Nick Agnetti and Jason Rowland sit down with two pioneers in the subscription space: John Roman, CEO of BattlBox, and John Haji, co-founder & Head of Partnerships at SubSummit.
From BattlBox’s evolution post-acquisition to SubSummit’s massive growth, the conversation dives into how consumer expectations, economic shifts, and logistics challenges are reshaping the subscription model. The guests share insights on customer retention, the impact of Amazon on buyer behavior, and why retail brands like Footlocker are entering the subscription game.
Tune in for a candid look at what’s working, what’s not, and how to future-proof your subscriber experience in a $3 trillion subscription economy.
John Haji | LinkedIn
John is a subscription guru and a serial entrepreneur with a decade's worth of experience in the subscription space. He co-founded SubSummit in 2016, the first and only conference devoted exclusively to those who work in or alongside the subscription commerce industry. SubSummit connects today's industry leaders, innovators, and partners who are driving the rapid evolution of how consumers discover, buy, and experience new products.
His background in think tanks paired with his entrepreneurial spirit has positioned him for success within the subscription industry. John has a passion for creative thinking, strategy, design, eCommerce, and more. Prior to starting SubSummit, he also co-founded and served as COO of Gentleman's Box, the first premier subscription service for men which was acquired by Rove Companies in 2020.
As a father of three, John balances his professional and personal life with grace and humor. He has been recognized by Crain's Detroit as one of the "40 Under 40" award recipients in 2019 for his outstanding achievements and contributions.
John Roman | LinkedIn
After leading several successful sales organizations in the telecommunications and software space for almost a decade, John began investing in companies predominately in the eCommerce arena. A college friend was launching BattlBox in early 2015 and John knew he had to be involved, so he invested in it, offering advisement in a limited capacity.
BattlBox started to see exponential growth and the demand for John’s time increased. In early 2016, John made the decision to step away from his then sales leadership role with a software company to join the BattlBox team in a full-time capacity. In July 2019, The BattlBox Group acquired Carnivore Club, an artisanal meat subscription box.
BattlBox continued to see exponential growth with the strategy of leading with content and community. This eventually lead to their Netflix original series ‘Southern Survival’ in July 2020.
In October of 2021, BattlBox and Carnivore Club were acquired by Emerge Brands for$18.95M. In April 2023, John lead a group that purchased back BattlBox from Emerge for $7.17M.
John currently serves as Chief Executive Officer for BattlBox.
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