Paid community building is one of the most sustainable ways to create recurring revenue without relying on constant launches or high-ticket coaching. In this episode of the Light Her Up podcast, I sat down with Carol Tice, a former journalist turned entrepreneur, to unpack how she built, scaled, and ultimately sold a 1,500-member paid community. This conversation breaks down what actually works when you’re building a membership community business, the mistakes to avoid, and why community is such a powerful long-term business model for entrepreneurs.
Episode 37: How Carol Tice Built, Scaled, and Sold a 1,500-Member Paid Community
Why Paid Community Building Creates More Stability Than High-Ticket Coaching
One of the biggest reasons founders turn to paid community building is stability. Carol didn’t want a business dependent on chasing the next $10,000 client or constantly refilling her calendar with one-on-one work. She wanted predictable monthly income and a model that could support her family long term.
In the episode, Carol explains how a low-ticket recurring revenue community gave her freedom from feast-or-famine cycles. Instead of reselling herself every month, she focused on serving a group of members consistently. That shift allowed her to build a reliable income stream while reaching more people than she ever could through coaching alone.
How to Build a Paid Community by Involving Your Audience Before Launch
A major lesson from Carol’s story is that successful paid community building starts long before the doors open. Rather than building in private, she brought her audience into the process.
Carol describes how she used what she now calls “pre-marketing.” She openly shared her ideas, asked for feedback, ran surveys, and invited her readers to help shape the community. This audience-led product creation meant that when the membership launched, people already felt ownership.
Key tactics she used:
- Asking her audience what they wanted inside the community
- Surveying potential members before creating content
- Rewarding early contributors with founder pricing
This approach reduced risk, increased buy-in, and led to strong early retention.
The Growth Shift That Took the Community from 500 to 1,500 Members
One of the most counterintuitive moments in Carol’s journey came when growth stalled at 500 members, which unlocked the next phase: closing the doors.
Keeping enrollment open at all times made the community feel optional. By introducing enrollment windows and a waitlist, Carol created natural urgency without aggressive selling. Members stayed longer because they knew re-entry wasn’t guaranteed, and new members were motivated to join when doors opened.
This is a critical insight for anyone running a membership community business: scarcity can support retention, not just sales.
Building a Community Business You Can Actually Sell
Not every founder plans for an exit, but Carol’s experience shows why it matters. As buyers began reaching out, she learned that a sellable online community business model requires focus.
Carol then simplified her offers so all roads led to membership. Courses, side programs, and extra offers were removed or folded into the community. This clarity made the business more attractive to buyers and easier to operate.
Recurring revenue communities are especially appealing because of their predictable income and retention metrics. Carol ultimately sold the business during the first winter of COVID with 1,500 members, proving that community-led businesses can be both impactful and valuable.
Choosing the Right Platform for a Community-Led Business
Technology was one of Carol’s biggest early challenges. Before modern tools existed, she spent thousands each month managing complex systems. Today, she emphasizes choosing platforms built specifically for community.
Carol contrasts older setups with modern tools like Skool, which simplify hosting, content, live sessions, and referrals in one place. She also cautions against relying solely on social platforms you don’t own, such as Facebook groups.
The takeaway: your community platform strategy matters just as much as your content.
What I Want You To Take Away From This:
- Paid community building offers predictable monthly income without constant selling
- Involving your audience before launch leads to stronger engagement and retention
- Closing enrollment can support growth and long-term commitment
- Simplifying your offers makes your business more scalable and sellable
- Choosing the right platform reduces burnout and technical overwhelm
Building a Community Without Burnout
Carol’s story is a reminder that sustainable business growth doesn’t come from doing everything at once. It comes from focus, listening to your audience, and choosing a model that fits your life.
Progress in building a community-based business doesn’t require perfection or guru-level marketing skills. It requires consistency, openness, and the willingness to let your audience shape what you create. If you’re considering a shift toward a recurring revenue community, this episode offers a grounded, real-world roadmap.
Curious to Know More?
If you’re exploring how to build a paid community with intention and clarity, Carol now teaches founders inside Community Growth Academy, where she shares the systems, decisions, and lessons behind building sustainable membership communities.
