Behind The Community

Michelle Sims

Let's take a deep dive into the ‘behind the scenes’ of community building. On this podcast, Michelle Sims sits down with community leaders for an honest conversation about the success, struggles and decisions that have shaped their careers. Together we dig into the true stories of their growth strategies that have inspired innovation, creativity and leadership, so that you can apply their lessons to your own community --> Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe, review and share your favourite episodes with fellow community builders.

Episodes

  1. 04/29/2024

    How to Create and Grow a Sustainable Community

    Season 2: Episode 1 How to Create and Grow a Sustainable Community  Do you want to grow your community quickly and sustainably which brings real value?  Well this episode is for you! Meet Erica and Nastie, the founders of the D2 Collective, a value based technology community with over 3,000 members globally and over 100 events! AND all this in 14 months!!! Erica and Nastie started out their career at LinkedIn and quickly started to identify how necessary the sense of connection in a community is to growing a sustainable communities which brings real value.  Following the Covid-19 pandemic where many countries across the world closed and went into lockdown, connection and community became ever more important. Noticing this and seeing a gap in the technology world where authentic and genuine connection was desperately needed, Erica and Nastie decided to start up D2 to being people in the technology community together and build valued connections. The community has grown so strong over the past 14 months that there are now communities within the community where members are building their own connections and groups and finding new careers because of the D2 Collective events. In this episode you will hear how Erica and Nastie started D2, and how to scale a community sustainably. Key topics: - Community founder's stories, - how to grow authentic connection within a global community, - what is the ROI on building a value based community, and - how to scale a community. Links:  https://linktr.ee/thed2collective?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaEkkW96thzS96PQSj1G8Xfsqflsho9bDTv7TKO1Hg02syzVdC0FRMeVdw_aem_AdM8N3YOhbf3ovOTMFgogCq9WRfKB-Zi3jGTJ_8AuZWakcBEVSkR3dRnhdKuHLXPuCJX_F5tRPDvtX0d75n8Kktz https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-isotta-surace-22b99794?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app https://ww.linkedin.com/in/nastieschoenmakers?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    38 min

  2. 10/07/2023

    #10 Fostering Community Belonging and Engagement with Reina Pomeroy

    #10, Fostering Community Belonging and Engagement with Reina Pomeroy  In this episode, Michelle Sims had the pleasure of speaking with Reina Pomeroy, the Senior Director of Community at Good Inside. Reina, a seasoned Social Worker turned Certified Coach, community builder, and social strategist, brings a wealth of experience to the discussion. Formerly the head of community at Modern Fertility, she shares valuable insights into fostering a sense of belonging, enhancing member engagement, and empowering community leaders. Key Topics Discussed: Building a Strong Sense of Belonging:-->Reina delves into her strategies for creating a robust sense of community and belonging within groups.Best Practices for Member Engagement and Participation--> We explore effective techniques to encourage active involvement from community members, ensuring a vibrant and dynamic space.Empowering Community Leaders-->Reina shares her thoughts on empowering leaders within a community, emphasising the pivotal role they play in sustaining a thriving group dynamic.Tune in to gain valuable tips and insights as we cover these topics and much more in today's engaging conversation. Connect with Reina here: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reinapomeroy/ Website: https://www.reinaandco.com/  Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    32 min

  3. 09/25/2023

    #9 Transitioning from Law to Community with Talia Deer

    On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's Talia Deer. Talia is currently the Head of Community & Growth at The Trium Group, a management consulting firm in San Francisco, where they focus on executive community building and connecting professionals in the field of leadership, culture, and strategy execution. Prior to her role at The Trium Group, Talia served as the Head of Community at The Suite. Interestingly, her career journey has seen her transition from a background in law to her current role in community building. During our discussion in this episode, we explore: Talia's personal journey, delving into her transition from a legal profession to becoming a community professional.Her unique perspective and definition of what constitutes a thriving community.Valuable and inspirational insights, as well as practical advice for individuals interested in community development and career growth.Recommendations for key figures to follow in the dynamic realm of community building.Stay tuned for a compelling and insightful conversation that covers these topics and more. Connect with Talia here: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taliatanielian/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    43 min

