I recently recorded an episode of my Strategic Thinkers Podcast with Kyle Van Deusen as a guest. We were discussing community building, a topic I’m personally invested in as I build my own community. Rather than making it all about me, I wanted to share Kyle’s award-winning experience and insights with entrepreneurs and brand builders.
Our conversation was packed with valuable insights that inspired me to create frameworks addressing the challenges that come with building an online community. I want to share these frameworks with you because I see so many entrepreneurs struggle with creating engaged communities that actually serve their goals.
The Fork in the Road: List vs. Community
One of the biggest takeaways from our discussion was this fundamental distinction:
There’s a huge difference between building a list and building a community.
A list is just people you can sell to. A community is an ecosystem where members engage with each other and find value beyond what you’re selling.
This distinction represents a critical fork in the road for entrepreneurs. Why you’re building your community matters because your efforts must align with your goals to be effective.
With that in mind, I’ve created three pathways and a 3-stage framework that can help whether you’re just starting out or finding yourself on the wrong path. When I create frameworks and strategic solutions, I look for the overlaps and then customize from there.
The Framework: Three Pathways to Community Success
📌 It works for three pathways: ✔ Paid Groups: Monetization-driven with premium experiences. ✔ List-Building: Engagement-focused to warm leads over time. ✔ Community-First: Relationship-driven with long-term organic growth.
Let’s explore how these pathways play out through each phase of community building:
Phase 1: G.R.O.W.™ – Build with Intention Before Scaling
(Gather → Refine → Optimize for Your Goal → Welcome & Protect)
This first phase is about being intentional before you start adding people. There’s a process to it. We can’t simply check a box and think we’re set.
What I learned from Kyle was eye-opening – he only accepts about 40-45% of people who apply to join his community. That might seem extreme, but it has protected the culture he’s building. Kyle chose the Community-First path, but your approach may differ based on your goals.
Before adding members, get clear about:
- Who the community is for (and who it isn’t)
- What kind of experience you want to create
- How you’ll ensure the right people join and engage
Without this intentional design, you risk attracting the wrong members, having unclear guidelines, and ending up with a disengaged audience.
How This Adjusts to Your Path:
If you’re building a Paid Group:
- Gate access to create exclusivity
- Focus on premium experiences that justify the cost
- Establish clear expectations for what members receive
If you’re focused on List-Building:
- Require specific actions before entry (like joining your email list)
- Design engagement that naturally leads toward your offers
- Create value that positions you as the obvious solution
If you’re Community-First:
- Manually approve members to maintain culture
- Prioritize safety and trust above rapid growth
- Create spaces where genuine connections can form
Phase 2: C.O.N.N.E.C.T.™ – Turn Members Into Active Contributors
(Create Belonging → Open Conversations → Nurture Engagement → Normalize Contribution → Elevate Leaders → Cultivate Trust → Turn Engagement into Retention)
If you’re paid group focused you’ll be more of the person on the stage, teaching and providing insights. Your approach to engagement will be a bit different from the stage/pedestal. There’s more of a system and structure that may be in place for access to you than someone with a community-first approach.
Some businesses build their community as a way to provide an extra layer of support via other customers. In those groups responses for support tend to instruct people to create a ticket if it’s not something the group can answer.
What will the path to answers to questions look like within your group? The answer to that question will dictate which path you’d choose to take with this framework.
How This Adjusts to Your Path:
If you’re building a Paid Group:
- Structure engagement with regular Q&As and expert sessions
- Create moments of high value that remind members why they paid
- Develop personal connections that make renewal obvious
If you’re focused on List-Building:
- Use engagement to naturally segue into relevant offers
- Design conversations that reveal pain points you can solve
- Balance giving value with subtle positioning toward your solutions
If you’re Community-First:
- Find and nurture engagement leaders who can sustain conversations
- Create “happy hours” like Kyle did instead of formal webinars
- Implement a strict “no self-promotion” policy to maintain trust
Phase 3: T.H.R.I.V.E.™ – Scale & Monetize Without Losing Quality
(Trust & Culture → Harness Growth → Reinforce Identity → Innovate → Value-Driven Monetization → Expand & Evolve)
Growth should feel natural, not forced. Your timeline for results will play a significant factor in how you proceed with scaling and monetizing your community without compromising quality.
Monetization can take many forms; the path you’ve chosen up to this point will narrow some of the options available to you. If you find they don’t align, then it may be a situation where you have to evaluate if you’re still on the right path and have set the right expectations.
How This Adjusts to Your Path:
If you’re building a Paid Group:
- Create exclusive perks and VIP upgrades for your most engaged members
- Develop tiered offerings that provide clear value at each level
- Use member feedback to develop new premium experiences
If you’re focused on List-Building:
- Design engagement-based upsells that feel like natural next steps
- Segment your community based on interests and engagement levels
- Create clear pathways from free value to paid solutions
If you’re Community-First:
- Allow members to lead initiatives and own parts of the community
- Consider sponsorships over affiliate relationships
- Monetize through products that genuinely solve community problems
Real Talk: It Takes Time (But It’s Worth It)
Regardless of the path you take, there is a responsibility to set realistic expectations and to evaluate and re-evaluate as you make your way. This is why I create milestones. Different stages help serve as checkpoints to make sure you’re not just on the right path but can course-correct if you’ve strayed. This is where the guardrails kick in.
The reward will be different for each individual, but what overlaps is the starting point and the process of setting a goal and taking the necessary steps to achieve and exceed expectations.
The Rewards Based on Your Path:
If you’re building a Paid Group:
- Recurring revenue that you can rely on with your business
- Direct access to an engaged customer base for feedback
- Higher perceived value for your expertise and offerings
If you’re focused on List-Building:
- A steady pool of qualified leads you can reach out to and generate sales
- Better understanding of your audience’s pain points and needs
- More effective targeting for your products and services
If you’re Community-First:
- Sponsorship opportunities from aligned brands
- Word-of-mouth referrals that bring in ideal clients
- Member feedback loops and insights that help with products and services
This G.R.O.W.™, C.O.N.N.E.C.T.™, and T.H.R.I.V.E.™ Framework is an example of my PathMaker™ service, where I create strategic frameworks to help entrepreneurs navigate challenges and optimize their businesses. I provide both comprehensive consulting services and DIY options for those seeking ways to take action and make progress with introductory resources.
Starting Today: Pick Your Path
So what type of community are you building? Ask yourself:
👉 Am I prioritizing revenue, audience-building, or long-term relationships?
There’s no wrong answer here – just be honest about your goals.
One of Kyle’s most powerful insights was about mindset: “There’s a big difference between building a community and building an audience… I would never say ‘my audience’ or ‘my followers’ or ‘my subscribers.’ It’s like, my friends in the group.”
That mindset difference shapes everything about how you approach community building.
What’s Your Experience?
Have you tried building a community? Which of these three pathways resonates most with your goals? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear your thoughts!
And if you’re interested in hearing the full conversation that inspired these frameworks, check out my podcast episode with Kyle Van Deusen on the Strategic Thinkers Podcast.
Remember: Building a real community isn’t about how many members you have—it’s about how many people are truly engaged. Start with intention, foster real connections, and scale smartly. When done right, your community becomes more than just an audience—it becomes an ecosystem that thrives with or without you.
