In the Lab+ is the streaming membership branch of In the Lab, a global basketball brand co-founded 6 years ago by Navin Ramharak.
<aside> <img src="/icons/light-bulb_blue.svg" alt="/icons/light-bulb_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Navin was inspired by basketball brands and culture of the early 2000s, and wanted to build a business with the same vibe - an all-inclusive one-stop-shop destination for athletes that offered everything basketball, including lessons, coaching, merch, and more.
</aside>
So he started In the Lab as a social media-based brand, offering free content online as well as in-person training camps. 2 years later, he and his cofounders saw the opportunity to create an online membership. At the time, memberships were an emerging business model for creators - but it turned out to be a huge success.
“We weren’t sure what to expect, so we had a lower price point and people started signing up like crazy. That, and knowing how to make content, really allowed us to get where we are today with you guys on Uscreen, actually building a consistent base of customers. They want to watch.”
Now, In the Lab has grown into an online empire that includes everything from educational and entertaining content to an extensive branded apparel line, with the In the Lab+ membership platform at the center of it all. It’s more than a brand, it’s a culture that brings in steady recurring revenue - and Navin’s journey can inspire business owners in any niche.
In the Lab+ started their membership platform with Vimeo. Navin did all the research and looked at lots of options, and ultimately decided on a well-known name with a good reputation.
In theory, it should have worked.
But he soon realized Uscreen offered more of the functionality and core features he needed to run a successful membership business.
“That’s what intrigued me the most about Uscreen - you just want to be the best at this. That’s all you do. And I was like ‘Well, that's where we need our support from,” he said.
Navin was impressed by Uscreen’s value for the price, and the affordable starter plans caught his eye first. He knew starting on a basic tier would help In the Lab+ ease into the membership model as they worked their way up.
He also appreciated all the functionality that just seemed obvious to him, like the clean and simple back end, content organization capabilities, and built-in community page where they can provide membership updates and build culture from within.
“We’ve never had that before. Uscreen is always listening and implementing ideas - that was huge for us.”
Plus, Uscreen offered a highly functional app, which is now a huge selling point for In the Lab+.