FACEBOOK COMMUNITIES
Covid:
The Community Catalyst By Emily Brounger
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020 really was the Year of the Community. Enforced lockdowns across the globe meant millions of people around the world went looking online for that connection and interaction they were missing out on, in real life. Added to that, hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost and people were furloughed or saw their in-person business models decimated and therefore needed to find alternative ways to reach customers or make money. Creating a community, for some, became a lifeline not only for mental health but to replace lost income. We spoke to 3 entrepreneurs about the facebook communities they launched during lockdown.
business Happening Hands in April 2020, a community which supported Makers to run thriving profitable businesses. After spending a lot of time on Etsy and finding the forums increasingly empty, she felt there was a gap in the market for a company that was in her words ‘part market place, part agency and part community.’ The third community leader we spoke to, Lisa Williams, known as the Vision Board Queen, also set her community up in the depths of lockdown. As a qualified vision board-coach she set up a Facebook community tailored around the ideas of ‘Vision boards, gratification, positive attitude and mind set’ - all things people were struggling with after months stuck in their houses.
Lockdown Launchers Fiona Dalziel started Women Together, a ‘networking community for women who run their own business’, at the beginning of lockdown after moving to a new area. She was isolated from family and friends and unable to get to know local business women due to lockdown restrictions. Kiana Jones started her
If you want something done – ask a busy person One thing each of these new community owners have in common is how incredibly busy they are - and were, even before they launched their communities. Kiana, owner of Happening Hands is working a part time job, caring for a toddler AND
Fiona Dalziel
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COMMUNITY LEADERS
Kiana Jones
OCT 21
trying to build a marketplace and community. She is the sole owner of Happening Hands which brings together quality makers and gives them a platform to sell their goods. As well as helping them increase their income she is creating a community where makers can learn and grow with the help of her virtual events and workshops. ‘The balance is hard, I am doing pretty much everything, I’m handling customer service, I’m handling all the technical aspects of the market place, I’m managing the social media as well as all the aspects of the community.’ Similarly, Lisa Williams, owner of the Vision Board Community group and a networking group for women in business, has had to balance her work and home lives. She managed to set up one of her two Facebook communities 4 days before giving birth and told us she has the attitude of ‘If you’re constantly busy and running on adrenaline you get more done.’ The saying ‘If you want something done ask a busy person’ should probably be changed to, If you want something done ask a community manager!’
Lisa Williams
