When embarking on building a community, it’s crucial to start small. This approach helps you better understand the best structure for your community and prevents you from overwhelming yourself. 

Additionally, it’s equally important to listen to your members’ needs. I, for instance, shifted my focus to supporting community builders when my audience expressed their interest. When I let go of the idea that I had to provide continuous education, I offered a support call weekly instead. I was amazed. I was doing less work, but the group showed up consistently. 

Before long, this group became a cohort. The same people showed up repeatedly, getting to know each other and supporting each other’s progress. My biggest lesson was that doing a cohort is a lot easier because of the low lift. 

Still, it took time to work out the kinks, which made it harder for me to set a price. Hence, a community with a small beta cohort is an excellent place to start. If you are new to building an online community (and even if you’re not), try a model focused on support more than education. 

What you need to create a beta cohort

A desire to gather others around a topic, interest, or challenge. 

A group of 3-15 people willing to meet consistently for a period, which you can define based on your understanding of the group.

A place to gather can be anything from a coffee shop to a virtual space. 

As you can see, I’m convinced that the better you understand the importance of connection, the better off your venture will be. No matter what type of structure you create, you will need to build relationships. That said, there are many types of structures you can choose from. Here are five that have worked for my clients and me.