Doing Great Things: Members Select on Vision First, Value Second

Kicking off a community? You've probably spent hours building your blueprint—the step-by-step plan for building and growth.

This is great and perfect for you. It will attract the right people to your early-stage community.

But for now, hide your blueprint from the world.

Without the right fuel, your role as an early-stage community founder is to gather a crowd, spark a fire under them, and point community isn't going anywhere.

Building early momentum isn't just about bullet points, meetings, or checklists. You don't have to articulate it like an exploded diagram – that comes later.

Your job right now is to dream of the stars and communicate that to prospective members.

The DGT Mindset

I call this Doing Great Things. It's a simple rubric to make sure that your message is about the mission and not the means.

Instead of solving email, we're transforming how you work and collaborate with others.

Instead of making a sturdy pillow, we're creating millions of well-rested and happy human beings.

Instead of updating resumes, we're unlocking the global potential of new hires by helping them find their next best gig.

So yes, there's a tangible nature to the process. But it's not what you should be leaning on.

Your job as an early-stage community founder is to gather a crowd, spark a fire under them, and pointdream has to be contagious. It's about crafting a vision so vivid and compelling them all in the same direction.

Vision: Lighting the Fuse

Every epic tale starts with a dream. But here's the rub: your dream has to be contagious.

It's about crafting a vision so vivid and compelling that it pulls people in.

Instead of paying bills, we want financial freedom.

Instead of no more meetings, we want total control of our time.

This isn't about solo glory; it's the magnet that draws your tribe together, giving them a banner to rally under.

• Craft Your Epic: What's the saga you're inviting people into? Make it bold. Make it bright. Spell it out in neon lights.
• Rally the Troops: Keep the dream front and center. Make it the heartbeat of every message, every meet-up, every meme.
• Empower the Dreamers: Let your folks own a piece of the dream. When they see their fingerprints on the future, they're in for the long haul.

Tangible Value: The Rocket Fuel

Dreams get you started, but what keeps the engine running? Value.

Not just any kind, but the real, tangible stuff that people can see, feel, and use.

This is about showing progress, making those small wins that keep spirits high and the mission on track.

• Set Milestones: Break that moonshot into checkpoints. Celebrate every small victory like it's a national holiday.
• Deliver the Goods: Every interaction should drop value like it's hot—tips, tricks, insights, you name it.
• Listen and Adapt: Stay nimble. Use feedback like a GPS, steering your community ship clear of asteroids.

Doing Great Things (DGT): The Gravity Well

Here's where the magic happens. DGT isn't just a slogan; it's a mission. It's a noun and a verb.

When you're all in, pushing past limits together, there's a kind of gravity that pulls even more folks into your orbit.

This is about big, hairy, audacious goals that get the blood pumping and the brains storming.

• Foster Innovation: Make your community a lab for wild ideas. Celebrate the experiments, even the ones that go don't make it.
• Build Bridges, Not Walls: Turn your space into a network hub. Connect dots. Connect people. Make sparks fly.
• Share the Legends: Every win, every breakthrough, gets its own chapter in your community's epic. Make heroes out of your members.

Signs You Are On the Right Path

Yes, you can use analytics but there's more you can look at for signs of traction.

• Downloads of your resource, your manifesto, are on pace.
• People want and/or are buying your merch.
• People are sharing what you are creating. It's resonating.
• Your calendar is full with meetings; you see more digital energy.
• Your on the edge of feeling awesome and exhausted, constantly.

The Final Word

Building a community is a marathon, not a sprint. It's a blend of dream weaving and hard work.

It's more than just gathering a crowd; it's about moving them towards something monumental.

Make something people can't help but want to be a part of, you'll be glad you did.