Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama
Bri Leever, Community Consultant, Strategist, and Founder at Ember.
Welcome to Dear Bri, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama! In each episode, host and community strategist Bri Leever brings on a guest community expert to read and advise on an anonymous letter from a real-life community creator in distress. From online community-building mishaps to community engagement tactics, this podcast will help you master the art of community management by providing oh-so-relatable community stories (in a dramatic retelling) while approaching the issue with sound community strategy and advice.The mission? Helping community creators and community managers feel a little less crazy and a lot less alone. You're in th...
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 wi
Oct 15, 2024 • 53:35
How do I do if a community member is trauma dumping? With Mallory Contois, Head of Community at Mercury
In this episode, we hear from Negativity in New York. Today’s letter deals with the nuanced line between keeping your community positive while making space for people to be honest and real about the struggles they are experiencing.To better help Negativity in New York, I invited Mallory Contois as my guest expert. She has lots to contribute today because as the creator of one of my FAVORITE communities, Old Girls Club — a virtual community for working women with over 1,800 members that’s been ru
Oct 8, 2024 • 43:52
How do I deal with potential conflict in my community that I can see coming? with Carrie Melissa Jones, CEO of the CMJ Group
In this episode, we’re hearing from Hesitant in Honolulu. Our letter today deals with a sensitive subject between two community members and the question of whether to take a proactive approach or not to try to control the potential conflict.To better help Hesitant in Honolulu, I invited Carrie Melissa Jones as my guest expert. She is an award-winning community builder, author, social scientist, and consultant who has worked with large enterprises, foundations, non-profits, and leading brands lik
Oct 1, 2024 • 38:54
How do I bring more diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into my community? with Community Consultant Jae Washington
In this episode, we’re hearing from Hopeful in Houston. Our letter today deals with a community builder who wishes they had better guided their community through diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).To better help Hopeful in Houston, I invited Jae Washington as my guest expert. She is the perfect person to bring us new insights because she is a community consultant, curator, and connector with experience at Zeenefits and as Head of the Global Client Community at Headspace, where sh
Sep 24, 2024 • 42:18
If I build it, how do I make sure they come? with Alli Ball, founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz
In this episode, we’re hearing from Eager Beaver in Baltimore. Our writer today fell into the age-old myth: build it and they will come. Thankfully, they’ve since switched their mindset and realized that it takes a heck of a lot of consistent marketing to get people in their community and would like some advice.To better help Eager Beaver in Baltimore, I invited Alli Ball — founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz — as my guest expert. I literally couldn’t think of a better person for this episode than
Sep 17, 2024 • 56:58
How do I deal with a toxic community member? with Andrea Middleton, Community Empowerment Leader at Reddit
In this episode, we’re hearing from Toxic Member in Toronto. Our letter today deals with a toxic community member stirring up trouble to revolt against the community manager.To better help Toxic Member in Toronto, I invited Andrea Middleton **as my guest expert. She is a seasoned veteran of the community space who loves finding paths to productive and powerful collaborations with opinionated and skeptical communities, which is perfect for our letter today.So, tune in for a lot of wisdom from som
Sep 10, 2024 • 38:06
How do I serve and care for my community while still meeting big business goals? with Jelani Memory, VP & Publisher at DK
In this episode, we’re hearing from Constrained in Columbus. Our letter deals with creating a vibrant and engaged community under the pressure of big business goals.To better help Constrained in Columbus, I invited Jelani Memory **as my guest expert. He’s not our typical guest because he doesn't manage or really consider himself a community creator. But as you will find in this episode he has an incredible amount of insights and wisdom to share with community builders, as he essentially takes a
Sep 3, 2024 • 39:52
What can a community manager do when members become too critical? With Community Director Ami Defesche
In this episode, the inspiration stems from a late-night LinkedIn DM from a distressed community manager handling a tumultuous Discord community. They felt overwhelmed and discouraged by all the suggestions and criticism constantly comming from community members.To better help Discordant on Discord, I invited Ami Defesche as my guest expert. Ami is a community builder with a passion for helping dreamers and doers in small business. She's currently the community director at Wildcard Alliance — an
Aug 27, 2024 • 26:55
Where is the best place to build my community? With Community Strategy Consultant, Noele Flowers
In this episode, we’re hearing from Community in a Conundrum. Our letter today deals with the question of where to host a new community. Specifically, as it relates to Slack and all-in-one platforms like Heartbeat.To better help Community in a Conundrum, I invited Noele Flowers **as my guest expert. No one better to talk about whether or not to host your community on Slack than the Slack-slayer, herself, Noele Flowers. I thought of Noele specifically after reading a newsletter she sent out with
Aug 20, 2024 • 37:00
How do I set boundaries & avoid burnout as a community manager? With Taylor Harrington, Head of Community at Groove
Welcome to The Dear Bri Podcast, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama. In this episode, we’re hearing from Frazzled Fairy-Marketing-Godmother. Our letter today comes from someone who clearly has a big heart for their community, but is also really struggling to draw boundaries.To better help Frazzled Fairy-Marketing-Godmother, I invited Taylor Harrington — Head of Community at Groove— as my guest expert. I knew this letter would be perfect for Taylor because this is a top
Aug 13, 2024 • 45:24
Should I go from cohort-based to a membership community model? With Marie Schacht, CEO of Akimbo
Welcome to The Dear Bri Podcast, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama. In this episode, we’re hearing from Crumbling in Kansas. Our letter today comes from a community manager in the thick of a complete overhaul for the type of community they run. And it has to do with the tension between a cohort-based model and a membership model.To better help Crumbling in Kansas, I invited Marie Schacht — CEO of Akimbo— as my guest expert. I thought of Marie because back when everyon
Aug 13, 2024 • 50:31
Did I just blow my one shot at launching a paid community? With Evan Hamilton, Director of Community at HubSpot
Welcome to The Dear Bri Podcast, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama. In this episode, we’re hearing from Anxious in Atlanta. Our letter today deals with a private networking community. Our letter writer ran a test and now they are wondering how to go from this one-year discovery phase into their launch.To better help Anxious in Atlanta, I invited Evan Hamilton — Director of Community at Hubspot — as my guest expert. He is sharing his strategy, thought process, and take
Aug 13, 2024 • 35:02
