How to Build a Supportive Entrepreneurial Community

I’ve coached many of the most successful community leaders. A few are businesses that have grown every year for a decade. I've learned that the key to compounding growth is not complicated funnels, hiring a marketing team, or hanging out on TikTok. The secret to growth for community businesses is… friendship. Helping members make and keep new friends in your community is how you reduce churn, increase your referral rate, and turn your existing members into leaders. And it’s also a really fun metric to build a business around. In her excellent book Platonic, Marisa G. Franco outlines the six elements of starting and deepening friendships. What if we applied these elements to a community business context? Here are the 6 elements, each with one way that we might create an environment that encourages them in our communities: 1. Initiative 💥 One way to encourage: Help your members take initiative by normalizing reaching out and providing them with a clear guide on how to initiate connections. 2. Vulnerability 🤲 One way to encourage: Model vulnerability by sharing your own experiences, challenges, and personal stories in the way you’d like your members to open up to each other. 3. Authenticity 🤸🏻♀️ One way to encourage: Make it clear that the community is different from social media platforms and invite members to show up more joyfully, and less polished than they otherwise would. 4. Productive Anger 🔥 One way to encourage: Be transparent about how conflicts are handled and don’t freak out when they come up. Having clear member guidelines and reminding members of what’s expected of them makes it easier to mediate conflicts when necessary. 5. Generosity 💐 One way to encourage: Encourage members to share what they can offer others, whether it's knowledge, support, or skills. Then, when those exchanges happen make it a point to celebrate them. 6. Affection 💞 One way to encourage: When someone thanks you for introducing you to a new friend because they’re amazing, invite them to also share that message directly with the new friend. It’s a great way to deepen a budding friendship! Cultivating a culture of friendship in your community has the potential to ultimately grow and sustain your business. And it's also a beautiful way to meaningfully improve the lives of your members. What are the ways new friendships have sparked for you in the communities you lead and/or are a part of? Friendship stories are my favorite. ☺️

Everyone thinks entrepreneurship is lonely. But I found 3 ways to make founder friends (even if you hate networking): 99% of people don’t get your lifestyle. • You feel guilty taking a day off. • You tag your self-worth to the success of your business. • You ride an emotional rollercoaster that’s impossible to explain. At least that’s how I feel. And it’s hard to explain to friends who have 9 - 5s. But the people who do get it? Other founders. So when you surround yourself with others who are energized by what they’re building? Everything changes. It becomes a game. It’s fun. They’ve been through it too. • They support you • Energize you • And share how they got through it And with them… you love entrepreneurship. So how do you build your founder community? 1) LinkedIn Search for founders who do what you’re doing AND are active on LinkedIn. Comment on their posts. Send them a message. Offer to help them on Zoom. Just give. The only ask is to connect you with others. Friends I’ve made this way: Barrett O'Neill, Sam Preston 2) Join online founder communities I’ve met a lot of my friends in cohort courses (or Slack/Discord communities). Most aren’t great. But if you join ones on a specific topic that other founders are wrestling with, it filters for great people. Friends I’ve made this way: Teddy Mitrosilis, Jasper Polak 3) Join In-person communities I’ve made friends in weekend masterminds. Founder dinners. But I’m also living in founder communities around the world. I’m writing this post from one now in Colombia. Friends I’ve made this way: Rebekah Strachan, Monisha Bajaj When you have the right people around you, there’s no better job than being an entrepreneur. So who’s made a difference in your founder journey? Let me know in the comments. ♻️ Repost this to help your friends build their network.

Last week, I shared a bit about a series we've launched at Mvnifest, and the feedback was fantastic. TLDR: I’m back on my feet, literally and figuratively, after a skiing mishap earlier this spring. Being a Founder/CEO, wife, and mom, it was a massive disruption. For years, I've been wanting to capture the wisdom and experiences of my network of founder-friends, mentors, and consumer goods experts. I kept telling myself, "We'll get to it later," until now. I’m super excited to share this week's conversation with Siffat Haider,  CEO and Co-Founder of Arrae, a natural supplement brand that's taken the internet by storm. Our conversation focuses most deeply on the power of community. We talk about the importance and opportunity of community building and how to do it authentically, and acknowledge that for this one, there just aren’t shortcuts. It’s gotta be real to be real. Siff and I dive into so many aspects of her business, and there are so many amazing nuggets from our conversation, but she highlights the importance of the following: 1️⃣ Humanizing your brand: How to treat your brand as a living, breathing entity and operate your social media and marketing efforts from the voice of an individual.  2️⃣ Personal connection at scale: Consider surprising and delightful types of engagement, like handwritten notes, Polaroids, or personal messages. These can become a cornerstone of community, allowing you to start small and building to a conversation over time. 3️⃣ A balanced budget: Allocate a portion of your marketing budget to community-building efforts, just as you would for influencer marketing or other strategies. Balancing paid partnerships with community engagement is key. 4️⃣ Loyalty Programs (the Rolls Royce of them): Siff encourages founders to consider implementing a loyalty program—if it aligns with your business model. For high-subscription businesses, a well-designed loyalty program can strengthen customer relationships. We talk through how to design a performant loyalty program, including unique incentives that truly show appreciation to your customers. 5️⃣ Creative Engagement: It’s a competitive market, and to stand out, brands need to think differently. Hosting events, workshops, walks, or other activities to engage with your community are a way to bring digital communities together in a physical context. 6️⃣ The Power in Team Involvement: Siff underscores how to involve your entire team in community-building efforts to foster a close-knit relationship between your brand and your customers, and to help spread the weight of the authentic connection throughout your team. The conversation is packed with actionable insights and real-world experiences that founders in consumer goods NEED to hear. 🚀  Check out the full conversation on Substack and let me know if you have any thoughts below. 💬 https://lnkd.in/gcw9B3Qd #CommunityBuilding #CPGBrands #BehindtheBrand #Arrae #SiffHaider

