In partnership with

GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), delivering you a startup idea that’ll turn podcast fans into true owners.

Over 3k+ startup ideas I can get right now? Sign me up!

Here’s what we’ve got for you today.

• Daily Idea - Own Your Audience

• Subscriptions = $$$

Turn Listeners Into Loyal Owners

The One Liner

Turn podcast fans into owners, not just listeners.

The 140 character tweet (or X) version

Why rent an audience when you can own a community? Let listeners unlock exclusive content, Q&As, and rewards, powered by tokens.

The Longer Story Version

The Problem
Podcasts are booming. Millions of listeners. Billions of hours.
But here’s the dirty secret: Most podcasters are broke.

Even the ones with a cult following are stuck hustling for sponsorship scraps, CPM deals, or pushing merch they don't even like.
The real problem? Zero direct connection to the fans. No ownership, no loyalty loop.

Listeners tune in, zone out, and move on.
No sticky relationship. No skin in the game. No community.

The Solution
Imagine turning your audience into a tribe with ownership.

Here’s the move:

• Fans buy a token (cheap, like a coffee).

• That token unlocks perks: exclusive episodes, live Q&As, private forums, even real-world meetups.

• Top fans earn rewards: merch, shoutouts, voting power on episode topics.

It’s not just content anymore, it’s membership, it’s status, it’s ownership.

No crypto jargon, no wallets to set up, no headaches.
Just a “Buy Access” button that feels as easy as Venmo.

How We'd Build It

Stage 1: MVP for Non-Technical Founders

• Minting Made Easy: Use Unlock Protocol (dead simple token-gated access).

• No Wallet, No Problem: Use Privy or Paper.xyz for wallet-as-a-service—log in with email.

• Backend: Firebase for minting/listing without blockchain headaches.

• Frontend: Webflow for fast, slick, no-code front end.

• Community: Circle.so to build the gated community forum.

Stage 2: Level Up for Builders

• Custom Smart Contracts: Deploy with Thirdweb to tweak token logic (rewards, transferability).

• Token Analytics: Dune Analytics dashboard to track holder activity and engagement.

• Content Hosting: Integrate with Gumroad for gated content drop.

Stage 3: Pro Mode

• Fully Integrated App: Custom build with Next.js + WalletConnect.

• Reward Mechanics: Integrate on-chain loyalty programs using Layer3 

• On-Ramp Fiat Payments: Integrate with Stripe + Crossmint so anyone can pay with a card.

• GTM Playbook: Launch on crypto-native communities (Lens, Farcaster) + podcasts that talk money, culture, and tech.

Why It Needs to Exist
Because podcasts aren’t just media, they’re movements.
And movements need more than listeners. They need believers.

Ownership > Attention.

This flips the game. From rented audiences to owned communities.
From "listen and leave" to "listen and belong."

No gatekeepers. No begging brands.
Just fans, founders, and freedom.

Learn AI in 5 minutes a day

This is the easiest way for a busy person wanting to learn AI in as little time as possible:

1. Sign up for The Rundown AI newsletter

2. They send you 5-minute email updates on the latest AI news and how to use it

3. You learn how to become 2x more productive by leveraging AI

Sign up to start learning.

Needs To Exist Pro

Steal Our Best Startup Ideas for $99/Year

🚀 3,000+ Killer Business Ideas
From solo side hustles to billion-dollar plays—new ones added every week.

🔎 Blazing-Fast Search & Categories
No fluff. Just ideas you can actually build. Sorted by what you care about.

🧠 Sourced from the Smartest Minds
We mine 100s of newsletters, research papers, and founder interviews so you don’t have to.

📋 Step-by-Step Launch Plans
Got an idea? We’ll show you exactly how to start, validate, and launch it.

Make Memberships Sexy Again

Ideas where loyalty isn’t bought, it’s earned and owned.

Memberships are broken.

Back in the day, membership meant something. You were in. You earned your jacket, your keycard, your little feeling of being part of something exclusive.

Today? It's $9.99/month for a newsletter. Or a discount code.
It's not membership, it’s just a transaction.

Where’s the pride? Where’s the status? Where’s the ownership?

Here’s the truth:
Loyalty isn’t something you buy. It’s something you build.

And the next generation of memberships will feel different:

• Earned, not bought.

• Owned, not rented.

• Flexible, not fixed.

What’s the Move?

Think small, tight, and high-value.
Membership should mean something again.
Not “anyone with a credit card gets in.”
More like “prove you’re one of us, and you earn your spot.”

It’s earned access + status symbols + ownership.
A membership that gets more valuable the more you engage.

Example plays:

• Earn to Access: Complete tasks, contribute value, and earn your way in.

• Proof of Loyalty: Time-based unlocks (e.g., 100 days subscribed = gold badge).

• Tokenized Access: Hold a token or NFT that says, “I’m a real one.”

• Tiered Power: More involvement, more say. Like a loyalty program where you design the perks.

Basically: Make the act of belonging the badge of honor.

Tools to Make It Happen

For Token-Gated Access (No Wallet Drama):

• Privy — wallet-as-a-service, log in with email, dead simple.

• Unlock Protocol — turn any page into “members-only” with a token.

For Community Building:

• Mighty Networks — beautiful, non-Facebook-feeling communities.

• Guild.xyz — connect wallet ownership to Discord/Telegram access.

For Earned Loyalty Systems:

• Layer3 — task-based loyalty quests, perfect for proving commitment.

• Zealy — gamify contributions, reward your most engaged members.

For No-Code Memberships:

• Outseta — all-in-one membership platform, login, paywalls, CRM, the works.

For On-Ramp Simplicity:

• Crossmint — buy NFTs or tokens with a regular credit card. No tech headaches.

Startup Ideas to Steal

1. Loyalty-Only Clubs
No fees. No paywalls.
Complete missions (listen, share, engage) to earn your membership.
Perfect for creators, brands, even SaaS companies.

2. Time-Locked Access
Memberships that unlock with time not money.
Survive 90 days in the group, unlock premium perks.
Retention hack and status play.

3. Member-Owned Media
Imagine a newsletter or podcast where fans own a slice of the action.
Early supporters don’t just clap — they share upside.

4. Token-Powered IRL Events
Hold a token, get a ticket.
No middlemen. No randoms.
Build events that only real fans can access.

Why Now?

The internet made it easy to rent audiences.
But the next big wave?
Ownership + belonging.

People are tired of being customers.
They want to belong somewhere. They want to matter.

Memberships need a glow-up.
Less “buy my thing” — more “earn your place.”

You in?

Want a few variations for an even more Shaan-style closer like “So, what are you waiting for?” or “First mover advantage is real”?

One More Meme