Ep 266 Predictable Profitable Membership Models with Stu McLaren

04/29/25 • 39 min

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Predictable Profitable Membership Models with Stu McLaren

What if your current business model is quietly killing your freedom? That’s the harsh truth Stu McLaren uncovered—and when he made the switch, everything changed. In this episode of The Profit Answer Man, Stu shares the pivotal moment he realized his business, while successful on paper, wasn’t scalable or sustainable for the life he wanted. What followed was a transformation into one of the most respected minds in the world of membership-based business models.

If you’re a coach, creator, consultant, or service provider, and you’re stuck in the time-for-money trap—this episode is your wake-up call.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why a good business can still be built on a broken model
How switching to a membership model unlocks scalable income and time freedom
The key mindset shift needed to move from 1:1 to 1:many service
Tools and strategies Stu used to build a wildly successful recurring revenue business
How to identify whether your current business model is serving your goals—or sabotaging them

Key Takeaways:

Your Business Model Should Serve Your Life, Not the Other Way Around. Stu realized his “successful” consulting business was incompatible with being a present father. The solution? A model that scaled beyond his hours.
Memberships Create Leverage. Instead of solving the same problem over and over in 1:1 settings, he teaches at scale. That gave him freedom, impact, and exponential revenue.
Look for the Friction. When business success causes anxiety instead of joy, it’s time to reassess the model. Profit is important, but peace is the ultimate metric.
Teach What You Know, and Package It Smart. Your skills can be transformed into recurring revenue if structured properly. Stu has helped thousands—from fitness to finance—launch profitable memberships.

About Stu McLaren:

Stu McLaren is a renowned membership site expert who has been helping entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, and content creators build recurring revenue since 2008. He co-founded multiple platforms and programs dedicated to scaling membership businesses and is the author of Predictable Profits. Stu’s specialty? Helping you turn your expertise into a sustainable business model that works for your life, not against it.

Conclusion:

More hours won’t solve a broken model. Stu’s journey is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t just about income—it’s about freedom. If you’re burning out trading time for dollars, this episode is your signal to shift.

Links:

Website: https://stu.me/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stumclaren/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumclaren

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIInFLE5DHNFC3xM7-E4NyA

X: https://x.com/stumclaren

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/

My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/

Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast

Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

#profitfirst

Predictable Profitable Membership Models with Stu McLaren

If you’re a coach, creator, consultant, or service provider, and you’re stuck in the time-for-money trap—this episode is your wake-up call.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why a good business can still be built on a broken model
How switching to a membership model unlocks scalable income and time freedom
The key mindset shift needed to move from 1:1 to 1:many service
Tools and strategies Stu used to build a wildly successful recurring revenue business
How to identify whether your current business model is serving your goals—or sabotaging them

Key Takeaways:

Your Business Model Should Serve Your Life, Not the Other Way Around. Stu realized his “successful” consulting business was incompatible with being a present father. The solution? A model that scaled beyond his hours.
Memberships Create Leverage. Instead of solving the same problem over and over in 1:1 settings, he teaches at scale. That gave him freedom, impact, and exponential revenue.
Look for the Friction. When business success causes anxiety instead of joy, it’s time to reassess the model. Profit is important, but peace is the ultimate metric.
Teach What You Know, and Package It Smart. Your skills can be transformed into recurring revenue if structured properly. Stu has helped thousands—from fitness to finance—launch profitable memberships.

About Stu McLaren:

Conclusion:

Links:

Website: https://stu.me/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stumclaren/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumclaren

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIInFLE5DHNFC3xM7-E4NyA

X: https://x.com/stumclaren

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/

My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/

Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast

Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

#profitfirst

Previous Episode

Ep 265 Systems & Processes That Drive Profit with Adi Klevit

Systems & Processes That Drive Profit with Adi Klevit

Chaos is expensive. In this episode of The Profit Answer Man, we crack the code on how documented systems aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re the missing multiplier in your business’s profitability formula. If you're tired of being the bottleneck, constantly putting out fires, and never getting ahead, it's time to trade the hustle for high-performance systems that scale. Our guest, Adi Klevit, reveals how business owners can create a self-operating machine by implementing and optimizing their processes.

Spoiler alert: Systems aren’t the enemy of creativity—they’re the foundation of freedom.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why most entrepreneurs resist creating processes—and how that resistance kills profitability.
The difference between organized chaos and scalable clarity.
How systematization frees up your mental space AND cash flow.
The connection between process documentation and higher business valuations.
Why your SOPs are your secret weapon in scaling and exiting.

