Web
App
Strategy
2018/2021
App
Strategy
2018/2021
Curio
Reframing an Audio Journalism App to Learning Companion
Working with
2 Product Designers, 4 Engineers, 2 Founders, 1 Content, 1 Brand and 1 Growth
2 Product Designers, 4 Engineers, 2 Founders, 1 Content, 1 Brand and 1 Growth
Curio is an audio journalism app that transforms high-quality written journalism into accessible, narrated audio — helping people engage with meaningful stories and ideas throughout their day.
The platform partners with trusted publishers to deliver curated journalism across topics that shape culture, society, and the future.
The platform partners with trusted publishers to deliver curated journalism across topics that shape culture, society, and the future.
The Challenge
I joined Curio at the seed stage as the founding designer, just as the team was preparing to launch a new iOS app and brand identity.
While the product had strong editorial partnerships and content quality, it lacked user clarity, product focus, and a cohesive design foundation. The initial release was rushed, and the company needed a clear north star — grounded in audience insight and competitive positioning — to prioritise the roadmap and align product, brand, and business.
The goal was to move Curio from an early 0.5 state to a true 1.0 product with a unified vision and growth strategy.
While the product had strong editorial partnerships and content quality, it lacked user clarity, product focus, and a cohesive design foundation. The initial release was rushed, and the company needed a clear north star — grounded in audience insight and competitive positioning — to prioritise the roadmap and align product, brand, and business.
The goal was to move Curio from an early 0.5 state to a true 1.0 product with a unified vision and growth strategy.
The Approach
Instead of focusing purely on acquisition, we shifted the company’s growth strategy toward first-session value, identifying the moment when users discovered a meaningful story as the key driver of retention.
We ran a series of experiments to reduce friction and improve discovery, testing how quickly users could reach their first meaningful listen.
Impact
We ran a series of experiments to reduce friction and improve discovery, testing how quickly users could reach their first meaningful listen.
Impact
- First-session listening rate increased to 34%
- Discovery features drove ~30% of listening sessions
- Download → trial conversion increased 6% → 15%
- Shifted product roadmap toward retention-led growth
Early stage experiment - Acquisition Focus
HMWs increase sign up to trial rate.
After redesigning pricing clarity and cancellation transparency, we improved confidence-to-subscribe: Download to Trial Subscription increased from 6% to 15% App download to paid subscription grew from 2% to 3.5% These were early-stage but meaningful signals of reduced friction and improved perceived value
HMWs increase sign up to trial rate.
After redesigning pricing clarity and cancellation transparency, we improved confidence-to-subscribe: Download to Trial Subscription increased from 6% to 15% App download to paid subscription grew from 2% to 3.5% These were early-stage but meaningful signals of reduced friction and improved perceived value
Early stage experiment - Retention Focus
Insights: 15% of cancellations are because of expired credit cards
Insights: 15% of cancellations are because of expired credit cards
Shift from acquisition to early retention
Hypothesis: Retention improves only when users find meaningful content fast.
Impact:
Strategic shift:
Impact:
- Returning rate for new subscribers improved by 4% and +2% after UI refinement
- Guided discovery (Playlist) became responsible for roughly 32% of listening sessions.
Strategic shift:
- Move from subscriber growth targets → first-session value
Apple Watch
Designed for Apple Watch’s limited screen space, the Daily Edit playlist delivers instant, one-tap access to fresh content each day, making it a natural fit for showcasing the new OS launch and enhanced audio performance.
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Widget
The widget OS launch was another strong opportunity to introduce more on-brand content, building on the Daily Edit concept introduced on Apple Watch.
The Output
Supported a successful $10M Series A and led to Curio being featured by Apple as a top audio app, strengthening credibility with both users and publishing partners.