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“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

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Bri Leever

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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

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Bri Leever

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Here’s what I know after designing and building 79 online communities in the past 6 years alone…

Before you pick a platform, price your offer, or map out your curriculum, there’s one thing you need to do first: have 10 real conversations with potential members.

In this episode of Dear Bri, I break down what’s really driving the rise of communities, how to validate your idea before you build anything, and the 3-part framework I use to determine whether a community is right for your business (read: will succeed long-term).

If you’ve been feeling pulled toward community but unsure if it’s the right move, this episode will give you clarity.

And if you’re asking questions like:

Should I start a community for my business?

Will people pay to be a part of a community?

Or, is it too late to launch a community?

Then this episode is for you.

⏳ Timestamps

00:00:00 | Introduction to season 3: Community strategy

00:01:11 | The right time to build a community

00:04:46 | Is a community right for your business?

00:05:15 | The one question NOT to ask

00:08:15 | Real examples of community strategy in action

00:10:57 | How to find your sweet spot [Framework]

📌 Resources Mentioned

Tapestry Community Case Study: https://www.emberconsulting.co/post/case-study-how-molly-mahar-and-stratejoy-built-a-thriving-member-led-community-on-heartbeat

Discovery Guide: https://calendly.com/bri-15/the-community-audit-clone

Season 3 Episode 1: What community model is right for my business?

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I know predictable recurring revenue sounds awesome, and a membership community is usually the first idea that comes to mind… But if you’re not familiar with community strategy and design, you can easily spend months (or years!) building the wrong type of community for your business — and then wondering what you’re doing wrong when results don’t follow.

Or maybe you’ve past that and now feeling stuck trying to find new members, struggling with engagement, or endlessly planning without launching.

In this episode of Dear Bri, we kick off Season 3 with a powerful framework that will completely change how you think about community building.

I’m sharing a simple (but game-changing) matrix I spent the past decade refining. It is designed to help you identify the right type of community for your business because most communities don’t fail from lack of effort… they fail from misalignment.

You’ll learn why copying someone else’s community model is a fast track to frustration, the key difference between an audience and a community, and the biggest mistake people make when trying to balance education and connection inside a community.

If you’re thinking about launching a paid community in 2026, or fixing one that isn’t working, this episode is your starting point. Do not skip it.

⏳ Timestamps

00:00:00 | Introduction to season 3: Community strategy

00:02:19 | The fastest way to build the WRONG community

00:04:17 | Your community vs. your audience

00:05:23 | The community strategy matrix [Framework]

00:07:42 | Imagine your ideal community member

00:08:50 | The one myth I’ll bust right now

00:11:03 | Full recap

📌 Resources Mentioned

4 Types of Community - The Masterclass: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/775267/185716772091987335/share

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Bri Leever

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Community strategy is hard enough without having to pick between 50 different tools. If you’ve ever stared down the long list of platform options—Circle, Heartbeat, Mighty Networks, Skool, Kajabi, and more—and thought, "How do I even choose?", this episode is your clarity compass.

In this special panel format of Dear Bri, we go beyond surface-level platform comparison and get into the real talk. Join four veteran builders—Candice Grobler (Circle), Starlight Mundy (Mighty Networks), Mike Phillips (Heartbeat), and Duncan Rogoff (Skool)—as they share what they love, what drives them bonkers, and how each platform supports (or sabotages) their community management efforts.

If you're looking to build a thriving online community but feel stuck at the starting line, this episode delivers honest reviews, platform strategies, and key decision-making tips—direct from experienced community architects who have tried them all.

Whether you're craving customization, chasing simplicity, or getting serious about member onboarding, this episode is a must-listen.

⏳ Timestamps:

00:00:00 | Introducing our community builders: Candice, Starlight, Mike, and Duncan

00:07:48 | Which community platform is the best?

00:13:12 | Favorite features: Heartbeat’s AI made Mike mad!

00:36:51 | Is Skool's simplicity a good thing or a bad thing?

00:38:34 | Are Circle and Mighty Networks too complex?

00:44:46 | Community building in the AI era: what are the skills we'll need in the future?

01:03:40 | Member onboarding: How each platform approaches it

01:12:08 | Final words: what real builders wish every community leader knew

Resources Mentioned:

▶️ Watch this live panel on YouTube.

🗒️ See a complete resources list here.

✅ Download my complete Community Platform Comparison Guide.

💛Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

Bri Leever

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And before you go…

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

💚 Leave a review on Spotify

That helps the podcast more than you know and I deeply appreciate it. 🙏

Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.

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In this episode, we’re hearing from Walking on Eggshells. Our letter today is from a community builder who wants to know how we can bridge the political gap in our families and communities when it all feels so impossibly polarized.

