Retention Is A Relationship and Personal Community Building with Max Nimaroff

In this episode of the CLG Journal podcast, David talks with Max Nimaroff, SVP at Oats Overnight.

1. Retention Is an Output Metric, Not an Input: Max reframes how to think about retention. It’s not a lever you pull. It’s the result of everything else you do: the experience, the relationship, the texture of the brand, etc. He advocates decomposing retention into its component parts and forming hypotheses about what’s driving drop-off, rather than fixating on the top-line number.

2. Community as a Core Business Driver, Not a Side Function: Max argues that the most successful consumer brands treat their communities as central to business decisions, not as a marketing afterthought. At Oats Overnight, their community actively influences product launches and strategy, with leadership regularly asking “how will this affect the VIP group?” before making decisions.

3. Community = Always-On Customer Feedback: Rather than relying on surveys, having an engaged community gives brands a real-time, qualitative pulse on customer sentiment. Max describes how their community acts as an “always on” feedback loop, when the company makes a mistake, the community calls it out, the brand listens and responds quickly, and customer loyalty actually deepens as a result.

4. Co-Creation as a Retention and Loyalty Strategy: Oats Overnight launches a new flavor every month, co-created with input from their community. This model turns customers into stakeholders who feel invested in the brand, a powerful retention mechanic that goes beyond discounts or loyalty points.

Personally, Max Nimaroff is also building community on his own and through his Substack. Here are some ideas about community building in those areas too:

1. The Decay of Professional Relationships and a Community Fix: Max started his own Discord community called 500+ after noticing how quickly his close DoorDash colleagues became strangers after he left the company. His thesis: everyone’s professional network is decaying, and online communities built around human connection (not just products) are the under-explored solution.

2. Online Communities Are Still Part of the Future, Not a Fad: Contrary to the “everyone is going IRL” trend, Max argues the internet isn’t going away, especially with AI making it more pervasive, and that online communities can help people.

3. Showing Up Consistently Compounds Over Time: Whether it’s his 43-week-in-a-row Substack or his Discord community, Max emphasizes the value of long-term, consistent presence. He frames community building as a “soulful practice” and compares it to artistry, something that requires commitment over time rather than a playbook.

And much more that you can listen to here!

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Thank you again Max!

-David and Zach

PS: reply back with any takeaways you had from this episode!