Key Takeaways:

“Freedom comes from structure.” Entrepreneurs crave autonomy, but lack of documented processes is what traps them in day-to-day firefighting. Systems are your escape hatch.
Systematize for scalability. Want to sell your business or open new locations? Investors and buyers care about repeatability. That means documented processes.
Retention tool: Losing a key employee shouldn’t threaten your operations. When SOPs are in place, you retain knowledge even if you lose people.
Consistency = trust = profit. Standardized delivery builds a brand customers trust—and trust drives referrals and lifetime value.
Build your business to sell, even if you’re not planning to. Systematizing gives you options—scale, step back, or cash out.

About Adi Klevit:

Adi Klevit is the visionary founder of Business Success Consulting Group, where she helps business owners build scalable, efficient organizations. With a 25+ year background as an Industrial Engineer and management consultant, Adi turns complexity into clarity. She's a process queen and people whisperer—combining strategy and operations into a powerhouse system that frees business owners to thrive.

She's also the host of the Systems Simplified podcast, where she interviews top entrepreneurs about the systems behind their success.

Conclusion:

Systems Drive Profit. What’s the true cost of not having processes? Missed profits. Burnout. Lost opportunities. Adi makes a compelling case that processes are profit levers—and that the business owner's role is to step back, build systems, and lead with clarity. As EOS, Traction, and Scaling Up all emphasize: documented, followed-by-all processes are a non-negotiable for sustainable growth.

If you’re ready to turn chaos into cash flow, this episode will show you how.

Links:

Website: https://bizsuccesscg.com

Podcast: https://bizsuccesscg.com/podcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adiklevit/

Link to schedule free process mapping session: https://calendly.com/meetwithadi/free-process-mapping-session

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/

My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/

Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast

Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

#profitfirst

Next Episode

Ep 267 Profitable Exit Strategy and Succession Planning with Eric Brotman

Profitable Exit Strategy and Succession Planning with Eric Brotman

Are you building a business you can actually walk away from?

What if the problem isn’t how to exit—but how you think about it? This week on The Profit Answer Man, we sat down with the legendary Eric Brotman, CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, who’s flipping the script on succession planning. For him, retirement isn't the end—it's a graduation into a new, exciting chapter.

In this episode, we’re not just talking theory—we’re breaking down the actual moves Eric made over 15 years to build a business that thrives without him. If you’re serious about maximizing the value of your business and exiting on your terms (without private equity hijacking your legacy), this is the playbook you need.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why Eric hates the word retirement—and what mindset shift could unlock your next level.
How to start building your exit strategy a decade before you plan to leave.
The difference between building a sellable company... and just owning your job.
Real-world examples of internal succession done right—without sacrificing culture or control.
The one metric you’re probably not watching that could destroy your transition plan.

Key Takeaways:

Start Your Exit Long Before You Need It. Eric started building his succession plan at 38. Today, he’s gradually transferring ownership to internal partners—protecting culture, profitability, and legacy.
“Graduation” Beats “Retirement”. Instead of stepping away into boredom, Eric talks about moving into a chairman/advisory role, staying engaged with strategic vision without day-to-day stress.
Internal Buyouts Aren’t Always Lucrative—But They’re Often More Fulfilling. He could’ve taken a big check from PE. Instead, he chose continuity, values, and staying true to the mission.
Team Building Is Strategic Planning. This wasn’t just about creating a leadership team. It was about building equity, commitment, and a business that thrives without dependency on one person.
Succession = Culture + Cash Flow + Control. Get these right, and you’ve got options. Ignore them, and you’re the bottleneck holding the whole thing back.

About Eric Brotman:

Eric D. Brotman, CFP®, is the CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, founder of Brotman Media Group, and author of Don’t Retire...Graduate! With 30+ years in the financial planning world and over $700 million AUM, Eric is a true architect of long-term business and financial legacies. His firm’s unique internal succession model offers a rare roadmap for owners who want to graduate instead of retire.

Conclusion:

Will Your Business Outlive You?

Too many founders build a business that dies when they leave. Eric Brotman is living proof that with vision, systems, and intentional planning—you can build a company that survives and thrives without you.

If you're not exit-ready, you're not growth-ready. It's time to change that.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/BFGFinancialAdvisors/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bfgfa/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebrotman/

https://www.instagram.com/bfgfinancialadvisors/

brotmanmedia.com

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page

Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst

Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/

My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/