I had the joy of speaking with Bri Leever, community strategist, CEO of Ember and host of Dear Bri podcast. Bri helps coaches, consultants, and creators design thriving online communities — often paid, but always intentional.
Our Substack Live conversation was full of practical advice on what it actually takes to create spaces where people feel connected and supported.
Don’t Rush Into Building a Community
Bri cautioned against jumping into community offers too quickly. In the first few years of business, most of us are still figuring out who we serve, what our process looks like, and how to deliver consistent results.
“It took me four years to refine my niche. You can’t rush that process.”
Instead of trying to “build the plane while flying it,” she recommends getting grounded in your services first. Once you have clarity and energy, then experiment with community models.
The Four Types of Communities
Bri uses a simple matrix to explain community models:
Education vs. Connection (on one axis)
Free vs. Paid (on the other)
From this, four clear types emerge:
Nurturing Communities (free + education)
Transformative Communities (paid + education)
Engagement Communities (free + connection)
Affinity Communities (paid + connection)
Each type has strengths and challenges. What matters is aligning the model with both your goals and the value your members are seeking.
Audience vs. Community
A key distinction Bri stressed: an audience is one-to-many, but a community is many-to-many.
Substack newsletters, for instance, often lean audience-first. Turning that into true community requires intentionally shifting the focus so members begin interacting with one another, not just with the host.
Simple steps:
Encourage member-led chats and discussions.
Model the kind of sharing you’d like to see.
Create small prompts that gradually build culture.
Recognition Beats Rewards
When it comes to engagement, recognition is more powerful than money. People thrive when their contributions are acknowledged.
That recognition can look like:
Spotlighting members publicly.
Thanking them for consistent contributions.
Inviting them to share their expertise in a session.
Gamification features can help, but Bri emphasized that they only work if they reward behaviors that truly add value to the community.
To learn more about this aspect of community, you can listen to her podcast episode here.
Start With Your Sweet Spot
Bri’s final advice was simple: build the kind of community you actually enjoy running.
If you thrive on events, lean into event series. If content lights you up, start there. If connection is your gift, design systems where members can connect with one another.
Community is a long game. It has to give you life in order to work.