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State of the Vegan Nation: Sean Russell's Unfiltered Vision for the Vegans Explore Passport

In one of the more unscripted episodes of the Vegans Explore Podcast, founder Sean A. Russell lays out the full business case for the Vegans Explore Passport, the community platform set to launch January 11, 2026.

Free First, Paid Later

Membership is free and invite-based through January 10, a deliberate choice meant to bring in founding members who care about shaping the platform rather than just consuming content. After launch, the Passport moves to a paid model built around Circle, priced at roughly $11 a month or $111 a year.

What the Revenue Actually Funds

Sean is direct about where that money goes: travel for future city tours, storytelling and content production, nonprofit givebacks, an expanding business directory, and new tools and guides for members. The pitch is not scale for its own sake, he says, but a sustainable way to keep showing up for the community every single day.

• Free founding membership available through January 10, 2026
• Paid Passport community launches January 11 at roughly $11 a month or $111 a year
• Revenue is earmarked for tours, nonprofit support, and platform tools

It is a rare, unfiltered look at how a mission-driven vegan media brand plans to fund its own growth without losing sight of why it started.