Nobody warns you how much running a community actually involves. The onboarding, the engagement prompts, the events, the platform debates, the quiet voice saying you should probably add a newsletter, a podcast, and weekly calls too. It’s either a ghost town you feel guilty about or a second job that eats your evenings, and everyone online insists it should feel effortless.
This course, led by Lara Sheldrake (founder of Found & Flourish, one of the UK’s best-known community builders), replaces that complexity with structure. You’ll define what your community actually stands for, design the journey that turns new members into engaged superfans, and pick a way to monetise that fits your values. Everything you build is for your real community, not a hypothetical one: you leave with a manifesto and a transformation calendar you can put to work the same week.
What your community actually stands for. Different community types, how to pick yours, and how to write a manifesto that acts as your decision-making filter from day one.
The operational engine. Intake models, onboarding best practices, and the Monetisation Strategy Scorecard for choosing revenue streams that fit your values.
The long game. Map how members progress in your space, build a transformation calendar with real milestones, and work through the journey worksheet on your own community.
Two things you’ll actually use: a Community Manifesto (your community’s North Star) and a Member Transformation Journey with its own calendar. Build them for your real community, submit both, and get personalised feedback from our coaches.
Because making learning fun is kinda our thing
“I did not expect to find community in an online marketing school. It exists entirely online and still feels more real than a lot of spaces I have been in.” — Olga C., Creative Strategist
Lara Sheldrake is a speaker, community expert and entrepreneur – combining a background in sales and strategy with her passion for community and entrepreneurship. She hosts workshops, programmes and training sessions for business owners, start-ups and brands looking to harness the power of community and to forge deeper connections with their audiences. She is also the founder of Found & Flourish, a network for women and non-binary people in business.
Level up with AMS
Looking to supercharge your team’s marketing skills? The AMS courses are available both on-demand and live, and are perfectly tailored to your marketing stars.
Dive into our offerings by reaching out at hello@altmarketingschool.com
You can access the course for as long as you are part of our all-access pass. We continuously refine, add, and update our content to keep it sparkly and relevant. As long as you have an active membership, you’ll receive all future updates and enhancements!
What sets our classes apart is our commitment to hands-on, actionable learning. While many courses offer theoretical knowledge, ours are designed for real-world application. Each course is an immersive experience where the skills you acquire are applied immediately and integrated into your marketing toolkit.
Since the course lets you follow your own learning journey, time investment can vary. Dedicating approximately two hours a day to the training allows you to get through the course in about a weekend. But remember, replay, pause, and play it again whenever you need.
We aim to build training that can support marketers with all levels of knowledge. Each course also includes a breakdown of the level of knowledge required and anything else you may need to make the most of your training.