Building Strong Communities: Insights and Strategies from Asheville's Top Leaders

Introduction

On June 4th, 2024, AVLmeetup hosted an inspiring event focused on the power of building communities. The featured speakers were Hannah Kitt and Kim Winters from Power of Women, a community that connects and empowers women through personal growth and leadership development, and Ric Pratte from AVL Digital Nomads, a community that brings together remote workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs in the Asheville area.

The event brought together Asheville's movers and shakers to discuss the importance of community-building and its impact on personal and professional growth. The speakers shared their unique perspectives on how they identified a need for community, took action to create it, and overcame obstacles along the way.

Connecting the Dots: From Lead Generation to Community-Building

Last month, Jordan Lockaby, one of the top-performing real estate agents in the area, shared her secret to success: building a strong community. This month's topic delves deeper into the concept of community-building and how it can be a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.

The Birth and Evolution of AVLmeetup

AVLmeetup has come a long way since its inception in January 2021. With a mission to "host the party" and bring together Asheville's top leaders and innovators, the organization has featured an impressive 76 speakers to date. As our community grew, founders Rodrigo Afanador and Zac Ruiz faced challenges and sought guidance through coaching. They quickly outgrew our free systems and invested in more robust tools and infrastructure to support the growing needs of our members.

Having gone through these growing pains, AVLmeetup sought the expertise of experienced community builders to share their insights and strategies for creating thriving communities. This month's event featured Hannah Kitt and Kim Winters from Power of Women and Ric Pratte from AVL Digital Nomads, who brought their unique perspectives and lessons learned to our stage.

Insights from the Panel

Hannah Kitt: Surround Yourself with Experienced Mentors

Hannah emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have already achieved what you aspire to do. She shared a personal story about seeking guidance from Kim Winters, who had built a successful business while raising five children. "I called Kim because, in my mind, she had built a massive empire in lending, and she's also the mom of five. So I'm like, okay, well, Kim's done it. I only have two kids," Hannah shared. Kim's advice and support helped Hannah navigate the challenges of being a CEO and a mother, demonstrating the power of connecting with experienced mentors.

Actionable Insight: Identify successful individuals in your community who have achieved goals similar to yours. Reach out to them and request an informational interview or mentoring session. Come prepared with specific questions and be open to their advice and guidance.

Ric Pratte: Building Friendships Through Community

Ric's motivation for starting AVL Digital Nomads was simple: he wanted to make friends. "I've been working remote for a long time. I'm a software entrepreneur, and when my wife and I came here, I was looking for friends," Ric shared. In just three years, his community has grown to an impressive 2,800 members. Ric attributes this success to being intentional about creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that fosters genuine connections.

Actionable Insight: When building your community, prioritize creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Implement strategies such as personalized welcome messages, icebreaker activities, and member spotlights to encourage interaction and relationship-building among members.

Evolving with Your Community

Both Power of Women and AVL Digital Nomads have evolved over time as they noticed how their members responded to different initiatives. "We quickly realized that all women were hungry for this. It might be a stay-at-home mom, it might be somebody who's completely in a different industry altogether," Kim shared, emphasizing how their community grew beyond their initial target audience of women in real estate.

Ric also noted the importance of adapting to the needs of his community members. "We couldn't just do social events all the time. We found other ways to reach different sets of people with different interests, like book clubs, small events, big events, and topical events around AI, marketing, and more," he explained.

The speakers emphasized the importance of being flexible and adaptable while staying true to your core values and mission.

Actionable Insight: Regularly survey your community members to gather feedback on your initiatives and overall direction. Analyze engagement metrics to identify which types of content and activities resonate most with your audience. Use this data to inform your decision-making and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Drawing Inspiration from Literature

Hannah and Kim cited the book "Wolfpack" by Abby Wambach as a significant source of inspiration for their community-building efforts. "That book talks about the importance of a tribe and that, although it wasn't a framework around building a community, it was inspiration to create the community," Hannah shared.

Actionable Insight: Create a reading list or book club for your community, focusing on titles that align with your values and mission. Encourage members to read and discuss these books together, sharing their insights and applying the lessons to your community-building efforts.

