The Context: Ancestry is known for DNA testing, but it also offers vast public records, archived newspapers, and family trees. Many users build trees spanning thousands of people, some going back to the 1600s.

The Pain Point: New users often hit a “brick wall” after adding only immediate relatives. The site can be overwhelming, making it hard to expand their trees and stay engaged.

The Solution: I was part of the team that created ProTools, Ancestry’s first paid feature, designed to help users break through those walls. By adding maps, search tools, and timeline filters, users could more easily discover ancestors. ProTools became a key revenue driver, generating $12M in the first year, increasing paid subscriber engagement by 35%, and reducing churn by 18%.