Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama

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 upResources 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🎙️ PodcastBri Leever🖥️ Website📩 Newsletter📹 Youtube📱LinkedInWant your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we’re hearing from Ready to Retreat. Their letter explores how to deepen connection in a thriving online community through an in-person retreat.To better support them, I invited Eric Plantenberg as my guest expert. He’s a client, friend, and mentor—and the founder of the deeply transformative Abundant Living Retreat. I’ve been to many retreats, but none like his. Tune in to hear how Eric creates powerful containers for in-person retreats, what it takes to be a great facilitator, and a fresh, liberating way to approach goals and meaningful connection.In this episode:(04:36) The communitea: Ready to Retreat’s letter(07:43) It's critical to have both an online and an offline experience(10:02) What makes a great facilitator of in-person experiences(12:10) The seemingly contradictory way to having the best experience(16:11) How to effectively draw people into a retreat(18:06) The gap between aspirational and actual values(20:45) Matching retreat leadership to real-life leadership(23:54) Eric's journey of founding Abundant Living and Humm Kombucha(28:37) The commitments behind such a transformative container(32:36) Holding the tension is critical for a valuable community(34:15) It's your job to provide value, not make people comfortable or not(39:24) It's better to have fewer but truly engaged members(42:39) Goal setting, releasing the outcome, and becoming who you want to beResources Mentioned:👥 Join Izozi Membership.🌄 Get Your Ticket to Abundant Living (and join Bri there!)📕 Check out the Way of the Peaceful Warrior.📺 Watch Eric's TEDxTalk, The Anatomy of Results.❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended community platform.💛 Join Ember. Community creators building community-powered businesses.🔥 Ready to hear the stories we almost kept to ourselves? Here's this week's secret episode with Eric!Eric Plantenberg🖥️ Website📱 LinkedInBri Leever🖥️ Website📹 Youtube📱LinkedInWant your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we’re hearing from Wavering But Hopeful. Our letter today deals with the very tough reality of deciding whether to continue putting in the effort to keep your community going or to close the doors when it feels like there’re more times when it isn’t working.To better help Wavering But Hopeful, I invited Salome Schillack as my guest expert. She has been through over a decade of owning her craft and her expertise, and five years of running her own community membership, which she tastefully sunset after realizing it was no longer in alignment. Having been in Wavering’s shoes, her insights deeply resonate.So, even if you’re not thinking of whether or not it’s time to shut down your community, make sure to tune in to this episode because you’ll discover what to anticipate, what to think about, and the questions you need to ask now in order to build a community for longevity and to decide if stopping or pivoting is the way to go.In this episode:(03:03) The tale of how Bri and Salome first met(05:49) The communitea: Wavering But Hopeful’s letter(07:03) Salome’s own experience of building a membership and making the decision to close it(15:14) What ultimately wasn’t working in Salome’s membership(21:53) How Salome’s community journey translates into Bri’s matrix of communities(24:40) Approaching the decision to close the doors or pivot as a marketer(29:02) How to turn your community around if shutting it down is not the way to go(31:04) What to ask yourself and keep in mind for a community that lasts and lights you up(37:38) If you’re also wavering, know you’re not alone🤫 A boundary that felt impossible (but built more trust). Here's the bonus conversation with Salome!Resources Mentioned:🧑‍🏫 Check out the 4 Types of Communities Masterclass.🎙️ Tune into Salome’s podcast, The Launch Lounge Podcast.❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.Salome Schillack🖥️ Website📱 LinkedInBri Leever🖥️ Website📹 Youtube📱LinkedInWant your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we’re hearing from Community Newbie. Our letter today deals with how overwhelming it can be to enter the world of community-building without really knowing where to begin.To better help Community Newbie, I invited Marjorie Anderson as my guest expert. She is the Director of Community for Exos and the Principal Strategist at Community by Association L.L.C. Marjorie is a bright light in the community spaces, has been professionally building community for 11+ years, and has helped many people get started with community.So, tune in for some incredible plant analogies that will make you look at both problems and community in a whole new way, the tools you need to lay a strong foundation for your new community, and tips on what you can do to have the best community for both you and your members.In this episode:(03:16) The communitea: Community Newbie’s letter(04:21) Stop feeling stuck with Marjorie’s beautiful oak tree analogy(07:24) Who should be looking to build community, and who shouldn’t(10:24) Beware of sabotaging your own community(11:36) Let’s make one thing clear: Community DOES really work(16:02) 3 foundational questions and a boundary to get you started with building community(24:35) The importance of interviewing 10 of your ideal members and what to ask them(27:27) Build the unique community you and your members want and have a manager(33:24) Listen to your community members with  equal parts authority and empathyResources Mentioned:📗 Learn more about The Mom Test.❤️ 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.🔥 Ready to hear the stories we almost kept to ourselves? Here's this week's secret episode with Marjorie!Marjorie Anderson🖥️ Website📱 LinkedIn🎙️ PodcastBri Leever🖥️ Website📩 Newsletter📹 Youtube📱LinkedInWant your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Zach Hawtof, Co-founder and CEO at Tightknit, dives deep into the evolution of community building. He discusses why offline connections always triumph over digital ones and reveals the 'cheat code' for engagement isn't automation. Zach also unpacks why Slack is both a community platform and not at the same time, sharing insights on anticipating member needs and the significance of listening. He candidly reflects on his biggest mistake and the challenges communities face today, especially with the rise of AI.

