The business of Quilter is doubled within three years thanks to membership
Rebecca Bryan is a quilter, author, and entrepreneur who is the creator of Bryan House Quilts. Rebecca Bryan has revolutionized the world of materials with a unique fabric line as well as a thread assortment, all while giving in-person classes in quilting.
When she began her adventure seeking a better way to support her family and make the time for her work. Read on to find out the ways in which the switch to an online subscription based membership brought Rebecca the financial prosperity and peace of mind she sought.
The reason you decided to jump into knowledge commerce?
My quilting business started by publishing my first book, Contemporary Rainbow Quilts. From there, I began teaching in quilt shows and guilds around all over the United States. I continued to grow my workshop offerings with the publication of my book 2: Modern Triangle Quilts.
After that, my husband got his new job and relocated our family, which included four children of school age over to the Netherlands. Being in the Netherlands made it impossible to travel back to the US for a classroom visit!
I'd thought about the possibility of offering my workshop online, but this move was the catalyst I needed.
What was the very first digital product you introduced? Why did you choose it?
The first time I began, I chose to launch one of my workshops that I taught using the Contemporary Triangle Quilts book, "Design Improv using Triangles". In my workshop, I instruct the student through a set of hands-on tasks that result in them making their very own Modern Triangle quilt blocks. This class was chosen because it was the first time I had taught my latest book and I realized how in-depth an online class can be as compared to a traditional three-hour or six-hour workshop in person. (See the Equilateral Sampler Quilt, pictured in Rockport, Mass.)
Can you share more about the performance of your workshops that came with only one transaction?
I thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience of digital for my students. First, I was pleasantly surprised. the experience to be awe-inspiring in the amount of fun I had working with cameras and using Zoom. It is impossible to overstate how (painfully!) camera-phobic I used to be. However, stepping up on camera for my students made me feel so happy. Plus, I got to know my students as we got to know each other even though it was a virtual. It was enjoyable!
Then, I started to provide more online classes that began with a plan of the year program. Quilting is a process that we call them "Blocks of the Months" Every month we create the new quilt blocks. Then, at the time of year's end, we stitch all of blocks of quilt together for a complete quilt. Woohoo! (See Rainbow Remix, my 2018 BOM.)
Why did you decide to offer a subscription based product?
When my collection of "Block of the Month" programs grew to three, I realized I could offer my students greater value and support by housing the entirety of my "Modern Triangle" projects in one membership. So in March of 2020, I officially opened the doors of "Make Modern Triangles" Official club that assists quilters to design, make, and finish blockbuster modern triangle quilts.
Within the club, participants can choose exactly what quilt they'd like to work on They also get guidance and assistance from me as well as being motivated by the desire to "bust the blocks" by working together with like-minded quilts from around the world. This "Triangle Chatter" community is an absolute delight! Everyday, I'm blown at the progress of the project and the progress pictures our members share.
What was the way your customers react to your subscription?
Favorably, I'd say!
The Block of the Month products make for a great fun program to create from my perspective as the teacher. The whole process will be a lot more enjoyable in the community; the anticipation for the next challenge and watching piles of blocks multiply; the feeling of commiseration whenever something doesn't go as planned The satisfaction of having completed each step and shouting "ta the da!" together! This is all wonderful and an element of the camaraderie that which we share as a community.
What lessons did you take away about your subscription, which you take to heart running your own business?
Oh boy. One of the most important lessons I've have learned the hard way that I make far too much tasks for myself. So, I'm constantly looking at ways to reduce my workload.
When I began my company, one my main goals was being able to contribute to my family's support without having to go get an "real" job. My first venture was with my children when they were infants with the hopes of growing my income to be comparable to that of a "real" occupation.
I was looking to start an enterprise where I could work maybe 25% of my time working on my computer and all the time creating within my sewing area.
As a person of great imagination who enjoys teaching and teach, I would get distracted by taking everything quilt I designed and then creating a new product around the quilt. As you can imagine, I had a ton of work to do! And that actually took me from my sewing room and away from my goal.
In order to keep things simple, I now focus (mostly!) on my membership and reducing everything down into essentially one service.
What impact did starting the subscription-based service in your business?
In focusing and simplifying my approach to creating my membership, my business has increased by 50% over the last three years (thanks for those sweet and sweet statistics!). My goal has been achieved of creating a company that can support my family, and also one in which I'm not chained to my computer. I'm able to work from home and make art.
I'm much less stressed. I'm happy about the product I'm offering my clients. I am enthralledwatching my members create. Plus, I'm able to spend more time. I'm safe. The peace of mind I have frees up my bandwidth. While it's not perfect I am aware of what I'm creating and how I can improve it and can anticipate how it will grow and develop over the coming years.
My membership has brought me less pressure. For the most part I have a clear picture of my business' earnings per year. Also, I'm not feeling like I need to educate myself on all the new things I'm developing or create a new product to sell. My focus is on providing amazing information and connections for my members but also on creating for myself. Plus, I can be present and flexible to take good care of my loved ones.
What helped you get the results you wanted?
My objective was and always will be simplicity, and this has made total sense. It's so easy for an online business to become complicated in a short time. offers simplification, and I am here for it. Everything I need is in , and apart from the other tools (from earlier times, which I wasn't using ), I use exclusively.
What advice would you give anyone else looking to launch a subscription-based company?
Get a lot of work into the "Beta" version, and make the version "Beta" for more time than you think that you have to. I wished I'd kept mine in beta mode longer. From your Beta, find your strengths, then take it further. Then, spend time and energy polishing and perfecting the things that are successful. Be simple, and remain in the forefront of simplicities. Begin with your test right now. The longer you sit longer, the more complex the experience becomes!