“The effect of one good-hearted person is incalculable.” ~ Oscar Arias, Leader, philosopher and Noble peace prize winner.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the most profound result of our technological advances has resulted in our ability to connect with other people. People not only want, they fundamentally need connection. Cultivating a community of folks with the same interests can generate profound results, as community members share information, coach and discuss ideas.

We’ve long understood that people succeed in groups, access to those groups can be limited or hard to find. The role of the small business who acts like a lightning rod attracting an aligned community is valuable.

Online many companies have been really successful creating close Facebook groups. Keep in mind, people are more willing to share and be vulnerable in a carefully cultivated, closed space.

For in-person meetings,  companies are successfully using Meetup (paid) to cultivate their community. Eventbrite is a great (and free) tool to get your events out there and collect registration information.