Community is the second part of my 6-part GTM Playbook. If you’re a paid subscriber, you have access to my GTM Playbook series, which I’ll continue to rollout through the end of the year. If you’re building a brand with soul, I highly recommend you subscribe.
In the spirit of community, I am happy to share a series of interviews with brilliant brand founders who have built communities from scratch. These mini case studies prove the power of starting small and scaling with soul.
These interviews are free to everyone. Enjoy!
xxRRM
Last week, I shared how defining your cultural strategy naturally leads to creating a community strategy. I explored the origins of community strategies from iconic brands like Glossier and Patagonia, showing how each of them started small, with intention and a clear point of view. And I shared what I consider the sacred rules for building a community with soul.
But this is all theory until it’s proven. So, to support my GTM playbook series, I thought it might useful to hear from founders who have actually done it. I’m not talking about founders who know how to scale a company. There are many ways to do this, and each has merit. I’m specifically interested in the founders who understand that identifying, nurturing, and creating with and for a group of high-intensity advocates is the strategy to scale.
My friend, Cecily Mak, is one such founder. She’s the visionary behind the ClearLife Movement, an exploration of what it means to “live clear” or without dimmers that can interfere with an intentional, present, and embodied life.
When I first met Cecily in 2018, ClearLife was a seed of an idea. She was at a crossroads, undergoing a transformation personally, professionally, physically, and above all, relationally. Though she couldn’t see what lay ahead, she was committed to navigating it all with clarity. She deepened her meditation practice, immersed herself into a community of spiritual practitioners and healers, and turned to her writing. Sharing her ClearLife journey on Instagram, she gradually built a devoted following. Today, she has over 130K followers, a soulful podcast, Undimmed, a weekly Substack, TGIF, an upcoming book, and a vision for a company dedicated to cultivating presence, healthier relationships, and a more intentional life.
I asked Cecily seven simple questions about her early intentions for building the ClearLife community. Here’s what she shared.
RRM: Who were the first community members of ClearLife?
CM: The first members were people I knew personally. We discovered a common thread (the choice to opt out of drinking/alcohol) and realized we were experiencing similar challenges and joys. We met together on weekend mornings in person here in Mill Valley, connected via email and messages, over the occasional dinner, and eventually via zoom.
What did you want them to know?
We're not weird. What we are experiencing is a shared experience. We are not alone. We should not be embarrassed or shy about our choices, choices that work for us. That the best wisdom is inner wisdom, all we need to do is tune in and listen, honor it. I see you.
What did you want them to feel?
Seen. Heard. Inspired. Motivated. At ease. Safe. Strong. Capable. Self-grace.
What did you want them to do?
Exactly what their innermost knowing tells them to do.
What value do they get from participating?
The incredible experience of discovering that what may have felt like a solo journey is one that is shared across the planet by countless people from a broad spectrum of places and backgrounds. Tools to help navigate their path. Connection. Strength to keep going.
How has your community informed the evolution of the brand?
I've evolved to frame ClearLife as an invitation. There is clarity and definition in certain beliefs and approaches, but there is ample room for people to define their own journey in a way that works for them. It is both mighty and soft, clear and yielding, intense and kind at once.
As I've connected with more and more people in their own version of a ClearLife journey over the years, I've learned that there are countless stages to this and we all need different things at different times. I want people to be able to find support, inspiration, connection, and tools when and where they need them for their own path.
How do you keep members feeling validated for their participation?
I try to acknowledge and/or thank most people who are in touch. I ask a lot of questions as I want to learn from fellow community members. In fact, learning from others is a lead driver for why I host things like the Saturday Sanghas. I listen carefully when I receive feedback and try to act on it promptly, or at least signal that it was heard and I am working on it. I genuinely care and hope that comes through in each interaction.
For more on ClearLife, here are a few “starter” Substack reads: