Community building is one of my core values, in business and in life, so the moment I met Christa Hull and Michelle Lazar, the co-founders of Community Academy, I was eager to learn more about their approach. Their philosophy resonates deeply: in a world where brands often chase short-term wins with expensive digital tactics, lasting growth comes from the connections you build, not the ads you run.
Community Academy teaches modern marketers to build what money can’t buy: loyalty, advocacy, and long-term growth. Their work uses strategy and tools to help brands and founders make community their competitive edge. I LOVE this.
Christa and Michelle know that building community isn’t just nice-to-have; it’s essential for lasting brand health and belongs at the heart of every marketing strategy. Here’s why:
Marketing today is more advanced than ever. It’s also, in many ways, more disconnected.
We have more tools, more data, and more ways to reach people than any generation before us. Yet behind the dashboards and deliverables, many founders and marketing leaders are feeling the same tension: growth may be happening, but connection is not.
We created Community Academy to support brands that want to grow in a more human way. We’re a place for shared learning, honest conversation, and practical tools that help turn “community” from a buzzword into a meaningful business practice.
One thing has become clear since launching: people get the most value when learning is live, interactive, and shared with peers navigating the same challenges. The most impactful moments don’t come from polished frameworks alone, but from dialogue, collaboration, and space to think out loud together.
That insight led us to create the Human-Led Marketing Series—a live workshop series designed to explore what community-first growth can look like in practice. The series brings people together to explore the real work of community building—through ambassadors, events, and collaborations—while learning alongside others navigating the same questions in real time. Our goal is to create community as we teach it.
One of our past participants captured it well:
“Community Academy’s workshop reignited my love for community marketing and gave me valuable insights and actionable steps to support growth and results in my work. I’m also so grateful for the way Christa and Michelle held space for deep connection and conversation with the other participants.”
Community isn’t something a brand “adds on” once growth slows or channels plateau. It’s something that’s built slowly, through presence, intention, and care.
Follow Community Academy on Instagram and learn more about the Human-Led Marketing Series which begins February 5 in-person at And-Co Offices, 1575 W Georgia in Vancouver. Use 10PROMO for 10% off registration.
