I started writing a newsletter under the name Business of Community in 2020. The thesis was and is that if we highlighted the ways to build profitable small businesses around community, we could make it possible for more connection to happen in the world.

The newsletter name eventually turned into the name of the company that held all our offers and services: consulting, courses, events, and the community.

I believe that building a strong business is the best way to secure longevity for your community, not burn out, and get paid well for connecting people.

The name said what I meant. But it never felt like it spoke to the spirit of what we were really up to.

The communities we help are almost always doing something unexpected and full of joy. They end up also being great businesses, but they lead with their enthusiasm, nerdiness, and love for bringing people together.

The business side of communities is the how, but the why of what we’re trying to do is much bigger. It’s about supporting incredible leaders to build environments that give humans permission to be their full selves and show up for each other.

Leading with the business part in “Business of Community” felt like it left out a lot of the magic. The name wasn’t an opinion, it was a description.

So we’ve changed our name to something that encompasses the opinionated, trickster nature of what we’re up to… Friendly Nooks.

I wish I had a long story about how this name was strategically chosen, but I don’t even remember how it happened. It just felt right immediately and has felt right each time I’ve shared it with others for the last 2 years.

It reminds me of being a little girl tinkering under the stairs. Of proudly inviting friends over for dinner in my first tiny NYC apartment. Of sitting under a tree with an old friend.

The image of Friendly Nooks conjures the perfect metaphor for what the community builders I know are trying to create in the world. It’s playful and a little mysterious, but makes perfect sense if you know anything about our business.

It feels big enough to encompass our vision and specific enough to speak to the kinds of values-driven community people we want to continue working with.

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Our philosophies

With a new name, we thought it was a great opportunity to recommit to what we believe and make our hot takes explicit.

We worked with Brandy Cerne to put together a new set of brand philosophies that inform our point of view. Here they are:

Community = Growth 🌱
​Gathering with others is rooted in our desire for growth. Connection is about finding companions for the journey towards the world we want to live in.

Calm Ambition 🏔
​You’re in this for all the seasons, not just one. The best way to build a long-term business and community is to aim for a balance between calm and ambition.

Small is All 🐜
​Go deeper with fewer humans. We should spend more time in small, curated online and IRL spaces, instead of social media.

Progress > Perfection 🎨
​Imperfection is the glue of connection. Making your work visible makes you feel human and is a permission slip for others to show up as themselves.

We think of these as actionable expressions of our values. They will inform business decisions, help us focus, and serve as an invitation to the right clients who resonate with our POV.

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Where we’re going from here

The process of rebranding has been about a lot more than just a new logo. In fact, the logo and visuals are what we spent the least amount of time on so far in this process.

I saw the process as an opportunity to clarify what we stand for, recommit to what we believe, and what we will prioritize from now on. It changed me as a leader, refocused our team, and shifted our upcoming priorities.

Here’s what we’re excited to double down on:

Building a big business​
We’re doing something pretty special and not only is it so fun, but it’s also a huge opportunity for our team, our customers, and their community members.

We see the impact that we can create if we commit to growing thoughtfully. We’ve never been more ready for it.

Narrowing the focus​
Since we started in 2020, we’ve tried a lot of models. We’re now confident in our strengths. We’ve refined our processes and know what works.

To go bigger, we’re narrowing our offers and doubling down on the magical experiences that have gotten the best response.

Way more collabs​
Having an ethos of community is about bringing in new voices, different opinions, and expertise. I’ve always known this in theory, but in the past, I haven’t brought others into the fold as much as I would have liked.

But something clicked a few months ago as we planned the year. I’m now really looking forward to partnering with more and more great people whether that be through collaborative events, working together on projects, or as part of our team.

I want to make partnership a core part of how we do everything.

Showing up​
Bringing more people into the fold opens up more of my time for growth.

I’m looking forward to hosting more events, creating more YouTube videos (I’ve only ever made one), and posting and connecting more across the internet. Also hosting more IRL events and workshops for community builders in NY.

It feels like it’s time to consistently share what we’re learning while growing our audience and business.

So much more to come! In the next few weeks and months, you’ll see these changes begin to take shape.

Thank you for being a part of this journey, fellow friendly nook builder. ✨

I just posted on LinkedIn about how my community builder origin story (and maybe yours?) relates to the way we create "friendly nooks". Would love to hear yours.

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A quote to ponder on a walk around the block...

"Small is good, small is all. (The large is a reflection of the small.)
Change is constant. (Be like water.)" — adrienne maree brown, Emergent Strategy

PS. A reminder that we're hosting a free event on Scaling Community next week with Tony Bacigalupo (a collab!). Sign up here.

The Business of Community helps people get paid for the work of bringing more connection to the world. We do that by helping community founders build profitable small businesses that are engines of connection and belonging. If that message resonates with you, consider forwarding this to a friend and spreading the word. ⭐️