Communities are no longer a nice-to-have. They are the heartbeat of loyalty. But in 2026, that heartbeat is not sustained by louder messaging, smarter algorithms, or endless incentives.

In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Herrera from HubSpot for a grounded, honest conversation on what it actually takes to build communities that last. From designing spaces people want to return to, to knowing when to step back and let members lead, this episode explores the quieter, more intentional side of community growth.

You will hear why authenticity scales differently than volume, how connection beats content every single time, and why recognition should advance people, not just brands. There is also a refreshing take on community fatigue, earned media, personal brands, and the courage it takes to build systems that do not depend on you being everywhere at once.

This is not a checklist episode. It is a mindset shift. One that challenges how customer marketers, community builders, and leaders think about engagement, success, and sustainability.

If you are rethinking your community strategy for the year ahead, or wondering why doing all the right things still feels exhausting, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are and gently push you forward.

What if your next advocate isn’t the person filling out your surveys or shouting on social media… but someone quietly cheering for you in the background?

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Howard, Senior Director of Customer & Content Marketing at Intellum, for a conversation that redefines how we see customers, loyalty, and the hidden stars inside our ecosystem.

From understanding yesterday’s believers to spotting tomorrow’s fans, Shannon unpacks why advocacy isn’t a program you run... it’s a relationship you nurture. We explore the limits of personas, the power of community moments, how to identify advocates hiding in plain sight, and why the strongest customer stories aren’t always the loudest ones.

If you’ve ever wondered how to find your advocates, engage them meaningfully, or build loyalty that lasts longer than a quarter, this episode will reshape the way you think.

Hit play — your perspective on customer personas might never be the same.

In Part Two of this special series, the conversation with TightKnit.Ai CEO Zach Hawtof goes from smart to seriously unmissable. Our chat was so rich, real, and resonant that we had to break it into two episodes, and this is where it gets especially tactical for anyone owning or influencing community and customer marketing.

We pick up right where we left off, talking about how community can become painfully transactional on both sides: for the member and for the manager. From there, Zach unpacks what it really takes for a community to feel alive and valuable today. We get into the three things every community must offer now: real discovery and visibility instead of hidden forums, radical transparency instead of hiding bugs and issues, and thoughtful onboarding that treats the first five minutes like it defines the next three months.

Zach also shares how he thinks about goodwill as gravity, why the CEO should be present in the community, and how connectors quietly build the most powerful networks in the background.

So whether your community lives on Slack, LinkedIn, or somewhere between a DM and a dream, this episode gives you a grounded, human playbook for building spaces people choose to stay in, not just sign up for.