A community can give customers more than access to content.
It can help them stay motivated, connect with people who understand their goals, get support, and make meaningful progress.
That was the focus of a panel discussion at ThriveCart’s recent Creator Commerce Live virtual summit, featuring ThriveCart CEO Ismael Wrixen, systems strategist Cindy Bidar, and digital authority strategist Tanya Smith.
The panel explored what makes a community valuable enough for people to join, participate in, and continue paying for.
Meet the panelists
Ismael Wrixen is the CEO of ThriveCart, where he helps shape the tools and systems creators use to build, sell, and grow online businesses.
He is closely involved in ThriveCart Academy, which brings course delivery, member engagement, and community into one connected experience. Ismael brings a strategic perspective on customer journeys, community building, and creating long-term value beyond the initial sale.
Cindy Bidar is a systems strategist and educator who helps solopreneurs build online businesses that earn more without requiring more hours, bigger teams, or larger advertising budgets.
Through her Six-Figure Systems framework, Cindy helps entrepreneurs simplify their workflows, create repeatable processes, package their expertise, and grow with greater consistency.
Tanya Smith is a Digital Authority Strategist, speaker, certified AI consultant, and host of the Build Digital Authority podcast.
Through Get Noticed with Video LLC, she helps experienced professionals turn their expertise into a digital presence people can find, understand, and trust. Tanya created the Digital Authority Blueprint and has more than three decades of corporate experience.
Watch the full community panel from Creator Commerce Live below
What the panelists want business owners to know about building a community
The panelists’ main point is simple: people don’t keep paying for a community just because it contains more content.
They stay because the community helps them feel supported, make progress, and get closer to the outcome they want.
Here are a few of the key ideas from the discussion:
- People join when they see a clear opportunity to improve their situation.
- Members participate when they feel welcome and understand how they can contribute.
- People stay when they receive support, accountability, and meaningful results.
- Belonging and connection can be just as valuable as information.
- Quality interactions matter more than the size of the community.
- Your community should make your existing offers more valuable, not feel like a separate project.
- Regular personal outreach can help quieter members feel comfortable participating.
- A community should reflect the personality and values of its leader.
- Member feedback can help you improve the experience and keep the community relevant.
- Cohorts, smaller groups, and different spaces can help prevent members from feeling overwhelmed.
Watch all the summit sessions on demand
Want on-demand access to watch all the summit sessions? These include expert advice from:
- Kate Ahl on Pinterest
- Jamar Diggs on YouTube
- Nina Clapperton on SEO
- Liz Wilcox on emails
- Jenni Maroney on AI sales funnels
- Melissa Rogers on Instagram
- Liz Theresa on sales pages
- Becky Beach on AI
