🌟 How I Won the Star by Logging Off and Leading with Trust · 𝙂𝙊𝙊𝙎𝙄𝙁𝙔 🍓🐛🦋🌈⭐️🩷

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🌟 How I Won the Star by Logging Off and Leading with Trust

When I landed in Costa Rica, our community sat at #43 in the Money category.

I knew we were moving up — slowly but surely — and that we’d eventually get that Star.

But how incredible would it be to get it while I was in Costa Rica, at a Skool IRL event?

To have that moment happen full circle — surrounded by people who truly understand what it means to build community — and to celebrate it together in person.

Everyone says the Money board moves painfully slow.

You need sleepless nights, constant posts, endless “what’s-for-dinner?” threads, and meme wars just to move the needle — or massive MRR, or giant groups with thousands of members.

But that wasn’t going to be my story.

I also wasn’t about to fly halfway around the world to Costa Rica — to be in the same room as some of the most inspiring humans I’ve ever met — and spend it behind a screen.

I only had a few days to be physically present with these people.

The ones I’d watched, learned from, and quietly admired — people who honestly felt leagues ahead of me. I wasn’t even sure I belonged in that room.

But I was there — and I wasn’t going to waste it.

Before I left, my community gave me the best advice I could’ve asked for:

“Jen, you’ve poured everything into us. You’ve shown up. You’ve given your all. Now it’s your turn. Don’t waste this trip glued to your laptop trying to keep serving us. Be present. Soak it in. Serve yourself. Every conversation and connection will come back to us in ways we can’t even see yet.”

They told me to rest.

To recalibrate.

To allow myself to grow.

“You’ve done enough for us,” they said. “The community will still be here when you get back. Let us do this for you.”

It was hard to hear — because my instinct is always to keep showing up, to keep pouring into them.

But they were right.

So I listened.

I set my calls aside. I closed the tabs. I silenced the pings.

And I did the one thing most group owners would never dare to do when they’re that close to earning a Star:

I logged off — fully.

Not out of neglect, but out of trust.

Because they believed in the ripple effect.

They knew every conversation I had, every connection I made, every bit of clarity I gained in Costa Rica would flow back into the community — into their businesses, and into the way we all grow together.

Because they understood something most people miss:

When you lead with trust, the rest follows.

When you ask, “How can I help you?”, your people rise with you — and for you.

And that’s exactly what happened.

While I was hiking through jungles, meeting mentors, and laughing until I cried, my community was alive with genuine connection — averaging 3,000 activities a day with just 300 members.

They shared wins, helped each other, and kept the momentum alive — not with filler or BS, but with real conversation.

The morning came when it was time to go, and I was sitting at #31. So close.

We packed our bags, piled into the car, and started the two-hour drive to the airport.

My community checked in and said, “Go say your goodbyes — we’ve got this.”

Suddenly, the drive turned into this wild mix of excitement and chaos.

@Bill Widmer

was behind the wheel, trying not to miss his flight (or get lost) while weaving through Costa Rican traffic and hunting for a gas station.

@Diego Joel

was in the backseat, camera ready to capture the moment it happened.

And me?

I had one eye on the road and one on the discovery board — refreshing between potholes, slow scooters, dodging stray dogs and hoping the Wi-Fi would hold long enough to see it through.

We parked the car — still #31.

I remember saying, “Okay, maybe it won’t happen today… and that’s okay.”

I walked away from the car, disconnecting from the Wi-Fi, thinking I have to wait another day to get the star.. probably while I was on the flight and completely disconnected.

Then, as we stepped into the airport, my phone reconnected to the Airport Wi-Fi — and it started pinging.

#30.

We did it.

I got the Star — not sitting behind my screen, but walking into an airport in Costa Rica with two new biz besties by my side, luggage in hand, and a heart completely full.

It couldn’t have been scripted better if I tried.

I didn’t get the Star because I worked harder.

I got it because I finally let myself be part of the community I built.

The win wasn’t the Star — it was realizing I already had what I was chasing:

people who believe in what we’re building together. 💛

Our community is small — just over 300 members and completely free.

Every member is vetted. Every post is intentional.

We have 0% churn and average 3,000–5,000 activities a day.

We may be one of the smallest groups in the Top 30 — surrounded by giants with tens of thousands of members — but we lead with connection, not noise.

And that’s the secret.

Your greatest ROI isn’t money — it’s trust.

Put the time into building trust and connection with your people, and that return will outlast every funnel, ad, or launch.

That’s the biggest conversion strategy I can give anyone — in eCommerce, in coaching, in community.

In every space where you want people to believe in you, open their wallets, or invest their time — when you lead with trust and genuine connection, you win.

Serve first. Win after. Lead with heart.

And that’s why, during the Costa Rica retreat, I got the nickname “Care Bear.”

At first, I’ll admit — it made me cringe a little.

But now, I see how fitting it is.

If you spread love, love comes back.

If you spread authenticity, authenticity comes back.

If you spread genuine connection, genuine connection comes back.

So I’m owning it.

I’m the Care Bear of Skool — and proud of it. 🐻✨

Because that’s what we do here:

We build through trust.

We lead with heart.