Community Building Rulebook: A 2025 Guide for Consumer Brands
- Maxim Razmakhin
- Jan 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 29
The concept of community is as old as humanity itself, yet in our digital age, it feels both omnipresent and fragile. Are communities thriving in new forms or eroding under the weight of social media and commercialization?
In a lively Jeffersonian lunch with NYC-based entrepreneurs, community organizers, influencers, and brand builders, we explored the complexities of modern communities, debating how they’ve changed and whether brands should participate in existing communities or build their own.
Redefining Community
Before our discussion began, we grappled with how to define community. The concept has transformed significantly, encompassing diverse forms that didn’t exist a few decades ago, including anonymous platforms to global networks.
The Digital Paradox: Connected Yet Alone?
As one participant noted, “Social media makes us feel connected, but in reality, we’re often more isolated than ever.” While digital platforms have revolutionized how groups form, enabling people to connect with like-minded individuals globally, they often create an illusion of closeness. People report feeling isolated despite maintaining hundreds of online connections.
Consider gaming and Discord groups: though highly engaged online, these connections rarely transfer to real life. Anonymous platforms like Reddit can give voice to previously silent groups, but they can also foster negative behavior like bullying that increases isolation, particularly among younger users.
AI Communities: Friend or Foe?
The meteoric rise of AI agents, capable of human-like conversation, brings new complexity to our understanding of community. People increasingly form emotional bonds with AI characters, creating a false sense of connection. While these interactions may provide temporary comfort, they highlight our deep need for authentic communities that technology can simulate but never fully replace. Even if it could, doesn’t mean it should.
That said, there’s a case to be made that AI could help those struggling to integrate with society take their first steps toward re-engaging with others. It could serve as a bridge, preparing individuals for real human interaction. However, the critical question remains: will AI companies prioritize what’s best for human well-being, or will a potential misalignment of maximizing profits derail good intentions? I’d strongly argue we may see a repeat of the pitfalls of social networks. Social media was designed to bring us closer to friends and family, yet it inadvertently isolated us.
Current connections with social media influencers remain largely one-directional: they talk to you, and you listen. The next phase of social media might enable two-way conversations, just not with humans.
I imagine a world of communities filled with AI influencers that adapt to individual personalities, maintaining tailored engagement. These AI personas could ask questions, send DMs, and share jokes, news, and articles they know you’d like. This evolution appears increasingly inevitable, which terrifies me personally.
Large-Scale Communities: The Scale-Intimacy Paradox?
Do communities lose their essence as they expand? Larger groups naturally lose intimacy and personalization. Burning Man, for instance, has transformed from a niche gathering into a massive event, diluting some of its original communal spirit. However, within this expansion, smaller, invite-only Facebook groups help retain deeper bonds.
The Challenge of Exclusive Communities
Exclusive communities often struggle with managing growth. Take Soho House, for example. Originally known for its carefully curated creative membership, its expansion alienated many founding members who believed new members no longer aligned with the club’s original goal. Restoring the original status is extremely difficult, so once it’s lost, it’ll likely never recover.
The Power of Participation: Active vs. Passive Communities
Don’t underestimate passive communities. They often wild surprising influence. Tesla owners connecting on a 3.3-million-member subreddit or chatting at charging stations may engage less actively, but these interactions create meaningful belonging.
In contrast, parenting circles or fitness communities actively foster mutual support networks. Members readily help other members who are total strangers without expecting anything in return. While these groups may not match the scale of passive communities, they often create deeper connections.
Case Study: Taylor Swift’s Community Impact
Taylor Swift’s fanbase exemplifies the profound impact of participatory engagement on a massive scale. Her followers transcend passive admiration, forming an interconnected network driven by a shared passion. This community-driven enthusiasm has achieved tangible results, from influencing re-releases of her albums to impacting national economies (Swiftonomics). Taylor Swift’s success demonstrates how participatory groups can spark both action and cultural change.
Communities in the Hybrid Era
The Remote Work Challenge
Remote work has fundamentally altered workplace dynamics, making it harder for work communities to form organically (even in places like NYC). Without shared physical spaces like offices and break rooms, employees miss spontaneous interactions and the camaraderie that naturally develops in person. This shift demands intentional efforts to facilitate meaningful connections in remote settings.
The Promise of Coworking Companies
Shared office spaces offer a perfect solution, serving as hubs for innovation, collaboration, and networking. Unlike traditional offices, these spaces promise interactions between individuals who might never cross paths otherwise, creating ecosystems where members can organically grow their networks. However, many coworking spaces fall short of building authentic connections due to a lack of intentional curation and corporate problems.
