I was just thinking about how I don’t remember the first time I ever called myself a Community Builder.

It just happened and I just cannot remember how or when.

But what I do know is that it didn’t take much for me to realize I was one.

Almost 10 years ago I started my first business, a social-first community called Working Momkind (now @wearethemomshift) which was what got me through one of the most challenging phases of life aka motherhood.

What started as a social media account turned into an entire ecosystem that is still thriving today. And that was back when I had no mentors, was barely starting to make biz besties, and had no access to connect with fellow community builders.

Most of us were out there “building” but had no idea that we were building community and that there were others doing it, too.

For example, in my case, I…

• Took Instagram from 0 to over 250k people worldwide and my content reached millions at one point

• Connected moms across the world, from different background and cultures, all over a shared mission… motherhood.

• Built a private community of almost 2,000 moms in Mighty Networks as as a lifeline while we figured out how to mother during the pandemic.

• Pivoted from the private community to after the world opened back up and launched and grew it from 0 to 5k subscribers.

• AND this year is evolving big time… more to come on that soon!

So after leaving corporate and spending time in the startup world, my vision was twofold…

1. Open a private space for community builders to support and learn from one another

2. Support founders and organizations with community strategy

BUT life had other incredible plans and client work rolled in faster than I could keep up with and of course I focused on that. 🤭

Fast forward to year 3, after helping launch and manage countless communities both online and IRL, growing affiliate programs from 0 to 1,000+, and strategizing 1:1 with founders, I finally launched Community Made. This is the room for those building the rooms.

It’s not. Community is the art of gathering people over a shared purpose. It’s not about where or how you gather those people, but why. How you communicate, how often, what the transformation is, what you’re teaching them, how you’re making them feel, what they are walking away with.

I’ve had a couple of people tell me “I’m not a community builder!” or “I’m not building a community.” and it makes no sense.

If you have a...

• Business

• Audience

• Product

• Service

AND people exchange their money OR attention (content consumption, for example) for one of those above... you my friend, have a community! AND therefore, you are a community builder.

So tell me again you’re not a community builder and I’ll tell you why you are. 😜 

If you’re building a community, thinking about building one or believe community should play a bigger role in the business you’re creating, come join the party! Founding membership is now open!!! Come get in early, help shape what we’re building, and grow alongside a room full of people who believe community matters.

Come check it out!

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

What is one idea you’ve been sitting on that you can’t stop thinking about? Whatever that is take one step this week to put it in motion. ONE. That’s it. Our greatest enemy standing in front of our wildest dreams is perfection. Don’t let it win!

Click-worthy links

• AI vs human SMMs: we ran 7 Instagram accounts. Humans won engagement 2.45x | Planable

• Influencers fear the AI ‘Scarlet Letter’ | Business Insider

• Claude’s New Watermark on AI Generated Content via my YT channel

What I am celebrating

• The launch that took 3 years. Community Made (the community) is finally here!

• 64 incredible women inside the community!!!! 🎉

• All the coffee chats I have had lately with incredible women like Tati, Shayna, Joy, and more. 🎉

• My first YouTube video hitting over 1k views in less than 24 hours!

• YOU being here and supporting by reading another issue. Thank you!

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

I think I was a sophomore in college when a friend first introduced J. Cole to me. Lights Please was an immediate hit that I had on repeat, and from that day on he was an artist I followed.

But “following” was very different back then. Social media had not integrated itself into every part of our lives yet.

If you wanted to follow an artist you had two choices:

1. Listen to their music and stay on top of new releases

2. Show up at random places to see them perform

Now, you just hit “follow” in one second or end up using one of their “trending” songs on a reel before you even know who they are.

It’s easier, but in my opinion, it doesn’t always create a deeper connection.

The easier it becomes to access someone or something, the harder it becomes for any interaction to feel meaningful. There is less anticipation, less attention and often less of that feeling that you are a part of something special.

That’s why in today’s world, artists, founders and businesses, have to work harder to create real connection. AND after seeing J. Cole live, I realized he understands this very well. 🤓

‼️ SPOILERS AHEAD — If you’re seeing J. Cole, read at your own risk.‼️

At the very beginning of the concert, before most artists would even think to pause and speak to the crowd, J. Cole created a moment that immediately changed the dynamic of the room.

His team selected a section of the audience and handed one person a card letting them know they were about to become a part of the show.

Then he walked into the crowd, sat among the fans, and kicked off the concert.

He also…

• Engaged the crowd by explaining his songs, why he wrote them, what he was thinking, why he believes his audience will like that song. GENIUS!!!

• Made sure nobody felt left out. Whether you’ve been in it since Day 1 or a new fan, he wanted everyone to know that you didn’t have to know every word. You could just listen and take it in.

• Then, he had 1 fan rap a song along with him!

I MEAN!!!

He didn’t have to do all that, but he knew what would happen if he did. And that is key in community-building.

THIS is exactly how you nurture the people who have been with you for years while also building a connection with those who just entered your orbit.

You cannot rely on the “follow” and “subscribe” buttons anymore or the trends to build loyalty anymore. You have to create moments that make people feel closer to you (your mission, your vision, your why). SO BASIC, but SO REAL. And real is what is cashing in these days, especially as we swim against the AI generated content current. 🌊🌊🌊

But, Ingrid, I am not as famous as J.Cole.

That’s the point. You don’t have to be. These same ideas can work for a founder or creator, especially as you work on building your community.

Here are 4 ways to recreate what J. Cole did:

1. Bring one person into the experience: Instead of asking people to follow or comment, find ways to let them be a part of what you create, launch or teach next.

2. Share the BTS of the creation: In the age of AI, your perspective and process are more valuable than the final result!

3. Create a way for new people to enter your orbit without feeling behind: While those who have been around might know you well enough and understand your lingo, howe you show up, and why, those who just arrived might not connect. Find intentional ways for them to enter your orbit and get to know you quickly without needing to scroll through 40 posts.

4. Lean into proximity: People are tired of content. Instead of worrying about what to post, figure out how you can make your community feel closer to you, your work, and those in your orbit.

If you’re interested in working with me I am opening up some 1:1 slots this August and September to walk through your entire business/community from top to bottom and help you operate from a place that puts trust at the center.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Choose 1-2 people in your orbit and invite them to preview or test something you are working on or have them help you choose between two ideas. The goal is to get into the habit of including your audience in what you are building, then once you master it, it will come natural for you to openly include your wider audience as you grow or pivot.

Can’t thing of who? Reply to this email — I’d be thrilled to be your person for this! :)

Click-worthy links

• 🔥 The Latest Darlings of Social-Media Marketing? Regular People With 500 Followers | WSJ (perfect example of quality vs quantity)

• Why Podcasting Is One of the Most Powerful Community-Building Tools Founders Have Right Now | Entreprenista

• How to Get Your YouTube Videos Found on Google Search

What I am celebrating

• Seeing J. Cole live at The Garden! One word. Incredible. 🔥🔥🔥

• Slow August with the family. Beach, walks, ice cream, and lots of movie nights!

• Iterations and pivots all around to ensure my biz aligns with this season I am in

• My besties who keep me sane over texts, voice memos, random calls, AND who are 100% on board when I pitch random trip ideas 🤣

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

In case you missed it, last week announced it’s partnership with Pangram to allow users to scan notes, comments, and posts to see what % of the content you’re looking at is AI-assisted.

Dystopian? Yes, totally. 🤖

I knew we’d eventually get to this point, I just didn’t know it would be so soon. I mean if you think about it, Colleges and Universities have been using tools like Pangram for a while now to catch plagiarism and now AI use.

So why did we think we’d get away with it? LOL

I have been hearing mixed reactions. Some people are thrilled because it will weed out those users/publications that are fully AI-assisted. And others are a bit confused.

I am right in the middle.

First they give us the tools AND then they come after us for using the tools.

And then THEY use AI to find out if we’re using AI so we don’t use AI???

I mean… Are we in a Black Mirror episode right now?

Anyway, I have been preparing my clients for this moment for a while now. And if you’ve been around then you know my content has pushed for authenticity and a lot more you, less AI.

If you’re reading this and worried about your content or other platforms following suit, then keep reading because I have some tips.

