Hey Reader,

The “riches are in the niches” might be Pat Flynn’s most famous quote, and for good reason.

When a business owner or content creator hyperfocuses on a specific area of expertise, they can offer distinct value to their customers in a way that sets them apart from competitors.

Translation: When you niche down, you'll get even better at what you do and will become an industry leader.

That’s not wrong, but it ignores the nuances of modern business.

For years, I struggled with my own niche as an online community strategist. Back in 2007, when I made my personal passion a professional one, online community wasn’t even known as a noun.

We knew of online forums, message boards, and even comments sections of online publications. But people didn’t think of them as communities. If anything, they were compared to public bulletin boards as if two-way interaction wasn’t possible.

It’s taken years of experience, the development and evolution of social media, and a body of research into online user behavior and belonging to position internet relationships as having value equal to (even greater than) the ones forged in real life.

The very nature of being an online community expert defies traditional niche boundaries. And still, someone is always “coaching” me to:

• Focus on a specific platform (Circle, Facebook, Mighty Networks, etc)
• Focus on paid memberships or only on membership churn
• Focus on turning free prospecting groups into sales machines
• Choose a specific industry (health and fitness, homeschooling, online courses, publishing, etc.)

The list goes on…

Though I resist, it’s not out of stubbornness. Anyone who doesn’t understand “online community” as a niche unto itself is missing the point. And while I could educate them, I’d much rather spend my time and energy helping business owners like you design and develop a community that gets the results you want.

I only have so many hours in a day. And you, the person who gets what I do and why I do it, is much more important than the one who doesn’t. #sorrynotsorry

Last week, Kathi Lipp and I quietly announced that I’m taking on official co-hosting duties on the Clutter Free Academy podcast.

Kathi was the first client to ask me to design a community for her and trust me to do it my way.

Though it will always carry her name, the Clutter Free Academy Facebook group has been my baby since I first sketched out its purpose, promise and structure in 2016.

I started appearing on the podcast in 2018, showing up as the public representative of our community. Our cluttery peeps are mired in fear, guilt, and shame. They need both an ambassador and advocate, roles I treasure fulfilling while Kathi serves as their leader.

While the announcement post has gotten over 100 positive comments, a few private messages from business contacts have cautioned me against getting known for “the wrong thing.”

But the way I see it, co-hosting Clutter Free Academy doesn’t carry the risk of being known as a “clutter expert” because anyone who listens or talks to me about it quickly discovers that I’m there as an expert on the vibrant community we’ve cultivated over the years.

How does this apply to you?

Consider your expertise — whatever it is — a niche in itself. While you may need to laser in on specific facets of your expertise for thought leadership articles or products you want to sell, don't feel pressured to narrow your focus unnecessarily. Having a broad understanding of your subject matter is a strength, not a weakness.

Embrace it.

September Live Training Schedule

We’ve got an incredible month of workshops lined up in The Secret to Thriving Online Communities to help you grow your groups (free or paid) and get results!

We kicked off our workshop series last week with a discussion on Facebook Ads. Here’s what’s in store for the rest of the month:

• TONIGHT — Building a Strong Moderator Team​
• Sept. 16 — Harnessing the Power of Analytics for Community Growth​
• Sept. 23 — Developing a Crisis Communication Plan for Your Community​
• Sept. 30 — Leveraging Your Community to Support New Initiatives​

Each workshop is packed with practical tips you can apply right away to strengthen and grow your community. Don’t miss out — RSVP using the links above to stay ahead of the curve.

On the Podcast: Is Your Team Holding You Back?

Ever feel like your business growth has hit a wall? The problem might not be your strategy or your market — it could be your team, or how you’re managing them.

In the latest episode of The Business You Really Want, operations expert Gwen Bortner and I unpack these hard truths:

• Why your team is both your most expensive AND most valuable resource
• The danger of "Franken-roles" and how to avoid them
• When letting go of good people can be necessary for growth
• How to communicate evolving expectations as your business scales

It's a must-listen for any entrepreneur feeling stuck or overwhelmed by team management — or frustrated by the feeling that hiring help is too much of a hassle.

Episodes drop at 6 a.m. Pacific on Tuesdays. Tune in on YouTube or the audio player of your choice.

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom here! It's always a pleasure to visit your inbox. Make sure to check out The Gathering Ground below for additional tips and tidbits.

Keep thriving,

Tonya

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The Gathering Ground

FOR THE WEEK OF Oct. 14

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