I've been deep in studying what makes some communities thrive while others die a slow, painful death. And I discovered something controversial: The most successful groups aren't the ones with the strictest rules. ..... They're the ones where people feel safe being weird. Let me explain... Everyone talks about "staying focused" and "keeping things on topic" in online communities. But here's what I've noticed: The groups where everyone puts on their "professional mask" and only shares the "right" stuff? ....they become boring. Sterile. Transactional. ...People show up less. Engagement drops. The magic dies. But the groups where people feel free to share their quirks? Their random thoughts? Their authentic selves? Those groups become magnetic. Because here's the truth most people miss: We're not just looking for information or advice. We're looking to BELONG. To be seen. To be accepted. To drop the performance. When someone shares a "weird" hobby, admits they're struggling, or cracks a joke that has nothing to do with "the topic" ...That's when real connection happens. So here's my controversial take: Maybe we've been building communities wrong. Maybe the goal isn't to eliminate the "off-topic" stuff. Maybe the goal is to CREATE SPACE for people to be fully human first. And then the valuable business stuff follows naturally. When people feel like they truly belong, they contribute more. They engage deeper. They stay longer. Question for you: In the groups you're part of (or the ones you run) ...Do you encourage people to show their full personality? Their quirks? Their "off-brand" moments? ....Or are you trying to keep everything "professional and focused"? ...I'm genuinely curious what others think about this. Drop a comment below - especially if you think I'm completely wrong about this.

https://youtu.be/yBQrACPA8QY?si=Feh0MQ_Vf_O4W-C4 I agree with everything Ryan has to say.

...PS (yes, I know the "PS" came a Tad Early in this post)... but I am currently READING the "80/20 Sales And Marketing" book by Perry Marshall, right NOW! Hey everyone! Quick question for you... How many of you know about the 80/20 principle? And more importantly, are you actually using it in your business? Let me tell you something: the 80/20 principle is almost as powerful as compound interest. Almost. And if you're NOT using it in your online business, you're leaving serious money on the table. What Does 80/20 Actually Mean? Here it is in simple terms: 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. ....in your business!!! ....this means 20% of your customers generate 80% of your sales! .....that's where the gold is buried! A Simple Example: Let's say you have 100 customers: - 20 customers (the top 20%) might be spending $500/month each = $10,000 - 80 customers (the remaining 80%) might be spending $25/month each = $2,000 See the difference? Those 20 customers are giving you 5X more revenue than the other 80 combined! The Secret Sauce: Going Deeper (80/20 Squared) Here's where it gets really powerful. Once you identify that golden 20%, do it again. ......take your top 20% and treat THAT as your new 100%. Then find the top 20% within that group. Real-world example: - You identify 20 top customers (20% of 100) - Now analyze those 20 and find the top 4 customers (20% of 20) - These 4 customers are your super fans - they might represent 64% of your total revenue! The Big Mistake Most Entrepreneurs Make: Focusing on the 80% to only get 20% of the results. ....that's like spending all day watering weeds instead of your prize-winning roses. It's exhausting and unprofitable. ...instead, flip it: Focus on the 20% that gives you 80% - then double down on serving them even better. Conclusion: Your Turn to Share! The 80/20 principle can transform your online business overnight. But knowledge without action is just entertainment.

When you're teaching someone to ride a motorcycle, you can't actually ride the bike for them. Sounds obvious, right? But it's just as true for how you run your business. So many leaders never let go of the bars. So they never empower their team, and they become a bottleneck. And bottlenecks are a liability. As a leader, you don't do the work for your team; you empower them to do their work. It's all in the development process: 1. crystal-clear explanations 2. practical demonstrations 3. setting sharp expectations 4. revealing each step like a perfectly timed gear shift That's how they, your team, gain the confidence to command their own ride. And that is exactly how you decentralize control within your business. Once you’ve done all four steps above, actually give your team the keys, show them the road, and let them ride.