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!
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Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama, a podcast by Bri Leever, Community Consultant, Strategist, and Founder at Ember. - Stats, Episodes and Rankings - My Podcast Data
Part 2: What common mistakes should I avoid when setting up my community platform? (Solo Series)
Season 2 · Episode 13
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 • Duration 28:19
In the second episode of this two-part Solo Series, we’re hearing from Hungry for Good Advice. Our letter today deals with a community creator who's looking for some tips to set up their community platform right the first time.
Over the last five years, Bri has partnered with dozens of clients and community members to select the right community platform for them and to avoid some of the most common pitfalls related to the setup process. She is exploring all possible angles and sharing what you can do to avoid each pitfall.
In this episode:
(03:12) The communitea: Hungry for Good Advice’s letter
(04:39) #1 Beware the freemium model
(12:05) Don't turn your community into both the product and the funnel
(13:35) The free trial fiasco
(15:59) Debunking the belief that it's morally wrong to charge for community
(17:53) #2 Keep it simple, sweetheart
(19:33) Leverage your channels and spaces with engaging words and the right size
(22:23) Avoid the great mistake of introducing friction
Part 1: What’s the best all-in-one platform for building a paid community? (Solo Series)
Season 2 · Episode 12
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 • Duration 29:56
In the first episode of this two-part Solo Series, we’re hearing from Studio Dreamer. Our letter today deals with a community creator who is ready to build a proper home for their paid community but is unsure which all-in-one platform best suits their community goals.
This is one of the most common questions Bri gets from clients. In fact, over the last five years, she has partnered with dozens of clients and community members to select the right community platform for them and to avoid some of the most common pitfalls related to the process.
So, tune in for the information that will help you make the right choice for you. Bri is providing a broad overview of the five most common community platforms, including her two favorites, which are the ones where she's seen the most successful communities take off.
In this episode:
(00:31) The communitea: Studio Dreamer’s letter
(02:54) What to expect from today's special solo episode
(05:08) The definition of an all-in-one community platform
(06:54) Deep dive into Mighty Networks
(08:49) Deep dive into Skool
(12:06) Deep dive into Honeycommb
(16:43) Deep dive into Circle
(23:56) Deep dive into Heartbeat, where Bri built her Ember community
(27:43) Three main differences between Circle and Heartbeat
Tune into next week's Dear Bri Episode 25 for the top three mistakes that people make when setting up their community platform.
How do I handle negative feedback in my community? With Lindsay Rothfeld, Head of Community at Kira Learning
Season 2 · Episode 11
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 • Duration 45:49
In this episode, we’re hearing from Stuck in Community Time Out. Our letter deals with a community builder who presented some negative feedback, along with ideas for improvement in someone else's community, but was shut down by the founder.
To better help Stuck in Community Time Out, I invited Lindsay Rothfeld as my guest expert. From scaling ambassador programs and live events to launching community platforms and lifecycle campaigns, Lindsay has spent the last 10 years building spaces where users feel connected, empowered, and excited to contribute.
So, tune in for valuable tools and tips for approaching challenging feedback in your community with empathy, transparency, curiosity, and kindness.
In this episode:
(03:48) The communitea: Stuck in Community Time Out’s letter
(05:54) One of Lindsay's own experiences handling negative feedback in her community
(10:22) Leading versus moderating and the real enemy of positivity
(12:30) Valuable practices and tools to help you respond and not react to feedback
(20:34) Reframe what challenging feedback means to you
(23:11) To remove or not remove posts, and how to go about it with transparency
(27:05) Having an entrepreneurial mindset can get in the way of your community
(30:36) How to masterfully approach those sharing negative feedback
(33:57) Ways removing posts can backfire
(36:30) The truth about today's letter
(41:00) Giving community members the space and tools to give feedback
Resources Mentioned:
Can my community handle anonymous posts without spiraling into chaos? With Amanda Northcutt, CEO of Level Up Creators
Season 2 · Episode 10
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 • Duration 41:01
In this episode, we’re hearing from Anonymously Anxious About Anonymity. Our letter today deals with a community builder who has seen firsthand how opening a community to anonymous posts can go downhill fast, and wants to know if it's possible to do so without that outcome.
To better help Anonymously Anxious, Amanda Northcutt, the CEO of Level Up Creators, as my guest expert. She is a six-time executive with over 20 years of experience in building and optimizing recurring revenue businesses. She is brilliant (.25 speed is encouraged for this episode, we won’t judge!) and has seen it all in the community spaces.
