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 on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Here’s what I know after designing and building 79 online communities in the past 6 years alone…
Before you pick a platform, price your offer, or map out your curriculum, there’s one thing you need to do first: have 10 real conversations with potential members.
In this episode of Dear Bri, I break down what’s really driving the rise of communities, how to validate your idea before you build anything, and the 3-part framework I use to determine whether a community is right for your business (read: will succeed long-term).
If you’ve been feeling pulled toward community but unsure if it’s the right move, this episode will give you clarity.
And if you’re asking questions like:
Should I start a community for my business?
Will people pay to be a part of a community?
Or, is it too late to launch a community?
Then this episode is for you.
⏳ Timestamps
00:00:00 | Introduction to season 3: Community strategy
00:01:11 | The right time to build a community
00:04:46 | Is a community right for your business?
00:05:15 | The one question NOT to ask
00:08:15 | Real examples of community strategy in action
00:10:57 | How to find your sweet spot [Framework]
I know predictable recurring revenue sounds awesome, and a membership community is usually the first idea that comes to mind… But if you’re not familiar with community strategy and design, you can easily spend months (or years!) building the wrong type of community for your business — and then wondering what you’re doing wrong when results don’t follow.
Or maybe you’ve past that and now feeling stuck trying to find new members, struggling with engagement, or endlessly planning without launching.
In this episode of Dear Bri, we kick off Season 3 with a powerful framework that will completely change how you think about community building.
I’m sharing a simple (but game-changing) matrix I spent the past decade refining. It is designed to help you identify the right type of community for your business because most communities don’t fail from lack of effort… they fail from misalignment.
You’ll learn why copying someone else’s community model is a fast track to frustration, the key difference between an audience and a community, and the biggest mistake people make when trying to balance education and connection inside a community.
If you’re thinking about launching a paid community in 2026, or fixing one that isn’t working, this episode is your starting point. Do not skip it.
⏳ Timestamps
00:00:00 | Introduction to season 3: Community strategy
00:02:19 | The fastest way to build the WRONG community
00:04:17 | Your community vs. your audience
00:05:23 | The community strategy matrix [Framework]
00:07:42 | Imagine your ideal community member
00:08:50 | The one myth I’ll bust right now
00:11:03 | Full recap
How do I turn my beta test into a vibrant, scalable, and sustainable community? With Jac White, Founder of Honeybees Group
In this episode, we’re hearing from Community Creator at the Crossroads. Our letter today deals with someone who's proven the concept for their community but is overwhelmed with what comes next and how to build something truly sustainable and scalable.
To better help Community Creator at the Crossroads, I invited Jac White as my guest because she's in the same crossroads. She helps women sell with confidence and build a scalable sales system. She is the founder of Honeybees Group, which she recently launched as a membership community with a beta group that was a big success.
This episode is different as it is like a live coaching call. We focus on how to architect the programs in your community in a way that serves you and your business. We take a hard look at the different types of formats and structures that might require a lot of you and might not always bring the reward that you're looking for.
In this episode:
(02:40) How this episode's unique format came about
(04:20) The communitea: Community Creator at the Crossroads’s letter
(06:11) Jac's very own community-building conundrum
(07:58) The pros and cons of leveraging cohorts and memberships
(10:58) The different education-connection community models
(16:22) The strengths and challenges of a transformative community
(19:41) Lessons from Bri's journey to a membership with cohorts baked into it
(24:27) The solution to a common pain point around cohorts
(28:40) How to scale without losing the small community magic
(34:11) Figure out how to make your community valuable and sustainable long-term
When and how should I hire someone to help me with my community? With Kristen Pavle, Relational Designer
In this episode, we’re hearing from Overwhelmed on the Delegation Struggle Bus. Our letter today deals with figuring out how to get the right type of help to make sure your community will thrive even when you're not there.
To better help Overwhelmed on the Delegation Struggle Bus, I invited Kristen Pavle as my guest expert. She is a relational designer transforming community-driven businesses into creative, self-sustaining ecosystems. As a community strategist, she has experience founding and creating her own communities, as well as supporting fresh new communities into a life of growth and thriving.