First things first

This does not mean you can’t keep using AI. It just means you have to be strategic about it. Instead of relying on it 100%, use it to organize your thoughts, test ideas, do research, etc. Then go old school, open up a Google Doc and get to typing. Don’t rely on it.

The reality

We are in a time where being skeptical is a must-have skill. Questioning whether something is real or not is now a part of our social media scrolling process. So if you’re finding yourself questioning what YOU see, imagine how others feel.

Stop posting like it’s 2026 and start posting like it’s 2016.

It’s not you, it’s AI

Since we all have open access to the same tools, it’s no surprise that we are ALL using them. So our socials are filled with endless content, AI slop, and things we never even asked for. So how do you stand out? By being human. And lucky us, that’s built into who we are.

But Ingrid, what does being human mean? I think I’ve forgotten. Glad you asked! (not me talking to myself rn) It means you…

• Being the one communicating with your customers/clients/followers not an AI agent (this is not about automations btw, those are great when done right, this is about trust!)

• Writing your posts and newsletters (or at the very least reviewing before posting) so they sound like YOU!

• Not handing over your entire business to AI and hoping it works

• Sharing your story, your mission, vision, and your why, often. This is how you find your people AND your people find you.

• Building community IRL and online

• Putting trust at the center of your content strategy

Listen, at the end of the day, AI is not going anywhere anytime soon. Use it at your own risk, but don’t get lost in it’s vastness. Let it help you automate the mundane tasks and instead of it talking/communicating with your audience, use the time it saves you so that YOU can be the one that shows up.

Because trust me, people can tell. Right?! Tell me your thoughts below ⬇

If you’re interested in working with me I am opening up some 1:1 slots this August and September to walk through your entire business/community from top to bottom and help you operate from a place that puts trust at the center.

Because trust is what builds community AND community is what sustains your business.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Reconnect with your mission, vision, and your why. Then pick one and write about it. Find a way to show up as your whole self online this week to show your audience you’re still there.

Click-worthy links

• Why Podcasting Is One of the Most Powerful Community-Building Tools Founders Have Right Now | Entreprenista

What I am celebrating

• 200 testimonials collected across MyOrbit users! This is HUGE. I am thrilled for our users. This is the proof they need to keep growing their biz and MyOrbit just made it THAT much easier.

• My 10th video on YouTube! They said I wouldn’t make it… lol jk nobody said that , although the research shows that most people quit between 5-10 videos. And, well, look at me go!

• SUMMER living :)

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

What’s in this issue:

1. The underdog story that had our whole dinner table rooting for a team we’d never heard of

2. What one cold LinkedIn message (ignored for 9 months) can teach you about following through

3. Why the slow, unscalable stuff still builds real community, even in the age of AI

From rec leagues to the pros, community is at the heart of sports. It’s one of the clearest examples of what happens when people rally around a shared mission.

Soccer has always been part of my life in some way. My parents rooted for rival teams growing up, so it was always fun watching the two of them go head to head. Now my oldest plays for a travel team, and watching him fall in love with the game has brought that whole world back into my life.

This weekend, we had the Cape Verde vs. Argentina game on during dinner. We didn’t know much about Cape Verde going in. We just knew they were playing Argentina and, according to my son, Messi was obviously the only player that mattered. 😂 BUT then my husband started sharing more about the headlines he’s been reading about Cape Verde, their goalkeeper and their story, and before we knew it, we were rooting for Cape Verde. ⚽️

The more we learned about the team, the harder it became not to root for them.

Their goalkeeper, Vozinha, is 40. He turned pro at 25, played across six countries over nearly two decades, and at the World Cup against Argentina, made save after save against one of the greatest players to ever touch a soccer ball.

Then there was Pico Lopes.

Before the World Cup, Pico was working as a mortgage advisor in Dublin. A national coach found out his dad was from Cape Verde and sent him a cold message on LinkedIn.

Pico ignored it because he thought it was spam.

Nine months later, the coach followed up anyway.

And THIS is what I want to talk about.

Pico wasn't found through AI-generated content, an automated nurture sequence, or a perfect funnel. Someone had a hunch about a person AND stayed with it.

That’s the whole job, isn’t it? Community is built by people who don’t give up on people.

Founders ask me all the time how to build trust.

They’re usually expecting me to talk about content strategy, AI, LinkedIn, newsletters, YouTube, all the tactical stuff. And yes, those things matter.

BUT so much of trust is built in the quieter moments that most people skip because they feel too slow or too small.

YUP, I’ve been guilty of this, too.

Things like:

• Remembering someone’s name

• Following up (even months later)

• Replying to that DM instead of “liking” it

• Checking in without an agenda

• Introducing two people who should know each other

• Giving someone a chance before they’ve “earned” it

None of that scales particularly well, which is exactly why it works.

In a world where almost everything can be automated, one of the biggest competitive advantages left is caring enough to follow up. Technology can help us reach more people, organize our work, and move faster, but it cannot replace the human instinct to notice someone and say, “I think you belong here.”

That is community.

So if you’ve got a proposal you’ve been sitting on, an email you keep drafting and deleting, unread comments or DMs, or a follow-up you assumed went nowhere, maybe this is your Pico moment. Algorithms and AI can help you find your people faster these days. But they can’t do the believing. That part’s still on you.

And remember, the slow, human, unscalable stuff still wins trust and builds community.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

follow up with someone you reached out to once and never heard back from. A past client, a warm lead, a potential collaborator, a podcast host, a community member, whoever came to mind while reading this.

Go and send the second message! You never know what it might open up.

Click-worthy links

• Who’s hiring? The same companies investing in AI, actually | Financial Times via LinkedIn

• Cape Verde’s incredible World Cup run captured hearts and earned them respect | ESPN

• Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media | The Guardian

What I am celebrating

• 💍 National Love & Marriage Day coming this July 8th — my friends and are finally saying I DO (15 years later) in front of the entire Brooklyn Cyclones stadium!

• My 6th video on my YouTube channel 🎉🎉🎉

• My upcoming OOO and clients that support my life outside of work! 💕

• The slow summer vibes with my husband and kids. Going to the beach, pizza/movie Fridays, and board games.

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

What’s in this issue:

1. As AI becomes more accessible, trust will become EVERYTHING

2. The founders/businesses winning long term will prioritize community, customer engagement, and real connection (shocking that we have to even say it! 😂)

3. AI can help you build faster, but it cannot replace the human side of business

I definitely sung the title of this one as I was typing it out to Nipsey Hussle’s Last Time That I Checc’d. IYKYK.

Anyway, last week I had the same conversation twice with two different founders in different industries.

First, on a discovery call with a founder running a coaching and community business. The real opportunity wasn’t a new funnel or a new platform. It was sitting in a community of over 40K people that had gone quiet. Meanwhile, real ad money was going toward bringing in new leads, while the people already inside weren’t getting talked to at all.

Then, a few days later, I had another conversation with a founder building out an education and coaching business. She had everything. The strong background, a clear plan, even AI already helping take some of the content creation off her plate.

But after our conversation, what I kept pushing her on had nothing to do with creating more. It was visibility and connection. She needed to stop hiding behind the content and the automations, and start showing up instead of staying behind the scenes just pumping content out.

Because AI can help you build, but it can’t build the trust.

That part is still on YOU.

What I found interesting is that both of these conversations happened during a week where I have also been thinking a lot about AI. Between filming new YouTube videos, building with new tools, and watching every platform race to ship new AI features, it feels like everyone is focused on the exact same thing right now.

Speed aka faster creation, workflows, growth.

Faster eeeeeverything. 🙄🙄🙄

And TBH I guess I get it. I am spending a fair share of my time learning and experimenting with AI right now than I ever have before. I think founders who ignore it completely are going to have a really hard time keeping up over the next few years.

BUT we’re also overlooking something important.

If everyone suddenly has the same tools, can create faster, and can automate more, then technology alone stops being the differentiator.

SO, what actually makes people choose YOU?

I have spent the last few weeks talking a lot about engagement, content, attention, and community, and it all circles back to the exact same thing.

We spend so much time thinking about how to get people in the door, but not nearly enough time thinking about what makes them stay.

The reality is that AI is going to keep getting better. I mean everyone has access to the same tools.

But trust? Trust still has to be earned.

So keep that in mind as you build and figure out how AI fits into your business. The technology might help people discover you, but people still stay because they feel connected to YOU.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Take a look at the way you’re currently using AI in your life AND business and ask yourself: Is this helping me create more space for human connection or am I slowly automating away the very thing people value most?

Click-worthy links

• Allbirds is now Smartbird, and its new AI-focused CEO says ‘people won’t even remember the shoes’ | Business Insider

• An Exclusive Women’s Community Just Got Acquired—Part Of Billions Flowing Into AI-Proof Businesses | Forbes

• Ford Has Been Rehiring Quality Inspectors After AI Fell Short | Bloomberg via LinkedIn

What I am celebrating

• YOU! For scrolling this far LOL

• My visionary brain! It’s taken some time to fully embrace its power, but I finally get it. And I am letting it lead.

• Over 50 episodes of Entreprenista’s Startups in Stilettos podcast 🎉

• Hitting over 5,000 followers on LinkedIn and not for the reason you might think… Watch this!

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

What’s in this issue:

1. The easier content becomes to create, the harder it becomes to stand out.

2. Getting attention and keeping attention require different skills.

3. Community is becoming even more valuable as AI becomes more accessible.

Sooo... I made my way back to YouTube. 😂

I am not sure yet how long I will stick around but I definitely gave my visionary self a timeline. That said, I am starting with a Summer Series, where I plan to post at least 2x a week.

I’ll be chatting about what it’s like to be a visionary, entrepreneurship, building with AI, and of course, community.

It’s only been like a week or so lol but two videos in, and I found myself doing what every creator eventually does (and what I usually tell my clients not to do) and looked at the analytics.

Anddd this is where things got interesting…

Both videos are under 5 minutes and both average a minute and a half of watch time. 👀

The numbers themselves weren’t particularly groundbreaking, but they got me thinking about something I’ve been noticing across the internet for a while now.

We’re living through a fascinating moment where creating content has never been easier, yet holding someone’s attention feels harder than ever.

I was laughing about this with a friend recently because I can sit down with an idea today and move from concept to draft significantly faster than I could even two years ago.

Even as a VISIONARY!!!

And that’s exactly why attention is becoming so valuable.

For years, the challenge was getting your content out into the world. Most people never made it past the idea stage. They had something to say but lacked the time, confidence, tools, or consistency to say it. Today, many of those barriers are disappearing. The result is that more people are publishing, creating, sharing, and experimenting than ever before.

IDK about you, but I actually think that’s a good thing.

The downside, of course, is that we’re all now competing in a much noisier environment. Every platform is flooded with content. Every scroll introduces another opinion, another hot take, another video, another newsletter, another creator asking for a few minutes of your attention.

When I looked at my own retention numbers, I realized the question wasn’t really, “How do I get more people to click?” The more interesting question was, “What makes someone stay?”

The more I sat with that question, the more it reminded me of community.

One of the reasons I’ve spent so much of my career focused on community building is because community has never really been about content. Content can:

• Get someone in the door

• Introduce people to your world

• Help someone discover your ideas for the first time

BUT community is what gives them a reason to stay AND return.

That’s why I don’t buy into the narrative that AI is somehow making community less important. If anything, I think the opposite is happening. As content becomes easier to create, the human elements become more valuable.

It’s funny because I started this Summer Series thinking I would learn more about YouTube. Instead, I can’t stop thinking about people and community.

• What makes people pay attention?

• What makes them trust?

• What makes them stay connected?

• What makes them come back?

Whether we’re talking about YouTube subscribers, newsletter readers, community members, customers, or friends, the underlying question is the same.

My biggest takeaway from this week’s YouTube rabbit hole is that attention might be one of the most valuable currencies in business right now, but attention alone isn’t enough. Getting someone to click is great. Getting someone to stay is better. BUT giving them a reason to come back again and again is where the magic happens.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Take a look at the last piece of content you created and ask yourself: Would someone have a reason to come back for more? If not, what can I do to change that.

What I am celebrating

• Supporting my client, Deb Boulanger, in hosting her first-ever retreat in NYC for her community, .

• Kicking off a community build project for a new client where I’ll get to co-service with my biz bestie 🎉🎉🎉

• An awesome 1:1 Community Strategy session with Gloria Ogbemudia. It was one of those conversations that reminds me why I love this work. Watching someone move from "I have so many ideas and I'm not sure where to start" to "I can see the path forward" never gets old.

• SUMMER! I can’t wait to enjoy this season with the fam, go to the beach, and be present. 💕

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

The headlines have been headlining lately.

I have no clue if this is my LinkedIn feed or if we’re all seeing it, but it feels like every other day there is another company laying off more and more people, with AI being the primary reason behind it.

You know how I always say that when it comes to the algorithm and how terrible it can be, we fed that monster?

Welp.

We did it again.

Now, I am not saying that this is a bad thing. It’s just a reminder that every shift we take part in, shapes what comes next.

Anytime there is new technology released into the wild, everything shifts. Even outside of tech, change can rock the foundation of almost anything.

But that’s not actually what I’ve been thinking about the most.

I called my dermatologist’s office the other day and at first, I thought I was talking to a real person. The tone, the pauses, the way it responded… it was good.

And then I realized it wasn’t! I WAS TRICKED! 🥸

Turns out they moved from a call center to an AI system. Which, I guess from a biz standpoint, makes sense. It’s efficient and it probably saves them time and money.

But I still found myself trying to get to a human. And that’s what I can’t stop thinking about.

Not whether AI is good or bad, but HOW and WHEN we choose to use it. Because yes, you can integrate AI into your business.

You can use it to (to name a few):

• Support your workflows

• Respond faster

• Learn, research, etc

• Handle repetitive tasks

All of that makes sense. But how much you use it, where you use it, and how it actually feels to your audience?

That’s key.

And if you’re building a community-led business, this becomes even more important.

Because community is more than just access.

It’s about connection and about knowing that there’s a real person on the other side.

That’s why I know community is here to stay. AI will keep evolving, tools will get better, systems will get smarter.

BUT people will still want to:

• Feel seen

• Feel understood

• Talk to someone who gets it

So use it where it makes sense, but don’t let it create distance between you and your people.

If anything, it should give you more time to get closer to them.

AI isn’t going anywhere BUT neither is the need for real connection. And the founders/businesses that remember that will be the ones that will last (and stand out!).

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Pay attention to where you might be creating distance without realizing it:

• Are you automating something that could be a moment of connection?

• Are you replacing a touchpoint your audience actually values?

• Where could you show up just a little more personally?

Click-worthy links

• Why Post-Event Surveys Fall Short with MyOrbit Founder Ingrid Zapata Read | Aligned Gatherings

• Why Trust Is the New Currency in Business and How Community Helps Build It | Entreprenista

• Tech CEOs suddenly love blaming AI for mass job cuts. Why? | BBC

Events in your Orbit

• AI IRL Coffee Meetup: let’s talk about claude. (Red Bank, NJ)

• Women in Business Summit (Bristol, CT)

• Women Who Build Weekend (Poconos, PA)

See more events!

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

Oh, hi! It’s been a while.

It all started back when my parents were visiting and my kids were on Spring Break back in March. I took that one Sunday off and next thing you know, that turned into about 7 weeks of no Sunday Send-Off’s. 😌

But you know what? It doesn’t even feel like it’s been that long because while I haven’t been in your inbox, I have been working.

From living my life and pushing my new business (MyOrbit) to traveling to Florida for Founders Weekend and Philly for Philly Tech Week, my sons First Community, AND my sister and her fam’s surprise visit.

Needless to say, life has been busy in THE best way possible. And honestly? I think stepping away reminded me of a few things:

1. Have hard boundaries (personally and professionally)

2. Get comfortable with saying no

3. Find clients, partners, and collaborators who align with who you are, your mission and vision

4. Don’t be afraid to make space for YOUR life

5. Hang out with those who make you feel good

6. Trust yourself

LIFE GOES BY FAST. OH, SO FAST. And while I am not trying to turn this into a life lesson, as a founder of 3 businesses, I know what it’s like to let your work consume you.

