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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Business of Belonging summary
David Spinks
How to Build Communities that Grow the Bottom Line
27 mins
Brief summary
The Business of Belonging by David Spinks is a guide for building inclusive communities at work. It explains how diversity and a sense of belonging can improve team performance and business success.
Table of Contents
The Business of Belonging
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
Building a community can give your business a competitive advantage.
Community. It’s a hot topic right now – all sorts of businesses are talking about creating communities of users. But what are the actual benefits?
Author David Spinks has been deeply involved in communities since before his career even began. When he was a teenager, he ran an online community for players of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, a skateboarding video game, and found himself taking it quite seriously.
Later, he realized that his passion for online community married perfectly with his interest in business. He eventually launched CMX, a networking platform for community professionals – and hasn’t looked back since.
Communities aren’t just online phenomena. Spinks’s own CMX platform, for instance, has many online components but also hosts a yearly in-person summit. (At least when there isn’t a global pandemic.) But – surprise, surprise – it was personal computers that prompted the rise of virtual communities. In fact – and this probably won’t shock you either – the company at the forefront of community-building was Apple.
Let’s go back to 1985. Apple is pivoting to the Mac, but its users are confused by the new product. They’ve grown used to its predecessor, the Apple II. So they write letters (remember, it’s 1985) to Ellen Petry Leanse, Apple’s communications specialist. Leanse eventually spots something weird about these letters: a lot of them feature a mysterious code. She’s amazed to discover that they’re online access codes.
That’s right – as early as 1985, Apple users were gathering online to discuss and solve their tech problems, completely independently of Apple! Here’s the thing: Back then, businesses didn’t care very much about users. Once you’d bought a product and leafed through the instruction manual, you were on your own. Customer support was little more than an annoyance to businesses. Customers were a cost, not a benefit.
But Leanse realized there was an opportunity here. So she set up the Apple User Group Connection, making the online community official. She took the users’ feedback seriously, and she shared updates with them.
Guess what? This move was good for both the users and the business. Apple’s support costs dropped, and customers ended up spending more and staying loyal.
Plenty of online communities still give companies competitive advantages in exactly that way – just think of Salesforce’s famous Trailblazer community of users helping and teaching each other about the product.
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What is The Business of Belonging about?
The Business of Belonging (2021) explores how businesses can harness the power of online communities for the benefit of both themselves and their customers.
The Business of Belonging Review
The Business of Belonging (2020) by David Spinks offers insights into building communities and creating a sense of belonging within organizations. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- The book provides practical strategies for nurturing a strong community, fostering engagement, and increasing collaboration within teams.
- It explores the benefits of community on a personal and professional level, highlighting how it can drive growth and create a positive work environment.
- With its real-life examples and case studies, the book offers valuable insights into building thriving communities, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in fostering a sense of belonging.
Who should read The Business of Belonging?
- Community professionals seeking to hone their craft
- Businesspeople who’d like to tap into the power of community
- Marketeers on the lookout for new approaches
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The Business of Belonging FAQs
What is the main message of The Business of Belonging?
The main message of The Business of Belonging is the importance of creating a sense of belonging within organizations and communities.
How long does it take to read The Business of Belonging?
The reading time for The Business of Belonging varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Business of Belonging a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Business of Belonging is a must-read book for anyone interested in building inclusive communities. Its insights and practical advice make it worth your time.
Who is the author of The Business of Belonging?
The author of The Business of Belonging is David Spinks.
What to read after The Business of Belonging?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Business of Belonging, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Inclusify by Stefanie K. Johnson
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
- Purple Cow by Seth Godin
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
- Testing Business Ideas by David J. Bland and Alexander Osterwalder
- Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza
- The Leader In You by Dale Carnegie