Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama
Bri Leever, Community Consultant, Strategist, and Founder at Ember.
Welcome to Dear Bri, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama! In each episode, host and community strategist Bri Leever invites a guest community expert to respond to an anonymous letter from a real-life community creator in distress.
From online community-building mishaps to community engagement tactics gone awry, this podcast delivers relatable stories and sound community strategy for navigating the chaos of digital communities—all with empathy, expertise, and a touch of drama.
The mission? Helping community managers and community creators feel a little less crazy and a lot less alone while building thriving brand communities.
You're in the right place if you are...
🐣 Community Curious:
Creators or brands exploring the benefits of a community-powered business. Learn the fundamentals of community strategy for online businesses, and discover how to build an online community from scratch.
🐥 Community Hatchlings:
Newcomers to community building seeking guidance and support. Get tips on how to grow a paid community, avoid common mistakes in community building, and build trust through smart community roles and responsibilities.
🦅 Senior Community Folks:
Seasoned pros facing complex dilemmas. Explore topics like managing community drama, setting boundaries in digital communities, and advanced community retention strategies.
Dear Bri combines relatable storytelling with expert community strategy, making it a unique and valuable resource for community managers and creators. Episodes provide the most up-to-date community management practices, common mistakes to avoid in community building, the best community engagement tactics I've seen, tips on setting boundaries and building trust in online communities, and of course, a touch of community drama to keep things interesting and fun!
Community creators listening to Dear Bri will feel a little less alone in the important work of community building and a whole lot less crazy as each episode normalizes and provides strategic insights for some of the toughest online community scenarios.
Whether you're curious about building a community, just starting out, or a seasoned professional looking for advanced advice, Dear Bri has something for you. Episodes drop weekly on Tuesday. Hit the follow button so you don't miss out!
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
From online community-building mishaps to community engagement tactics gone awry, this podcast delivers relatable stories and sound community strategy for navigating the chaos of digital communities—all with empathy, expertise, and a touch of drama.
The mission? Helping community managers and community creators feel a little less crazy and a lot less alone while building thriving brand communities.
You're in the right place if you are...
🐣 Community Curious:
Creators or brands exploring the benefits of a community-powered business. Learn the fundamentals of community strategy for online businesses, and discover how to build an online community from scratch.
🐥 Community Hatchlings:
Newcomers to community building seeking guidance and support. Get tips on how to grow a paid community, avoid common mistakes in community building, and build trust through smart community roles and responsibilities.
🦅 Senior Community Folks:
Seasoned pros facing complex dilemmas. Explore topics like managing community drama, setting boundaries in digital communities, and advanced community retention strategies.
Dear Bri combines relatable storytelling with expert community strategy, making it a unique and valuable resource for community managers and creators. Episodes provide the most up-to-date community management practices, common mistakes to avoid in community building, the best community engagement tactics I've seen, tips on setting boundaries and building trust in online communities, and of course, a touch of community drama to keep things interesting and fun!
Community creators listening to Dear Bri will feel a little less alone in the important work of community building and a whole lot less crazy as each episode normalizes and provides strategic insights for some of the toughest online community scenarios.
Whether you're curious about building a community, just starting out, or a seasoned professional looking for advanced advice, Dear Bri has something for you. Episodes drop weekly on Tuesday. Hit the follow button so you don't miss out!
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
13 snips
Aug 27, 2024 • 27min
What can a community manager do when members become too critical? With Community Director Ami Defesche
Ami Defesche, Community Director at Wildcard Alliance with a rich background in Intuit and Blackbaud, shares her expertise on managing critical community feedback. She dives into the emotional challenges faced by Discord community managers and offers practical strategies for handling negativity. Ami emphasizes the importance of clear mission statements and setting boundaries while encouraging self-care practices to aid community managers. Tune in to discover effective moderation techniques and how to transform criticism into constructive dialogue!
10 snips
Aug 20, 2024 • 37min
Where is the best place to build my online community? With Community Strategy Consultant, Noele Flowers
Noele Flowers, a community strategy consultant based in New York's Hudson Valley, dives into the intricacies of community platform selection. She discusses the chaos of online interactions, touching on the pros and cons of using Slack and Facebook versus all-in-one platforms like Heartbeat. With insights on intentional onboarding and the learning-to-connection ratio, Noele emphasizes the importance of choosing the right platform for genuine engagement and connection, offering a roadmap for effective community building.
4 snips
Aug 13, 2024 • 45min
How do I set boundaries & avoid burnout as a community manager? With Taylor Harrington, Head of Community at Groove
Taylor Harrington, Head of Community at Groove, shares insights on avoiding burnout as a community leader. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear boundaries to protect your time and energy. The conversation touches on navigating tough decisions, managing community expectations, and releasing the need to be everything for everyone. Taylor also discusses practical strategies like the 'Yes, and/No, but' concept to help assert limits while still fostering meaningful connections. It's all about giving yourself grace and making smart choices!
14 snips
Aug 13, 2024 • 51min
Can You Shift from a Cohort-Based Model to a Subscription Without Losing Community Engagement? With Marie Schacht, CEO of Akimbo
Marie Schacht, CEO of Akimbo, discusses the evolving landscape of online communities, highlighting her pioneering work in cohort-based learning. She dives into the strengths of both cohort-based and membership models, emphasizing the need for adaptability. Marie shares her practical experiments to determine the future of online education and the importance of aligning community strategies with organizational values. Listeners gain insights into effective transitions, embracing experimentation, and fostering open communication within community structures.
15 snips
Aug 13, 2024 • 35min
Did I just blow my one shot at launching a paid community? With Evan Hamilton, Director of Community at HubSpot
In this discussion, Evan Hamilton, the Director of Community at HubSpot, shares over a decade of insights into community building. He emphasizes the importance of testing concepts before launching and highlights vital questions to address during the discovery phase. The magic of connection becomes a key topic, showcasing how it drives outcomes. Evan dives into monetization strategies and explains how to curate communities with the right members. He also offers tips on navigating the transition from free to paid models while maintaining engagement.
Aug 8, 2024 • 2min
Introducing: Dear Bri, an advice column for community strategy, fiascos, and drama!
Explore the chaotic world of community management, where real creators share their confessions. Discover the pros and cons of building on Slack versus membership models. Uncover strategies to overcome burnout and turn your struggles into growth opportunities. Engage with expert advice on fostering active discussions and testing new ideas. Join in for a mix of support, practical marketing tactics, and heartfelt community gossip that makes you feel less alone in your journey!
