How Community Fuels Subscription Box Growth

Discover how building community first leads to stronger customer loyalty, better retention, and easier sales. Insights from Ashley Alderson of The Boutique Hub on connection, content, and long-term growth.

For a long time, I thought community was something you built after your business was already successful. Once you had more time, more margin, and a little more confidence. When things felt less frantic. When you finally felt “ready.”

But over the years - and especially through building a subscription-based business - I’ve learned the opposite is true.

Community isn’t the reward for success. It’s one of the biggest reasons success happens in the first place.

That’s why I was so excited to sit down with Ashley Alderson, founder of The Boutique Hub, on the Launch Your Box Podcast. Ashley has built one of the most loyal, engaged communities in the product-based business space, and she did it by leading with connection long before “community-first marketing” became a buzzword.

In our conversation, we talk about what customer loyalty actually looks like, how community directly impacts retention, and why selling doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable when it’s rooted in service. We also dig into practical ways subscription box owners and product-based businesses can build connection through content, experience, and consistency without feeling like they’re constantly “selling.”

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn one-time buyers into long-term customers, how to build loyalty without relying on discounts, or how to grow a subscription box business in a way that feels aligned and sustainable, you’re going to love this conversation.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

Ashley and I talked about something I believe deeply:

People don’t want to do business with companies. They want to do business with people.

There are a million big-box options, marketplaces, and “click-and-ship” experiences out there. But what customers actually crave is a brand that feels human. They want to buy from a business - and business owner - that makes them feel like:

• “She gets me.”
• “These were chosen for me.”
• “I belong here.”

That’s where loyalty starts.

And subscription boxes are naturally positioned to build community, even if you don’t realize it yet. 

You’re showing up every month, delivering an experience. Your customers are opening something that feels like a gift. 

You’re not just running a business. You’re building relationships.

Ashley’s VAVA Method: A Simple Content Framework That Builds Community

Ashley shared a content framework she uses to keep her community strong and engaged. And I LOVE how practical it is.

She calls it the VAVA Method, and it’s a filter for everything you post.

V = Viral

Not “viral” like you’re trying to become famous.

Viral as in: Would someone care enough to engage? Would they comment, click, relate, or share?

This is the kind of content that makes people say, “YES! I’ve been thinking that but didn’t know how to say it.”

A = Authentic

Does it sound like a real person? Does it feel honest?

When you’re authentic, you become a magnet. Yes, magnets attract and repel. And that’s a good thing. 

Because the more honest you are about what you believe, what you stand for, and what matters to you?

The stickier your community becomes.

V = Value

Does this help someone? Does it make their life easier, clearer, simpler, better?

Value can be education, encouragement, tips, behind-the-scenes — anything that gives your customer something useful.

A = Aspirational

Does it help them see a better version of themselves?

Aspirational content doesn’t have to be luxury or “perfect life” content. It can be:

• confidence
• progress
• feeling more put-together
• feeling like they’re growing

If your content helps someone feel like they’re leveling up, they’ll come back for more.

“Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” - And Why Your Customers Need Both

Ashley tied VAVA into something else we see all the time in product-based businesses:

If all you do is sell, sell, sell, people tune out.

She referenced the idea of “jab, jab, jab, right hook.” The jabs are your relationship-building, community-building, value-driven content, and the right hook is your sales content.

Her general guideline?

About 2/3 soft-sell content and 1/3 sales content.

And I want you to hear this next part clearly. If you feel like you’re bothering people by talking about your subscription box repeatedly,  you’re not.

You’re reminding the right people that you exist, and you’re giving them the chance to say yes.

Reframing Sales: It’s Not Sleazy, It’s Service

Ashley said something I think every subscription box owner needs to hear.

Sales isn’t a villain process. It’s a noble one.

Because when you’re selling something you truly believe in, you’re not tricking people. You’re guiding them toward something that makes their life better.

And the more attached you are to your mission, your “why,” and what you want your customers to feel, the easier it is to show up consistently.

Selling is not about pushing a product. It’s about serving your people.

