Introducing Giovanna Ventola—Thrive’s Head of Member Experience (and employee #1)!

It’s been a busy 30 days. Lots of learning lots of growing.

Thrive changed + increased its pricing, rolled out a referral model, and a lot more.

November was my our best month to date in new revenue.

And yet—we’re still not where I want us to be.

Because there’s one thing on my mind that has always been the same: how can we make our product better?

How can we make the community one that every member is proud to evangelize?

Over the first two weeks of December, we held four listening sessions (I wasn’t involved) with our members to collect honest, candid feedback about where we could improve.

To be honest, I was nervous. I know we have a lot to improve upon, but it’s always a bit scary to hear.

Well…

I learned a lot hearing that feedback when it was delivered to me.

That it’s not just the product that has to get better—but the amount of time, focus, and energy we put into it on a daily basis.

One of the things I’ve always tried to be good at is admitting when I’m out of my depth.

I can grow Thrive. But there are more talented community builders who have more diverse perspectives than mine.

And I know that Thrive needs the help there—it’s where it matters most.

Our product has to be incredible. The bootstrappers who trust us deserve that.

And with that being said, I have some exciting news...

Our members asked (many times) and we listened.

Giovanna Ventola has joined our team full-time as Head of Member Experience!

Giovanna will focus on transforming Thrive into a true asset for our members.

She's dedicated to enhancing member engagement by developing programs that address the things THEY want and need. Whether it's channels, webinars, networking calls, accountability groups, mentor programs, or in-person events... you name it, she's got it.

For those who don’t know her story, G faced three layoffs in three years. Instead of rolling over, she turned that train wreck into a growing community of over 3,000 job seekers who support each other as they navigate their professional journeys.

Her famous words are "this started because of me, but it continues to exist because of the community... all of the decisions I make come from feedback from the people that are in it".  

She has a people first approach and that is the vibe we need at Thrive.

In August, I was introduced to Giovanna through one of our Thrive members.

She quickly became an invaluable part of our community, joining calls, meeting members, and leading webinar sessions focused on building community through trust, empathy, and real human connection.

In her first 90 days, she'll get to know each of our members through surveys, feedback sessions, and one on one conversations.

Giovanna's expertise will be crucial in creating a vibrant member experience that attracts new members while retaining and engaging our existing community.

She’s a serious community builder. And it’s time for us to get this right.

I believe in her a lot. We're excited about everything she will bring to this mission.

Let’s Thrive.  

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