Monday is the kickoff for Monetization Month, and we need a little pre-work from you sometime this weekend. Monetization follows when you handle the precursors first, so we're asking you to start collecting reviews from members. There are extensions and services built to gather reviews, but the simplest approach is to ask for them directly in your community. I've put together a framework for doing this, including why the specifics matter when a review is going to live somewhere public. The full explanation is at the link below. https://www.skool.com/skoolology/how-to-ask-for-reviews-copy-this-text And if you're so inclined, our review thread is always open. A lot of you have already said kind things in other threads or DMs, which we appreciate more than you know. Gathering the longer ones in a single place just makes them easier to find later. (We really think you should do this yourself) Because our community is public, those threads, posts, and comments can be indexed. That brings me to preparation point number two. For monetization resources, we're building a new course available only to members at level 2 or higher. Some of what we'll cover isn't meant for public distribution. If you're not at level 2 yet and want access, just message Donna or me and we'll take care of it. You can also drop a comment in another thread, something like "looking forward to monetization ideas," and a few of us will like it to move you up. And if you're feeling like an overachiever, consider working on your pricing tier descriptions this weekend too. We're running a test on our own right now. The $9 premium plan is showing up in our about page text and in the community card image. We are Freemium now with a free tier, but we want to see how conversions change when the first paid tier is visible from the moment someone sees our community. Just something to consider thinking about. You never know for sure what works until you experiment!

One of my favorite traditions in Skoolology has been celebrating the amazing people who are building communities with purpose, generosity, and heart. We'll continue sharing our Community Builder Spotlights in the Celebrations thread, just as we always have. But we wanted to do something more. We've created a permanent home for every spotlight inside the Classroom under Headliners, our growing library of community builders. Why? Because these stories deserve to be easy to find. Instead of disappearing into the feed over time, they'll now be searchable, organized, and available for both our members and future visitors to discover. That means the incredible people we celebrate can continue inspiring others long after their spotlight week has passed. Our first Headliners include: 🌟 Lynne Vella Helping people understand their health information with confidence. 🌟 Kelly S. Kelly Helping people create peace by letting go of what no longer serves them. 🌟 Avinash Khatri Helping business owners build simple YouTube systems that create trust and consistent growth. If you missed any of their stories, or you'd like to revisit them, head over to Headliners in the Classroom. You might discover a new idea for your own community... or simply be reminded of the incredible people we're fortunate to build alongside every day. And to @Lynne Vella @Kelly S. Kelly and @Avinash Khatri ... Thank you for allowing us to celebrate your stories. You have each made Skoolology a better place. 💙 Building better communities. One spotlight at a time.

Let's close the week gently, thinking about your own community, and a reframe that took me a while to believe. Generosity and sustainability are not opposites. They're partners. The most generous thing you can do is build something that lasts, because a community that survives keeps giving long after the free-forever version would have burned out and closed. Charging fairly isn't the opposite of caring. Sometimes it's how the caring gets to continue. What would shift for you if you saw earning a living from your work as an act of generosity toward its future, not a retreat from it?

I just received my first-ever Skool Premium member—an annual membership for $99. I want to say thank you to @Todd Thornton. Your post in the Skoolers community was timely, and the suggested communities to review shifted my thinking about my community structure. In addition, you then followed up with a DM like a pro, and that really got me motivated.

Today's live session is shaping up more like a mastermind, so I've extended it to a full hour. Yes, it's about Growth Boost, but it's so much more than that. We're getting into community strategy: how and whether you should adjust your approach once you factor in the bigger trends reshaping things. Any success I've had in business has come from looking at where the market is going, not where it sits today. My favorite quote comes from Wayne Gretzky, who credits it to his father: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." That's what this hour is for. Figuring out where the puck is headed for your community, and what that means for the moves you make now. Come live if you can and bring your questions or drop questions below in comments. Implementation guides go out later today for anyone with access.