In this episode of E-Coffee with Experts, our host Austin Willman sits down with Mar Pages, Co-founder of Solo Female Travelers, to unpack how she and her partner scaled a global community from under 20,000 members to nearly 500,000 women worldwide—while staying purpose-driven and profitable.
Mar shares her journey from a 20-year career in strategy consulting and Google to building a community-led travel company focused on social impact. You’ll learn how listening to your audience daily can replace expensive market research, why emotional connection drives referrals better than systems, and how value-based pricing supports long-term sustainability.
This conversation dives deep into:
- Turning online communities into sustainable businesses
- Using data and surveys to validate new offers
- Creating referral growth through authentic customer experience
- Balancing premium pricing with mission-driven impact
- Building remote teams aligned around shared values
- Preparing your business for economic uncertainty and cash-flow risk
If you’re a founder, marketer, or agency owner looking to grow through community, trust, and word-of-mouth, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.
Takeaways:
- The community started as a small Facebook group and grew exponentially.
- Creating a unique user experience is key to customer loyalty.
- High repeat customer rates indicate strong community advocacy.
- Hiring people who share your values fosters a positive team culture.
- An ambassador program rewards engaged community members.
- Data-driven decisions help understand customer needs.
- Maintaining a manageable size allows for personal connections with customers.
- Cash flow management is crucial in cyclical industries like travel.
- Staying true to mission and values is essential for long-term success.