Community is the cure
Loneliness is killing us. The answer isn’t more content—it’s more connection. David Spinks and Kassidy Gerhardi explain why.
🎧 River Live Sessions
We were joined by community leader and author of The Business of Belonging, David Spinks!
In this session, we explored the personal and emotional layers of community building—and what it really takes to create something that lasts:
🌟 Personal Motivations Drive Community Building
Behind communities there is often a very personal story. It turns out, many community builders are driven not by strategy or status, but by a deep need to help others feel less alone. Community isn’t just something we create—it’s something we crave.
🌱 The Organic Emergence of Communities
The best communities don’t get manufactured—they emerge. David emphasized that true community starts when someone listens to their own yearning for connection. When that yearning is real, people feel it. And they show up.
🚫 You Can’t Please Everyone (And That’s a Good Thing)
Trying to be everything to everyone? That’s how you burn out. David reminded us that strong communities have boundaries. Saying “no” to people who aren’t a fit isn’t gatekeeping—it’s protecting the culture and preserving your energy so the right people can thrive.
⚡ Personal Energy Metrics
One of the most practical gems from the session? Track your energy like you track your calendar.
Assign points to tasks — small = 1, medium = 5, big = 10 and capping the weekly “energy load” at around 65 points. This simple method helps avoid burnout before it hits. Tune in to what actually drains you (hello, surprise travel exhaustion 👋) and to only say “yes” to what feels light, joyful, and aligned. Protect your energy. It’s the fuel that sustains the work.
Watch David’s full episode here.
👑 Community Content
Loneliness Could Literally Kill Us
And community might be the only thing that saves us
We’re not just feeling more isolated—we are. Despite being more “connected” than ever, we’re lonelier.
We’re spending more time at home. And it’s not just a work-from-home thing. Teens are going out with friends less and people are searching online for friends.
Loneliness isn’t just an unfortunate reality. Kassidy Gerhardi unveils a powerful fact: connection isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s survival.
Robert Putnam tells us: “As a rough rule of thumb, if you belong to no groups but decide to join one, you cut your risk of dying in the next year in half.”
Weekly social interaction can reduce mortality risk by up to 91%.
Social isolation increases the risk of death as much as well-known risk factors like smoking, obesity, or lack of exercise.
One group.
One regular gathering.
One shared space with real people can literally change your life.
Kassidy’s post traces how we got here—from Facebook’s pivot away from friends toward algorithms, to a cultural shift where we started engaging more and connecting less.
But she also offers a way out: real-world community.
As Andrew Henke puts it, the future of tech isn’t about keeping us online longer—it’s about getting us together in person faster.
Community isn’t just a vibe. It’s:
🤝 Shared values
🙌 Repeated interactions
👋 Group lore, rituals, and norms
We’re entering a community-first era—and it’s not just idealistic. It’s essential.
So, here’s your invitation to build something real. Gather people. Light a spark. Show up. Find someone else who shares your interest and build from there: host recurring gatherings over that shared passion.
Read Kassidy’s full piece here.
💛Then go build something in real life. Your future self will thank you.
Featured Community Builders
Shaggy Eells — Salt Lake City, UT ⛷️
Shaggy is passionate about creating memorable events and experiences with SLC Events. After four years travelling full-time as a digital nomad, Shaggy moved to Salt Lake City. He’s passionate about skiing and loves being outdoors, mountain biking, trail running, building things, and, of course, traveling.
→ Join Shaggy’s next events here.
Cosmina Druica — Netherlands 🌱
Cosmina is the founder of LongevAI, passionate about the pursuit of longevity and viewing life as an adventure to be extended and enhanced. She’s curious about breakthroughs in health, technology, and science that push the boundaries of human potential.
→ Find Cosmina's upcoming events here.
Anna Pavlova — Lisbon, Portugal 🧠
Anna is a founder with 15+ years of experience in business and community-building. You can find her organizing powerful events, helping founders grow their network, and creating an environment where smart people feel inspired and supported.
→ Check Anna’s events in Lisbon.
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New features
We recently launched River 2.0, making it easier than ever to host IRL events and connect with communities.
Paid events with simple Stripe connection straight from your event.
Get more people to your events:
Hosting within a community: invite nearby community members, even if they aren’t following you.
Hosting a personal event: invite guests by email, nearby location, or from your followers.
White labeled community meetups (coming soon!)
Host stunning events under your brand.
Your domain. Your design. Your community.
Powered by River’s rock-solid community event infrastructure.
Thanks for reading, and see you next time with more community trends, builder spotlights, and real stories from The Current by River.
✌🏽 Ana Rivera Schmidt
Director of Community at River
P.S. Want to learn more about River? Join our Slack community or hop into a live session for a demo or talk community strategy.
Loneliness is killing us. The isolation at home. The loss of 3rd places. The continued break of family and foremost priority therein if love for one another.
Thanks for the shoutout! River (and its team) are way out in front of the curve on community building.