What really happens when you launch your first a membership with no expectations? In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of The Educators Lounge, my very first membership space, for a full one-year recap.

I launched this community with zero expectations (and a ten-member goal!) and ended up with over 80 signups in the first week. Since then, it’s been a journey of learning, restructuring, and intentional growth, not scale. I get real about what worked, what flopped, what I’d do differently, and what’s next.

Why I Launched The Educators Lounge

Before The Educators Lounge, there were courses, coaching programs, and my annual conference. Every single time, the same pattern emerged: everyone would come in energized, collaborative, excited, but then left with no real way to stay connected.

I knew educators and creative leaders like us needed something ongoing. A space that wasn’t just about learning, but belonging. Somewhere we could show up as both experts and learners. Somewhere we didn’t need to pretend we had it all together.

That’s where The Educators Lounge came in. It wasn’t just another content dump, but a container for connection.

The Structure at Launch

When I opened the doors, here’s what members got:

• Monthly content and training
• Weekly co-working calls
• Live Q&A sessions with me
• Guest expert workshops
• A growing resource library full of templates, tools, and mini-trainings
• Private community space (hosted on Kajabi)

It was stacked. It was generous. And it was… a lot.

What Went Really, Really Well

First, let’s talk about what went well!

Launch Momentum

My goal was to welcome 10 founding members. I ended up with 84. That initial traction showed me there was a hunger for this kind of space. While I was thrilled for the success, I was also terrified, because I take this responsibility seriously. These weren’t just “signups,” they were people entrusting me with their growth and connection.

Community Over Content

Despite all the trainings and perks, our surveys told a clear story: people joined for the relationships. The best parts of the membership happened in our group calls, community posts, and peer shoutouts. The people made this space what it is.

Feedback Loops That Actually Worked

We created a suggestion box and made it part of our system. When members asked for changes (less content, more networking, new formats), I listened. When we couldn’t implement a request, I explained why. That transparency built a lot of trust.

Low Churn, High Satisfaction

Out of our 84 founding members, 74 stayed through the full year. And we gained more members by word-of-mouth alone, without any relaunches. That kind of retention means more to me than any flashy growth stat.

What Didn’t Go So Well (and What I Learned) I Tried to Do Too Much

Weekly calls, constant new content, spotlighting members—it sounded like a dream on paper. In reality? It created content fatigue. People felt overwhelmed. I felt overextended. So I stripped it down and swapped some of those content-heavy sessions with networking calls—and the results were night and day.

Member Spotlights Were Harder Than Expected

I loved the idea of inviting members to lead sessions. When everyone’s schedule is packed, volunteer-led trainings just don’t land the same. We paused this format and are now experimenting with new ways to showcase member expertise that doesn’t rely on live teaching.

Engagement Outside of Live Calls Was Tricky

I wanted the community platform to feel alive between calls. The reality is: when a platform isn’t part of someone’s daily routine, it’s easy to forget. I’m working on gamification, reminders, and challenges to nudge that consistent engagement, but it’s still a work in progress.

What’s Coming in Year Two

We’re not scaling fast. We’re scaling right. Here’s what’s staying, shifting, and evolving:

What’s Staying:

• Monthly Q&A calls
• Small-group networking sessions
• Access to me and the team
• The ever-growing resource library

What’s Evolving

• Bringing back quarterly co-working calls
• A focus on more organic peer-led collaborations
• Streamlining how new members onboard and engage from day one

Still Testing:

• Member interaction initiatives
• Gamified participation
• Live challenges and opt-in experiences

The suggestion box? It’s not going anywhere.

The Real Win? Confidence in the Long Game

One thing I did when launching The Educators Lounge was set a one-year commitment for myself. I gave myself the permission to shut it down if it didn’t feel aligned. That safety net helped me stay creative and flexible without being locked into something that might not work.

One year in, I can say with complete confidence: this is working. This space matters. And it’s not going anywhere.

We’ve seen members land speaking gigs, grow their businesses, collaborate on events, and support each other in ways I couldn’t have imagined. And the ripple effect of that will only keep growing.

If you’re ready for this type of community, we’d love to see you inside The Educators Lounge!

JOIN NOW

Mentioned in this Episode

The Educators Lounge

Kajabi

Creative Educator Conference

Sought-After Speaker System Course Waitlist

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The post 212: What I’ve Learned Running My First Membership for Educators appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.