The Numbers That Matter: 5 Metrics Every Box Owner Must Track
    Jul 4 2025
    When was the last time you really looked at your numbers? I’m not talking about follower count or how many likes your last reel got. I mean the real numbers in your business. The ones that actually tell you if your subscription box is healthy, sustainable, and built to grow. If the idea of diving into your numbers makes you want to run and hide, this episode is for you! Because today, I’m walking you through the five most important metrics every subscription box owner needs to track. I’ll break down what they are and how to calculate them, and explain what they mean for your business and how to use them to make smarter decisions starting today. Whether you’re brand new or scaling toward your next milestone, these numbers will give you clarity, confidence, and control. Don’t feel like you have to track everything all at once.Pick one number and start there. Maybe this month, you track your retention rate. Next month, add Customer Acquisition Cost. Then plug in your numbers for LTV. In this Friday Fuel episode, I’m breaking down the 5 metrics that matter most and how to start tracking them (without the overwhelm). Don’t ignore your numbers because they feel confusing or overwhelming. Because clarity? That’s power. Mentioned in This Episode: Free Retention Rate Calculator Box Budget Worksheet Launch Your Box Training Library (members only) Inside Launch Your Box, we take this even further, teaching you how to track, interpret, and use these numbers to scale your subscription box business. If you're ready to stop guessing and start making decisions based on data, we’re here to help. Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!
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    12 min
  • 203: Growing on YouTube: What Finally Worked
    Jul 2 2025
    For 18 months, I posted regularly on YouTube. Livestreams every Monday. Audio-only versions of The Launch Your Box Podcast. A few Shorts every week. I saw some slow, steady growth, but it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Then I attended a conference this past February, and I kept hearing the same thing over and over again: “YouTube changed everything for my business.” But the thing was, it hadn’t changed everything for my business. It hadn’t really changed much of anything at that point. That’s when it hit me. I was treating YouTube like just another platform instead of the powerful growth tool it is. So I made a few simple, strategic changes… and everything shifted. In this episode, I’m walking you through: What I changed Why those changes worked And how you can start using YouTube to grow your business, especially if you sell a product or subscription box There’s a reason every successful creator I met at that conference credited YouTube with playing a big role in their growth. It’s the second-largest search engine in the world. And unlike so many social media platforms, your YouTube content lasts. Unlike Instagram or TikTok, where posts disappear in a flash, YouTube videos keep working for you for months (even years). This builds visibility, trust, and community, especially when you’re showing up with value. If you’re making Reels or packing videos, you’re already halfway there. YouTube just gives it more reach and staying power. If you want to go deeper, check out the YouTube course that helped me shift everything. It’s practical, doable, and honestly... it changed how I show up on the platform. Click HERE to grab it now. Use code SARAH for $50 off. I went from 2,300 subscribers in February to more than 16,000 just a few months later. My goal? 50K subscribers by the end of 2025. I know it’s possible because of the systems I’ve put in place. Join me for this episode to learn how YouTube can work for you and your subscription box business. YouTube isn’t magic. But with the right strategy, it can grow your business. Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!
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    23 min
  • 202: What’s Really Holding You Back? (And Why You’re More Consistent Than You Think)
    Jun 27 2025
    Are you telling yourself you're "just not consistent"? That your schedule is the problem? That if life would just calm down for a minute, you’d finally make progress in your business? I’m calling you out (with love)in this week’s Friday Fuel episode of The Launch Your Box Podcast. Because I’ve been there, too. And what I’m sharing in this 10-minute mindset reset might be exactly what you need to break through. It all started with a stat I heard at a conference. Only 1.9% of women-owned businesses ever reach a million dollars in revenue. That number stopped me in my tracks. And it got me thinking about why so many subscription box businesses stall out before they ever really start. Inside this episode, I’m walking you through the four barriers that are actually holding you back, and the simple shift that can move you forward starting today. Get honest about what’s actually distracting you. Stop chasing new strategies and start following the roadmap you already have. Take back control of your numbers, including your profit margin. Rethink the story you’ve been telling yourself about consistency. Here’s the truth: You’re already consistent. You just haven’t chosen to be consistent in your business. Yet. And that changes now. Ask yourself: What’s distracting me from growing my business? Which of the 4 barriers is holding me back? What’s ONE thing I can do every day for the next 7 days to show up differently? You don’t need a 10-step plan. You need one simple action, on repeat. Listen now and let’s make that shift together. Because million-dollar momentum doesn’t start with a perfect plan. It starts with showing up. Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today! In this episode, I’ll challenge you to:Take Action This Week
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    11 min
  • 8 Ways to Find Products For Your Subscription Box
    Jun 25 2025
    One of the most important aspects of our subscription box is the products we put inside it. Whether you’re brand new to business or an experienced subscription box owner, finding the right products at the right prices can be challenging. Where do you start? What about when you begin to grow? How do you buy in bulk? Before you start shopping, you will need your sales tax permit and resellers certificate. File for your sales tax permit first and then you’ll be able to get your resellers certificate. Where you head next depends on where you are in your business. I found in my own business that buying product for my growing subscription box was different from buying product for my brick-and-mortar shop or the early days of my subscription box. So how can you find the products you need? 1 - When you’re brand new to business: Local Shops/Brands Facebook Wholesale Groups 2 - Once you’ve established yourself and have some orders behind you: Online Marketplaces such as Faire - You can shop thousands of vendors on one platform with low required minimum order quantities. Direct vendor wholesale site - Go directly to the websites and look for a wholesale link. See if you can apply for a wholesale account with them. Markets or Trade shows -These are scheduled events that happen across the country where hundreds or thousands of vendors come to connect with buyers. You can walk through all their booths, see their products in person, meet with vendors, and place orders. I want you to go to a Market. They opened my mind to brands and vendors I never would have found or considered. I’ve met vendors at Market who have grown along with me and my business. 3 - You’re growing and it’s time to start making bigger bulk purchases: When you grow past a certain point, it’s time to buy bulk and consider working with overseas manufacturers. Global Marketplace - Alibaba, AliExpress, and IndiaMart are a great way to lower costs for items. I purchased small items first to get comfortable with product quality and shipping time. However, since the items are coming from overseas, you’ll need to give them more lead time when ordering. White Label from an Existing Vendor - Vendors allow you to custom-make products under their supply chain and manufacturing process and put your label on it. Sourcing Services - You can work with a sourcing agent who works with manufacturers on your behalf, getting products for you at really great prices. This sourcing agent handles all the communication and organization. My advice for you: Use several different vendors - don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Build relationships - get representatives and keep in touch with them. Relationships are so important in our business. Prices are negotiable - don’t be afraid to ask. Always ask for bulk pricing or discounts or free shipping or products. The bigger your business gets, the more buying power you have. If you are working on a T-Shirt subscription, I’ve got a great FREE resource for you. Check out ⁠my favorite t-shirt brands and styles pdf⁠. There are SO many choices when it comes to t-shirts - this resource will help you find the best ones for you and your customers! Join me for this episode as I walk you through 8 ways to find products for your subscription box. Whether you’re just getting started or need more product options as you grow, get answers to your product sourcing questions! ⁠Sarah’s Favorite T-Shirt Brands and Styles⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠FREE 6 in 60 Workshop⁠ Join me in all the places: ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Launch Your Box with Sarah Website⁠ Are you ready for ⁠Launch Your Box⁠? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. ⁠Join the waitlist ⁠today!
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    30 min