How Communities Are Shaping The Market Of Tomorrow

When we explore the concept of community, it’s interesting to observe how it transforms from a gathering of people sharing similar values into a significant market driving force.

This transition highlights how communities can generate a broader impact that extends beyond their immediate space.

Trust is often established when recommendations come from people we know or feel connected to. This makes it safer and easier to make decisions when others in our circle have already paved the way.

For example, with YATM Creator Day, when an attendee books their spot, they receive a visual that they can share online to signal their participation. This visual is usually personalised and includes a picture from one of the previous events they attended.

When someone sees a familiar face attending, they feel more encouraged to join. This sense of collective action has resulted in broader participation than in previous years, with more attendees from around the UK and now overseas.

Research supports this idea. A Nielsen survey found that 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family, making them one of the most reliable sources of influence. These smaller, relatable networks hold the ability to inspire action because they are grounded in trust and shared experience.

The shared experience is what truly matters. Building smaller, engaged communities is far more effective than chasing a large, but disinterested space. When people feel a part of something, where they know others are on their side, they are more likely to act, not just for their own benefit but for the collective good.

Let me share with you what I mean.

Communities don’t just influence decisions, they create opportunities for growth and collective success.

Take the Friday Sea Dip Swims as an example. In this YATM-inspired weekly ritual, people promise (via a WhatsApp Group), to head to the beach for 7.30am on a winters day and go into the sea together. It’s not just about the swim – it’s the promise, the collective encouragement and the shared experience.

When people engage in risky activities together, they often form closer bonds. For instance, heading into the sea in December may not sound appealing to most. However, this routine fosters stronger friendships and connections. You wouldn’t experience the same depth of relationships if we replaced sea swimming with a networking event.

This is what I mean by the influence of the community. Even in the depths of winter, it’s the collective space that brings people together. Shared commitments are seen by others, who want to join in that can transform daunting tasks into moments of camaraderie. Friday’s at the beach now can mean around 20 people start the day together.

Another example to share with you is how the YATM Club rallies behind its members. Whether it’s sharing ideas, or offering encouragement, this space demonstrates what it means to be part of something larger than yourself. An experience shared can help someone else save so much time. It also presents a way for people to be visible and supported in the outside world.  

These examples highlight the influence of the group—not just as a support system but as a driving force for individual and collective growth.

The concept of “Community as a Service” (CaaS) elevates the power of group dynamics to a new level. 

In Belonging to the Brand, Mark Schaefer suggests that a well-structured community can be so valuable that access to it becomes a product in itself.

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

Community as the Market

The YATM ecosystem is an example of this. There is elasticity to it, you can leave your email to subscribe to the Thursday newsletter, participate in live events, or engage with others in the YATM Club, a space where people support each other’s growth in their work and projects.

YATM is designed as a community product, serving as a marketplace for ideas, solutions, and opportunities.

Problem Solving as a Collective Effort

In a Community as a Service (CaaS) model, the community not only serves its members but also develops solutions for wider audiences.

The YATM Creator Lab is a programme for education with the goal for young adults to make the transition from education to career, providing them with a sense of community during their studies and beyond. This means the results often extend beyond the group, influencing how others perceive the value of belonging.

A Resource Beyond The Community 

This is where the community serves as a valuable resource for those outside of it.

Let me explain. I received a phone call from someone who was looking for training for a client and if someone from within the community could help. We have a dedicated space in YATM Club, and within a day, an introduction was made, a conversation took place, and one of our community members took on the project. This illustrates my point: someone from outside the community sought to tap into the talent available within it.

From a commercial perspective, CaaS provides businesses with a means to build loyalty and advocacy. By nurturing trust within a community, you create ecosystems in which members are both contributors and beneficiaries, amplifying value for everyone involved.

I use YATM as a playground, so I can show you how everything works. It creates a live lab where you can see for yourself and apply these ideas on your own.

YATM’s journey from a newsletter to a suportive community illustrates how CaaS works in real life. What began as a method to share ideas has evolved into a marketplace of support, creativity, and collaboration. Here’s how:

1) A Space for Shared Learning

YATM events, such as Creator Day and the Lunch Clubs, are more than gatherings—they’re spaces where people come together, co-learn and co-create. These spaces build momentum, inspiring people to take action both within and beyond the community. Plus, it feels good to spend time with others who have the same fight.

2) Trust-Driven Referrals

People recommend one another, fostering familiarity both within and outside the community. As a result, people rally behind each other. These interactions cultivate a self-sustaining cycle of trust, where recommendations hold significant value because they originate from trusted, friendly, and reliable sources.

3) A Marketplace of Ideas

The YATM ecosystem including the newsletter, events, and membership, serves as a hub for sharing insights and exploring new concepts. People contribute their expertise, turning the community into a wellspring of innovation and problem-solving.

In these ways, YATM transforms the abstract idea of community into a tangible, marketable product. It isn’t just about belonging—it’s about accessing a network that actively creates value for its members.

Social media serves its role for all of us, but at the same time the appeal of large, faceless networks can be misleading. I don’t want to constantly address an anonymous audience. 

The web provides visibility, but it often fails to deliver the depth of connection required for real influence.

CaaS shifts the focus from superficial reach to meaningful relationships. I have recognised this means creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to contribute. It’s not about competing for attention—it’s about building a foundation of trust that sustains long-term growth.

This approach offers a lesson for businesses and people alike: real success comes from thinking smaller and deeper, not broader.

Communities are more than support networks—they’re marketplaces of trust, innovation, and shared purpose. 

For YATM, this journey is far from over. By embracing the principles of Community as a Service, YATM is proving that a well-structured group can transcend platforms and audiences to become a business in its own right.

The takeaway? Invest in your community. Whether you’re building one or contributing to one, the value lies in the connections you create and the trust you foster. Together, we are stronger—and the collective voice is louder than any individual shout.