Murtaza Bambot, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat, shares insights on building niche communities, especially around sensitive topics. He emphasizes empathy and communication for attracting initial members. Murtaza discusses grassroots strategies over paid ads, the power of a paid waitlist, and the necessity of constant research and testing. He highlights the importance of focusing marketing on transformation and advises on leveraging tools like ChatGPT for support. This conversation is a goldmine for anyone looking to foster genuine community connections!

In this episode, we hear from Negativity in New York. Today’s letter deals with the nuanced line between keeping your community positive while making space for people to be honest and real about the struggles they are experiencing.To better help Negativity in New York, I invited Mallory Contois as my guest expert. She has lots to contribute today because as the creator of one of my FAVORITE communities, Old Girls Club — a virtual community for working women with over 1,800 members that’s been running for 2.5 years on Slack.Mallory has seen some sh*t, so tune in for some tactical advice and practical strategies for navigating the difficult task of allowing tough conversations to take place in your community but not letting them take over.In this episode:(04:33) Moderating difficult topics and maintaining a safe space(12:08) The Politics channel: a test(16:28) Different responses for different sizes of community(19:31) The communitea: Negativity in New York’s letter(20:58) What to do when a community member is trauma dumping(27:35) Practical advice for having those tough conversations(33:39) The importance of creating some distance from community members(37:37) The wild success of the Yell in Caps Here channel in the OGC communityExpect: Thoughtful community engagement tactics and community management coaching.Resources Mentioned:👩‍🦰 Join the Old Girls Club jointheogc.com.🎧 Past episodes mentioned: Episode 7 with Andrea Middleton and Episode 9 with Jae Washington.❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. All-in-one community platform.💛 Join Ember. The place for community creators building community-powered businesses.Mallory Contois🖥️ Website📱 LinkedinBri Leever🖥️ Website📩 Newsletter📹 Youtube📱 LinkedinHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Carrie Melissa Jones, an award-winning community builder and CEO of the CMJ Group, discusses conflict resolution in community settings. She emphasizes the importance of proactively addressing potential conflicts and reassessing community values regularly. Carrie shares insights on navigating drama during events, trusting intuition, and fostering transparent communication. Additionally, she explores the balance between competition and collaboration within communities, encouraging leaders to foster trust and integrity for stronger connections.

In this episode, we’re hearing from Hopeful in Houston. Our letter today deals with a community builder who wishes they had better guided their community through diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).To better help Hopeful in Houston, I invited Jae Washington as my guest expert. She is the perfect person to bring us new insights because she is a community consultant, curator, and connector with experience at Zeenefits and as Head of the Global Client Community at Headspace, where she revolutionized community engagement and community-building within B2B organizations.So, tune in for a truly insightful and profound episode, with frameworks and tactics to help you build a community full of belonging, diversity, equity, and inclusion.In this episode:(04:00) Some harsh realities of being a community manager for an organization(10:07) The communitea: Hopeful in Houston’s letter(12:18) The 3 GRs: gratitude, grace, and growth(14:38) The value of belonging(18:38) Steps to bring a better DEIB initiative to your organization’s community(23:21) A new state of B.E.I.N.G.(25:48) Celebrating differences in your community(28:16) How to start your community on the right track with DEIB(31:09) When the community is asking for something you can’t deliver(34:47) Support, not save(37:55) A surprise: the letter’s originsExpect: Community strategy and community engagement tactics focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.Resources Mentioned:❤️ 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.Noteworthy quotes:“Just because an organization hires you to manage or institute community does not mean they value community.“ - Jae Washington“If our similarities are the spark for connection, our differences beget growth and education.” - Bri LeeverJae Washington🖥️ Website📱 LinkedinBri Leever🖥️ Website📩 Newsletter📹 Youtube📱 LinkedinHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Alli Ball, founder and CEO of Food Biz Wiz, shares her decade-long expertise in marketing successful community programs. Dive into the challenges of balancing free and paid communities, and discover the importance of setting clear expectations. Alli discusses navigating feelings of entitlement versus empowerment among members. She emphasizes effective engagement strategies, including innovative pop-up groups and targeted marketing techniques. Learn how to foster a collaborative environment while managing community dynamics!