Growing Your Subscription Business: iFit’s 4-Bucket Framework for Success with Jeremy McCarty (episode 563)
Jeremy McCarty is the Chief Subscription and Content Officer of iFIT, a global leader in connected fitness via their NordicTrack, Pro-form, and Freemotion brands.
In this episode, Jeremy breaks down the 4-Bucket Framework his team uses to grow one of the world’s leading connected fitness brands. From attracting the right customers to keeping them engaged and loyal, he shares what every eCommerce business can learn from iFIT’s subscription model.
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Dive in:
[03:05] Building Long-Term Customer Relationships
[06:42] “Start with the Customer”
[12:44] Expanding Fitness Innovations to All
[16:26] Jeremy’s 4-Bucket Framework
[17:55] “Delivering Value in First Impressions”
[23:27] Listen to Jeremy’s Top Tips!
Bucket 1: Start With the Customer, Always
Subscription success begins with understanding your customer’s needs. Every month, they have a choice to stay or leave — and your job is to deliver value that keeps them coming back. Listen, adapt, and evolve your offer over time. A strong subscription always starts with a clear picture of who your customer really is.
Bucket 2: Deliver Value Fast
The first days and weeks of a subscription are make-or-break. Jeremy calls these moments “magical firsts” — the first use, first result, first bill. Show up exactly as promised and deliver quick wins that prove your product’s worth. Early value sets the tone for a long-term relationship.
Bucket 3: Retention Drives Growth
Customers who stop engaging are customers you’re about to lose. Jeremy explains that engagement is what turns subscribers into loyal advocates. Build experiences that become part of their daily routine — and your customers will stay longer, spend more, and spread the word.
Bucket 4: Engagement is Everything
Once acquisition, early value, and engagement are solid, you’ve earned the right to expand. Add new tiers, features, or audiences only after your core experience delivers. For eCommerce brands, it’s a reminder to avoid “shiny object syndrome” and focus on nailing the fundamentals first.
The Big Picture – Balance Growth and Retention
Jeremy’s framework proves that sustainable growth isn’t about choosing between acquisition and retention — it’s about mastering both. Every new customer adds potential, but keeping them delivers profit. The key is to balance attraction with long-term engagement, ensuring that every subscriber feels valued month after month. Do that well, and growth takes care of itself.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dr. Dan Ariely
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Jeremy says press and earned media are often overlooked but can be one of the most powerful traffic drivers — if done thoughtfully and planned months in advance.
Tool Top Tip
- Use social media as a listening tool to hear customer feedback, spot issues, and gather ideas for improving the product.
Carbon Top Tip
- Find actions that reduce waste and improve business efficiency. What’s good for the planet is often good for your bottom line and your customers, too.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Growing a baby clothing subscription service with Eve Kekeh of Bundlee (episode 360)
- Subscriptions and fast growth DTC with Kristina Smith from Big Island Coffee Roasters (episode 401)
- Increasing Philip Kingsley’s Profits with Strategic Promotions with Lauren Duncan (episode 510)
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