Still just hosting events? You’re leaving long-term value on the table!
Today, I'm diving into why shifting your business model from hosting group experiences to creating community experiences might just be the game-changer you didn't know you were looking for.
If you're someone who's consistently hosting events, like group workouts, workshops, panels, co-working days, even weekend retreats, I want to say: I see you. You’re doing real work. You’re creating space for connection, for growth, for creativity.
But I also want to ask you a serious question: Are you building something people can come back to? Or are you just producing moments that vanish once the group chat goes quiet?
Hosting is good. But community is where the real value begins.
Hi, I’m Gerrit, an IRL Community Builder. Right now, a lot of creators, facilitators, brands, and organizers are stuck in the “hosted experience” loop. You deliver something polished and meaningful, like a beautiful dinner, a purposeful retreat, a tactical workshop. You might even sell out.
But then what? If your experiences start and end with you in charge and a goal to accomplish, you're leaving behind a massive opportunity: to build something that outlives the schedule. You’re not just an event planner. You’re a community founder in disguise.
A friend of mine learned this the hard way.
He’s building a bootcamp experience for young men, held in the stunning Alps in South Germany. Gorgeous setup, great intention, solid program. He kicked things off by running paid ads to get initial traction, hosted the first event, got sold out and collected content. But then… nothing. Weak conversions. No buzz. No movement.
He came to me and asked what he can do differently. Here’s what I told him:
Build a community first, then the product.
Start documenting what you’re doing: review other bootcamps in Central Europe, vlog about your experiences, post TikToks, and build a personal brand that earns trust before you plan and sell tickets for the upcoming bootcamps.
In today’s world people don’t just buy experiences. They buy belonging, identity, story.
What’s the real difference?
To make it more tangible for you, here is an overview of why you should make a change from group experiences to community experiences.
So why shift?
Because you can’t scale your energy.
Because people crave belonging more than polished programming.
Because the magic happens between events, not just during them.
When you stop being just a host and start being a community builder, three things happen:
People return without needing a prompt.
Revenue becomes recurring, not reactive.
You build something that lives beyond your calendar.
From my perspective it’s obvious, what is your perspective?
You might be thinking: I’m not ready.
That’s exactly why I created this Substack about IRL Community Building and Marketing. Yes, the leap from host to community builder isn’t obvious. No one teaches you how to:
design for belonging,
build rituals and recurring formats,
create a flywheel that doesn’t rely on hustle or paid ads,
or grow your reputation while figuring it all out.
That’s what I write about. Real strategies for IRL community building and marketing, built from fieldwork, not theory.
No fluff. No funnels. Just timeless, human-centered strategy.
You don’t need to work harder. You need to build smarter.
Best,
Gerrit
Gerrit Dokter is an expert in IRL Community building & IRL marketing for consumer brands, creating loneliness solutions for Gen Z and Y, and social entrepreneur based in Munich, Germany. When he’s not exploring the future of friendships and IRL connections, he’s probably diving into the latest research on loneliness, sharing knowledge about IRL community that sparks real-world connection, or curating unique experiences that bring people together. Say HEY on LinkedIn — he’s always up for a good conversation.