And how it changed my childhood for the better — As a Gen Zer, I grew up playing computer games where I could meet up with friends in a virtual space. I played Webkinz, Club Penguin, Sims, Poptropica, you name it. When Covid-19 hit and virtual gatherings became popular, I was reminded that I used to gather with friends virtually…

Why it’s a crucial skill for community leaders — Professional community builders are often building community outside work hours. Whether it’s hosting a game night, arranging a meet up, or planning a group trip with friends or family, we’re community builders at our core; now it’s just formally in our job titles. In the last year of being a…

How to create clear contribution opportunities — There are all sorts of creative job titles in the community field. While my formal title at Groove is Head of Community, I love to identify as a Community Architect. To me, the term “Community Architect” captures the idea that we create the blueprints and work closely with the product…

Everything a community builder needs, all in one place — What book am I taking a deep look at this month? The Community Builders Guide created by Jephtah Abu, Jay Elango & Ronald Williams, is a free eBook made by and for community leaders. …

The three lessons I’m taking with me into year two at Groove… — I’ve spent the last 365 days as Head of Community at Groove. My teammate Brandy and I laughed the other day thinking about the contrast between my to-do list a year ago vs. today. The Groove community was so small (26 people to be exact!) …

What I’ve learned after 50,000 Minutes in the Groove 🕺🏼 — I’ve spent my last trip around the sun as Head of Community at Groove and have spent every work day Grooving. Over that time, I’ve Grooved 1,000 times which equates to 50,000 minutes of focused work. If you haven’t Grooved before, a Groove is a 50-minute focus. You start on…

On “sacredness” and how to cultivate it in our everyday lives. — What am I reading this month? In The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, Casper ter Kuile explores how communal rituals used to be more common in society, how they have surfaced in some unpredictable places, and offers some actionable ideas for how to establish new rituals. …

A community leader’s guide to translating community insights to the product team — At Groove, we’re building a community-driven product, which means we’re listening to our community members big time to build the future of our app. …

Self-Care, but in good company — What is community-care? Last week, I talked about my experience as an empath and community leader at Groove, and how I care for myself by scheduling alone time for myself, nurturing my creativity, and taking time away from screens. But self-care can take many forms, and it doesn’t always mean you’ll be on…