Hi, I’m David. Friends call me Spinks. You can be my friend if you want.

I’m a writer and coach that works with community leaders.

This newsletter is where I publish essays on community building, human connection, and consciousness. It’s also, on occasion, a form of self-therapy.

I hope that my writing helps you feel more connected to yourself and teaches you how to create more connection with and for others. I hope it also gives you some giggles.

A little bit about me:

I’ve been building communities online since I was in middle school, starting forums for video games.

After college, it became my career. I’ve been leading community teams or starting community-focused companies for the last 16 years.

In 2014, after two failed startups and struggling to find a support network as a community professional, I cofounded CMX, an annual conference and community for over 20,000 community professionals.

In 2019, CMX was acquired by Bevy, a community events platform, where I served as the VP of Community for three years.

For two years I hosted a podcast called Masters of Community where I interviewed the world’s top community builders and experts. The podcast is currently on pause but you can still listen to the 93 episodes we published.

There was never a guide for how to do this work, so I wrote the one I wish I had. A lot of community builders tell me they keep a copy of The Business of Belonging on their desk (which makes me smile) and some call it their bible (which makes me cringe).

When I’m not working I’m usually rolling in some dirt in the woods, meditating (I do Zazen), reading (about 7 books at a time), or being silly with my wife, parents, and two kids (3YO and 1YO).