Every community starts small. That’s true for Lisbon Digital Nomads, which I founded years ago and which grew to 20,000 members, and it’s true now for This Is Also Community, my Telegram group for people who are interested in intentional community. I started it exactly a month ago on 20 January 2025.
The group is for people who:
- Are looking for an intentional community to visit or settle in
- Are already living in an intentional community
- Are starting a new intentional community
- Are simply curious about intentional communities
It’s been amazing to see the group grow to almost 170 members, and the way it’s coming together reminds me of how I built Lisbon Digital Nomads – learning from what worked, tweaking what didn’t, and always focusing on creating real connection.
How I’m Growing the Group
Most of the first members of the group are far are people I’ve met along the way, at intentional communities I’ve visited, during events, or through mutual friends. I reached out, shared my idea, and invited them to join if they felt called.
I’ve also leaned on my background in affiliate marketing to connect with the right people. I’ve contacted intentional communities directly, asked for intros, and reached out to experts in permaculture, natural building, and community building.
The Community Spotlight Calls are another way I’m bringing people in. These events feature interviews with people living in intentional communities, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what life is like. The first call was with Sonnenwald in Germany, and our next one will spotlight Damanhur in Italy. I promote these events on Eventbrite, Facebook groups, and Telegram, and I make sure to mention the group as the place where recordings and discussions happen afterward. This way, the people joining are genuinely interested in the topic.
I could have used other tactics to grow much faster, but I am purposefully not doing those things. It’s so important to have the RIGHT people in the group. Of course there are a few people who are shy or who just prefer to watch from the sidelines, but most people are actually genuinely interested in being a part of the group.
What’s Happening Inside the Group
From the start, I wanted this to feel like a space for genuine collaboration and connection, not just another chat group. New members are welcomed with an automated message that guides them to introduce themselves in the intro channel and are encouraged to use hashtags like #LookingForCommunity or #AlreadyInCommunity. These hashtags make it easy to find others with shared goals or experiences.
I respond to every intro or message, but not right away – I want to leave space for others to engage too. If I see a connection with someone else in the group that might be useful, or a resource or contact, I’ll point it out. Other members are starting to do the same, and it’s creating a really supportive vibe.
We’ve had some amazing discussions sparked by weekly prompts, and members have begun sharing their own questions and insights. One recent topic was about how communities handle conflict, and the advice from experienced members was incredibly thoughtful and beautiful.
I also keep a running list of members, the communities they’ve visited, and for those who already live in community, the names of those communities. This makes it easy to connect people who might be able to help each other.
What’s Next
This group inspires me daily. I have so many ideas brewing:
- Starting an online mastermind for existing communities to meet regularly and share insights
- Expanding our resource-sharing channel, which already has tools, articles, and frameworks submitted by members
- Introducing more events for connection as the group grows
- In-person meetups
- Group visits to communities
- Discounts and benefits for the members for relevant courses, conferences and resources
- Resources for people who have just learned about Intentional Communities and are a bit lost
For now, I’m focusing on keeping the foundation solid and the experience meaningful. I don’t want to overwhelm anyone—I want the group to grow naturally, with its members at the heart of everything we do.
If you’re interested in joining, you can find the Telegram group here: This is Also Community.
Let’s learn, collaborate, and build something beautiful together.