  4. 09/11/2023

    #8 The Power of Belonging & Inclusion with Shana Sumers

    On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's Shana Sumers, Shana Sumers, is the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Communities at HubSpot. Shana's impressive career in community building includes launching HubSpot's groundbreaking Black@INBOUND community. She was also Head of Community at HER App. , where she launched the app's first community for LGBTQ+ folks, growing from 8 to 28 micro communities. In this episode we covered Shana’s remarkable journey and triumphs in community building.  Connect with Shana Sumers here:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shana-sumers/Twitter: https://twitter.com/shanahasatwitrPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bad-queers/id1510471190Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    25 min
  5. #7 Blaise Grimes-Viort: Lessons from a 20-Year Industry Expert

    08/28/2023

    #7 Blaise Grimes-Viort: Lessons from a 20-Year Industry Expert

    On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's Community expert Blaise Grimes-Viort Blaise has more than two decades of online community, social media strategy and management experience. He’s an online communities consultant and manages well known communities like the Community Collective on Guild. To many of his client’s, he’s known as the fractional Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Social Officer, Chief Community officer and worked with a wide variety of industries including Publishing, Telecoms, Entertainment, Auto, Financial, Charity, Gaming and Social Networks. On this episode we covered… Key takeaways from two decades in the industryThe evolving definition of communityHis guidance for emerging community professionalsAnd so much moreTune in to gain a deeper understanding of online communities, learn from Blaise's experiences, and discover the evolving nature of community in today's fast-paced world. Connect with Blaise Grimes-Viort here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaisegrimesviort/ https://www.blaisegv.com/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    45 min

  6. 08/07/2023

    #6 Richard Millington, Lessons From A World Leading Community Consultant

    #6 Richard Millington, Lessons From A World Leading Community Consultant On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's the Founder of FeverBee, Richard Millington Over the past 13 years, Richard has helped to develop over 310 successful communities, including those for Apple, Facebook, Google.  Richard is the author of both Buzzing Communities, The Indispensable Community, and Build Your Community (Pearson, 2021).  On this episode we covered… His story as a leader in the community spaceLife as a community consultantCommunity trends and Upcoming projectsHis tips for community professionals The power of community data And so much more Connect with Richard Millington here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-millington-5a32782/ https://twitter.com/RichMillington https://richardmillington.substack.com https://www.feverbee.com/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    40 min

  7. 07/24/2023

    #5 Tiffany Oda, Community Manager to COO

    On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's Talkbase’s COO & Head of Community, Tiffany Oda. Tiffany is an experienced business leader at high-growth B2B SaaS companies with expertise in community, operations, program management, and strategy. Her superpower is operationalizing ideas from inception to implementation. She's a leader with a reputation for getting stuff done. She's highly collaborative and communicative with a passion and talent for building cross-functional relationships, driving alignment, and achieving results. On this episode we covered… How she got her start Community OperationsDefining Community OperationsCommunity team structure Community Trends and predictionsCross functional collaboration AI and communityHer tips for aspiring community managersAnd so much more... Connect with Tiffany Oda here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffeoda/ Key topics:  community building techniques, community relationships,  growth with community-driven,  nurturing online communities, and building a strong, inclusive community from scratch. Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    36 min
  8. #4 Jayvee Nava, Lessons From a VP of Community