Uplifting Leaders
Intentional professional communities centered around knowledge sharing are experiencing significant growth. Take Chief, a thriving network for women executives that has expanded substantially since the pandemic. Members benefit from mentorship opportunities with leadership coaches and virtual and in-person gatherings. While the primary focus is professional development, these interactions often lead to strong social bonds as well.
Monetizing Communities
The topic of monetization sparked a lively debate. One community builder questioned if monetizing risks undermining authenticity. Members might resist a profit-focused approach, refusing to pay or actively seeking alternatives.
Yet expecting community builders to invest endless time and energy without compensation isn’t sustainable. At a minimum, organizers should cover their costs and gain some non-monetary value, such as relationships, investment opportunities, or access to free resources.
Sports fandoms are a prime example of communities that thrive despite heavy commercialization from brands, provided the value exchange remains clear and fair.
For brands, this reveals a crucial principle: monetization should be symbiotic, not extractive. Communities embrace financial elements when brands add genuine value while respecting established culture.
Some groups form explicitly around monetization principles. Crypto ecosystems and NFT collectives rally around shared financial goals, with monetary rewards driving engagement. However, these models face unique challenges, as financial volatility can erode loyalty and authenticity when returns decline.
The State of Communities
Digital communities are undeniably on the rise but does this growth come at the expense of in-person communities? The transient nature of modern life, where people rarely frequent the same places, further complicates the formation of lasting, face-to-face relationships.
Many participants at our lunch noted how social media weakens both online and real-world connections by promoting superficial interactions. However, attributing all blame to social platforms oversimplifies the issue as numerous factors contribute to social disconnection.
Physical communities remain crucial for building trust and authentic relationships. A balanced approach, combining strong online engagement with meaningful in-person experiences, offers the best of both worlds.
Some participants pointed to the rise of small, purpose-driven groups like Brothers in NY. These intimate communities, founded on shared values and clear guidelines, create spaces for connection and knowledge-sharing beyond the digital realm.
The tools and technologies shaping our lives have changed dramatically. While this transformation isn’t inherently all negative, we’ve too readily accepted technology’s downside as the new norm. Despite recognizing the harm, human nature often leads to complacency. As the digital world races forward with innovation, physical spaces struggle to keep pace. Solutions exist, but top entrepreneurs often overlook non-technical opportunities, leaving the problems unsolved.
Community Building for Brands
The demand for meaningful connections has never been stronger, transforming how companies should approach community building. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for brands to differentiate themselves. Our discussion yielded several key takeaways:
Build With, Not For
To succeed in digital and in-person community-building, companies must collaborate with communities, not impose their agendas.
Respect the Community’s Culture
Authenticity is non-negotiable. Communities can quickly sense when a brand is pretending to be something it’s not. Being humble and genuinely participating in the community’s activities is critical for success.
Value-First Approach
Building goodwill requires offering value without expecting immediate returns. Brands that provide free resources or products to community members often develop stronger loyalty.
Be Open-Minded
Successful brands step outside their comfort zones when engaging with communities. One participant shared how their company’s cold plunge event, initially met with skepticism, became a defining community moment.
Curate Strategic Exclusivity
Some brands, like American Express or Hermès, carefully curate their customer base to maintain exclusivity. Limited-access products become symbols of belonging, strengthening community bonds.
Manage Polarization
Brands should recognize that communities sometimes form around shared dissatisfaction. Facebook, Uber, and Twitter have faced backlash, leading to alternative community formation. This polarization can benefit competitors as users migrate to rival platforms.
The Future of Community
Communities aren’t simply growing or declining—they are constantly evolving. In our digital age, the boundaries between online and offline continue blurring, creating both opportunities and challenges. As one participant eloquently stated, “If we don’t owe each other camaraderie, kindness, and respect, what do we have left?” This sentiment may well be the guiding principle for the future of community-building.
However, society and brands face significant hurdles. Many modern communities create echo chambers, spread misinformation, or develop cult-like tendencies where diverse viewpoints are discouraged or silenced. This lack of ideological balance can stifle innovation and reinforce unhelpful groupthink. To counteract this, the solution lies in promoting transparency, inclusivity, and cross-community dialog to ensure groups remain constructive and beneficial for society.
Join Resident in NYC
Resident is a curated community for founders, CEOs, and operators in the consumer brand space. It’s a place for leaders who are passionate about building generational brands to share knowledge and challenge ideas. Guided by a give-first ethos, our members are committed to supporting and uplifting one another. We host events and Jeffersonian meals in Manhattan, facilitating meaningful debates on professional, cultural, and social issues.