A Business Hippie’s Guide to Finding Your Ideal Community

In business, as in life, we’re not meant to go it alone. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, or seasoned professional, finding the right community can be a game-changer—helping you navigate transitions, embrace growth, and tackle the challenges of your work with courage.

But how do you choose the right community for you?

Why community matters

Community isn’t just a group of people that gather around a shared interest. It’s a place where you feel supported, understood, and less alone. For many, community is a space to:

• Navigate transitions: From career changes to life phases like midlife or parenthood, the right community helps you adapt and thrive.
• Experience transformation: Whether learning a new skill or becoming a new version of yourself, a supportive network fuels your growth.
• Heal through connection: During tough times, connection can be a life-saver, offering clarity, comfort, and strength.

The right community can give you a deep sense of belonging, help you grow, fortify your resilience and equip you with the tools you need to face challenges with courage and commitment.

What makes a community right for you?

Choosing a community isn’t about proximity or popularity—it’s about finding alignment with your values, goals, and energy. To make the most beneficial choice, both to you and the community, consider two key aspects:

1. The visible

These are the tangible, observable elements of a community. Ask yourself:

• Purpose: Is the community focused on learning, support, inspiration, or all of the above?
• Structure: Does it offer regular events, structured programs, or informal gatherings?
• Leadership: Is it led by someone with clear expertise, or is it a co-created, flat structure?

These aspects are often clearly outlined, making them easier to understand upfront. You’ll see this in the communities manifesto and its marketing.

2. The invisible

These are the less tangible, but equally important, elements:

• Energy and culture: What’s the vibe? Does it feel energising, inspiring, or perhaps overly competitive?
• Values alignment: Do the unspoken values of the group resonate with your own?
• Interpersonal dynamics: How do members interact and communicate?

While harder to assess, these invisible elements are often what determine how “at home” you’ll feel.

Know thyself

To find the right community, start with you. Reflect on:

• Your explicit needs: Are you looking for connection, collaboration, skill-building, serendipity, business growth, or personal transformation?
• Your implicit needs: How do you want to feel in this community? What kind of energy or support do you need?
• Your engagement style: Do you want to be an active participant or a quiet observer?

Being clear on these aspects will help you find a community that aligns with your goals and feels like a game-changer for your personal and professional growth.

How to explore and decide

Once you’ve identified your needs, it’s time to explore:

• Research: Look into communities that overlap with your interests or goals. Read about their mission, testimonials, and stories. Stalk them online.
• Engage lightly: Attend an event, join a free session, or connect with current members on social media.
• Trust your gut: Pay attention to how the experience makes you feel. Does it energise or drain you? Do you feel seen and heard? Do feel expansive or do you shrink?
• Evaluate the overlap: Does the community’s purpose, culture and energy meet your explicit and implicit needs?

Making a choice is a mix of logic and intution—matching your goals with the gut feeling of “this is my tribe.”

When it feels overwhelming

If you’ve been part of too many communities and feel pulled in different directions, take a step back. Reflect on:

• What’s truly essential: What do you need most right now?
• Quality over quantity: One aligned community is better than being in five that don’t fully resonate.

Finding the right business community is a journey, not a checkbox. It’s about discovering where you can grow, feel supported, and thrive. The right community is more than a network—it’s a game-changer for your work and life. Reflect, explore, and trust your instincts.

Because when you find your people, business becomes more than work—it becomes a shared adventure.