So here’s to approaching the Summer with the mentality of you consuming your business vs it consuming you.

And honestly, I think giving myself permission to fully live these last couple of months is exactly why the last two weeks hit me so hard in the best way possible.

I am STILL coming off the high from Entreprenista’s Founders Weekend and while it’s been a little challenging to come down from that kind of energy, I just have to tell you about something I witnessed.

You know that feeling when you’re in a room and you see something happen in real time and you think…

Well, that’s where I am right now.

My friend from & Vita Nova Media was at Founders Weekend with me. A couple members inside the Entreprenista community posted asking if anyone onsite could help capture behind-the-scenes content. Fatima raised her hand and so did Manda, who runs Cella Gold Media, a brand-first social media and partnerships agency.

They met in person, realized how well their skills complemented each other, and by the end of the weekend they were already planning and executing together at PGA National like they’d known each other for years.

They had never met before.

And that’s the part I want to focus on because this wasn’t a coincidence or luck. The trust had already been built before they ever stepped into that room.

That’s what a strong community does.

Especially now. AI can help people move faster, but it cannot replace trust, chemistry, shared experiences, and real relationships. The founders and brands who understand that are going to build very differently over the next few years (tbh, months).

And I wrote about all of this over on Entreprenista, including the strategy behind hybrid community, what actually changes when relationships move from online to IRL, and why so many founders are still leaving the best part of community on the table.

→ Read the full piece here

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can leverage Community Building in a world saturated by metrics, social, AND AI, let’s chat!

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Click-worthy links

• How Online Communities Drive Real-Life Collaboration, Networking, and Business Growth | Entreprenista

• Find experts to collab with or hire and check out events happening around you | MyOrbit

Events in your Orbit

• Local Meetup | Entreprenista x Maman (Jersey City, NJ)

• Women in Business Summit (Bristol, CT)

• Women Who Build Weekend (Poconos, PA)

See more events!

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

A conversation or shall I say hot topic, has come up a few times among founder friends (and friends of friends).

And naturally, friends end up telling me because they want to hear my perspective.

And it always sticks with me.

The convo always starts with someone mentioning a community. Maybe one they joined or one they are considering joining.

And eventually the comment comes out.

I always pause when I hear that. AND of course I always share my perspective.

Because I understand the reaction, but I also think we are missing context about the world we are building businesses in right now.

Especially in 2026.

The internet is louder than it has ever been.

You literally cannot hide from the noise.

There is more information available to us than ever before at what feels like the snap of a finger

And ironically, that has not made it easier to grow. It has made it harder to stand out. And that is exactly why communities matter more than ever.

Communities, whether online or IRL, create the environment needed to slow things down just enough for real relationships to form.

And that is something algorithms will never been able to replicate.

The new reality for founders/business owners

A lot of founders have realized that posting online is not enough anymore.

So the question is changing from “How do I get more views?” to “Where are the real conversations happening?”

And most of the time, those conversations are happening:

• Inside communities online and IRL

• At curated events

• Inside smaller spaces where people are not just scrolling, they are participating OR engaging WEBO style (with eyeballs only)

What great communities do

First of all, communities are HIGHLY curated environments.

They bring people together over a shared mission to support one another, solve similar problems, build together, and learn from together in real time.

When that environment works, things move faster and you get:

• Introductions that might have taken years to happen organically

• Insights into lessons people have already learned the hard way

• Pulled into conversations you would not have access to otherwise

In many ways, communities compress time.

And that is incredibly valuable.

Why the “pay to play” reaction happens

Communities do not grow overnight. What most people see is the version that exists today, not the months or years it took to build. Because of that, it is easy to underestimate what it takes to create and maintain a great community.

The best communities are intentionally built and maintained nonstop. Behind the scenes there is usually someone, or a small team, constantly working to make sure the space is active, valuable, and supportive for the members inside it.

That work is ongoing.

So when a community charges for membership or events, it is to support the work required to create and maintain a space where people can learn, connect, and grow together.

But the other part of this conversation that often gets overlooked is that joining a community alone does not guarantee ROI. Communities are not transactional spaces, they are relationship-driven environments.

The members who see the most value are the ones who show up consistently, participate thoughtfully, support others, and build real relationships over time.

In other words, access alone does not create magic, participation does. And once you are inside, the magic happens when you start showing up and participating.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Instead of posting another piece of content this week, step into a room. Visit one of the communities you are a part of and reintroduce yourself, make time to engage with the content that aligns, and offer support or see how others can support you.

Click-worthy links

• Why Trust Is the New Currency in Business and How Community Helps Build It | Entreprenista

• Disney+ is rolling out its TikTok-like ‘Verts’ short-form video feed | Tech Crunch

• Silicon Valley’s New Obsession: Watching Bots Do Their Grunt Work | WSJ

Latest episode on Startups in Stilettos

There’s a saying I grew up hearing my grandmother say every year that popped back into my head last week.

It was the first Sunday of March and sleeting outside.

I caught myself staring out the window making a funny face about it and my husband goes “It’s okay, March is predictably unpredictable.”

And I just stopped.

I opened my notes app and wrote this down for today.

Which by the way, speaking of unexpected, today we hit a high of 64 and it felt like Spring. 🙃

Anyway, the rough translation of the saying is something like… February is crazy and March is more of the same.

And it gets said so casually, like of course, why are you even surprised right now.

That’s kind of the whole point though. You don’t fight it and you don’t fix it. You just name it, account for it, and keep going.

So as I juggle client work and building MyOrbit I started thinking…

Every year nature goes through the same predictably unpredictable transition into spring.

As a community strategist who helps founders build and grow communities, I’ve learned that the most powerful moments in communities rarely happen exactly as planned.

So what if instead of trying to hold everything together perfectly you:

• Got a little loose

• Tried the idea you can’t stop thinking about

• Said yes before everything made perfect sense

• Left some room for the unexpected

And that’s usually when the best things start to happen.

You can’t put that on a content calendar, but you can be so locked into the plan that you miss it completely when it shows up.

And today out of all days, I have to share this.

It’s International Women’s Day and one thing I’ve consistently seen among women founders is the instinct to give first (introductions, ideas, support, etc) long before anyone calls it strategy and even before they feel ready to.

So take this as your sign to share the thing before it’s perfect. Make the intro before it’s “the right time.” Show up in the room and offer the knowledge, the energy, the credit, the co-sign.

Because long before anyone called it strategy, this is how community has always worked.

Give to gain isn’t a tactic, it’s how we grow.

Here’s the AHA I want you to take into this month.

The wildcard isn’t what March throws at you. The wildcard is you.

In community building and entrepreneurship, the most meaningful opportunities often appear when you leave room for the unexpected.

You get to decide what move you make that nobody saw coming. The pivot. The reach out. The thing you’ve been sitting on. The idea that felt too bold for January but feels exactly right now.

March didn’t come to mess up your plan. It came to give you an opening. The question is whether you’re going to play the card.

Play the card. And maybe pass one to somebody else while you’re at it.

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

It’s time to drop your wildcard. You know exactly what it is (send the message, pitch the idea, make the intro, etc). Whatever it is, do it this week, and then turn around and encourage a friend to drop theirs.

Click-worthy links

• ‼️ RIP résumés | Business Insider | Slop is killing the résumé. Job hunters are scrambling for new ways to stand out

• More women moving toward entrepreneurship, data shows | LinkedIn | Entrepreneurship is becoming a clear expression of women's ambition; over the past decade, the share of global founders who are women has jumped over 5 percentage points, the new data shows, with nearly 30% of founders worldwide women.

• We Got Hooked on Fast, Free Shipping. Now Retailers Are Taking It Away. | WSJ

• OpenAI hit with lawsuit claiming ChatGPT acted as an unlicensed lawyer | Reuters | LOL uh, DUH?!?! 👀

Yes, and?

Totally channeling Ariana Grande right now because it fits and I haven’t done a song bit in a while. Anyway…

I don’t know about you, but to me, that felt like a warning. Like if someone said it about you, it meant you crossed a line, you cared too much, you were too proud, too visible, or too invested.

