Welcome to Dear Bri, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama! In each episode, host and community strategist Bri Leever invites a guest community expert to respond to an anonymous letter from a real-life community creator in distress.From online community-building mishaps to community engagement tactics gone awry, this podcast delivers relatable stories and sound community strategy for navigating the chaos of digital communities—all with empathy, expertise, and a touch of drama.The mission? Helping community managers and community creators feel a little less crazy and a lot less alone while building thriving brand communities.You're in the right place if you are...🐣 Community Curious:Creators or brands exploring the benefits of a community-powered business. Learn the fundamentals of community strategy for online businesses, and discover how to build an online community from scratch.🐥 Community Hatchlings:Newcomers to community building seeking guidance and
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Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 35 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
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Episode #7
How to Grow Your Community Without Hustling Harder
Jul 21, 202619 minS3
Send us Fan Mail One of the biggest fears community builders have is launching a community and hearing… crickets. No members. No engagement. No momentum. But after years of building communities for both my own business and my clients, I’ve learned that sustainable community growth isn’t about chasing more tactics, spending more on ads, or trying every marketing strategy you see online. You grow your community by focusing on the right foundations, the right funnel, and the right data. In this final episode of Dear Bri Season 3, I’m breaking down the exact framework I use to help communities attract new members consistently. We’ll walk through the three stages of a community marketing funnel, the biggest mistakes people make when trying to grow their membership, and a simple prospecting audit you can use to identify exactly where your growth is getting stuck. I’m also sharing a real client example that demonstrates how a small shift in positioning and offer design increased conversion rates from 17% to 61%. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00:00 | The fear every community builder shares 00:01:57 | The foundations every community needs before growth 00:04:14 | Community marketing funnel stage 1: Awareness 00:06:07 | Community marketing funnel stage 2: Nurture 00:07:39 | Community marketing funnel stage 3: The Close 00:10:09 | A real community growth case study 00:13:11 | How to run a prospecting audit [Framework] 00:15:31 | Full recap Resources Mentioned Leveraging Other Communities for Growth: https://www.emberconsulting.co/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-leveraging-your-presence-in-other-communities-for-business-growth Ideablossoms: https://ideablossoms.com/ Recalibration Intensive: https://www.emberconsulting.co/growth-strategy-for-community-builders 4 Types of Community - The Masterclass: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/775267/185716772091987335/share Book Your Discovery Call Today: https://www.emberconsulting.co/book-call Hire a Skilled Community Manager: https://tally.so/r/w5gjZo Episodes Mentioned S3E1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SvqnZJojTo&t=4s S3E2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP2NhaT03QM S3E3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUntLq70AiM&t=253s S3E4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz_qkyCCxNQ S3E5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COoUA5iRZEU&t=18s S3E6: https://youtu.be/gRr3Ybv_XPI?si=AJK5RuOMJTkaJdS7 More from Bri Leever: ️ Website Newsletter Youtube LinkedIn
Great Community Engagement Starts With Asking a Different Question
Jul 14, 202618 minS3
Send us Fan Mail Engagement isn't something that happens organically. It's something you design for. In this episode of Dear Bri, we're diving into one of the most misunderstood topics in community building: engagement. Most community owners focus on tactics, posting more content, creating discussion prompts, or trying to motivate members, but those solutions often miss the real issue. Drawing on BJ Fogg's habit-formation research, I walk you through the two hidden forces that influence member behavior in every online community. You'll learn how both affect participation, why members often stop engaging without realizing why, and how small design decisions can dramatically change community outcomes. Finally, I'll share the three-question Community Engagement Recipe I use to diagnose and improve engagement issues in any community, no matter its size or business model. If you're tired of posting into the void, wondering why your members aren't participating, or looking for a more strategic approach to community engagement, this episode is for you. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00:00 | Why "How do I get engagement?" is the wrong question 00:02:23 | The question you should ask instead 00:02:59 | Why community engagement is a design problem 00:03:42 | BJ Fogg's habit formation model and how that translates into digital community design 00:07:13 | A real community engagement case study 00:11:57 | The Community Engagement Recipe [Framework] 00:15:52 | Full recap 📌 Resources Mentioned S3E1: https://youtu.be/6SvqnZJojTo 4 Types of Community - The Masterclass: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/775267/185716772091987335/share 52 Prompts for Engagement: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/775267/151824965371429968/share Designing for Great Engagement Miniseries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA_cxyCo_r0&list=PLOOwTnL2Q6sY84bv-3McIQWfygPwIpv2r&index=3 Book Your Discovery Call Today Hire a Skilled Community Manager Bri Leever 🖥️ Website 📩 Newsletter 📹 Youtube 📱 LinkedIn
How much should I charge for my membership community? I don’t want to blow it!
