#140 What Podfest Reminded Me About Building Community
I'm writing to you on the plane home from Orlando where I went on a quick trip to attend a couple days of Podfest.
Full transparency (as always) I went to this event because I got a free ticket through my podcast host Captivate. I asked my friend Joe Casabona who was speaking if he thought it was worth it for me to go.
He told me if I attended he'd introduce me to a few people he thinks I should know. So Justin came with and we made a mini vacation of it (read: we spent Saturday at Epcot before flying home).
I left even more bullish on community than before (if that was possible) and I'm excited to share my recap with you.
Let's get into it –
Whenever I go to an event, retreat, or conference I set an intention or a few goals. Sometimes my intention is simply to be present and enjoy the serendipity of connection... but for this trip I had very clear goals:
Make at least 10 meaningful connections
Attend a small group event (I always try to find a small event or meetup happening outside of a big conference)
Attend a few talks and decide on a few experiments I would try in the business
And mission accomplished. I'm heading home with 13 connections I'm excited about emailing on Monday (at least 3 thanks to a small happy hour I attended), a plan to grow my show, and ideas to convert more of my listeners to clients.
Podcasting is really interesting because it's such a relationship builder... but it's very one-to-many ... there is a HUGE opportunity to build community in this space (see also this weeks podcast drop).
My friend Joe's talk was about not letting AI ruin your podcast by outsourcing the parts that are important + human... so not using it for scripts or outlines. People listen to podcasts because they feel a connection to the host.
All I can think about lately is how AI + tech are evolving at such a rapid pace that the one thing we're craving more than anything is human connection and belonging.
But the truth is we need to balance (and adopt) both using this technology to improve our customer outcomes, AND focusing on connecting our customers to one another.
For the last couple of weeks I've been writing about this and I have so much to say about how to build a membership that will last in 2026.
That's why for the first time in *years* I'm hosting a free training – Future Proof Your Membership. Learn the exact framework we’re using in 2026 with 6 + 7-figure brands to improve membership engagement, retention, and growth + future-proof your membership so it doesn’t become obsolete in the age of AI. It's free so you should come + bring a friend.
I saw this play out in real time on the expo floor.
At Podfest I spent a lot of time hanging out at the PodMatch booth. They're a SaaS platform... but their booth was full of raving fans of their business, their mastermind members, and fun activities (like podcast jenga). It felt like hanging out in a friend's living room in the middle of a conference hall and I had just met these people. Isn't that crazy?
This company builds community with their customers, and I'd bet on them over a SaaS company that isn't every time.
What stuck with me most after Podfest was not a tactic or a feature or a tool, but a feeling.
Every conversation I had that felt energizing, every brand that stood out on the expo floor, and every idea that stayed with me afterward shared the same thread. They were rooted in connection first and then supported by technology, not the other way around.
This is the shift I care about most as we head into 2026.
The businesses that will win are not the ones that automate everything or outsource their humanity, but the ones that use technology to create better outcomes while deliberately designing spaces where people feel seen, supported, and connected to one another.
And that is why community is not a nice-to-have add-on, but a strategic advantage. Nothing is stickier than community.
If you are thinking about how to translate this into your own business, the free training I am hosting is the most direct place to start. I will walk through the exact framework we are using with established brands to future-proof their memberships without losing the human magic that makes them work.
FREE, LIVE TRAINING – Thursday, January 29th 9am PT / 12pm ET
Future-Proof Your Membership
Learn the exact framework we’re using in 2026 with 6 + 7-figure brands to improve membership engagement, retention, and growth + future-proof your membership so it doesn’t become obsolete in the age of AI.