Here is the explanation.

I just made one of the hardest moves I’ve ever made as a community owner. The metrics might even go against me with this decision, but one real lesson came from it. I removed 659 members in one sweep. Now we’re at 141. And yeah… it feels a bit like Squid Game 😅 But here’s the truth behind the drama 👇 This wasn’t about punishment. It was about alignment. So I changed the rules of the community that if you must perform very simple tasks (introduce yourself and get to lvl 2) to stay inside the free group. There is also a membership question stating this up front. That's because over time, the community grew—but engagement dropped. People joined then never engaged. There are lurkers for sure and that is okay, but.... My community is related to hybrid calisthenics, and in fitness the smallest actions make the biggest difference as you need to build momentum, and that starts with a simple introduction. I want my community to be the best for people to reach their calisthenics goals. So I asked myself a scary question every Skool owner eventually faces: Is this a numbers game… or a culture game? I chose culture. What I’ve learned (and what might help you): • If you say you are going to do something, do it. I said I would remove those who decided not to be a part of the community. Now everyone that said are thankful and more engaged than ever. I have NO IDEA if the metrics will reward this move... I know honesty and action will. Since the cut: - Conversations are sharper - Energy is higher - The remaining members actually want to be here If you’re afraid to clean house, DON'T DO IT! I have been told that there is no need to remove lurkers, as people come back after days/months. I have NO IDEA if it is even worth it in the long run. But if you tell your members you are going to so something, you better follow through to build trust, and so I did. Curious—have you ever had to make a “Squid Game” decision in your community? 🦑👇