The Power of having a real Community

Many brands claim to have a strong or vibrant (or some other verb) community. They point to their hundreds or millions of followers and shout from their HQ rooftop: “See, people like us!”

The truth is that many brands don’t have a solid community, and there is one easy way to tell.

I recently purchased a Onewheel. Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted a hoverboard like the one Marty McFly rides in Back to the Future Part II. Onewheel is the closest I’ve seen to making this dream a reality, but I've been hesitant to make a purchase.

Future Motion, the company behind Onewheel, is located in Santa Cruz, and most of its dealers are in the US. My experience with a Toronto shop wasn’t good, yet I yearned to ride on pavement like I do on snow.

Enter the Onewheel community.

I reached out via Facebook, and instantly, my concerns melted away. I connected with dozens of riders, a few who service Onewheels, and a private dealer I ultimately purchased from.

Without this groundswell of support, my dreams of cruising like McFly would have remained a dream. This is the telltale sign of a strong community.

People went out of their way to help me. I knew what I was getting into and didn’t mind investing because I had built trust through these interactions.

A true community goes out of its way to help others join.