--- title: "Community Building: A New Approach" description: Discover Mac Reddin's unique approach to community building and the power of authentic connections in this exclusive interview with Marco Experiences. image: https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-12-05%20at%2010.05.44%20AM.png --- [FUTURE of CULTURE](https://www.marcoexperiences.com) [![marco_logo_micro](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/hubfs/marco_logo_micro.svg)](https://www.marcoexperiences.com) - [Future of Culture](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/tag/future-of-culture) - [Marco Musings](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/tag/marco-musings) - [Case Studies](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/tag/case-studies) - [Marco Field Notes](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/tag/marco-field-notes) # Community Building: A New Approach [Marco Experiences](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/author/marco-experiences) Nov 15, 2024 7:13:54 PM ![](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-12-05%20at%2010.05.44%20AM.png) Marco sat down with [Mac Reddin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-reddin/) a dynamic force in the realm of community building and remote work. As the CEO of [Commsor](https://www.linkedin.com/company/commsor/), his journey is marked by a decade of shaping diverse communities across gaming, tech, and fashion sectors. His early venture, The Chunk, a Minecraft gaming network, showcases his talent for community-led growth, having successfully bootstrapped it to an exit in 2016.     Mac is dedicated to forging authentic connections and pioneering innovative go-to-market strategies. His newsletter, ["The Good, the Bad, and the Weird](https://www.goodbadweird.com/)," reflects his unique path in the startup world, offering a window into the unorthodox methods of nurturing a venture-backed startup. From his beginnings in bootstrapping startups at 17 to navigating the complexities of Commsor. ### **Trying to Define Community** > *“From a business perspective, I think trying to define it actually hurts it. And I think there's been a lot that's been at the center of the community industry for the last few years and people are in a borderline argument, about what is community, what isn't community.”* The task of identifying whether a community is centered around a company or an individual is significant. The difference, for instance, between Beast as an influencer and Salesforce as a B2B company, represents a wide spectrum in community types. It’s challenging to give advice or define what a community is because of these variations. There's an emotional element to community, which is why many companies are wary of considering it as a strategy, as it’s not entirely measurable. Companies can track and measure cold calls; if three are successful, they can project the outcomes of a thousand calls. However, with community, the results are not linear or as easily quantifiable. ### **2 Degrees Of Separation within Community** Traditional sales methods often concentrate on targeting a specific individual. This approach operates on a single vector and tends to overlook the broader networks and nodes that surround this interaction, which can vary in strength. **"I think so much of sales and marketing, generally, is based on the premise of the single measurable thing,"** he explains. This singular direction is how sales are usually conducted. However, in reality, it involves the concept of six degrees of separation; there is someone six degrees away from you in the world who needs your product. > *"There are 6 billion people in the world. Imagine, we're now thinking about the network of the world as your customer base."* In this context, you don't actually need six degrees; sometimes just two degrees of separation are sufficient to reach every necessary person. Mac points out, **“LinkedIn is a poor measure of whether you truly know someone in your network.”** He emphasizes the importance of nurturing authentic connections to add more value to your network. ### **Understanding Social Capital with community** [Dunbar's number](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191001-dunbars-number-why-we-can-only-maintain-150-relationships)is the concept that you can only maintain about 150 meaningful relationships in your mind. Maintaining authentic, meaningful relationships within a wide network is challenging. Mac says, **"Take Lattice, for example. If you have 20,000 people and only 20,000 weak connections, that's useless."** You need to strategically build strong connections in the right ways and places. **Don't just reach out to someone formally when you need something from them.** This approach diminishes the social capital you have. It's essential to be more intentional about creating strong relationships to grow a network. When Mac's company raised 62 million dollars, this brought considerable pressure to expand the community without incurring negative risks. "Having that money can dilute the community well," Mac states, **"I’ve seen communities of 50 people that drive significant value and communities of 10,000 that are ghost towns."** Six months ago, Mac conducted a poll asking individuals what type of community they would prefer to join, offering options of various sizes, with 50 being the smallest. 82% of the poll respondents expressed a preference for communities with fewer than 50 people. > * "I think communities became such a B2B thing. Everyone wants individuals to join a multitude of different Slack groups, but nobody really wants to join another one. The communities from which I’ve derived the most value are the smaller ones."* ### **Finding Community** We want to attend retreats or create communities where personal connections thrive and individuals are recognized. In New York City, there has been a rise in social or membership clubs, distinct from establishments like Soho House – smaller and more intimate. Mac mentions one of his favorite communities in Copenhagen, featuring a sauna. Here, access to the sauna is coupled with events, offering more than just a gym membership; it's a space connected to growth and networking. > *People are craving communities that feel human. * Reddin challenges the traditional metrics of community engagement, advocating for a focus on the depth and quality of connections. His perspectives emphasize that the essence of a vibrant community lies in the strength of trust, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose, rather than in sheer numbers. [Case Studies](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/tag/case-studies) ![](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/brag-bar-cropped.png) ### The Future of Culture in your Inbox ## Related Posts ### [Dec 5, 2023 5:56:53 PM The Invisible Threads of Community: A New Approach to Community](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/the-invisible-threads-of-community-a-new-approach-to-community) ### [Nov 25, 2024 10:12:00 PM From The Hustle to Hampton: Sam Parr on Entrepreneurship and Connection](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/samparr-0) ### [Dec 31, 1969 7:00:00 PM Sam Parr: Mastering the Art of Entrepreneurship and Community Building](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/samparr) ![marco_logo_white](https://blog.marcoexperiences.com/hubfs/marco_logo_white.svg)