This week on Dear Bri, we hear from Seeking Community Connection, and they’re in the middle of one of the most universal dilemmas in online community management: how to foster peer-to-peer connection and learning.

To solve this community conundrum, Bri invited community strategist and business coach Diana Davis, founder of Recess for Creatives. With a background in photography, graphic design, and seven years of community-building behind her, Diana has cracked the code on what it takes to create an online community that doesn’t orbit around the founder, but thrives because of thoughtful, playful structure.

In this episode:

(3:43) The communitea: Seeking Community Connection’s letter

(6:55) Connection-centric design: Letting go of the spotlight

(10:24) Being a professional nudger: The value of proactive outreach

(19:04) Community tips: Competition and family/friends discounts

(24:01) Craving the spotlight vs. creating sustainable community

(26:02) Teaching kickball: Coaching vs. facilitating in community

(27:20) Is it a membership or a community? Key distinctions

(34:00) Community product design: Mixing the flour before the eggs

(38:01) Why Diana made her community paid (and why free communities can fail)

(40:01) Building boundaries: RSVP culture and the cost of flakiness

(43:02) Events as the cheese plate: Using synchronous experiences to convert

(46:02) Nudging and teaching members how to show up

Resources Mentioned:

🧲 Check Diana’s Free Attraction Masterclass: magnetize dream clients with ease and alignment.

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

🔥 Diana Davis gets real about almost walking away from her community. Watch the conversation.

Diana Davis

🖥️ Website

📱 Instagram

🎙️ Podcast

Bri Leever

🖥️ Website

📩 Newsletter

📹 Youtube

📱LinkedIn

Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

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