    02/14/2023

    #4 Jayvee Nava, Lessons From a VP of Community

    On today's podcast, Michelle Sims interview's community builder & leader, Jayvee Nava. In 2019, she was named Forbes 30 Under 30 for Marketing/Advertising. Jayvee worked at Peloton for nine years and went from VP of Studio Operations to VP of Community. As VP of Community at Peloton, she oversaw member engagement as the company accelerated from a startup to a publicly traded company and leader in the fitness space.  On this episode we covered… How she got her start in communityHer steps to gaining the role of VP of Community at Peloton Why fostering the right internal relationships is so important for successHer views on company culture for startupsHer tips for career progression Her most proud project at PelotonHer community predictions for 2023 and beyondWhat separates a good community with a great communityWhere she gets her inspiration fromAnd so much more... Connect with Jayvee Nava here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayvee-nava-4903a747/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    27 min
  9. #3 Marsha Druker, How to Foster Belonging Through Failure

    02/05/2023

    #3 Marsha Druker, How to Foster Belonging Through Failure

    On today's podcast, Michelle interview's Marsha Druker who is a marketer, community builder and the founder of the popular event series Fuckup Nights Toronto which aims to de-stigmatize business failure. She’s also the Host of Create Community Podcast. On this episode we covered… Why she started Fuckup Nights TorontoHow she builds meaningful connection through failuresThe secret to engaging your community over long periods of timeHow to secure speakers for your event without marketing The story behind launching Create Community Podcast during lockdownLessons from her conversations incl. the founder of Burning ManAlso, some great advice for community pros during this tough timeAnd so much more... Connect with Marsha Druker and her work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshadruker/ https://www.fuckupnightsto.ca/featured-talks https://www.createcommunitypod.com/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    28 min
  10. #2 Vera DeVera, How To Build Authentic Communities & Influence Tens Of Millions In Revenue

    01/29/2023

    #2 Vera DeVera, How To Build Authentic Communities & Influence Tens Of Millions In Revenue

    On this podcast, Michelle Sims spoke with Vera DeVera who is an incredible community builder and Head of Community at Vareto, the next-gen FP&A platform for strategic finance and executive teams. I had so much fun speaking with Vera about career progression, her passion for events and how her community activations influenced millions of dollars in revenue for the business. Our conversation covered... Her back story and first start in community managementBecoming the first community builder at Ironclad How to grow community from scratchThe benefit of creating magic moments and bespoke eventsHow to build connection and trustThe secret to building trust in your communityHow to sell without actually sellingHow to influence tens of millions of dollars in revenue from building B2B communitiesHer top tips for community buildersAnd a whole lot more…Connect with Vera DeVera here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vdevera/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    35 min
  11. #1 Simon Balmain, Elon Musk Layoffs & Twitter Communities

    01/22/2023

    #1 Simon Balmain, Elon Musk Layoffs & Twitter Communities

    On today's podcast episode, Michelle Sims spoke with Simon Balmain: Simon Balmain is a Senior Community Manager who has worked at several successful companies including Twitter, Sphere Messenger, Monzo Bank and the BBC. As a true believer in the power of community, Simon values radical transparency, building in public and finding the magic points between company vision, product management, and vibrant user communities. He's also a long term vegan of biracial Punjabi and British heritage, a huge Prince fan, and a successful musician and songwriter. Our conversation covered… What’s going on at twitter right nowHow Simon got into community First things he did at Monzo to activate the communityHow being authentic and honest pays off Maintaining community growth within a scale upHiring from your own communityMaking the leap to start your own business centred around communityTwitter buying their business Sphere messenger And so much moreConnect with Simon Balmain here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbalmain/ Remember to stay up to date with the podcast by subscribing and follow Michelle on Linkedin or Twitter. If you loved today's podcast, please leave a review or send me your feedback. Thank you for listening!  Dyslexia in Adults is hosted by Michelle Sims and is produced by FAC. Fisher Audio Cast: Fisher Audio Cast Website

    42 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Let's take a deep dive into the ‘behind the scenes’ of community building. On this podcast, Michelle Sims sits down with community leaders for an honest conversation about the success, struggles and decisions that have shaped their careers. Together we dig into the true stories of their growth strategies that have inspired innovation, creativity and leadership, so that you can apply their lessons to your own community --> Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe, review and share your favourite episodes with fellow community builders.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Sims
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind The Community
  • Show Website
    Behind The Community