018. From Group Chat to 3,500 Members | Courtney Spritzer, The Community Growth Rule Nobody Teaches

Welcome back to STACKED, the show about becoming your own best asset. Today I sat down with Courtney Spritzer, Co-Founder of Entreprenista, a private membership community of 3,500+ women entrepreneurs across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. Courtney didn't set out to build a community business. She studied economics at NYU, graduated in the 2009 financial crisis, and spent two years underwriting insurance in rural Massachusetts before a job at American Express in 2011 changed everything — she was in the room as major brands first figured out social media and realized it could be a career. She and business partner Stephanie built social media agency SocialFly from nothing, then started the Entreprenista Podcast in 2018 as an experiment. By 2020 it had grown into its own community, and they eventually sold SocialFly to focus on it full-time. In this episode, Courtney breaks down the one rule behind her referral engine, how she balances monetizing a community with keeping it authentic, why a brand's face doesn't have to be its founder, and why every founder needs to build AI-first from here on out. This is the episode for anyone building something out of a group chat, a podcast, or a side project, and wondering if it could ever be the real business. Use code BRICKELLBABES500 at refer.entreprenista.com/bb for $500 off Entreprenista initiation dues — $1,497 reduced to $997 when paid in full (first year only). Key Topics Covered: — Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs in the Bronx — Studying economics at NYU, graduating into the 2009 financial crisis — Underwriting insurance in rural Massachusetts before moving back to New York — Meeting Stephanie and building a social media agency nights and weekends — The leap of faith: quitting corporate on a Friday, launching for real on Monday — Hitting an $8,000 revenue goal in month one — How SocialFly grew into a full-service digital and influencer marketing agency — Starting the Entreprenista Podcast in 2018 to learn a new platform for clients — The give-first philosophy behind the community's culture — Balancing authenticity with monetizing a community — Why 40% of new members join through referrals — Building a personal brand without putting your whole life online — Why LinkedIn is Courtney's favorite platform, and Threads is underrated right now — How AI agents saved a friend's business roughly $250,000 in three weeks — Why Courtney would build an AI-first business if she started over today — Lightning round Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome + Introducing Courtney Spritzer 03:45 – Growing Up in a Family of Entrepreneurs in the Bronx 04:07 – NYU, Wall Street Plans & the 2009 Financial Crisis 04:23 – Underwriting Insurance in Rural Massachusetts 05:26 – Meeting Business Partner Stephanie 06:50 – The Leap of Faith: Quitting Corporate for Good 07:01 – Hitting the $8,000 Revenue Goal in Month One 10:41 – Trading Social Media Services for Free Office Space 18:18 – Starting the Entreprenista Podcast in 2018 18:52 – Spinning Entreprenista Into Its Own Company 21:05 – Selling SocialFly to Focus Fully on Entreprenista 24:24 – Entreprenista Today: 3,500+ Members Worldwide 30:37 – Building a Personal Brand Without Oversharing 38:10 – Why LinkedIn Is Courtney's Favorite Platform 38:42 – Why Threads Is the Most Underrated Platform 42:33 – How AI Agents Saved a Friend's Business $250K in 3 Weeks 46:00 – Where to Find Courtney Spritzer & Entreprenista Tags: Courtney Spritzer, Entreprenista, SocialFly, women entrepreneurs, community building, personal branding, AI for business, referral marketing, STACKED podcast, Emily Dempsey, Brickell Babes. Disclaimer: The content shared on this page should not be construed as legal, financial, investment, or medical advice. It does not create any client, patient, or fiduciary relationship. Contents are for general informational purposes only — consult your own advisors regarding your specific situation.