So, tune in for how to leverage anonymity as an asset in your community and where challenges might show up, how to effectively gamify your community, and the essential ingredients for creating a high-ticket community.
In this episode:
(03:50) The communitea: Anxiously Anonymous About Anonymity’s letter
(04:33) Amanda's experience with TexAgs, an anonymous discussion forum
(07:00) Cases where allowing anonymous posts can work, and what to consider
(09:55) The value of having members opt into anonymity
(11:50) What you need to have in place to stop your community from spiraling into chaos
(14:09) How to handle negative feedback and prepare your community for doing it right
(18:20) Badging and the power of gamification in community
(20:48) The importance of experimenting before fully implementing
(23:53) The role of gamification in habit formation
(27:52) The different moderation needs of low and high-ticket communities
(32:25) The essential ingredients for building a high-ticket community
(39:12) When in doubt in business, test
How do I stop being the main source of value in my community without letting it fall apart? With Pia Silva, founder of No BS Agency Mastery
Season 2 · Episode 9
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 • Duration 36:01
In this episode, we’re hearing from Burnt Out and Bound by Dependency. Our letter today deals with the exhausting dynamic where you're the one person everyone is dependent upon for value in the community, and how to shift away from that.
To better help Burnt Out and Bound by Dependency, I invited Pia Silva as my guest expert. She's the founder of the No BS Agency Mastery community, which has been running since 2021. During that time she managed to leave the place where she was the main source of value and develop community leaders to also provide value.
So, tune in for lessons on how to transition between platforms, reset expectations, gracefully deal with internal drama, and leadership development done the right way.
In this episode:
(03:23) The communitea: Burnt Out and Bound by Dependency’s letter
(04:56) Pia's No BS Agency Mastery community
(06:08) Transitioning from Facebook to Circle and resetting expectations
(12:33) How Pia developed her star students into leaders and support coaches
(16:37) The compensation model for Pia's community leaders
(17:53) Gracefully handling an issue with a misaligned leader
(23:49) The importance of honesty and transparency within your community
(25:52) Find your ideal vision for your community and work backwards
(27:32) How Pia is scaling her community while maintaining the feeling of intimacy
❤️ . Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.
How do I stop comparing myself to others? With Charmaine Jennings, Founder & CEO of Strategic Charm
Season 2 · Episode 8
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 • Duration 49:49
In this episode, we’re hearing from The Jealous Host. Our letter today deals with a community builder stuck in a comparison spiral, whose insecurities are taking the wheel and making them feel like they're competing with community members and other communities, and falling short.
To better help The Jealous Host, I invited Charmaine Jennings as my guest. Like me, she's no stranger to this conundrum. She founded Hustle + Charm, a supportive in-person community for women and nonbinary entrepreneurs focused on life, business, and career growth.
Since Charmaine was going down a community comparison spiral of her own, and she was brave enough to open up and share her experience with us, we were able to turn this episode into a live coaching session using The Work of Byron Katie.
Tune in for several tools EVERY community builder needs in their toolkit for this good, hard work of community building.
In this episode:
(03:43) The communitea: The Jealous Host’s letter
(06:13) Reframe the feeling of being behind your community members' growth
(13:12) How Bri and Charmaine experience their community comparison spirals
(17:18) Distill the belief created by comparison
(19:21) The Work: four questions to challenge your belief
(27:04) The Work: turn around your belief
(34:28) The value of this inquiry process for navigating your stubborn thoughts
(38:04) The comparison syndrome from Charmaine's standpoint
(39:57) Understand what to focus your energy on with the three types of judgments
(44:56) The impact of inherited bias judgment
How do I turn my beta test into a vibrant, scalable, and sustainable community? With Jac White, Founder of Honeybees Group
Season 2 · Episode 7
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 • Duration 43:54
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
(41:49) Just get started
When and how should I hire someone to help me with my community? With Kristen Pavle, Relational Designer
Season 2 · Episode 6
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 • Duration 40:58
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
(32:00) How you can break into the next level of your community skills
How can I foster peer-to-peer connection & learning in my community without always relying on my guidance? With Diana Davis, Business Coach
Season 2 · Episode 5
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 • Duration 50:36
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
Resources Mentioned:
🧲 Check Diana’s Free Attraction Masterclass: magnetize dream clients with ease and alignment.
How can I effectively couple an online community with an in-person retreat? With Eric Plantenberg, Founder of the Abundant Living Retreat
Season 2 · Episode 4
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 • Duration 53:45
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
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