But since launching my first business almost 9 years ago, I have been thinking about it differently.

Because every successful founder I have met, every client I have supported, every person I have looked up to… guess what?

They are obsessed.

Not casually interested or kind of committed. They are obsessed with:

• The idea

• The mission

• The problem they are solving.

And they think about it constantly.

Out with the old, in with the new

• The old way: You only care about yourself

• The new way: You are full of belief. Full of vision. Fully committed to what you are building, and your energy is so FULL it’s contagious.

That second one is what we are talking about today.

Because WDYM you’re building something and not FULL OF IT?!?!

If you’ve been around me for a while or sat in one of my workshops, you know I’m usually the positive one in the room. But let me pause for a second here to say:

• You cannot grow a business you feel neutral about

• You cannot build a community you are only half excited about

• You cannot expect people to rally around something you are downplaying

You need to be all in. Full of it and obsessed because energy is contagious!!!!!!

What we need to unlearn

Somewhere along the way we learned that being visibly proud of our work is embarrassing, that excitement looks like ego, and that obsession looks like arrogance.

But after almost a decade of building communities, here is what I know.

They talk about their work like it matters. They celebrate progress loudly and proudly. They ask for opportunities. They iterate constantly because they care deeply.

Being “full of yourself” can simply mean being full of belief. Full of your idea. Full of your mission. Fully committed to seeing it through.

And when you show up like that, everyone feels it.

If you shrink your excitement, they shrink theirs. If you downplay your wins, they hesitate. If you act casual about something you are actually obsessed with, the room will too.

But when you are openly proud and fully invested, everything shifts. People lean in, they contribute, they believe, and they match your energy.

If you are building something meaningful, you are allowed to care deeply about it.

• You are allowed to be proud

• You are allowed to be excited

• You are allowed to be obsessed

That is commitment and commitment builds trust. Trust builds community and community sustains growth.

So if someone ever says you are too full of yourself because you are fully invested in your vision?

Yes, and?

🌱 Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge

Notice where you are toning it down. For example, where are you acting less excited than you actually are? Where are you downplaying your growth or wins?

• Share one win without shrinking it

• Talk about your work like it actually matters

• Ask for the opportunity you’ve been overthinking

• Be loud and proud of what you’re working on

This is how you find your people AND how your people find YOU!

Click-worthy links

• 🪐 This month I launched MyOrbit, a testimonial and feedback collection tool designed to help you grow your business through visible proof. Check it out!

• Google launches Nano Banana 2 model with faster image generation | TechCrunch

• Instagram Updates and News 2026 | metricool

• Social media demographics to inform your 2026 strategy | Sprout Social

This month I noticed a pattern across the communities I manage. January came in strong. People were showing up, posting, connecting. You could feel that new year momentum in the best way.

Then February did what February always seems to do. The pace shifted and the energy turned inward a little. Not in a bad way, just in that natural seasonal rhythm we forget about every year until we’re back in it. 🥶

And now March is around the corner, and the calendar is stacked again with events, commitments, and opportunities. It’s exciting, but it’s also full. The kind of full that requires intention.

By now I know this rhythm well, which is why this week feels like the right time to pause and recalibrate before we head into the final stretch of Q1.

I review my calendar every Sunday, and this week reminded me that not all commitments are created equal, and treating them like they are is where we lose clarity.

And I’m not just talking about events. I’m talking about everything sitting on your calendar right now. Your client work, your content planning, your coffee chats, your inbox. All of it.

The way I see it, there are two kinds of commitments asking for your time and energy, and knowing the difference changes everything.

⓵ Low pressure commitments don’t require you to perform. They require you to be present.

• A coffee chat you’ve been putting off but really want to have

• A local event where you already know a few faces

• A client check-in that keeps the relationship warm (current or previous!)

• Following up in the DMs instead of letting conversations fade

• Participating in a space you’ve already chosen to belong to

These are not small. They may feel lighter, but they’re foundational. This is how trust builds.

⓶ High intention commitments require preparation, clarity, and the version of you that knows why you’re there, what you want to leave behind, and what you want to bring with you:

• A speaking opportunity or panel

• A new client pitch (including the one that makes you sweat a little more than usual!)

• Hosting something where your name is attached to the outcome

• A launch, a sponsorship, or any room where your visibility is intentional

Here is what this actually looks like in practice for me right now:

• Calendar blocking (if it’s not on there, it’s not happening)

• Two days a week with zero calls

• One or two events a month (one local and one worth the trip)

• Fridays are specifically protected for GWC and MyOrbit

🔥 Plus, a HOT TAKE: Your dollars deserve the same focus as your time. If you paid to be in a room, make sure the effort you bring and the planning you do match the investment.

How to make it worth it

Before you walk into any room, have a plan. Not just an agenda.

An agenda keeps you focused on outcomes. A plan keeps you present. And presence is what actually builds community. Before any commitment, high intention or low pressure, ask yourself: what am I here for and what do I hope to achieve?

It can be:

• Content: You’re documenting, capturing, and creating from the experience.

• Learning: You’re there to soak up the room, the speakers, the energy, and put what you learn into action.

• Connections: Meaningful and intentional conversations. If it helps, I encourage reaching out in the DMs before and sharing your excitement for the event.

• All of the above: Totally doable! Just know it going in so your energy matches the moment!

P.S. March is a big month for me. I’m attending to two IRL events to introduce MyOrbit, and they’re a perfect example of what this looks like in practice.

One is very high intention for me because I’m tabling as a sponsor. I’m walking in with a clear plan for how I want to show up, who I want to connect with, and how I want to talk about what I built. There’s visibility attached to it, and I’m treating it that way.

The other event feels different. I’m going to connect, support, mingle, and finally see a friend I haven’t seen in a while. Just as important, but the energy is lighter and more relational.

Same month, same calendar…two completely different intentions.

Here’s to another great month! See ya in March! 😜

🌱Ingrid

𓆝 ⋆.This week’s challenge: Calendar clean up and sorting

1. Open your calendar and actually look at everything on it. Client calls, content deadlines, events, all of it.

2. Color-code each item as high intention or low pressure.

3. Then for anything that costs you real money or serious energy, add a short note in the calendar about what it’s for. Is it content? Learning? Connections? Maybe all three.

Go in clear so you walk out with momentum you need to keep going.

Click-worthy links

• Snap to launch creator subscriptions in push to diversify revenue | CNBC

• Ingrid Zapata Read Builds Business Through Community | Entreprenista

I recently had a conversation that I can’t stop thinking about.

It highlighted a pattern I see all the time with people who have been building quietly for a while.

At one point they said:

And I knew what they meant immediately, because I feel like we’ve all been there at one point or another. Especially in entrepreneurship.

• Do I build the product or offering first, or do I build the audience first?

• Do I wait until everything is ready, or start showing up now?

You’ve been working on your business or idea for years. I’m talking real customers, proof, and revenue. The kind so many people are trying to create and feel stuck chasing. And yet, it still feels like it doesn’t fully count.

Like you’re not “ready” to claim it. Sound familiar?

Well, that’s when it clicked for me.

Because when it comes time to show up publicly, something tightens. Suddenly it feels:

• Premature

• Exposed

• Self-promotional

So you tell yourself you’ll wait until the brand is “perfect,” the website is done, or the content looks “better.”

The problem is, that moment rarely arrives.

The lie we keep believing

“I don’t want to show up yet! My brand isn’t ready!”

I hear this all the time when I’m working with founders. And I get it. This happens to the best of us, especially when we care so deeply about what we’re building.

But waiting for everything to be perfect doesn’t create confidence, it delays momentum.

OUCH, I know. 🥲

The goal is to build trust. And trust, especially in community-led businesses, is built through familiarity, repeat exposure, human stories, and referrals, not perfection.

The chicken vs egg answer nobody loves

If you’re stuck in the “do I build first or grow first?” loop, my advice to you is to ditch perfection. You don’t need everything finished to move forward, all you need is a foundation.