What Loyalty Really Looks Like 

This part of the conversation was SO good.

Ashley explained loyalty like this. Loyalty isn’t just they bought something from you once. Loyalty is, Did they have an emotional reaction to buying from you?

Think about it:

• Did your marketing make them feel seen?
• Did your post-purchase experience make them feel cared for?
• Did your packaging make them smile?
• Did your note, your follow-up email, your tone, your vibe make them think, “She’s my person”?

That’s retention. 

And yes, value matters, too.

Ashley said it in a way that made me laugh but also made me want to stand up and clap. 

“Cheap ain’t loyal.”

If your entire strategy is to undercut everyone else, you’ll attract the kind of customer who leaves the second they find a cheaper option.

Instead, build value. Build experience. Build community. People can get “stuff” anywhere.

But they can’t get you anywhere else.

Be the Face of Your Brand 

You’ve heard me say this before:

Being you is free.

And it’s one of the most powerful marketing tools you have.

Ashley agreed, and she said something I loved: the most successful small businesses she’s seen all have something in common. 

Customers know who the person is behind the brand.

Now, does that mean you have to go live every single day and carry your whole business on your shoulders?

No.

We also talked about the reality of burnout and the shift from being an entrepreneur to becoming a CEO.

You can be the face of your brand in the ways that matter most and bring your team into the story.

Introduce the people who fulfill orders. Pack boxes. Help with photos. Handle customer care.

Let customers fall in love with the humans behind the scenes, because that’s where connection is built.

The Six Layers of Business (a.k.a. “The Lasagna Framework”)

Ashley shared one of my favorite analogies from the whole episode: the Six Layers of Business also known as the Six Layers of Lasagna.

Because everyone wants the crunchy cheese on top, but if you only focus on that top layer, your business falls apart.

Here are the layers, starting at the bottom:

1) Operations and Foundation

Your systems. Your CEO mindset. Your “bus rule” (If you get hit by a bus tomorrow, is anything written down?).

2) Brand

Knowing who you serve, what problem you solve, and why your business matters.

3) Products and Profitability

The “cottage cheese” layer is all about the numbers, inventory, margins, pricing, cash flow.

And yes, this is the layer a lot of women avoid because of old beliefs like “I’m not good at math.”

Ashley’s reframe? Stop saying “I’m not good at numbers” and start saying “I’m good at money.”

4) Sales Strategy

Your conversion point. Your website. Your sales page. Your offers.

5) Content Strategy

Not random posting, but a plan tied to traffic and goals.

6) Social Media (the Crunchy Cheese Layer)

It can drive traffic and build community, but it only works when the other layers are in place.

That’s the difference between being busy and building something sustainable.

What Excites Us About the Future: Experiences & Real Connection

Ashley and I talked about where marketing is headed, and we agree.

People are craving real human connection again.

We’ve been in a scroll-heavy, isolated season for a long time. And now, customers are leaning toward experiences both online and offline.

One example Ashley shared was a business hosting a subscriber bingo night on Zoom, complete with digital bingo cards and prizes.

I love that because it proves that community doesn’t have to be complicated.

It just has to be intentional.

Your Next Steps: Build a Community That Buys (and Buys Again)

If you want the simplest action plan from this episode, start here:

• Use the VAVA method to guide your content this week.
• Aim for 2/3 relationship-building and 1/3 selling.
• Ask yourself, “How can I create an emotional reaction in my customer experience?”
• Identify which “lasagna layer” you’ve been ignoring and give it attention.

Because building community is cheaper than constantly acquiring new customers. And it’s one of the best ways to create long-term, stable recurring revenue.

Listen to the Full Episode

If you loved these highlights, you’re going to love the full conversation. Ashley brings so much wisdom (and keeps it real), and you’ll walk away with practical ways to strengthen your content, your customer loyalty, and your business foundation.

Go listen to episode 226 of The Launch Your Box Podcast with Ashley Alderson of The Boutique Hub. 

As you listen, ask yourself what would change if you focused on connection first? Because that’s where the magic happens.