In partnership with
🎓 Remember cramming for exams alone in your apartment, wishing you had that library energy from college? Or trying to finish that certification while juggling a full-time job, kids, and life?
That feeling of isolation isn't just yours. Millions of remote students, career changers, and lifelong learners are drowning in loneliness, struggling to stay accountable, and desperate for that collective focus that makes hard work easier. And they'll pay $19/month for it.
Today's Idea
Build a member-led virtual study community on Discord that brings people together for accountability sessions around the clock. Members join voice channels to study, work, or learn alongside others who share their drive, creating the motivation and structure most people can't sustain alone.
Think Focusmate meets a private Discord server, but built around a sustainable membership model where the community runs itself. Instead of matching random pairs for sessions, you're creating a thriving ecosystem where members host their own study rooms, form subgroups around shared goals, and show up because the community itself is the product.
Kaelyn Grace Apple proved this works. She started with 8 people on a Zoom call during the pandemic and scaled to 500 members generating $14,000 monthly at $28/month per member. With a $19/month price point, you'd hit $9,500/month at 500 members. Her secret? She built a member-led model where the community creates value for itself, requiring minimal time from her while members stay for years.
Ideal Customer
PhD students and graduate researchers working remotely who miss the focused energy of university libraries and need accountability to push through dissertations
Career changers in their 30s and 40s studying for certifications while managing full-time jobs and families, needing structured study time they can rely on
Remote professionals taking online courses who start with enthusiasm but struggle to complete without external accountability and community support
International students studying in isolation across time zones who crave connection with others pursuing similar academic goals
Parents returning to education who need flexible study sessions that fit around unpredictable schedules and benefit from community understanding
Digital nomads and freelancers seeking structured work sessions and social connection while traveling or working from home offices
Find your customers on Roku this Black Friday
As with any digital ad campaign, the important thing is to reach streaming audiences who will convert. To that end, Roku’s self-service Ads Manager stands ready with powerful segmentation and targeting options. After all, you know your customers, and we know our streaming audience.
Worried it’s too late to spin up new Black Friday creative? With Roku Ads Manager, you can easily import and augment existing creative assets from your social channels. We also have AI-assisted upscaling, so every ad is primed for CTV.
Once you’ve done this, then you can easily set up A/B tests to flight different creative variants and Black Friday offers. If you’re a Shopify brand, you can even run shoppable ads directly on-screen so viewers can purchase with just a click of their Roku remote.
Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.
Why It Will Succeed
The online community platform market is growing from $3.5 billion in 2024 to $7.9 billion by 2033, with education and accountability communities seeing exceptional retention rates because members form genuine friendships beyond the platform itself.
Body doubling works. Focusmate charges $7/month for unlimited virtual coworking sessions, proving people will pay for accountability, but their one-on-one matching model lacks the community depth that creates long-term stickiness.
When members engage outside the platform and build relationships independent of the founder, that's when you have a real community. Member-led models create exponentially more value than founder-dependent communities because sessions run 24/7 across time zones without requiring your time.
Discord is free, familiar, and built for this. Discord has over 200 million users globally, meaning your members already know how to use it. Voice channels, screen sharing, and community features are included at no cost, unlike platforms that charge per user.
95% of membership cancellations cite financial hardship, not dissatisfaction with the product. Build a scholarship program into your model from day one and you'll retain your most engaged members during tough times.
The retention is incredible. Study communities create habit loops where members show up daily, forming friendships that keep them subscribed for years. Some of Kaelyn's members have been active for over 5 years.
