The Real Truth About Building a Community by Sam Ovens

TL;DR

Sam Ovens discusses his decision to go all-in on his community platform, School, and how building a strong community is the key to success in the online education industry.

Transcript

when I first started making courses people would say why would anyone pay you when they can go to college and get a certificate I never hear that anymore like you know that that's like a joke now right so I could see these things going on Facebook's degrading the LMS are going in the wrong direction perceptions of Facebook's going down horses are g... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎁 The shift towards community-based learning and the decline of traditional education institutions present opportunities for community platforms like School.
• 😌 The success of a community lies in the quality of connections between members and the level of engagement and interaction within the community.
• 💁 Finding inspiration and insights from various fields, such as religion, biology, and design, can inform the development of a successful community platform.
• 💯 Focusing on the core needs and desires of the users, and innovating on their behalf, is crucial for building a thriving community.

Questions & Answers

Q: How was the transition from consulting.com to School?

Ovens explains that the transition was a gradual process over three and a half years, with consulting.com serving as a profitable business to fund the development of School. The growth and validation of School eventually led him to fully commit to the platform.

Q: What are the key differences between running a mastermind business and a software business?

Ovens highlights the differences in scalability, profitability, and team requirements between info-based businesses like masterminds and software-based businesses. He emphasizes the potential for software to scale to millions of users but acknowledges the challenges of development and finding the right team.

Q: What does a strong community look like to you and what are its key components?

Ovens believes that the strength of a community lies in the relationships between its members. He emphasizes the importance of facilitating interaction and creating opportunities for members to share, collaborate, and connect with each other. Providing value and empowering members to contribute are also essential components.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Sam Ovens explains his journey of transitioning from consulting.com to focusing on building the community platform, School, over a period of three and a half years.

• He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the shift towards community-driven learning and the need for a centralized platform to bring like-minded individuals together.

• Ovens highlights the advantages of building a subscription-based community model, where members pay a monthly fee for exclusive access to a supportive network of individuals with shared interests.