The foundation can be simple:

• A website or a landing page

• An About page that tells your story and tells people where to find you

• An email list you grow intentionally

• A post where you finally announce what you’ve been working on

The goal here is being found. Once that’s in place, your audience (aka your community) has somewhere to gather, referrals have somewhere to land, and podcasts, partnerships, and collabs start to show up.

The part that’s uncomfortable, but true

When ideas stay unfinished or unseen, it’s not because the lack of ability or effort, it’s because putting it out there still feels vulnerable. However, confidence is built through repetition.

Small, repeatable actions are what turn hesitation into familiarity, and familiarity into confidence.

This week’s challenge

If this resonates, here’s something to think about this week: What part of your work have you been minimizing? And where might you be waiting for permission that you don’t actually need?

One thing I hope you take away from this is that this pattern isn’t failure, it’s a phase. One I see even among the most thoughtful and capable founders.

It’s also the exact reason why I’m spending more time creating spaces and tools like MyOrbit that help founders stay connected to their people, their proof, and their momentum.

🌱 Ingrid

Click-worthy links

• Meta launches AI algorithm personalization feature for Threads | CNBC

• I Hid Behind My Brand for a Decade. Here’s How I Unlocked Real Growth When I Became the Face of It. | Entrepreneur

• How to Build an Audience Before a Product | Growth Rocket

I am in year three of business #2 and 95% of my clients have come from referrals.

Not from the content I post on Instagram, my latest YouTube video, my website, or my publication.

But from the connections I’ve made, communities I’m in, and clients I’ve worked with.

Most of the people who end up working with me didn’t engage with my content at all before reaching out. They booked a call because someone they trusted said…

Those 5 words have paid my bills. 😅

And the more I build, the more I realize this isn’t rare. It’s how most decisions are made, especially now when our world is half social media and half AI.

What referrals actually tell us about community

Referrals are community in its most honest form. Think about it. They usually happen:

• In private messages

• In side convos/in real life

• Away from tracking links or engagement metrics

Basically in places your analytics can’t see. 😉

They’re based on experience.

Someone didn’t just like your work. They remembered how you made them feel, how you showed up and helped, AND they trusted you enough to put their own reputation on the line by recommending YOU.

That’s real trust.

Why this matters (no matter how people find you)

People decide to work with you looooong before they book the call.

Sometimes that decision happens because someone they trust brings up your name and other times after they’ve seen your work or content.

Either way, most decisions aren’t made just off discovery, they’re made through reassurance.

Now here’s where it splits:

• If your business runs on referrals, this explains why growth can feel steady BUT hard to predict. You don’t control the conversation, and you don’t always know what’s being said.

• If most of your business comes from content, this still applies. Content may introduce you, but it rarely closes the deal on its own. People will still look for outside confirmation before approaching.

What most of us don’t see

When most of your business comes from referrals, it’s easy to assume everything is working. Clients are pouring in, people are saying the nicest things, and you’re staying busy.

HOWEVER, you’re still building in the dark. 👀

You don’t always know what people say when they talk about your work or what gives them the confidence to recommend you. So you fill in the blanks and over time that gap slows growth.

Three shifts I’ve made because of this

1. I don’t overthink public engagement: Almost all of my clients came to me because someone they trusted sent them my way.

2. I pay more attention to how people talk about my work: If you look closely, referrals can show you a pattern, and if you follow it can unlock growth!

3. I am more intentional about how AND when I ask for feedback: The way someone explains your work says more than any metric ever could.

𓆝 ⋆. This weeks challenge

If you’ve ever been referred, what did that person actually say about your work?

⚠️ If you can easily answer that, great! BUT are those words actually working for you?
⚠️If you can’t, you’re not behind, you just haven’t asked!

If you’re curious about turning feedback into growth, or about getting started with collecting and using testimonials more intentionally, reply to this email because I’ve got just what you need! 👀

At the end of the day, when you understand how people see and describe your work, it changes how you talk about it, what you focus on, and what you stop overthinking.

🌱 Ingrid

Click-worthy links

• CREEPY!!! Have you seen?!?! » Humans welcome to observe: This social network is for AI agents only | NBC News

• Loving this roundup! » How do you define community? | Community Stacks by Andy Claremont

• THIS is how you build community internally! » Walmart’s new boss wants to hear staff complaints | LinkedIn (Free)/Bloomberg (Paywall)

That’s a question I ask in every discovery call, especially if they’re looking to build in a community building platform like Mighty Networks, Circle, Vinly, or something similar.

But honestly, it also applies to communities living in newsletters, on social media, or IRL. AND, tbh even entrepreneurship in general.

I ask this question because community = humanity.

We aren’t building communities for ants, books, or cheese. Yes, I know, I said ants. Weird, but I’ll allow it. 🐜🐜🐜🐜

We are building communities made up of real people.

And when you set off to gather people over a shared mission, you’re not just signing up for the exciting moments or visible growth. You’re signing up for the opposite, too.

The quiet stretches (you know the ones that feel like they’ll never end), the slower seasons, and the times that ask you for consistency more than strategy. 😮‍💨

If you’ve been here for a while, then you know I talk a lot about seasons in community-building (why they happen, what to expect, etc.,) and for a very good reason (IYKYK). The busy ones like back-to-school or the end of year rush and the quiet ones like the summer.

I’ve built communities through moments of momentum, transition, and uncertainty (personally AND professionally). Through seasons where showing up felt natural and energizing, and seasons where it required a lot more intention and care.

But beyond the busy and quiet seasons, there are moments that don’t fit into either.

They’re heavier.

They aren’t tied to a calendar or a single moment. It’s more like a natural response to living AND building in real time. You feel it when you log on and feel overwhelmed or you don’t log on and feel conflicted about that too.

Sometimes the heaviness isn’t coming from inside the community at all. It’s coming from the world people are moving through before they even arrive in the room.

You know, their lives.

This is where it helps to zoom out and remember what communities are at their core.

Before platforms, metrics, or engagement tools, communities (personal and professional) existed to bring people together over a:

• Shared mission

• Season in life

• Transition

• Challenge

And when things feel heavy, that’s what brings people back. Not content, prompts, new offers, or pressure.

Still, this is often the hardest season to lead through as a community builder because engagement and participation change.

This season (or the others I mentioned) doesn’t need you to do more. It just asks for a different kind of presence for your community and for yourself.

🌱Ingrid

⋆˚꩜｡When things feel heavy and uncertain, being present matters more than what you say

• Lower the barrier to participate: The less thinking people have to do in that moment, the better! One-word check-ins, reactions, or low-effort responses all count.

• Presence without pressure: Showing up matters more than anything. You don’t have to create to be present. You can use the time to engage and check in with your community instead.

• Be reachable: You don’t need to fill your calendar or overextend yourself, but letting your community know you’re around through DMs, comments, coffee chats, etc, goes a long way.

• Temp checks vs engagement pushes: When energy is low, it’s more helpful to ask how people are feeling than to ask them to do something.

• Be you: You don’t have to pretend everything is fine, go over the top, or be someone you’re not. Listen to your intuition and lead from what feels honest and steady to YOU.

𓆝 ⋆. This week’s challenge

Check in with yourself before you check in with your community and lead from what feels good to you, not from what feels expected.

Click-worthy links

• TikTok’s new privacy policy is sparking a backlash. Here’s what to know. | CBS News

• How Businesses Are Manipulating ChatGPT Results | WSJ

• Amazon and JPMorgan led the Fortune 500 in returning to the office 5 days a week. Now they’re leading a coworking comeback | Fortune

If I had a dollar for every time someone said this without liking, commenting, or replying, well, I’d be filthy rich.

And before anyone panics, no, I am not calling anyone out or saying there is anything wrong with this.

Because… I do it, too! 🤪

There are two reasons why I am focusing on this:

1. People are publishing content faster than we can consume

2. “Lurkers” are more valuable than we’ve been lead to believe

I know, I came in HOT today, but I mean well.

SO, before we go any further, I want to pause of the word “lurker.”

I feel like sometimes it can carry a negative tone, like it implies someone is disengaged, passive, or just taking without contributing. That hasn’t been my experience at all.

In fact, this chunk of your audience is observing patterns, learning how you think, seeing how you show up, and deciding if what you’re offering, building, or pitching is for them. They are being intentional.