Getting Started and Building an MVP
Core Features
Multiple voice study rooms organized by session length (25-min Pomodoro, 50-min deep work, 2-hour marathon sessions)
Text channels for check-ins where members share goals before sessions and celebrate wins after
Member profile system using Discord roles and intro channels so people can find study buddies with similar goals
Simple session structure with designated start times throughout the day across multiple time zones
Basic community guidelines and moderation system to maintain focus and respect
Private accountability groups using Discord's thread or channel features for specialized interests (PhD students, CPA exam prep, coding bootcamps)
No-Code Tech Stack
Discord is your entire platform. You don't need to build anything. Here's what you'll use:
Community Platform: Discord (Free)
Voice channels for study sessions with unlimited participants
Text channels for goal sharing and community discussion
Built-in video and screen sharing for collaborative work
Server roles to organize members by tier (free trial, paid member, scholarship recipient)
Why this works: Discord handles all the heavy lifting. You focus on community, not infrastructure.
Payment & Membership Management: Memberful (Starting at $25/month + 4.9% transaction fee) or Patreon (5-12% platform fee)
Automated recurring billing monthly or annually
Discord integration that automatically assigns roles to paying members
Member management dashboard to track subscriptions
Why this works: Automatically syncs with Discord to give paid members access while removing access when subscriptions end.
Scheduling & Calendar: Google Calendar (Free) + Sesh Bot (Free Discord bot)
Create recurring study session events directly in Discord
Members get reminders before sessions start
Event RSVP system to see who's joining
Why this works: Keeps everything inside Discord instead of forcing members to check external calendars.
Automation: Zapier (Free for 100 tasks/month, $20/month for 750 tasks) or Make (Free for 1,000 operations/month)
Welcome new members with automated DMs explaining how to get started
Send weekly engagement emails to members who haven't joined sessions
Track member activity and flag at-risk members
Why this works: Reduces your manual workload while making members feel supported.
Community Moderation: MEE6 (Free basic, $11.95/month premium) or Dyno (Free basic, $7/month premium)
Automated welcome messages for new members
Custom commands for FAQs
Auto-moderation to maintain community standards
Level system to gamify participation
Why this works: Keeps your community safe and engaged without constant manual oversight.
Analytics: Statbot (Free) Discord bot
Track active members, message activity, and voice channel usage
Understand peak session times
Identify your most engaged members
Why this works: Data helps you optimize session schedules and recognize community contributors.
Build Steps
Set Up Your Discord Server
Create a Discord server with a clear name and welcoming description
Design voice channels for different session lengths (Pomodoro 25, Deep Work 50, Marathon 120)
Create text channels for introductions, goal setting, wins, and general chat
Set up basic roles (Guest, Member, Moderator, Host) with appropriate permissions
Test the voice channels yourself to ensure audio quality and layout make sense
Create Your Session Structure
Decide on daily session times that cover major time zones (US East Coast morning, Europe afternoon, Asia evening)
Use Sesh bot to schedule recurring study sessions at consistent times
Write a simple session format (2 min intro, share goals, mute and work, 3 min checkout)
Post the weekly schedule in a pinned message so members know when to show up
Start with just 3-4 sessions per day and expand based on demand
Set Up Payment and Access
Connect Memberful or Patreon to your Discord server using their built-in integrations
Configure automatic role assignment for paying members
Create a free trial role that gives 7-14 day access before requiring payment
Set up your pricing tiers (basic membership, annual discount)
Test the payment flow yourself to ensure members get instant access
Launch With Your First Members
Invite 5-10 beta testers (friends, social media followers, or people from your network)
Host your first study session and gather feedback on the experience
Refine your session structure based on what actually works
Document common questions in a pinned FAQ
Offer beta testers a founding member discount in exchange for feedback and testimonials
Build Community Rituals
Create a daily check-in thread where members share their goals each morning
Start a weekly wins channel where people celebrate accomplishments
Host a monthly virtual coffee chat for members to socialize without studying
Recognize consistent members with special roles or shoutouts
Let members suggest and host their own specialized sessions (morning meditation, accountability sprints)
Enable Member Leadership
Identify your most active members and invite them to host sessions
Create a simple host guide explaining the session format
Give hosts a special role and recognition in the community
Set up member-led subgroups for specific niches (bar exam prep, coding bootcamp, language learning)
Step back and let the community create value for itself
Optimize and Scale
Review Statbot analytics weekly to understand usage patterns
Survey members quarterly about what's working and what isn't
Add sessions during high-demand time slots
Create a scholarship application for members facing financial hardship
Build a referral program where members can gift one month to friends
Monetization Strategies
Single Tier Membership: $19/month or $190/year (save $38, same as one free month). Free 14-day trial with full access to all study sessions. Target remote students, career changers, and professionals who value accountability and community. Annual billing provides upfront cash flow and reduces churn.