So, tune in to better understand the different types of community management help available and which one makes the most sense for you and your community. You'll also be the first to know the details on the Ember community's newest program, Ember Fractionals.
In this episode:
(05:21) The communitea: Overwhelmed on the Delegation Struggle Bus’s letter
(07:20) The 3 buckets people who run communities fall into
(08:59) Kristen's experience of taking a step back as a DIY founder/community creator
(12:53) The value of leadership development within your community and asking for help
(17:19) Bri's experience and insights on getting help from virtual assistants for your community
(20:10) The identity and mindset shift behind allowing yourself to ask for help
(24:02) Hiring for your internal community versus your external community
(25:04) Bringing in the strategy piece with a fractional community manager
How can I foster peer-to-peer connection & learning in my community without always relying on my guidance? With Diana Davis, Business Coach
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
How can I effectively couple an online community with an in-person retreat? With Eric Plantenberg, Founder of the Abundant Living Retreat
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 be
How do you know when to keep pushing or when to let go of your community? With Salome Schillack, CEO & Founder of The Launch Lounge
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
What’s step one for someone totally new to creating their own community space? With Marjorie Anderson, Director of Community for Exos
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 empathy
Where is community building today and where is it headed? With Zach Hawtof, CEO at Tightknit
In this episode, we’re hearing from Curious in Colorado. Our letter today deals with knowing whether jumping onto the community train is worthwhile by understanding the future of community building.
To better help Curious in Colorado, I invited Zach Hawtof, Co-Founder, Community Manager, and CEO at Tightknit, as my guest expert. He is someone who has extensive experience building community, and not only thinks a lot about where community building is headed, but is also building the future of community platforms on Slack himself with his company.
In this episode:
(04:03) The evolution of community building over the last 10 years
(07:14) Curious in Colorado’s letter: “Where is this trend headed?”
(08:21) Why offline connection always wins—and what that means for digital spaces
(12:12) Building community where your people already are
(13:47) The cheat code for engagement (hint: it’s not better automation)
(19:18) Why Slack isn’t a community platform… and why it absolutely is
(21:12) How to become “psychic” about your members’ needs
(24:51) Following the breadcrumb trail and building what you know
(32:33) Asking better questions—and really listening to the answers
(36:08) Why some members just aren’t ready (and that’s okay)
(39:34) The overlooked challenges of the community industry
(41:13) What AI means for the future of online connection
How do I find the first members for my niche community? With Murtaza Bambot, Founder & CEO at Heartbeat
In this episode, we’re hearing from Sensitive in Seattle. Today’s letter deals with how to grow a community where joining that community might in and of itself be taboo.
To better help Sensitive in Seattle, I’m bringing in the big guns. I invited Murtaza Bambot as my guest expert. He is the Founder & CEO at Heartbeat — the all-in-one platform for community businesses (also the sponsor of this podcast!) that has served has served over 5, 000 communities.
So, tune in for an episode packed full of wisdom where Murtaza guides us through the process of finding those initial community members, even in a sensitive community, from a place of empathy and authority.
In this episode:
(05:51) Having a customer community when everything is going wrong
(10:55) The only way out is through
(14:40) The communitea: Sensitive in Seattle’s letter
(15:41) Why community exists in the first place
(18:23) Immediate boots-on-the-ground strategies to find your initial members
(22:52) Prime advice on sales calls
(24:43) Murtaza’s advice on using paid ads
(26:27) The power of a paid waitlist to launch your community
(31:16) You deserve to be paid for your work
(34:45) Focus your marketing on the transformation
(45:17) Be ready to constantly research, test, and implement
Get the unfiltered side of the conversation, where Zach shares his biggest mistake, a Slack channel name you’ll want to steal, and the one word he’d give to his younger self. Get it here!
💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.
Noteworthy quotes:
“When you have 0 customers, your job is just to get to 1. And when you have 1 customer, your job is to get to 10. You don't have to think about what 100 customers, 1,000, 10,000 customers look like. Don't build these things to scale at the start.“ - Murtaza Bambot
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