Social Media Decoded — Episode Summary

Episode: What Businesses Get Wrong About Building Community in 2026
Host: Michelle Thames
Date: November 20, 2025

Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

In this impactful episode, host Michelle Thames delivers a reality check for brands, entrepreneurs, and organizations preparing for 2026. She dismantles common misconceptions about community building, reframing it not as a fleeting trend or a marketing tactic but as a foundational business model essential for long-term success. Thames emphasizes that true community is an "emotional and relational system," underlining how trust, belonging, and shared identity will be the driving forces behind the most successful businesses in the years ahead.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Community Matters More Than Ever (01:10)

• Shifting Consumer Trust: Thames highlights a paradigm shift: "People trust people more than they trust companies. Consumers want connection over campaigns, relationship over reach, resonance over perfection, shared identity over random posts." (01:20)
• Defining Community: She dispels the myth that a Facebook group, email list, or chat channel equals community. Instead, she paints community as the emotional and relational feeling people have towards a brand.

2. Top Mistakes Businesses Make with Community (02:08)

Michelle identifies five key mistakes nearly all brands will continue making if they don’t adapt:

• Mistake #1: Treating Community Like a Marketing Channel
  • "Community is not where you push your offers. It's where you celebrate belonging. Audience consumes, community contributes." (02:20)
• Mistake #2: Delegating Community to Interns
  • "Community is a leadership function. Let me repeat that. It's a bar. Community is a leadership function. It requires strategy, emotional intelligence, and brand stewardship. You can't outsource connection to the newest hire." (02:42)
• Mistake #3: Equating Content with Community
  • "Posting daily does not mean you're building an actual ecosystem. Communities are built on identity, shared purpose, belonging, storytelling, transformation, values. Not posting consistently." (03:10)
• Mistake #4: Failing to Invest in Community Leaders
  • Lack of dedicated roles such as "community directors, connection strategists, or relationship marketers" results in low customer retention and engagement. (03:35)
• Mistake #5: No Community Continuity Plan
  • "Most brands try to get people in a community, but they have no system to keep the people engaged or uplifted. This is where most brands lose millions without realizing it." (03:50)

3. What Community-Driven Companies Will Do in 2026 (04:15)

Forward-thinking brands are already shifting to a community-first approach and will:

• Prioritize Relationship Equity: Every meaningful interaction is a trust-building opportunity.
• Build Community Around Values: "People don't join for features, they join for identity." (04:30)
• Spotlight Stories Over Sales: Humanizing the brand through real member stories.
• Create Hybrid Experiences: 2026 will be about blending digital and in-person interactions—“digital, in-person, live learning, social content events, and micro communities.” (04:55)
• Invest in Community-Led Ambassadors: Distinguishing between community advocacy and traditional influencer marketing.
• Leverage Community for Retention: "New customers matter, but nurtured customers sustain the business." (05:30)

4. Core Philosophy: “Community is the New Currency” (06:00)

Michelle shares her guiding principle:

• "We don't grow alone; we grow in community and businesses who understand that not only will grow faster but they'll grow deeper, with more loyalty, with more revenue stability, and more brand impact." (06:10)
• She credits community at the heart of her own success: sold-out events, brand partnerships, a global audience, and more—driven not by ads but by authentic connection.

5. Support for Community Transformation (07:00)

Michelle offers direct ways she can help organizations:

• Corporate workshops, community strategy consulting, event and experience design, brand partnership activations, internal team training, and community-led marketing frameworks.
• She encourages listeners to reach out directly via LinkedIn or email for collaboration opportunities.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Community as Identity:
  “People don’t join for features, they join for identity.” — Michelle Thames (04:30)

• On Delegating Community Roles:
  “Community is a leadership function... you can’t outsource connection to the newest hire.” — Michelle Thames (02:42)

• On Longevity:
  “New customers matter, but nurtured customers sustain the business.” — Michelle Thames (05:30)

• On Business Growth:
  “We don’t grow alone—we grow in community, and businesses who understand that... will grow deeper, with more loyalty, more revenue stability, and more brand impact.” — Michelle Thames (06:10)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00-01:10: Episode intro and framing the topic
• 01:10-02:08: Why community matters more than ever
• 02:08-03:50: Five critical mistakes businesses make about community
• 04:15-05:55: Actions of community-driven companies in 2026
• 06:00-06:45: "Community is the new currency" and personal reflections
• 07:00-end: Michelle’s offerings and call-to-action (excluding outro)

Tone & Takeaways

Michelle delivers her insights with a passionate, direct approach, blending practical tips and inspiring calls to action. Her language—"get your pens and your notepads ready because you already know gems are about to be dropped"—sets an energetic, actionable tone throughout. The core takeaway: Businesses that center authentic, emotionally intelligent community building will dominate in 2026 and beyond.