How LeadMeNot grows

Built an org promo code that does not discount the paywall price: under the paywall a link asks 'Are you part of an organization?', the user types the code, the app signals the backend, and the user gets full access. In an internal Swagger admin view, each code gets an expiration date and a cap on redemptions. Works across Android, iOS and desktop (download the DMG from the website with the code attached), and ties back into RevenueCat. Took about a month of (part-time) developer work. The founder presents on site so people redeem immediately. The host notes Apple offer codes (a year free, non-renewing, shareable link) as a cheaper stopgap if you have not built this yet.

Same consumer product, different entry point: instead of acquiring users one at a time via paid media, sell licenses to organizations that already care about the problem (Christian universities investing in discipleship and student counseling, churches, therapists and treatment providers, employers). The institution is both the customer and the distribution partner, so two customers must win: the institution (buy and renew) and each individual (activate and keep using). Value prop to the institution: rollout help, redemption infrastructure (org codes), and an anonymized admin dashboard of usage. Waited until the product was multi-device and on iOS before pitching seriously. Founder-led sales; contracts pushed to 12 months. Inspired by Headspace selling into insurance plans. Example: Asbury University bought 200 licenses for student leaders as a pilot year, intending to roll out to all students.

Lead with a free pilot of 1-2 months (up to 90 days), no longer. Before starting, agree tightly on what success looks like (e.g. even one person finding value) so no one looks back at 30 or 60 days and says only 1 of 10 used it. Example: a church men's ministry focused on sexual wholeness did a ~2-month trial; the group leader then pitched the elders, and church leadership asked to roll it out to everyone; he sent a contract with 1-year to 3-year options. Advice to another founder piloting with schools: bring a clean pitch and a recommended path (e.g. 'let's do a 60-day pilot, here's the rollout, here's how we'll measure success'), and don't be open-ended.

Institutional purchases (e.g. a set number of licenses for a flat fee) are sent as a link and paid through RevenueCat Web Billing, powered by Stripe, so the revenue never goes through Apple or Google billing. RevenueCat has no clean built-in way to sell a bulk license purchase, but it can be handled.

Not shy about asking the network: 'Who do you think this could work with? Can you make an intro? I'll take it over.' Investors also intro (carefully). Asks prospects on calls for intros; one ministry leader emailed three other ministries during the call, each booked for the following week. Uses existing partners as credibility in the next pitch.

Deliberately not maximizing revenue on first institutional deals because the company has no credibility yet to ask for e.g. $20K a year. Uses the signed institutions as logos on leadmenot.org (added only after contract signed and invoice paid) and mentions existing partners when pitching the next university or church. Plans to raise prices once there are more data, testimonials and a stronger story; pricing is still an experiment.

When a prospect asked in the first conversation how they would know usage, first offered a CSV export from the database, then made a mock AI image of an admin platform, then hired an outsourced dev team in Sri Lanka to build it quickly, and showed a staging demo at the next meeting. The dashboard shows an org (e.g. Asbury) how many members use the app, how many blocking rules they created and how many have an accountability partner, fully anonymized. The host tells another founder the same: get the sale first, then build (e.g. a quick AI-built beta of a web version).

Founder writes cold emails himself, genuine and personal: 'Hey, Jason Mathew, founder of LeadMeNot, created this because of my own struggles. Can we talk?' Follows up persistently asking for just 15 minutes, gets on a video call with slides ready, and keeps it a genuine conversation. Tracks everything in HubSpot and keeps expanding the pipeline (150-200+ deals). In month two of testing Sales.co, an AI cold email service, unsure yet if it beats doing it himself.

Started with Christian universities (already investing in discipleship, counseling and forming students under a specific worldview) and churches, rather than secular schools like Yale or Duke. Faith is front and center in every pitch rather than muted, because Christian buyers are sensitive to anything disingenuous. The host recommends the same move to a Muslim-focused game founder: go after Muslim schools first.

First hard paywall in 2023 when the founder went full-time and needed revenue. Monthly plan is a direct subscription without trial; the annual plan has a free trial.

In 2021-2022 quietly tested pitching LeadMeNot to the church he attended in Austin while the app was Android-only. The first objection was that only two people in the church used Android. Concluded institutions need a bulletproof product first (iOS plus multi-device, core to accountability software) and paused institutional sales until the product was there.

For ~3 years (2023-2025) scaled an Android-only subscription app with paid media run with App Masters, mainly Google Ads; later added Apple Search Ads and Meta after the iOS launch. Standard D2C formula: paid media, individual user, trial to purchase, subscription, retain.

Consumers say 'I need to stop looking at porn' or 'I need accountability'; a church leader asks 'how do I help my congregation pursue digital wholeness' or 'how do I equip anxious parents whose kids get their first phone'. Lead with digital wellness and wholeness as the front door, because porn is still taboo from the pulpit. Built the hypothesis from lived church experience, then talked to people (e.g. his brother-in-law, a pastor) and adjusted the pitch as data came in. Uses research stats in pitches (Barna/Pure Desire: 54% of practicing Christians view porn; 10% say their church offers help; 58% want it addressed).

From B2B experience: never sell an institution a 1-month subscription. Push for 12-month contracts and try for a 3-year commitment in exchange for locking in the price; a 1-2 month trial can come first. Contract sent to a church offered 1-year to 3-year terms with price tiers. Treats renewal, not signing, as the real win; investors want renewal data.

Treats successful deployment, not the signed contract, as the distribution: a 5,000-person org is not 5,000 users. Sent all partner universities a pack of marketing materials made by the head of design on how to communicate LeadMeNot on campus. Presents in person (e.g. at Asbury). An ~800-person church that verbally committed wants the founder to come to Dallas and record content to play during services.

Found a public solicitation from a state government agency for 'gambling blocking software', read the RFP and submitted a bid. Worries the faith angle may hurt with a publicly funded agency.