Hi from Chicago!

Hope you are doing well. I’ve been reflecting lately on what really separates a strong membership from a struggling one. With AI tools everywhere and content flooding the web, the real edge isn’t content alone; it’s community.

What I’m noticing

The internet is more crowded than ever. AI-generated content, non-stop social media posts, new tools popping up every day. In that clutter, people crave one thing: belonging. They want a place where they’re not just consuming but connecting. A group where they feel seen and valued. For anyone running a membership business, that matters a lot. Because building a real community means building something that lasts.

What is a community anyway?

A community is a group of people with a shared interest or experience. It’s more than followers or customers. It’s people who can start or participate in conversations. It’s where members engage, respond, help each other. The value you offer is not just the content or the lessons. It’s the relationships, the shared path, the belonging.

Why this matters now

When everything can be replicated by AI or mass-produced, what stands out is human connection. When people feel overwhelmed by noise, they don’t look for another podcast or another course; they look for a place to connect. For a membership business, that’s huge. Community isn’t a side project. It’s central.

Here are some real numbers:

• Brands with active online communities experience a 53% higher customer retention rate. — CreatorLabz
• 77% of creators say their ability to earn revenue improved once they launched a paid community where members connect with each other, not just the creator. — Mighty Networks

A real example

Jay Clouse makes this clear. In his article, he writes:

One thing I do with every new member of The Lab is offer a personal welcome call. Thirty minutes between just the two of us.

— Bettermode

He explains that this personal call helps build closeness and trust in the community. Because of that closeness, the community thrives: members feel responsible to each other, they stay active, they connect. That’s a clear reminder that the community experience has to feel personal. If your members don’t feel that they are seen, they won’t stick around.

What this means for your membership business

If you’re running or planning a membership, this is your moment to lean into community as your core asset. Not just “we have a forum” or “we do monthly calls.” But designing your membership around community first.

Here are a few ideas:

• When someone joins your membership, ask them to introduce themselves and then follow up personally (via DM, quick chat, or a call).
• Encourage members to ask questions and answer each other. Make your forum or chat not just “read only.”
• Choose quality over scale when you can. Jay’s approach of fewer members, deeper engagement, shows that bigger isn’t always better.
• Track more than sign-ups. Check how many members are posting, how many responses are happening, how many new connections are forming.
• Resist the “more content” trap. Your value isn’t just in modules or videos. It’s in the shared experience of people doing the work together, learning together, helping each other.

Every business online feels a little louder these days. The ones that win will be the ones that make people feel seen. That’s what community is all about.

Marvin
Chief Growth Officer
MemberSpace