40 Lessons I’ve Learned from Working in Community for nearly 10 Years: 1. Vision activates people to dream for themselves. 2. Don’t make generosity a strategy. Make it a value instead. 3. People pay for accountability more than knowledge. 4. Give someone a path to go on, but let them decide to take the first step. 5. There's a fine line between being an authority and being intimidating. 6. Creating something truly valuable takes months, sometimes years. 7. If you give freely to others, positive consequences will follow. 8. Most people prefer group learning over solo learning. 9. IRL communities vs. Online communities are more similar than they seem. 10. If 10 people will pay $50/month, 100+ will too. 11. Value isn't in what you offer; it's in the transformation you guide others through. 12. A community without vision is a recipe for disengagement. 13. Don’t wait until everything is perfect—launch with what you have. 14. Celebrate victories shamelessly, no matter how small. 15. The first 10 members are the hardest to get. 16. Founders often confuse building a community with building a product. 17. Trust is the most important currency in any community. 18. A vibrant community feels more like home than a marketing funnel. 19. Not everyone will "get" your vision. Focus on those who do. 20. Always have a structure to any event you host. 21. But... People matter more than event structures. 22. You never know who you might meet on a group call. Be open. 23. Clarity is a gift. 24. People want to belong to something bigger than themselves. 25. Your core group will set the culture—choose them carefully. 26. You don’t need thousands of members to make a meaningful impact. 27. Your community should reflect your values, not just your business goals. 28. Business happens naturally in your community—don’t force it. 29. Your job is to create the container for community, not the community itself. 30. Automation shouldn’t ever replace real relationships. 31. Community building is a long game—don’t rush the process. 32. Conflict is proof of care. 33. The best ideas come from your members, not from you. 34. Being transparent builds trust faster than any launch event. 35. When community members start teaching each other, you’ve won. 36. Small, regular events build more momentum than big, infrequent ones. 37. Your members will forgive a lot if you show up consistently. 38. It’s not about perfection; it’s about being present. 39. Most people don’t leave communities because of conflict—they leave because they feel unnoticed or irrelevant. 40. A great community feels like a shared mission, not just a shared interest. Take each of these lessons with a grain of salt. Every community is different, and your journey will be unique. But if I could give one piece of advice, it’s this: Build with people, not for them. I love helping founders build communities. If you want help to build a community of your own: https://lnkd.in/dza5wY2J
So much gold! Fantastic, as always Jesse Eshleman 🧡
🌍 Community Manager | Social Media | Intercultural Connector 🤝
2moLove this! 🌟