Jul 7, 202619 minS3
Send us Fan Mail Pricing your community isn’t just about revenue. It shapes the kind of members you attract, how they engage, and whether your community actually creates transformation. In this episode of Dear Bri, I’m breaking down the biggest myths around community pricing and why common strategies like free trials, low-ticket memberships, and tiered entry points often backfire. Because when pricing isn’t aligned with your community strategy, it can quietly erode the energy, retention, and results inside your space. I also walk you through the “pricing compass” framework I use with clients to help them confidently choose a price point that aligns with their business model, their goals, and the transformation they want members to experience. You’ll learn why low prices don’t always lower the barrier to entry, how membership tiers can accidentally create disengaged lurkers, and the one question you should ask before designing any offer or onboarding experience. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00:00 | Why community pricing matters more than you think 00:01:08 | Myth #1: Free trials get people in the door 00:02:29 | Myth #2: A lower price point will be easier to sell 00:03:45 | Myth #3: Start with a lower tier and members will upgrade 00:08:18 | Introducing the “pricing compass” [Framework] 00:12:00 | Monthly vs quarterly vs annual pricing 00:13:32 | The question that changes everything 00:15:37 | Full recap 📌 Resources Mentioned Episode with Diana Davis: https://www.emberconsulting.co/post/17-creating-a-community-that-doesn-t-rely-on-you-with-diana-davis 4 Types of Community - The Masterclass: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/775267/185716772091987335/share Book Your Discovery Call Today Hire a Skilled Community Manager Bri Leever 🖥️ Website 📩 Newsletter 📹 Youtube 📱 LinkedIn
My freemium community isn’t working… Did I do something wrong?
Jun 30, 202615 minS3
Send us Fan Mail “Start with a free community, then upsell people into your paid offer.” Sounds smart, right? It’s one of the most common community growth strategies out there, and in this episode of Dear Bri, I’m explaining why it usually backfires. I break down the biggest flaw in the freemium community model, why mixing your audience and alumni in the same space creates confusion instead of connection, and what actually drives engagement inside a paid community. You’ll also hear real client examples, including how one nonprofit community generated 78 paying members in its first two weeks by offering people a “taste” of the experience instead of unlimited free access. If you’ve been wondering whether your community should be free or paid, how to structure your offer ecosystem, or why your community engagement feels flat, this episode will help you rethink your strategy before you build the wrong thing. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00:00 | Why Freemium Communities Rarely Work 00:01:15 | The Problem With Mixing Alumni and Audience 00:04:18 | The Myth: Understanding Good Community Strategy 00:05:14 | Charging for Community Changes Member Behavior 00:07:34 | Replace Your Freemium Strategy with This [Framework] 00:10:37 | Full Recap 📌 Resources Mentioned Join the email list: https://www.emberconsulting.co/newsletter Ligare Case Study: https://www.emberconsulting.co/post/case-study-launching-a-thriving-membership-community-on-heartbeat-from-idea-to-78-members-in 4 Types of Community - The Masterclass: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/775267/185716772091987335/share S3E5 How much should I charge for my membership community? Season 1 episode with Alli Ball: https://www.emberconsulting.co/post/if-i-build-it-how-do-i-make-sure-they-come-with-alli-ball-founder-ceo-of-food-biz-wiz Book Your Discovery Call Today Hire a Skilled Community Manager Bri Leever 🖥️ Website 📩 Newsletter 📹 Youtube 📱 LinkedIn
What’s the BEST community platform to build my membership in 2026?
Jun 23, 202616 minS3
Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever found yourself deep in the rabbit hole of comparing community platforms, you’re certainly not alone. From feature lists to demos to endless reviews, it feels like the right decision is just one more comparison away. But more research won’t solve your problem, a better strategy will. In this episode of Dear Bri, I break down why so many business owners get stuck in what I call “platform paralysis” and how to finally move forward with confidence. Instead of obsessing over features, I’m sharing the 3 questions I ask every client before we even look at platforms — because choosing the right tool has way more to do with your community model, risk tolerance, and how you like to operate than any “all-in-one” promise. I’ll also give you a simple, honest breakdown of the most popular community platforms (including Circle, Mighty Networks, Heartbeat, and Skool) so you can start to see which direction might actually fit your business. If you’ve been stuck trying to choose a platform or worried about making the wrong decision, this episode will help you take the first step forward. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00:00 | How to choose the right community platform 00:01:59 | The real reason people get stuck (platform paralysis) 00:03:54 | 3 Questions to ask before choosing a platform [Framework] 00:06:24 | The 2 distinct philosophies in the community platform world 00:07:57 | Platform breakdown: Circle, Mighty Networks, Heartbeat, Skool 00:11:49 | Full recap 📌 Resources Mentioned Season 3 Episode 1: What community model is right for my business? Season 3 Episode 2: How do I know a community is right for my business? Circle vs Heartbeat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnNZ5KZAszM Skool vs Circel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHgJ_3YaZro Community Platform Comparisons Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOOwTnL2Q6sY2nm2p0OdI0nZ0hg9i5AdF Book Your Discovery Call Today Hire a Skilled Community Manager Bri Leever 🖥️ Website 📩 Newsletter 📹 Youtube 📱 LinkedIn
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