How Groove is Disrupting Online Platforms with an All-In-One Revolutionary Solution with Mike Filsame: An EOFire Classic from 2022

How Groove and One Mindset Are Redefining Online Business For Creators

Mike Filsame, founder and CEO of Groove Digital, joins Entrepreneurs on Fire to trace a two-decade arc of online marketing, explain why simplicity and relentless focus win, and reveal how a pandemic-era freemium model accelerated an all-in-one platform designed to replace a fractured tech stack.

From Early Hacking To Building Integrated Platforms

Filsame describes his early days building software long before drag-and-drop tools existed. He created viral marketing software, one-click upsells, and automated webinar systems, learning firsthand the frustrations that come from stitching together multiple tools. That experience shaped a single guiding idea: if you build an all-in-one marketing platform, every component must be at least as capable as the dedicated tools people already use. Groove’s product roadmap reflects that bar—page builder, email system, blogging, webinar automation, and e-commerce were developed to work together without duct-taping services.

Mindset: The Subtle Skill Most Entrepreneurs Underestimate

Early in the conversation, Mike highlights a recurring pattern: people talk themselves out of opportunities. Successful entrepreneurs resemble a pit bull on a ball—relentless and undeterred by objections. He reframes failure as the place of learning and insists that controlling the inner narrative is a prerequisite to sustained forward motion. This mental discipline pairs with a tactical habit: plan your work, and work your plan.

Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan: A Tactical Checklist

Mike walks through a practical approach for shipping projects: brainstorm every task on a legal pad, prioritize them, and then choose how each item gets completed—learn it, buy a course, hire, barter, or partner. The checklist mentality prevents endless plate-spinning. He warns against leaping from trend to trend, noting that attempting multiple monetization paths (affiliate marketing, e-commerce, Amazon, Shopify, etc.) at once causes failure. Focus—follow one course until success—repeats as a core principle.

Monetize Community With Simple E-Commerce

Groove’s stance on commerce is pragmatic. Mike uses his wife’s Zumba classes to illustrate how creators can offer free core content and monetize with merchandise, print-on-demand gear, or simple store items. Selling branded shirts, mugs, or accessories is more than revenue; it deepens tribe connection and brand identity. Even modest monthly merchandise sales can validate and sustain a creator’s project while building loyal fans.

Why Freemium Worked—and How Groove Used It

The freemium model was a deliberate response to the COVID moment when many tools temporarily opened premium features for free. Groove launched a lifetime-limited access option during beta to let users learn the platform risk-free, and found that free access converted a small subset of engaged users into long-term customers. The company reports that roughly 93% of signups remain on free plans while 7% upgrade, demonstrating how wide access can both help entrepreneurs and seed recurring revenue.

Designing An All-In-One Platform For Real Use

Rather than promising every possible feature, Groove focused on building components that could genuinely replace competitors: a best-in-class page builder, robust email tools, webinar automation, blogging, and commerce—each good enough to stand alone. For certain advanced functions, Groove recommends best-of-breed partners rather than half-measures, acknowledging that being all things is different from being best at everything.

Takeaway: Why Not Me?

Mike’s closing point is both practical and motivational: the entrepreneurial landscape is filled with people who simply decided to act. Age and background are less meaningful than starting. With clear plans, disciplined focus, and pragmatic use of tools, creators can move from observer to builder. The episode ties software strategy to mindset and makes a compelling case that simplicity—both in thought and tech—creates room to win.

In short, this conversation connects a founder’s software heritage with a repeatable playbook: control your inner narrative, make a prioritized checklist, stop chasing distractions, monetize community with simple commerce, and choose tools that let you focus on execution. These ideas form a cohesive blueprint for creators who want to replace complexity with momentum.