Building a Community Can Be Hard. It Can Also Be Really Easy.
One year ago I started building a community — here’s what I wish I’d known
One year ago, I started my Substack journey. And for the first time in my life, I dared to build a community.
In the beginning I thought building a community meant creating content that went viral, pulling in hundreds of new people, and somehow turning them into a loyal group who would engage with everything I wrote.
Spoiler: it didn’t work like that.
Some days it felt like magic: people replied, shared my work, left kind words. Other days, I’d spend hours on a post and… silence.
If you’ve ever felt that, you know how discouraging it can be. And it’s easy to think maybe I’m just not cut out for this.
The Hard Side (And Why It’s Normal)
Here’s the thing nobody tells you: building a community has seasons.
You’ll have days where engagement is high and you feel unstoppable.
You’ll have days where nothing seems to land.
You’ll have weeks where growth feels slower than watching paint dry.
And that’s all… completely normal.
The “hard” part isn’t actually the work itself. The hard part is sticking with it long enough to see the payoff.
The Easy Side (If You Let It Be)
We tend to overcomplicate community building. We think we need big launches, perfect branding, or endless content to keep people interested.
But communities don’t grow because of polished strategies. They grow because people feel connected - to you, to each other, to something they care about.
When you focus on that, it gets a whole lot easier.
Three Shifts That Make All the Difference
1. Consistency over complexity
People don’t need perfect posts. They need to know you’ll keep showing up. The trust you build by being consistent matters more than any “viral moment.”
2. Start with real conversations
Your community starts with one person. Then another. Forget “scale” for a moment, instead talk to individuals like they matter (because they do).
3. Give before you ask
Share something helpful, uplifting, or thought-provoking without expecting anything back. Generosity is the best community growth strategy there is.
Your One Step Today
Don’t think about “building an audience.” Think about one person.
Send them a note. Reply to a comment. Ask them how they’re doing.
That’s it.
One human moment at a time. That’s how communities are built.
Let’s Do It Together
Community building can be hard. But it can also be incredibly easy when you strip it back to what really matters:
Showing up. Caring. Repeating.
And honestly, it made all the difference. From the very start, I had people cheering me on and celebrating each other. My Substack became a space filled with positivity and kindness like nothing I’d ever experienced in my work life before.
That’s worth every slow week and quiet day along the way.
If you want to grow your community alongside people who understand the journey, you’re welcome in mine.
Resources to Keep You Moving Toward Your Dream Life
New to Substack? Start Your Substack Course: A step-by-step guide to get your setup right from the beginning.
Ready to Grow? Grow Your Substack: Tools, tips, and strategies to grow your audience and start earning.
Want 1:1 Support? Book it here: https://claudiafaith.komi.io/
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If this was helpful, please leave a comment or restack. It really helps. 🧡
I love this 🥰
Thanks Claudia! I’m on my first few weeks and this stuff / your content is very relatable