Now, this is where it gets interesting…

The way we’ve been taught to measure engagement is outdated, incomplete, and honestly not how trust or decision-making actually works (anymore or at all).

People are reading, scrolling, screenshotting, saving links, etc., and bringing it up in conversations at work or with friends, sometimes WEEKS LATER, in conversations you didn’t even know you were a part of.

I am seeing a big shift happening from public (online) praise driving conversion to decisions happening quietly, offline.

This is why “Lurkers” are worth more than we’ve been led to believe. They may not convert quickly, but when they do, they’re ready to move!

And when you think about it, sales cycles aren’t universal. They vary by industry, offer, and audience, which is why comparing is nothing but a distraction.

I seen this with clients all the time.

And it explains why content feels so crowded right now. Everyone is trying to pull proof of impact from metrics that no longer tell the full story. AND in the process, a lot of entrepreneurs and builders are second-guessing work that’s actually doing what it’s supposed to.

What often gets missed is what’s happening offline. Not every decision leaves a visible trail.

And if you’re building with that in mind, you’re ahead of the curve.

🌱Ingrid

A few things to keep in mind

• Visibility does not equal readiness. Someone can consume your content for months before they are ready to engage.

• Not everyone consumes content in the same way, which means not everyone engages in the same way.

• If your work is designed to be referenced later, it’s doing more than you think.

💡 This week’s challenge

Instead of asking yourself, “Why isn’t this getting engagement?” ask yourself:

• What kind of thinking is this creating?

• Who is this for six weeks from now, not six minutes?

• If someone watched and didn’t engage, would this still be useful?

🖇️ Click-worthy links

• First ChatGPT, now Threads. Threads rolls out ads to all users worldwide | TechCrunch

• What I listen to when I am in the zone cleaning out inboxes, doing client work, and writing my newsletter. :)

• Announcement from the new TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC

Substack highlights

• HUGE shoutout to my top sub referral, the amazing and the voice behind .

• Join me in welcoming a couple new publications (written by brilliant women) like , , , , and .

Agendas are meant to guide us, and for a long time, especially through the pandemic when we spent the majority of our time online, we focused more on the “agenda” than the “room”.

We learned how to run efficient meetings, packed out calendars, optimized talking points and timelines, and in many ways, that made sense.

Now things are shifting.

It does not matter if it’s a team meeting on Zoom or an in-person event. You can have every line item listed and every talking point prepared, but none of that really matters if people aren’t taking “something” home with them. Literally, but mostly, figuratively. 😉

They might stay for the meeting or gathering, but might not be engaged. They might hear what is said, but might not carry it with them.

And as we move deeper into hybrid ways of community-building, this is definitely worth paying attention to.

Over the past five(ish) years we got very good at running meetings, but now the work is focused on deeper connection.

I do want to clarify two things really quickly though:

1. When I use the word “rooms” here, I am talking about literal, in-person spaces, but I often also use it to describe online spaces. A room can be physical or digital. It is any place where people gather.

2. Online connection is very real and possible, but as more of us find our way back into offline spaces, the way we gather needs to be intentional and meaningful in ways online cannot eveeeeeen comprehend. That’s how you make it a real BONUS + key differentiator. Same goes for online — the goal is to give each their own unique qualities.

You following?!?!

THIS is the work I am paying very close attention to right now.

Even as we continue showing up online, across screens, time zones, and different seasons of life, more and more people are desperate (hiiiii GENZ) to unplug even if just for a bit.

And I don’t know about you, but, yes pls and thank you! Let’s do it! 😮‍💨

Think of it this way:

Your online community is the foundation aka the place people can return to again and again. It holds the conversations, the relationships, and it’s how and where people stay connected in general.

IRL is not mean to replace the online spaces, but to strengthen them.

One supports the other.

THIS shift is NOT about choosing one or the other, it’s about learning how to intentionally design AND show up in both.

I know this because I have been in and around enough rooms over the years to notice the pattern and the ones people remember are never about the agenda.

They couldn’t tell you what happened at 10 AM or what was scheduled between 2 and 3 PM, but they will remember:

1. How a conversation made them feel

2. A speaker who said something that stayed with them

3. The energy in the room

4. The music playing

5. The way it smelled

6. The details, the goodies, etc.

7. How thoughtful it all felt vs forced

8. How they felt when they arrived AND then how they felt when they walked out of there

9. That one takeaway that inspired a post or piece of content

10. The moment they felt seen without trying

That’s the difference.

I was reminded of this last week at a Dreamers & Doers gathering in NYC. There was no formal agenda, and that was part of what made it so enjoyable. The host, Taylor, set the tone early, and everything else just flowed so naturally. And it worked because was being intentional and thinking ahead about how she wanted attendees to not only feel in the moment, but also walk away with.

So, let this be your sign to stop trying to fill every minute and instead focus on what people will walk away with when they leave.

Especially if you’re building a business, a brand, or a community, because the way people feel in your “rooms” whether online or IRL, directly impacts whether they come back, refer others, or stay connected after the event ends.

🌱Ingrid

This week’s challenge

Before your next meeting or gathering (online/IRL), think about how you can contribute to the room. That might look like:

• Making an introduction between two people who should know each other

• Following up with someone who shared something that stuck with you

• Being fully present instead of rushing through the “agenda” 😉

• Creating space for someone else to speak or take the stage

Click-worthy links

• OpenAI to begin testing ads on ChatGPT in the U.S. | CNBC

• Great Outdoor Shift by Boatsetter — I am DIGGING deep into this in next week’s Sunday Send-Off, but in the meantime, take a peek. Came across Caitlin Coble’s post on LinkedIn where she was talking about Boatsetter’s newest report and IT IS SO GOOD!

• Entreprenista Founders Weekend — Will I see you there? Tap on the link to learn more about what to expect and how you can attend!

NEW! Voice Notes: That’s what she (me, Ingrid!) said…

They always say your environment changes how you see things, but for the most part it’s always in reference to places because “your surroundings can shape your outlook,” but like, so can people. 🙃

So today, we’re focusing on people.

If you live somewhere with a real winter, you know the kind that’s long, cold, and tests your patience, then you know this stretch well. This NYC meme gets me every year.

The holidays are over, it’s dark early, and a lot of us are quietly (or loudly, in my case🙄) counting down the days until spring. I feel like Winter has a way of slowing things down in a way that it makes you reflect on everything going on around you, especially at the start of a new year.

Seriously, don’t ask me how. It’s just one of those IYKYK.

And when you’re building a business, especially one that relies on your thinking, time, and energy, this awareness matters more than most people realize

Community works the same way. The people inside your “globe” shape what you see, how clearly you see it, and how steady things feel when everything gets shaken up.

Lately, what’s been standing out to me, especially as my work has deepened, is how much the people around the work affect the work itself. And it’s not always in obvious ways, sometimes it happens quietly, in conversations, while decisions get made, etc.

I’ve noticed it in moments when things feel steady AND when things feel harder than they need to be.

The people you build alongside, collaborate with, and stay in proximity to influence more than outcomes. They influence your pace, your confidence, your clarity, and even your capacity to think.

And whether we’re conscious of it or not, we’re designing it every day. Through who gets access to our time, whose opinions we weigh, and what kind of energy becomes normal in our own “snow globe”.

When your work depends on your ideas, your presence, and your ability to see clearly, the environment you build inside isn’t just for decoration, it’s part of the foundation.

We’re all building while surrounded by content, opinions, timelines, influencers, founders, and other people’s versions of success whether we realize it or not.

We’re consuming it, absorbing it, and letting it shape how we think about our work, our pace, and ourselves.

So if this made you stop and think for a second, pay attention. Because your environment is already influencing more than you think. The only question is whether it’s helping you build or pulling you off course.

🌱Ingrid

Here’s what changes when you start seeing community as your environment:

• You pay attention to who influences your pace, not just your ideas

• You notice where friction comes from and that it’s often environmental, not personal 🔥🔥🔥

• You stop forcing momentum and start designing conditions that support and maintain it (so important!)