To better help Walking on Eggshells, I invited the director and producer of the documentary Join or Die, Rebecca Davis, as my guest. This feature-length documentary is a commentary on the decline of social capital in the US over the last two decades and its implications for democracy.

It can be scary and despairing to bear witness to the quickly growing divides in our society. I don’t need to sit around your Thanksgiving table to know most of our attempts at conversations result in more disconnect than repair.

Thankfully, this episode will leave you filled with hope, excitement, and an actual game plan to start bringing us out of these dark times, one small step at a time. So, be sure to tune into this spectacular conversation with one of the few people who has studied it in tremendous depth.

In this episode:

(03:00) Meet Rebecca Davis and her documentary, Join or Die

(04:44) Why the word “community” is absent from the film

(07:28) The actual outcome of connection

(09:26) The communitea: Walking on Eggshells’ letter

(11:25) A counterintuitive solution for healing the political divides

(14:04) Why digital spaces and conversations aren't working

(17:26) How purely social clubs can easily build power and start creating change

(21:05) The very political history of women only book clubs

(23:03) How groups both impact and reflect society

(24:14) Rebecca's journey from covering worsening symptoms to highlighting the root cause

(27:37) How to build a loyal and engaged community instead of just an audience

(32:27) Make sure your community tools and design deliver on the community promise

(35:11) Is it unethical to charge for community membership?

(41:29) The simplest data-backed thing you can start doing now to bridge the gap

Resources Mentioned:

🗒️ See a complete resources list here.

📺 Watch the full documentary on Netflix.

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

Rebecca Davis

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Bri Leever

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Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.

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In the second episode of this two-part Solo Series, we’re hearing from Hungry for Good Advice. Our letter today deals with  a community creator who's looking for some tips to set up their community platform right the first time.

Over the last five years, Bri has partnered with dozens of clients and community members to select the right community platform for them and to avoid some of the most common pitfalls related to the setup process. She is exploring all possible angles and sharing what you can do to avoid each pitfall.

In this episode:

(03:12) The communitea: Hungry for Good Advice’s letter

(04:39) #1 Beware the freemium model

(12:05) Don't turn your community into both the product and the funnel

(13:35)  The free trial fiasco

(15:59) Debunking the belief that it's morally wrong to charge for community

(17:53) #2 Keep it simple, sweetheart

(19:33) Leverage your channels and spaces with engaging words and the right size

(22:23) Avoid the great mistake of introducing friction

(24:22) #3 Develop a plan for leadership early on

Resources Mentioned:

📩 Community building from scratch? Check out my email drip series with 4 Foundational Strategies for Beginning Building.

🔥 Catch up with Part 1 of this Solo Series

🎧 Continue the discussion about a free community that leads to a paid one with Dear Bri Episode 8 with Alli Ball.

🎙️Fiasco of the two-week trial in Dear Bri Episode 17 with Diana Davis.

📺 Watch Bri's FREE masterclass to learn the 4 Types of Communities

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators.

Bri Leever

🖥️ Website

📹 Youtube

📱LinkedIn

Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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In the first episode of this two-part Solo Series, we’re hearing from Studio Dreamer. Our letter today deals with a community creator who is ready to build a proper home for their paid community but is unsure which all-in-one platform best suits their community goals.

This is one of the most common questions Bri gets from clients. In fact, over the last five years, she has partnered with dozens of clients and community members to select the right community platform for them and to avoid some of the most common pitfalls related to the process.

So, tune in for the information that will help you make the right choice for you. Bri is providing a broad overview of the five most common community platforms, including her two favorites, which are the ones where she's seen the most successful communities take off.

In this episode:

(00:31) The communitea: Studio Dreamer’s letter

(02:54) What to expect from today's special solo episode

(05:08) The definition of an all-in-one community platform

(06:54) Deep dive into Mighty Networks

(08:49) Deep dive into Skool

(12:06) Deep dive into Honeycommb

(16:43) Deep dive into Circle

(23:56) Deep dive into Heartbeat, where Bri built her Ember community

(27:43) Three main differences between Circle and Heartbeat

Tune into next week's Dear Bri Episode 25 for  the top three mistakes that people make when setting up their community platform.

Resources:

🔥 Build your community right. Book a discovery call with Bri

📺 Watch Bri's  more detailed Community Platform Comparisons on YouTube.

🎧 Catch up with Dear Bri Episode 4 with Noele Flowers, where we talk about  building on Slack versus in an all-in-one community platform.

🎙️ Listen to Dear Bri Episode 12 with Murtaza Bambot, the CEO at Heartbeat.

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

Bri Leever

🖥️ Website

📩 Newsletter

📹 Youtube

Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.