# StoryFawn — North Star (permanent goal)

**Location:** `/var/www/storyfawn/GOAL-NORTH-STAR.md` (VPS) · `KNOWLEDGE/storyfawn-work/GOAL-NORTH-STAR.md` (local)  
**Public summary:** https://storyfawn.com/goal  
**Last updated:** 2026-06-25

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## The goal (one sentence)

**Build a trusted, grandparent-friendly personalized storybook business that delivers instant emotional magic for families — targeting ~$100K Year 1 revenue from one-time gifts and keepsakes, then layering subscription only after repeat behavior is proven.**

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## North star metrics (Year 1 planning case)

| Metric | Target |
|--------|--------|
| Paid orders | **3,200** |
| Gross revenue | **~$102K** |
| Blended AOV | **$31–34** |
| Print attach | **12%+** |
| Refund rate | **<5%** |
| Grandparent/gift share of revenue | **40%+** |
| Repeat buyer (12 mo) | **14%+** |

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## Customer priority (always)

1. **Grandparents** buying gifts (instant, emotional, low price sensitivity)
2. **Parents** — birthday / special moment (not daily app users)
3. **Aunts, uncles, godparents** — holiday + gift codes
4. **Subscription families** — **only after** repeat loop exists (not before)

**Kids are beneficiaries, not buyers.** Every product decision must pass: *Does this help a parent/grandparent feel confident paying? Does the child delight *after* purchase?*

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## Pricing ladder (source of truth)

### Live now (one-time)

| SKU | Price | Role |
|-----|-------|------|
| Keepsake | $24 | Parent impulse / entry |
| Heirloom | $39 | **Default on /gift** — grandparent hero |
| Grandparent Pack | $99 | 3× Heirloom gift codes |
| Print hardcover add-on | +$29 | Post-purchase upsell |
| Heirloom + Print (effective) | ~$68 | Bundle messaging; upsell after reveal |
| Online library renewal | $19.99 / 2 yr | Hosting; migrate to $9.99/yr included 1yr |

### Coupons (Stripe)

| Code | Discount | Use |
|------|----------|-----|
| SIBLING20 | 20% off | Second book same household, checkout |
| BIRTHDAY15 | 15% off | Birthday reminder email (~11 mo) |

### Phase 2 (gates below)

| SKU | Price | Gate |
|-----|-------|------|
| StoryFawn Club | $8.99/mo | 500+ delivered, <5% refunds, repeat signal |
| Club Annual | $79/yr | Same gate |
| Family (2 kids) | $13.99/mo | Club live + 3 mo retention data |

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## Decision framework

Before shipping **any** feature, page, price change, or ad, ask:

1. **Does it help grandparent gift conversion?** (If no → deprioritize)
2. **Does it increase trust before payment?** (legal, proof, preview, guarantee)
3. **Does it increase AOV or repeat without hurting refunds?**
4. **Is it one-time revenue or recurring?** (Recurring only if retention loop exists)
5. **Would a skeptical parent call this misleading?** (If yes → don't ship)

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## Phase gates (do NOT skip)

### Subscription launch requires ALL:

- [ ] 500+ books delivered with **<5% refund rate**
- [ ] 20%+ of buyers open or order book #2 within 60 days (email or organic)
- [ ] Monthly world/content pipeline ready (not one template forever)
- [ ] `@storyfawn.com` email live with DKIM
- [ ] 5+ real parent/grandparent testimonials with permission

### Paid ads scale requires ALL:

- [ ] Reveal demo video on homepage
- [ ] Privacy, Terms, Refund, Safety pages live
- [ ] Cover preview before pay on /create
- [ ] Refund policy visible at checkout
- [ ] Fulfillment QA gate (no broken delivers)

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## What we NEVER do

- Charge kids directly or market to children without parental context
- Launch subscription before repeat behavior is proven
- Fabricate testimonials or review counts
- Promise photo-real likeness without upload + QA flow
- Hide cancel/refund paths (when subscription exists)
- Add social/chat between kids
- Chase "AI book" SEO at the expense of gift/grandparent positioning
- Break the baseline design in `KNOWLEDGE/storyfawn-baseline-2026-06-24/` without explicit intent

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## Positioning (own this niche)

**"Instant personalized bedtime keepsake for ages 3–7 — the gift grandparents love because it's ready tonight."**

Not: daily reading app · not: cheap ChatGPT wrapper · not: education platform first

**Strongest differentiator:** On-screen reveal — book paints itself with child's name  
**Weakest claim until proven:** "Illustrated on every page" — QA must back this

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## Revenue projection summary

| Scenario | Year 1 revenue |
|----------|----------------|
| Conservative | $28K |
| **Moderate (plan here)** | **$102K** |
| Aggressive | $340K |

**LTV today:** ~$30–40 one-time · **Target LTV (grandparent):** ~$118 over 3 years

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## Implementation priority (current sprint)

1. ✅ Legal pages, homepage trust, create preview reorder, SEO landers
2. ✅ This north star doc on VPS + /goal page
3. ✅ Grandparent Pack $99 · Heirloom default on gift · SIBLING20 / BIRTHDAY15
4. ✅ Birthday reminder cron
5. ⏳ `@storyfawn.com` SMTP mailbox (Stalwart — manual)
6. ⏳ Real UGC testimonials + reveal demo video
7. ⏳ StoryFawn Club subscription (gated)

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## Files & rollback

| Artifact | Path |
|----------|------|
| Design baseline (frozen) | `KNOWLEDGE/storyfawn-baseline-2026-06-24/` |
| Active work tree | `KNOWLEDGE/storyfawn-work/` |
| VPS app | `/var/www/storyfawn/` |
| Orders log | `/var/www/storyfawn/server/orders.log.jsonl` |

**Every agent and human:** Read this file before changing StoryFawn product, pricing, copy, or infra.

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*This document is the guiding light for all future StoryFawn decisions.*