• You get clearer on what kind of proximity helps YOU do YOUR best work

• You realize growth isn’t always about doing more, but about being in better rooms (YUP! I said that!) 🔥🔥🔥

This week’s challenge

Take a quick audit of your surroundings and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Who am I building alongside right now?

2. Where (and when) do I feel steady and where do I feel drained?

3. What kind of environment helps me think clearly?

4. When I am the most inspired who am I with or where?

So much clarity will come from being aware of who and what is shaping the conditions in your snow globe. ☃️

Click-worthy links

• The Women Shaping Business and Culture—One Podcast, Book & Newsletter at a Time | Dreamers & Doers

• Experience what it feels like to build your business with community support | Entreprenista League Experience Week 2026

Happy New Year! 🎉 🪩

I hope the end of 2025 gave you a moment to breathe, rest, or simply do whatever you needed before starting the new year.

On my end, I am so grateful I had the chance to unplug along with my husband while the kids were on winter break and truly lean into family time, adventures, and the magic of the holidays.

What I didn’t expect was how hard it would feel to show up again.

This weekend, I found myself sitting in front of my laptop, staring at the screen with no words coming to me. I didn’t event write today’s issue until ~3 hours before I scheduled it to go out. 🥲 Not because I lacked inspiration, but because being unplugged for two full weeks felt incredibly good.

LIKE SO GOOD!

No emails, no calls scheduled, no pressure to post or show up. No afterschool activities or games on the weekend. Just time with my family and space to breathe.

And that pause made me think about everything I’ve been writing about since I launched in the summer of 2025.

So much is changing in how we show up and how we connect. AI is everywhere, and the algorithms feel more unpredictable than ever. What shows up, what doesn’t, AND why makes no sense. And in the middle of all of that, people are craving something steadier and more human.

It’s an exciting time in community-building right now, and I truly believe we are entering a season of transformation.

💡 Here’s what you’ll start noticing communities leaning into as we move through 2026:

• More intention and less pressure to be constantly visible

• Founder-led presence that feels human

• Hybrid experiences that blend online and IRL connection

• Smaller, more meaningful interactions instead of mass engagement

When you step back and look at these shifts, they all point to the same thing. People are tired of performing. They want spaces that feel grounded, predictable (in a good way), and real.

In other words, communities are becoming places to land, not just places to scroll.

You might not notice this shift happen overnight, but you will start to feel it more and more. Content is becoming more human and people who once focused heavily on aesthetics are loosening their grip and mixing things up.

🫵 What this means for you

In a world where content is being published faster than people can engage with it, what actually stands out is authenticity.

But don’t worry! Showing up doesn’t have to look perfect right now. It can look like sharing what feels true in the moment and letting your community see the human behind the brand aka YOU!

That also means giving yourself permission to ease back in instead of jumping straight to full speed because that kind of presence takes time, patience, and practice.

So if you’re finding it hard to settle back into routines or feeling the pressure of tackling the first month of 2026, don’t! Take your time and know that if you’re feeling a certain way, chances are your audience is feeling that, too!

AND if things feel quieter than usual, I hope you can hear my voice in your head and hear me say… “It’s not you. It’s the season.” 😊

🌱Ingrid

😉 New year, same you! Just a lil bit more intentional (biz tips)

1. Email list: Make sure you are actively collective email addresses from your audience even if you’re not ready to send anything out yet (these are GOLD!)

2. Link in bios: Clean up your link in bio to reflect updated links/offers and make sure all links are leading people to the right places.

3. Scheduling links: 2026 should be your year to make as many connections as possible with the intention of nurturing these relationships. So set up a scheduling link and offer 15 min connection calls once or twice a month. No agenda! Just stay curious, and see what unfolds!

4. Show up IRL: Start paying attention to in-person events near you or in places you’re willing to travel to. Online is powerful, but nothing beats IRL connection.

5. One place to land: Have one clear place people can come back to YOU, whether that’s a landing page, newsletter, a community, or a shared space you actually nurture.

Click-worthy links

• Choosing your 2026 word of the year | Dr. Shainna, The Mental Wellness Practice | yahoo! creators

• 10 Small Business Trends Every Owner Needs To Know for 2026 | Paychex

• How smart small business owners are planning for a successful 2026 — even on a tight budget | Business Insider

Year-end recaps can sometimes feel like highlight reels.

This is not that.

This is a reflection on what it looks like to keep showing up while you’re in the “messy middle” and still trying to make something meaningful out of it. It’s about the moments that don’t always show up online, but quietly change everything underneath the surface.

If I had to describe 2025 in one word, it would be ferocious. And when I look back, the progress didn’t come from doing more, it came from choosing what mattered and letting the rest go.

For me, that showed up in a few clear ways:

• Volunteering locally and grounding myself in service

• Launching here on Substack and leaning into more honest conversations on the new podcast

• Building and collaborating inside spaces like Entreprenista and Dreamers & Doers

• Using social media differently, especially Instagram, less as a stage and more as a space for real conversations, partnerships, and IRL moments

At the same time, my boundaries stayed non-negotiable.

Family always came first. My phone stayed on Do Not Disturb through the day (and my clients new this). I logged off when my kids got home from school. I protected my energy, my time, and my sanity, and became much more intentional about where I spend my attention and who I give access to.

This year reinforced something I’ve always believed, but felt even more deeply in practice, and that is that growth doesn’t happen in isolation (which you’ve probably heard me say), it happens in community.

💡 From a strategy point of view, here’s what became clear heading into 2026

• The smaller moments carried more weight than the big pushes

• Presence beat perfection every time

• Community worked best when it was hybrid by default

• Forced engagement stopped working

• The strongest leaders created space instead of controlling the conversation

In other words, the communities that felt strongest weren’t the biggest or the loudest, they were the ones that made it easy to show up as you are AND the ones that let connection build naturally over time vs forcing engagement.

And as a community strategist, THIS feels like a shift worth paying attention to.

🫵 What this means for you

If you’ve been craving deeper connection, fewer platforms, and work that actually fits your life, take that as good news because it means you’re already in the mindset needed for growth in 2026!

If being “everywhere” online has started to feel more draining than exciting, that’s okay. Next year doesn’t have to look like more content or more noise. It can look like fewer places, better conversations, and relationships that actually light you up.

And if community keeps popping into your head as you think about 2026, follow that spark. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Pick one space, bring people together in a way that feels natural to you, and let it grow from there. That’s where the fun is. That’s where the magic starts.

An IRL moment that says it all

To close out the year, I hosted an end-of-year holiday fiesta brunch and we had a blast! Great food, drinks, convos, laughs, and the type of energy that just refuels you! I am so grateful for the women who joined me and for the friendships that have grown over time, in different seasons and in different ways. Getting to watch each other evolve, pivot, and support one another is everything!

Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but moments like this are the reminder that it doesn’t have to be. And because I never host anything without the goodies, I’m grateful to the sponsors who made our swag bags extra special, including Seven Oaks Capital, Mighty Networks, Constant Contact, Swair Hair, Bloom & Rise, and YumEarth.

There will absolutely be more of these moments in 2026 so get ready!!! 🎉

𖦹 This week’s challenge

Instead of adding something new, choose one place to simplify as you head into 2026 and notice what opens up when you choose less:

• One platform you’ll use with more intention

• One way you’ll create less content but more connection

• One habit or expectation you’ll release to make room for what matters

𖦹 5 reminders as you head into the new year from me to you:

1. Steady progress is still powerful

2. Consistency builds trust

3. Community works best when it’s shared

4. Boundaries protect your energy

5. Alignment compounds over time

Thank you for coming along for the ride this year as I made the move from Kit to Substack this summer and for reading my words, engaging, and continuing to show up as I keep growing my publication. Here’s to 2026 being the best one yet!

🌱Ingrid

New on the Community Made podcast: A conversation with Beth Thornton from CSThrive

Click-worthy links

• 🔥🔥🔥 YouTube Culture & Trends Reports

• 11 social media trends for 2026 | Adobe Express

• Holiday Glow-Up by Constant Contact (Spark real results with ideas for emails, social posts, and texts you can get up and running quickly this holiday season)

• 🎧 Darcy Bennet Transforms How the World Sees Admins | Startups in Stilettos podcast by Entreprenista