Email 2.28 - Ho-Ho-Holidays Are Coming

Alessandro Pedori , Kolja Sch?nfeld , Bea Wesemann , Jordan Hurcombe , DIANE WOODFORD , and Aroma A , thank you so much for talking to me in the comments this week, and let's definitely continue our conversations! ????

For others - talk to me, too!

If my experience helps you succeed in your professional and personal journeys, tell me about it because that's exactly what helps me stay motivated and continue sharing my experience!

Help me help you ??

Let's talk

When I was a kid, I knew that the holiday season had started the moment I started seeing Coca-Cola's trucks on TV ??

*and yes, it was not in November ??*

But now, it starts when I decorate the Christmas tree with my family, and that's exactly why this newsletter is out not as usual on Sunday, but on Monday ??

That's exactly why you'll see a very small amount of me here on Linkedin (just BTW announcements) up until the week of the 13th.

I'll finally follow my own advice and have some good rest and holiday time with my family ??

And for you, first of all, thank you a ton for being on this exciting knowledge-experience-sharing journey with me because it's you who I would love to see benefiting and succeeding in your professional and personal life!

And secondly, know that you're amazing, and no matter what happens in life, we can deal with it together, and if you need help and support - I'll be there for you!

Have an amazing holiday season, feel a little bit of magic in your heart and soul, spend some quality time with your loved ones, and let's continue our mutual trip to the stars in 2025 ?????

In case you missed it, here is what I've talked about this week! ????

In Today's Issue

• How a community can help your business retain customers
• Community ROI conversation with Pat Cooney
• Why freelancers have to be focused but ready for any challenge
• How to know who to maintain relationships with

Let's Dive In ??

Community ROI

Did you know retaining customers is 5X cheaper than acquiring new ones? And 68% of customers leave simply because they feel unappreciated ??

Your community can change that by improving CSAT and retention rates—your community can reduce churn, build loyalty, and even turn customers into raving fans!

?? Here are the actionable steps to achieve this! ??

Community ROI podcast

• Unlocking community impact through internal team involvement.
• Using customer-driven insights to drive business growth.
• Telling your community’s story internally to foster support and engagement.

On the latest Community ROI Podcast, I spoke with Pat Cooney—a seasoned community engineer with over 20 years of experience across corporate, nonprofit, NGO, and political sectors, and my dearest Canadian friend ?? about the actionable strategies to boost internal engagement and amplify your community’s business impact!

?? Catch 3 key takeaways and listen to the full episode here ??

Mastering Freelancing

"It's not in my job description." As a freelancer, you can forget about this phrase... ??

Be like a Swiss Army knife—focused but ready for any challenge!

?? Discover how being a "generalist with niche knowledge" makes you more valuable ??

Human Connections

"You don’t need everyone to love you, just a few good people."

Our instincts often tell us who we “click” with right away, and it’s fine to let go of the guilt when connections don’t evolve.

?? Discover why it’s not about the quantity of relationships, but the quality ??

If you're already here, please share your reflections with me, I’d love to hear from you! ??

And thank you for being on this journey with me! ??

Curiosity Corner

"What people of all ages can use in a moment of distress is not agreement or disagreement; they need someone to recognize what it is they’re experiencing."

Excerpt from "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" by Adele Faber

Upcoming Events

• Between Two Watercoolers Meeting 140 on Friday, December 27th @ 10 am PT (7 pm CET) - to meet new and old friends from the community world
• The Future is Freelance Forum on Thursday, January 16th @ 8:30 am PT (4:30 pm CET) - an exciting collaborative event for stakeholders from all levels of the freelance ecosystem by Sarah Duran
• Freelance Unlocked 2025 - May 14th-15th, 2025, in Berlin - if you're a freelancer in Europe - you must be there ????

Valuable Materials

• Why Internal Engagement is Key to Community and Business Success (Video and Audio) - Community ROI conversation with Pat Cooney
• How Freelancers Can Overcome Self-Doubt and Build Confidence (Video and Audio) - Freelance Sucks conversation with Lizzie Davey
• First Steps To Building an Agency as a Freelancer (Video and Audio) - Freelance Thrive conversation with Sam Kim ?? (thank you Mike Bal for connecting us ??)

P.S. I help build communities for startups and fast-growing companies that want to foster trusted customer relationships and grow together!

If that's what you need professional help with, or if you know someone who needs it, message me right away! ????