DD Vol 4 - Founding Membership
“In my view, that’s a great deal.”
There’s always one moment on a call where everything crystallises. For us, it’s Jonathan delivering that line with the quiet confidence of a man who knows he’s just tipped the scales. We’re on a conference call (me, Tom, Luca, and Jonathan) wrapping up the final details of the Founding Membership.
We debate whether adding yet another perk is genius or borderline madness. Because while the membership is about to go live (and by now, it already has), there’s something oddly irresistible about squeezing in just one more “why not?”
Let’s rewind.
The Founding Membership is, in essence, our opening gambit. A one-time, limited-availability offering designed to reward early adopters with a bundle of perks that go well beyond a standard membership.
We’re talking 25% off coffee and alcohol (not together, unless you’re a fan of espresso martinis), complimentary guest passes, semi-annual lessons to track progress, a merch pack worth £200, a weekly Happy Hour featuring half-price drinks, and much more.
And then Jonathan, sensing momentum, casually drops in another idea: free play on Thursdays.
His logic? “People like free things.”
He’s right. There’s something about the word “free” that people love. You could attach it to almost anything and suddenly it’s irresistible. So in it goes.
Not to be outdone, we decide to throw in a behind-the-scenes facility tour in May, before works are completed. A sort of “come and admire the vision” experience.
Meanwhile, Luca is doing things on the backend that I pretend to understand. Buttons appear where there were no buttons. Payment flows exist where previously they didn’t exist. Tom, on the other hand, is deep in marketing mode via polishing visuals and drafting the campaign.
For once, I’m quiet. Which either means everything is under control or I’ve been temporarily rendered obsolete. I choose to believe the former.
Because this moment matters. The release of the Founding Membership is the first real test for us. The membership commitments over the coming couple of weeks will give us a strong indication of demand.
If you’re reading this and have somehow missed the launch, I’d suggest having a look here. Not just because I’m contractually obliged to say that, but because it’s genuinely the clearest signal yet of what we’re building.
“Do they call you one-take Drake?”
Fast forward to midday on a Wednesday, and we’re in the pub. Specifically, the The White Horse, affectionately known as the Sloaney Pony.
It’s surprisingly full for a weekday lunchtime. The kind of crowd that makes you question your own life choices. Are these people freelancers? Entrepreneurs? Secretly retired? Or have they simply mastered the art of looking busy while doing absolutely nothing?
We’re here to film a skit announcing one of our brand partners, Prime Time. This is part of a wider plan with a steady rollout of short-form content introducing partners and building awareness.
In this particular production, co-founder Harvey delivers his lines with impressive precision. First take? Nailed. We burn through half a dozen takes, each one slightly better than the last, while Tom quietly captures enough behind-the-scenes footage to blackmail us all at a later date.
There’s already talk of a blooper reel. I’m not convinced it’s a good idea for the brand, but I suspect it’s inevitable.
Still, the final cut is solid. The Prime Time reel is live and is a clear win.
Box ticked. On to the next.
“In theory, it’s a good idea. In theory.”
Back on the phone with Jonathan, who has another idea.
This time, it’s aimed at our existing members, specifically those with children. The proposal? Free kids’ classes on Saturday mornings. Drop them off at 9am, let them be taught by a coach who mixes pickleball and tennis drills, and reclaim your weekend for a few blissful hours.
On paper, it’s excellent. In practice, it does raise questions.
What happens when 50 parents simultaneously decide this is the greatest thing we’ve ever offered?
Still, the core idea is strong. It adds value, builds loyalty, and (crucially) gives members another reason to stick around. Retention, after all, is the quiet engine behind any successful membership model.
So we’ll figure out the logistics. Or at least, we’ll convince ourselves we will.
“Let’s clarify the difference between necessity and optional.”
Back at the venue, reality returns in the form of spreadsheets and invoices.
We’re gearing up for the electrical works, which feels like progress. But we’re also in conversation regarding the final part of the works, which is ancillary elements such as CCTV, TV’s, electric signage and more.
Each one presented with multiple options, each option priced as if it includes a small island somewhere in the Mediterranean.
Take the audio, for example. Do we install bespoke, fitted speakers at a cost of around £6,000? Or do we opt for two perfectly decent portable speakers - say, something like a couple of JBL Xtreme 3 units - for roughly £500 total?
Both will play music. Both will allow Justin Bieber to be played when Victor is on court. One just does it with significantly more financial pain.
I find myself increasingly drawn to the cheaper option. Not because I don’t appreciate good audio, but because I struggle to believe the marginal gain is worth the exponential cost.
This becomes a recurring theme: what’s essential, and what’s just nice to have?
For now, I mentally file these decisions under “revisit later”, which is a dangerously crowded section of my brain, and focus on what actually needs to happen next.
Which, at the moment, is waiting.
We’re waiting for the roof snagging to be completed. Waiting so that electrics can begin. Waiting so that everything else can follow.
It’s not the most glamorous phase, but it’s necessary.
In the meantime, it’s full focus on the Founding Membership. Marketing, messaging, momentum.
Because while the build continues in the background, this is the part people see.
And, ideally, the part they buy into.
See you next week.