I launched a community quite literally, "the incorrect way" ...and it has still grown to over 1200 startups, founder and mentors ⤵️ Looking at thriving communities, you might think there's a secret formula. Time for some honest talk. Community-building experts, prepare to gasp) Here's what I didn't stick to traditionally: ❌I didn't target just any founder persona. ❌I didn't promise solutions to every problem. ❌I didn't post content just for the sake of engagement or consistency. ❌I didn't organize events all the events with a clear focus. ❌I didn't avoid controversial but necessary discussions. I guess you can say, I was flying by the seat of my pants. But here's my real strategy: ✅ Focused on attracting the right founders, not just any. ✅ Centered our discussions on actual, pressing founder needs. ✅ Emphasized the need for consistent engagement from all members. ✅ ***Brought in the right team members to add more value.**** ✅ Persisted, even when engagement was low. ✅ Built a space for honest, meaningful conversations. Was this approach flawless? Far from it. Could I have followed every community-building rule? Possibly. But I chose what felt right for my time, my efforts and the group I wanted to belong to. While many try to create a one-size-fits-all community, We are carving our own path. And we still may pivot some. We started with a clear vision but were flexible in our approach. This led to: 👉 A deeply engaged and relevant member base. 👉 Regular, value-driven interactions online and in-person. 👉 Weekly high value events focused on fundraising and founder-fit. 👉 A supportive environment that has fostered real connections. 👉 Founders being transformed by learning funding and getting funded. So, forget the generic community-building playbook. Focus on what your members truly need. Stay consistent - I'm still working on this part🙋♂️ Stay genuine above all. That's the essence of building a community that thrives. p.s. Click on the link above to join our community. p.p.s tagging a few members you definitely should connect with and follow Kurt Walker🌶🏔️ Lorri (Randle) Kane Taylor Weeks Roy Dequina 🇵🇭🇺🇸 Bei Zhang Tess Robinson Maruxa Murphy

I did my own voice over of one of my favorite TED Talks, "How to Start a Movement," to "This Is How You Startup" The video highlights that building a startup and network go hand in hand. Here’s a framework that has worked for me, targeted for those fresh college grads aiming to carve their own startup journey. 🎯 Goal: Become just two phone calls away from anyone in the world within the next 20 years. Build Your Circles Early Aim to forge at least four meaningful connections with prominent guest speakers from your classes. These relationships can dramatically expand your reach post-graduation. Accelerate Trust Remember, your network is your most valuable asset. If someone lends you a hand, honor that trust and always follow through. Give, Don't Take At the start of your career, the best thing you can offer is your ability to save someone else’s time. Instead of seeking what others can do for you, focus on how you can add value to them. Play the Long Game Connections made years ago can become pivotal when you least expect it. Often, these are people with whom I've shared a meaningful story or to whom I've offered help early in our acquaintance. Build Your Own Support Group Build your own cohort of like minded founders. Sharpen each other and help each other out. They are the only ones that know how hard building something from scratch is, and the bonds will last a lifetime. Help each other to the top. Seek Out 'Circle Hoppers' As you expand your network, look for those who navigate between circles effortlessly. These individuals can introduce you to new groups and opportunities—just remember, the focus should be on giving, not taking. Accelerate Upwards Once your network foundation is solid, aim higher. For example, a trusted investor once introduced me to one of the most influential figures in Texas. I had 30 minutes to present NanoTech Materials , and by the end of the meeting, I walked out with an investment—not because of me, but because of who was vouching for me in the room. Mastering how to activate your network is a crucial skill for any entrepreneur. The startup journey is challenging, but with the right people in your corner, it’s also incredibly rewarding. #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #startup #startups #entrepreneurjourney

Starting a business can feel like you're stranded on your own little island. But here's the secret to thriving: building a strong community around you. When I started my business, connecting with like-minded individuals helped me stay motivated during tough times. Peer groups and mentorship programs were especially important. They kept me going strong and moving forward. They helped me understand my challenges. And they offered advice which made a big difference. I was also able to offer my tips and advice back to them. It was win-win. Through these connections, I not only gained priceless insights. But I also forged lasting bonds that continue to support me today. It also allowed me to take a leap of faith. Those connections have turned into trustworthy friendships.  My key tip to building your own tribe? Start by attending industry events,  joining online forums,  and  reaching out to fellow entrepreneurs. Invest in mastermind groups. Or better yet, start your own mastermind group.  Nurture those connections by offering help, sharing resources, and showing genuine interest in others' success. Over time, you'll cultivate a community that's not just a safety net but a springboard for growth. #community #connection #trust