Revenue Milestones at $19/month:
50 members = $950/month ($11,400/year)
100 members = $1,900/month ($22,800/year)
250 members = $4,750/month ($57,000/year)
500 members = $9,500/month ($114,000/year)
Scholarship Program (Retention Strategy): Use 10% of monthly revenue to fund scholarships for members facing financial hardship. Application-based with quarterly funding reviews. At 250 members, this means $475/month funds 25 scholarship spots. This retains your most engaged members during tough times and builds community goodwill that drives referrals.
Corporate Team Plans (Future Expansion): $149/month for up to 10 employees, $349/month for up to 25 employees. Launch only after hitting 200 individual members. Target HR departments at remote-first companies investing in employee development. Each corporate client equals 8-18 individual memberships in revenue.
Study Sprints (Low-Lift Upsell): $39 for weekend study intensives (Friday-Sunday with sessions every 2 hours). Host quarterly around common certification exam dates. At 250 members with 20% participation, that's $1,950 per sprint or $7,800/year in additional revenue.
Getting to 500 Members:
Months 1-3: Launch with 10-50 members through personal network and initial marketing
Months 4-6: Grow to 100-150 members via YouTube content and Reddit engagement
Months 7-12: Scale to 250-350 members with consistent content and word-of-mouth
Year 2: Reach 500+ members through partnerships, testimonials, and member referrals
Marketing Strategies
YouTube Study Content: Post study-with-me videos and productivity tutorials targeting searches like "virtual study groups" and "stay motivated studying alone." Subtle CTAs convert viewers into members.
Reddit Engagement: Answer questions in r/GetStudying, r/productivity, r/gradschool. Share your story authentically. Only mention your community when relevant. Lead with value, not promotion.
TikTok Study Clips: Post 15-second study session vibes and productivity tips with hashtags like #studytok and #studymotivation. Short-form video reaches younger students searching for accountability.
Course Creator Partnerships: Partner with online instructors and bootcamps as their study companion. They promote you to students needing accountability, you boost their completion rates. Pre-qualified audience with high conversion.
Free Friday Sessions: Host one public Zoom session weekly (keep Discord private). Let people taste the community energy, collect emails, convert 10-15% into paying members.
Expanding and Improving
AI Study Buddy Integration using ChatGPT API to help members set goals, break down projects, and get unstuck during sessions
Mobile App Development or Discord mobile optimization guide so members can easily join sessions from phones and tablets
Study Analytics Dashboard showing members their total study hours, streak days, and progress toward goals for motivation
Expert Workshop Series with monthly guest speakers on productivity, time management, and specific study techniques to add premium value
Specialized Sub-Communities for specific certifications (CPA, bar exam, coding bootcamps) with dedicated channels and expert moderators
International Expansion by recruiting member hosts in different time zones to ensure 24/7 coverage across all continents
Merchandise and Branding like study journals, desk accessories, and apparel that builds community identity and creates additional revenue
Integration with Notion and Todoist so members can share their study systems and task lists for extra accountability
Take Action!
You don't need to build complex software or raise venture capital. Discord is free. Your first 10 members are one post away. The hardest part is starting.
Pick a name. Create the server tonight. Invite three friends. Host your first session this weekend. The community that changes lives doesn't start with perfection. It starts with showing up.
Thanks for checking out another edition of Easy Startup Ideas!
If you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve this newsletter, please let us know by commenting below.
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate of various partnership programs, the owner of this publication may receive commissions to linked products or services in this newsletter at no additional expense to the reader.