Establishing Clear Boundaries

When building a community, it's essential to establish clear boundaries and guidelines. For Kim and Hannah, this meant creating a women-only space. Ric emphasized the importance of avoiding old-school business networking and pitching, instead focusing on fostering genuine connections and relationships. "We didn't want press the flesh, here's my business card, let me sell you something. No, we're here to make friends," Ric explained.

Actionable Insight: Develop a clear set of community guidelines that outline acceptable behavior, content, and interactions. Share these guidelines prominently on your website or platform, and enforce them consistently to maintain a safe and inclusive environment for all members.

Learning from Failures

The speakers also shared some of their failed initiatives, such as Kim and Hannah's website issues. "Our website is not working right now, and as a bootstrapping company, here we are on this stage, and we want as many women here as possible to be involved, and we don't have a website to send you to," Hannah shared. They emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences and investing in quality resources and support.

Actionable Insight: When launching new initiatives or projects for your community, start with a minimum viable product (MVP) approach. Test your idea with a small group of members and gather feedback before investing significant time or resources. If an initiative fails, conduct a thorough post-mortem to identify areas for improvement and apply those lessons to future endeavors.

Looking to the Future

As for what's next, Kim and Hannah plan to expand Power of Women beyond Asheville, creating chapters in other cities and even exploring the possibility of going global. They recognize the importance of creating a strong infrastructure and support system to facilitate this growth, including developing a comprehensive chapter onboarding process and providing ongoing training and resources to chapter leaders.

Ric is focused on improving systems and processes to support AVL Digital Nomads' continued growth. This includes implementing a more robust member management platform, automating repetitive tasks, and creating a library of resources and best practices for remote work and digital nomadism. He also aims to increase the community's involvement in community service, partnering with local organizations to create volunteer opportunities and give back to the Asheville area.

Both communities are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and are committed to creating even more opportunities for connection, growth, and impact. They encourage aspiring community builders to start small, focus on providing value to members, and remain open to feedback and iteration as they grow.

Actionable Insight: As you plan for the future of your community, break down your vision into specific, measurable goals. Develop a roadmap that outlines the steps needed to achieve each goal, and assign responsibilities and deadlines to ensure progress. Regularly review and adjust your plan based on member feedback and changing circumstances.

The Impact of Community-Building

Building a community has had a profound impact on the speakers' lives. For Hannah, it has changed her life and positioned her as a leader and empowerer of women. Kim has found that she can now reach out to other women and receive a positive response, thanks to the relationships she's built through Power of Women.

Ric shared, "I have a shitload of friends. It's a diverse group of interesting people. The conversations, the friendships that not only I have, but I know everyone else has, really energizes me." The connections he's made through AVL Digital Nomads have enriched his life and opened up new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Actionable Insight: As a community leader, take the time to reflect on the personal and professional impact your community has had on your life. Share your story with your members and encourage them to do the same. Celebrate the connections, achievements, and transformations that have occurred as a result of your community-building efforts.

Key Takeaways and Resources

Throughout the event, the speakers shared valuable insights and resources for those looking to build their own communities:

• "The Platinum Rule" book, recommended by Ric, emphasizes the importance of treating others how they want to be treated.
• "Wolfpack" by Abby Wambach, cited by Hannah and Kim, explores the power of a tribe and supporting one another.
• The speakers are most excited about expanding their communities across the US and improving their systems and processes.
• Hannah's advice: Don't let the existence of other groups deter you from starting your own. There is plenty of room for more communities and connections.

Conclusion

The AVLmeetup event provided a wealth of insights and inspiration for anyone looking to build a strong, vibrant community. By surrounding yourself with experienced mentors, being intentional about creating a welcoming environment, and staying adaptable while true to your values, you can create a community that enriches lives and fosters meaningful connections.

Whether you're starting a community from scratch or looking to grow an existing one, the actionable insights shared by Hannah, Kim, and Ric can help guide your efforts. From seeking mentorship and prioritizing member relationships to establishing clear boundaries and learning from failures, these strategies can be applied to communities of all types and sizes.

As Hannah shared, "There are already many groups, but don't let that stop you. There is plenty of room for more groups." So, if you're passionate about bringing people together and making a positive impact, take the first step today. Start small, focus on providing value, and remain open to feedback and growth as you build your community.

To learn more about AVLmeetup and stay updated on future events, be sure to follow us on social media, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out our podcast. By connecting with like-minded individuals and learning from experienced community builders, you'll be well on your way to creating a thriving community of your own.