Community is the Business

Community is at the heart of everything I do. To be community-led is to have community at the center of our decisions. We cannot be truly community-led unless our business decisions are aligned with the community.

This is my thesis. And it’s easier said than done.

It’s why I call myself a ‘Community Executive Officer’. I’m a CEO led by the community. I listen, respect and am inspired by the people. It doesn’t mean I do what they tell me. It means I act with care and ethics.

I know decisions at the top ultimately impact the community and the business. This is why I say Community is the Business. It is not to be confused with the Business of Community.

Let’s explore!

💙 How do community-led companies get it wrong?

Is community really at the heart of everything we do? We want to believe it is, but mostly it isn’t.

We got influenced by the (pandemic) hype and tried to create connection. Mostly we missed the mark on being truly community-led.

The reality is that combining the world of community and business is harder than we realize. Perhaps we are asking too much of businesses to exist with a community culture?

And that’s when we end up with the vibe of “community-led until the going gets tough”.