What makes a good community?
Everybody has an idea of what a great community should provide–engagement, resources, courses, videos, cohorts, workshops, or webinars. Then there's the personal element–relationships, advice, stories, emotions, competitiveness, and growth. With so many overwhelming variables, deciding what you want out of a community can often feel as difficult as deciding what to watch on Netflix after a long day.
In many active communities, you split your attention in countless directions just to wade through the content to keep up. We assume people love optionality, but do they? Having options is liberating when you want to explore the world or decide where to live, but do we need ultra-optionality for every single thing in our lives? A community should feel liberating, not exhausting.
A good community should feel effortless.
It's common knowledge that our brains only have a certain amount of decision-making capacity per day before our heads begin to hurt and go numb. I'd rather save that mental bandwidth for important decisions, like choosing between 70% dark chocolate or mini eggs for dessert.
I've contemplated starting a community since late last year, but never took the leap of faith. I worried I wouldn't have anything of value to offer, that the workload would be overwhelming and a massive distraction. My subscriber base has grown substantially since the new year, and it would be easy to settle into the comfortable rhythm of reading, writing, and posting consistently—the Substack dream.
But life is lived in transition.
With the influx of new subscribers, I tried using Substack's chat and threads features to spark a "community feel," but gained little traction. Not deterred, I paid for subscriptions to publications that claimed to use these features effectively, hoping to learn from them. I hesitate to say it, but some weren't much better than mine, and none excited me enough to continue engaging. The message became clear: people aren't particularly drawn to Substacks native community features.
I love writing on here and will continue to do so. I've learned so much since joining, but there's something hollow about having thousands of subscribers without a vibrant community to connect them. This isn't a "stick or twist" moment, but it's in my best interest to actively create what I'm looking for rather than waiting for it to materialise.
Why I'm launching a paid community
I've decided to make this a paid option rather than free because people pay attention to what they pay for. When something's free, it becomes dispensable, and I believe what we can build together isn't.
To determine the right price, I first need to understand what this community is worth, which brings me back to the fundamental question: what makes a good community?
This is where I need your help.
My vision: A community that plays like a band
Community to me is like a great record. You have the drums, the bass guitar, the lead singer and guitar players, perhaps some backing vocals or synthy stuff going on, but it all works together. To make a great song, there has to be balance, but each component also needs enough light to shine by itself. Perhaps it's time for an acapella or guitar solo, or maybe the drummer goes on a wild run like Miles Teller in Whiplash.
What makes a great community is the support each element gives to the others because everyone believes the sum is greater than its parts. You can’t make a great record from a single instrument- unless you’re into techno. It's where "your" people are, and they don't mind you riffing now and again because that's how life is lived.
What we'll explore together
I love reading about systems, concepts, and mental models to practice in my own life, and then sharing those results with other business owners and professionals. I'm fascinated by great thinkers and doers whose stories have shaped our world and continue to shape it today, and to figure out who the heroes and villains are. Together, we'll build a latticework of philosophies, concepts and systems to explore so that you can construct your own.
That’s what I want to build.
Philosophy: A set of beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and knowledge.
Everything in life is a philosophy.
A community should be like a band: wild, free, supportive, and expressive. Boundaries should be pushed when creating art, and I hope my vision leads to direct access for like-minded people to elevate their business or careers.
What's next?
Over the coming days, I'll be asking for your input through a series of polls to shape what this community becomes. Your voice matters in building this space—after all, what good is a band with only one person?
So, let's create something that resonates.
If you're interested in joining this journey, join the waitlist below.
Today, we’re starting with community identity. Please answer below or add your answers in the comments if I haven’t given you that option.
Until next time, Karl (The School of Knowledge).
If you feel somebody you know may be interested in joining this community, please help them by sharing this post.
Whenever you’re ready
The School of Knowledge helps you understand the world through practitioners. Those who try, fail and do (skin in the game). 📚💡
Join our growing community of like-minded lifelong learners here:
I’m really looking forward to this—a community where ideas get shared, debated, and challenged. It’s going to be a super valuable resource.
Kind of reminds me of what Subreddits could be at their best. Reddit still has a lot of smart people (no doubt)—but lately it’s been going downhill.