Your framework for community-led growth

Honestly, I’m pooped. 😅

This week I’ve been sprinting toward our Cape Town Notion meetup (if you’re local, come say hi) while quietly flipping my entire approach to how I teach and operate this business.

Because I’m bored. Of funnels. Of late-night “just one more” tweaks. Of Instagram reels that get 2 likes.

And I’m sad about not having a better answer when you ask me, “What’s the minimum I need to do to make money with this?”

So I’m building the answer: a new system framework that maps exactly what community-led entrepreneurs need to focus on, based on your actual goals and energy. Scroll down for the first look (and tell me what you’d change).

(Also, please forward this to a friend who needs marketing systems help?)

One Solopreneur System to Rule Them All

The question I get most often? “Where should I start?”

And honestly… I’ve been frustrated by my own answer: “It depends on your goals.”

So I went into deep research mode to map the actual systems a scrappy, community-driven solopreneur needs to grow online (and find paying clients).

This model pulls from two sources I trust:

• HubSpot’s Flywheel, which is still the clearest take on how momentum beats funnels.

• FeverBee’s Community Journey, where Richard Millington finally made long-term engagement make sense.

Together? They gave me the bones to build something new:
A Community Marketing System made of 10 mini-systems.

Not just “nice to haves”, these are the growth levers you pull to shift specific goals, depending on where you’re stuck:

Together, these cover your whole client journey, from first touch, to warm lead, to repeat buyer, to “I tell all my friends about you.”

So regardless of whether you’re stuck at “no leads” or “everyone ghosts after the freebie,” there’s a system that maps to that problem.

The trick? Knowing which one to fix first, so you don’t waste energy on the wrong fire.

Over the next 10 weeks, I’ll dig into each one, real examples, honest fails, and a guideline to help you decide which ones to build (or fix) first!

But first, I’d love your feedback:

• Does this list resonate?

• What’s missing?

• Which one’s currently giving you a headache?

Hit reply and tell me. I’m building this with you, not just for you.

NOTION BUSINESS + AI - STARTUPS GET 6 MONTHS FREE: Founders, don’t sleep on this: Notion is offering 6 months of Business + AI free for eligible teams. Docs, CRM, hiring templates, unlimited AI... all in one workspace. It’s a clarity boost with zero cost. Apply here.

FREE PEER MASTERMIND GROUP CALL: Solo building is brutal. These new peer mastermind groups are forming inside Candid Community, curated by journey (like content creators, solopreneurs, or community nerds). Just async convos and warm accountability with 3–5 others who get it. Pilot is free. You in?

BUILD PRODUCTS IN CONTROLLED CHAOS: Katelin dropped part 2 of her killer series on what actually happens inside a 0→1 product build. This edition dives into transparent systems that communicate for you, why speed is relative, how to document in motion, and the emotional whiplash of product chaos.

AUTOMATE IN 3-2-1: Automations don’t need to be scary. In this bite-sized video series, Venessa shares mini automation builds that stack like LEGO, simple on their own, powerful together. Start with her RSS-to-LinkedIn trick, then sign up for her newsletter to unlock the rest. Get exclusive (and free) newsletter prompts.

HR ONBOARDING AUTOMATION: Kerry’s latest Loom drops the curtain on how he automated an entire hiring flow, from scheduling to follow-up, with Notion + Make. Think one-click scheduling, instant email invites, auto-generated docs, and follow-up reminders. See how he did it!

Forgive me, Algorithm gods, for I have sinned...

Your penance, my child: 

Need to repent for your marketing sins?

Comment below and tell us your biggest marketing sin and every week we’ll pick one lucky reader to give advice to!

How Candid Collab can help you:

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