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Why 'Give First, Get Later' Actually Drives Better Conversions: Building Authentic Relationships in a Data-Obsessed Marketing World with Quinn Palmer,Growclass

What happens when a student becomes so engaged with an online course that the company accidentally hires their own best case study?

Meet Quinn Palmer, who took a Growclass growth marketing course 4.5 years ago, became deeply involved as a community volunteer, and now leads the very marketing team that once targeted her as a customer. 

As Senior Manager of Growth Marketing at Growclass, she's living proof of her company's promise: 83% of graduates get promoted or land new jobs within six months.

In this episode, Charlene Ormo explores Quinn Palmer's full-circle journey from freelancer seeking upskilling to marketing leader.

They dive into how Quinn's student experience shapes her marketing philosophy, why she calls Growclass 'a friendship company cosplaying as education,' and the exact community-building strategies that transformed her career trajectory twice."

If you're wondering how authentic community building can drive both personal growth and business results, Quinn breaks down the exact playbook.

Today, Charlene sits down with someone who's mastered the art of blending strategy with soul in an increasingly metrics-obsessed world. Quinn Palmer is the Senior Manager of Growth Marketing at Growclass, former growth marketer at Interval, and host of the "Say It, I Dare You" podcast. But what sets her apart isn't just her ability to move numbers---it's how she builds authentic community while hitting aggressive KPIs and refuses to sacrifice human connection for conversion rates.

They dive deep into everything from Quinn's "friendship company cosplaying as an education company" philosophy to why she fires underpaying clients (thanks to community support), to how organizing Christmas parties translates directly to growth marketing success. Plus, the simple truth that changed everything: "It's not that serious."

If you've ever wondered how to balance authentic relationship building with data-driven results while maintaining the heart that got you into marketing in the first place, this 42-minute conversation is pure gold.

Meet Quinn Palmer --- In 5 Fun Facts

  • Hosts "Crossover Episodes" in Real Life - Her term for mixing different friend groups at parties, which is exactly how she approaches community building at work.
  • Got Hired by Her Own Case Study - Jokes that Growclass "accidentally swiped their best case study" when they hired her---she was such an engaged community member that they made her the person running the community.
  • Works at a "Friendship Company Cosplaying as Education" - Her exact description of Growth Class, where community members become genuine friends who attend each other's weddings.
  • Needed Five Strangers to Fire a Bad Client - Brought her people-pleasing struggle to a Solo Marketers Club where people she'd just met spent an entire hour convincing her she deserved better rates.
  • Has a Favorite Food Philosophy for Sales - Believes you're more likely to close a deal by asking someone about their favorite dumplings than by pitching your product first (her favorite answer: any type of dumpling, anywhere, anytime).

"You don't make relationships with people to get things from them. You make the relationships to be able to give things to them." - Quinn Palmer

Topics Covered

[02:30] - Beyond the LinkedIn titles: Who Quinn is as a wife, partner, friend, and community builder at her core.

[08:15] - The superpower of organizing: How the same skills that plan family Christmas translate to building marketing communities that drive revenue.

[14:45] - From cold corporate to warm community: Why Growclass showed her marketing doesn't have to be slimy or purely numbers-focused.

[18:20] - The customer interview philosophy: Understanding pain points before pricing, and why they interview customers years after purchase.

[25:30] - Impact-driven business model: 83% job placement rate, $37K average raises, and why good karma actually drives revenue.

[29:15] - Entrepreneurship vs. startup life: Why she chose full-time over freelancing and plans to return to entrepreneurship later.

[32:45] - The scholarship strategy: $100K+ in company scholarships plus government funding, and how to keep free students engaged.

[36:20] - Building genuine connection through screens: Creating authentic relationships in digital communities and getting people to wedding-level friendships.

[40:10] - Standing for something specific: Being unapologetically aligned with diversity and inclusion, knowing they're not for everyone.

[42:15] - Feelings drive metrics: Why the emotion is the outcome, not the other way around, and leading with kindness over greed.

3 Key Things You Can Apply Today

  1. Lead with helping, not selling. Before crafting your next campaign, ask "How can I help people?" instead of "How do I get them to buy?" When you genuinely solve problems and serve your audience, conversions follow naturally.
  2. Interview customers at every stage. Don't just collect data---have real conversations with customers before purchase, after purchase, and years later. Understanding their true pain points and transformations will guide authentic messaging that resonates.
  3. Build community, not just audiences. Create spaces where your customers can connect with each other, get support, and form genuine relationships. When people feel known and supported, they become your strongest advocates and most loyal customers.

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